The state of West Bengal is the only state in India which has both the gigantic Himalayas as well as the mighty Bay of Bengal on its map. This is a unique aspect enjoyed by most of the people residing in this state.
The people of West Bengal are also very friendly and the state has a heritage of hospitality and celebration which they cherish and enjoy with unabashed fervour. All these factors indeed make West Bengal probably the ‘sweetest’ part of India, apart from the fact that the state also gives a plethora of choices to its tourists.
Here are some of the places in Bengal which have a connection with sweets or desserts in some way or another”
Bandel Cheese: The area of the current state of West Bengal has been visited by numerous European traders over many centuries who colonised different parts of it for their profits and hence left many legacies for posterity. One of the legacies is Bandel Cheese, named after the area which was colonised by the Portuguese once before the British came to its shore. The name Bandel itself is probably a corruption of the local word ‘bondor’ which roughly translates to port in English. Bandel Cheese is supposedly behind the origin of many sweets of Bengal.
Bandel Cheese, however, is not found in Bandel these days anymore and is only available in a few selected places including Kolkata. Situated in the Hoogly district and around one hour drive from Kolkata, Bandel is also home to one of the oldest churches in this part of the world – the Basilica of the Holy Rosary (more famously known as the Bandel Church). Apart from it, one can also travel to the nearby ‘Tribeni’ a confluence of three rivers and a place known for its serene ambience and calm by the river.
Shor Bhaja: One of the cultural centres of West Bengal is the city of Krishnanagar which is situated in the Nadia district on the banks of the Jalangi River. The city is known as the gateway to Mayapur, the headquarters of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), one of the biggest religious organisations in the world and also a place visited by millions of devotees. Krishnanagar is also known as the birthplace of the sweet called ‘Shor Bhaja’, a delicacy made of milk cream along with other ingredients. People visiting Krishnagar can drive down from Kolkata which will take about three hours. Some other places of interest in this city are the Krishnanagar Rajbari, Roman Catholic Church, the market place of Ghurni known for its clay dolls and Bethuadahari forest which is just outside the city.
Chhanabora: To come to West Bengal and not visit the town of Murshidabad is like going to Agra and not visit the Taj Mahal. Named after the first Nawab of Bengal, Murshid Quli Khan, Murshidabad will, however, be more remembered due to its last independent Nawab, the iconic Siraj-ud-Daulah who famously lost to the British at Plassey.
Murshidabad today has a lot of historical sites to be explored from that era namely, Hazar Duari Palace, Bara Imambara, Jahan Kosha canon, Moti Jheel and several others of equal importance. To the food aficionados, Murshidabad is a place to try out the Chhanabora sweet, which is a kind of an item made of cottage cheese wrapped as the outside crust with a juicy sweet on the inside. The taste most tourists say is divine.
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