French
Deutsch
North 24 Parganas (উত্তর চব্বিশ পরগনা Uttar Cabbiś Parganā), the most populous district of West Bengal, is also one of the state's most diverse districts, from the sprawling suburbs along the Hooghly River to the rural borderlands along the Ichamati River.
Cities
[edit | edit source]
Western North 24 Parganas
[edit | edit source]- 1 Barasat (বারাসত Bārāsat) — district headquarters, a regional rail and road junction, and shopping destination
- 2 Barrackpore (ব্যারাকপুর Byārākpur) — a cantonment town with memories of the 1857 Rebellion
- 3 Berachampa (বেড়াচাঁপা Beṛācānpā) — best known for Chandraketugarh, an archaeological site
- 4 Gobardanga (গোবরডাঙা Gobarḍāṅā) — known for its zamindar (landholder) heritage
- 5 Kanchrapara (কাঁচড়াপাড়া Kāncṛāpāṛā) — home to a large railway workshop
- 6 Khardaha (খড়দহ Khaṛdaha) — temple town and a major Vaishnava pilgrimage site
- 7 Halisahar (হালিশহর Hāliśahar) —
- 8 Naihati (নৈহাটি Naihāṭi) — home to Bankim Chandra Chatterjee's birthplace and a large Kali temple
- 9 Panihati (পানিহাটি Pānihāṭi) —
- 10 Shyamnagar (শ্যামনগর Śyāmnagar) — home to a large Kali temple complex
Eastern North 24 Parganas
[edit | edit source]- 11 Bangaon (বনগাঁ Bangān) and Petrapole (পেট্রাপোল Peṭrāpol) — two towns near the India–Bangladesh border
- 12 Basirhat (বসিরহাট Basirhāṭ) — a historical city near the Ichamati River, close to the Bangladesh border, known for its vibrant Durga Puja, education, excellent shopping streets and regional trade
- 13 Dhanyakuria (ধান্যকুড়িয়া Dhānyakuṛiẏā) — known for the European-style Gaine Castle, but also contains a few other heritage buildings
- 14 Haroa (হাড়োয়া Hāṛoẏā) — home to the shrine of Pir Gorachand
- 15 Taki (টাকি Ṭāki) — a border town on the Ichhamati River, Taki is a scenic spot with beautiful views of the river
Other destinations
[edit | edit source]- 1 Bibhutibhushan Wildlife Sanctuary (Parmadan Forest) — a safe haven for a healthy population of nearly 250 deer
Understand
[edit | edit source]North 24 Parganas is on the Indian half of the Ganges Delta, with a maze of distributaries in the Sundarbans. Although the Hooghly is the main river, other rivers in the region include the Bidyadhari, Ichhamati and Jamuna.
Till 1986, North 24 Parganas was a part of 24 Parganas district, whose name was derived from the number of "parganas" (divisions) contained in the zamindari of Calcutta which was ceded to the East India Company by Mir Jafar in 1757.
Visitor information
[edit | edit source]Official websites:
- North 24 Parganas District[dead link]
Get in
[edit | edit source]Get around
[edit | edit source]See and do
[edit | edit source]St. Bartholomew's Cathedral in Barrackpore (1831) is an excellent example of British church architecture from that period.
The Jubilee Bridge over the Hooghly River at Naihati was opened in 1885.
Taki is a popular day trip and weekend getaway. There are great views of the river and boat trips on the river are enjoyable.
Eat and drink
[edit | edit source]The ground water may not be safe for drinking, as it might be contaminated with arsenic. So you are better off drinking from the municipal or panchayat supply of surface water or bottled drinking water of reputed companies, not of ordinary companies, here and there in North 24 Parganas, even if those are cheaper by ₹2 per litre.
Stay safe
[edit | edit source]North 24 Parganas has faced several cyclonic storms, most notably Aila (2009) and Amphan (2020). Monsoon rains may reach terrible levels and breed diseases like malaria or dengue. Keep yourself updated with the latest weather news and take precautions against such natural disasters.