Exciting Places to Visit in and around Kolkata during Pohela Boishakh
The first day of the Bengali New Year, Pohela Boishakh is a very important day for the Bengali community. The date of pohela boishakh falls on 15th April of each year. The day starts with getting up early, taking shower, wearing new clothes, and then having lunch with the family with some of the mouthwatering Bengali cuisines. Now that the lunch is over, what’s next? After a quick afternoon nap, the Bengalis get ready for some ghora-phera, which means sightseeing or visiting places. If you are in Kolkata, you will have a lot of places to visit. And since Pohela Boishakh falls on a Friday, you can start it in the evening for a trip over the weekend. So, let us take a look at the several places to visit in and around Kolkata on Pohela Boishakh.
8 Top places to visit in Kolkata during Pohela Boishakh
- Victoria Memorial
- Howrah Bridge
- Indian Museum
- Birla Mandir
- Digha
- Mandarmani Beach
- Sundarbans
- Shantiniketan
Let us start with the places that you can visit within the city.
1. Victoria Memorial
Victoria Memorial is one of the most important attractions in Kolkata that is well-frequented by the locals and also visited by almost all the tourists. Victoria Memorial is spread across an area of 64 acres of land and houses several statues and sculptures. Atop the memorial, you can see the statue of victory which is 16ft tall and made of bronze. If you visit the place in the late evening, you can even enjoy the light and sound shows.
- Timings: 5.30 am to 6.15 pm
- Entry fee: INR 10 for the Garden; for Museum Indians have to pay INR 20 and foreign nationals have to pay INR 200
2. Howrah Bridge
After a heavy meal on pohela boishakh, many people prefer visiting Howrah Bridge in the evening. It is a bridge made of steel, perched over the Hooghly River. More than 100000 vehicles pass over this bridge regularly. This bridge is also called Rabindra Setu. You can enjoy boating on the Hooghly River and enjoy the breeze touching your face while witnessing the beautiful bridge.
- Timings: NA
- Entry fee: Free
3. Indian Museum
It is one of the oldest museums in the world and a place that you must visit in Kolkata. The foundation stone of this museum was laid in 1814. From relics of Buddha to Egyptian mummies, you can find several interesting things here. You can also find ornaments, armors, skeletons, fossils, antiques, and stunning Mughal paintings. Book lovers can head to the library and bookshop here.
- Timings: 10 am to 5 pm (March to November); 10 am to 4.30 pm (December to February)
- Entry fee: INR 10 for Indians, and INR 150 for foreign nationals
4. Birla Mandir
Birla Mandir is one of the best religious places to visit during pohela boishakh in Kolkata. Apart from the religious point of view, this temple is also visited by people for its striking architecture. You can find a few of the artefacts of the temple made of Belgian glass and silver. In the evening, the temple looks even more magnificent with the electric diyas and gorgeous chandeliers.
- Timings: 5:30 am to 11 am, 4:30 pm to 9 pm
- Entry fee: Free
Destinations around Kolkata
Since pohela boishakh in 2022 is falling on a Friday and it is going to be a long weekend, you can actually make plans for road trips to the places around Kolkata. Let us take a look at the places that you can visit.
5. Digha
Digha is a beach town located very close to Kolkata. This town is often visited by locals as well as tourists. This is one of the best places where you can enjoy a blissfully relaxing time with your family or friends sitting on a beach.
Distance from Kolkata: 181 km
6. Mandarmani Beach
It is the longest motorable beach in the country and over the years, the beach town has attracted many tourists. Even sitting on the sandy beaches here, you can enjoy a beautiful scenic view of the surrounding area. You can also book your stay at a beach resort here and enjoy your time with your loved ones.
Distance from Kolkata: 175 km
7. Sundarbans
Sundarbans is known for housing the largest mangrove forests in the entire world. Sundarbans is also a Tiger and Biosphere Reserve where you can witness the majestic Royal Bengal tigers in their natural habitat. Apart from this, you can also come across many reptiles including the salt-water crocodiles. So, while you are here, enjoy it a lot but you need to be a little careful too.
Distance from Kolkata: 130 km
8. Shantiniketan
Shantiniketan is majorly known for the Visva Bharati University. The university was set up by Rabindranath Tagore’s father and is one of the best universities to date. This is a sleepy town where you can find many Baul singers. Visiting this town is an experience in itself.
Distance from Kolkata: 163 km
Once you are out for a nice time with your family and friends, you also should try the famous food in Kolkata such as mutton kosha, basanti pulao, maach er kalia, daab chingri, malai chingri, kathi roll, dim ghugni, roshogolla, mishit doi, etc. As a matter of fact, without good food, the Bengali New Year is just not complete.
While you are planning road trips in and from Kolkata, you can consider a self-drive car rental service. For a safe car rental service, you can choose Revv. All that you have to do is to download the Revv app on your smartphone and use it for booking a car that you prefer. Upon booking the car, it will be delivered to your home in just a few days.
