Places Of Interest
1. Lord Curzon Gate
On the occasion of coronation of Sri Bijoy Chand Mahatab, Maharaja of Bardhaman built this gigantic gate at the crossing of GT Road and BC Road, in the year 1903. The visit of the then Viceroy of India Lord Curzon in 1904 resulted in the name of the structure as “Curzon Gate”. In post Independence era, it was renamed as “Bijoy Toron”.
2. Sarbamangala Temple
Sarbamangala Temple was built by Maharaja Kirtichand in the year 1702, situated at D.N. Sarkar Road, Burdwan. The idol of Mata Sarbamangala is around 1000 years old. It is the first NABARATNA temple in the undivided Bengal.
3. Tomb of Sher Afghan
The Tomb of Sher Afghan is located beside Pir Beharam close to the Rajbati. Kutubuddin Khan and Sher Afghan were killed in a fatal duel in the year 1610 near the Burdwan Railway Station. The tombs were built by Bardhaman Raj; now it is maintained by the ASI.
4. Kankaleshwari Kali Temple
Kankaleshwari temple is located in Kanchannagar of Bardhaman town. The kali Idol of the temple was found during 1700 AD in the adjacent river, Damodar. The temple has nine peaks hence known as “Navaratna Temple”. It is the second NABARATNA Temple in Purba Bardhaman.
5. 108 Shib Temple Nawabhat
The wide spread cluster Shib temple complex is situated near Nawabhat Bus terminus at Suri Road. In 1788 it was built by Maharani Bishnan Kumari the wife of Maharaja Tilakchaand, has a picturesque setting 108 numbers of temples form a rectangular garland.
6. Chandni Park (Jaltungi)
Jaltungi is situated in the middle of a small lake at Chandni Park; Dignagar village. It was built by Maharaja Kirtichand at around 1710. It was restored by the block administration in October 2018 with a light and sound show at the evening.
7. Bhalki Machan
Bhalki machan is a secluded place with nature in abundance. It is located at Pratap-pur forest route, 2 km away from Bhalki Village. The remains of an age old watchtower is found, believed to be the favorite bear hunting spot of the erstwhile Rajas of Burdwan. The place is being used as a picnic spot occasionally.
8. Attahas Sati Pith Temple
The temple is located at Ketugram under Katwa subdivision, situated between the forests with different species of trees. It is famous not only for being a heavenly abode but also the abode of a number of beautiful migratory birds. The spiritual atmosphere of the temple provides peace to the heart and mind of the devotees.
9. Purbasthali Ox-bow Lake, Chupi Char
The Purbasthali Oxbow Lake, Chupi Char is a small birding spot near to Purbasthali in Kalna. The crystal clear waters of the 9 km long channel of the Ox Bow Lake and the surrounding fruit orchards attracts more than 70 species of local and migratory birds.
10. Kalna Rajbari Temple Complex
Located on the west bank of the Bhagirathi, Ambika Kalna once flourished as a prosperous port town of ancient Bengal. It is a remarkable temple town and contains some of the finest specimens of Bengal terracotta architecture. The Maharajas of Bardhaman built a number of temples here in the 18th century. Most of these temples are maintained by the ASI.
11. Christ Church
Apart from temples and a gurudwara, Barddhaman houses the Christ Church of the early 19th-century fame. The Catholic Church is situated near the BijoyToron. The red brick church was built back in 1816 under the supervision of Captain Charles Stuart of the East India Company.
12. Ramnabagan Zoological Park
This is a forest reserve that is noted for the number of deer housed in the park located near the Golpabag campus of University of Burdwan. The area is about 14 hectare. Except Leopard, Bear, Crocodile, Spotted Deer some kinds of birds are also kept there. It is maintained by the Department of Forest.
13. Krishak Setu & Damodar River
The city of Bardhaman is situated on the banks of river Damodar. The river is considered holy and sacred by the people of this region. A bridge, Krishak Setu has been constructed in 1978 over the river to connect southern part of the district and Bankura, Arambag as well. The sandbanks of the river are ideal for picnic in winter. The bridge is about 2.5km away from the entrance of the Bardhaman town.
14. Town Hall
The Town Hall was built sometime between 1890 and 1894 and was handed over to the Municipality of Bardhaman to help them preserve the remnants of Lala Bansogopal Nandey. The Municipality Board restored the hall in 1990.
15. Krishnasayar Ecological Park
In 1691, the then king of Bardhaman constructed a huge artificial lake at Krishnasayar on nearly 33 acres of land. This is one of the most popular parks with the best scenic view. At the centre of the park lies a huge lake that’s surrounded by trees which is a charm in itself and the best spot from where one can take in the spectacular vista with the cool breeze from the lake engulfing you.
16. Khwaja anwar Berh (Nawab bari)
The Nawab Bari of Khwaja Anwar Berh is located towards the southern part of Bardhaman and is some three hundred years old. This building is surrounded by high walls and the architectural style of this building is a perfect blend of Indo-Syrian architecture. The building has a deep pond inside with a wind-hall or ‘hawaghar’ in the middle of it.
17. GolapBag (Burdwan University Campus)
The GolapBag, or the Garden of Rose, of Bardhaman, is a favorite tourist haunt. It is the Botanical and Zoological garden established by the King Bijoy Chand Mahatab in 1884. Famous botanist Dalton Hooker came here and listed 128 types of trees. The University of Bardhaman also takes classes in the complex.
18. Hanging Railway Over Bridge
The giant four-lane cable-stayed railway over bridge at Bardhaman is considered to be the second largest in the country. The 188.43 meter cable-stayed RoB has 1.5 Meter-wide footpaths on each of the sides parallel to the lanes. The RoB has 27.7 metres of width to accommodate vehicles on four lanes. The bridge was inaugurated in September 2019.
Famous Festival/Fair
The Bengali proverb ‘Baro masey tero parban’ (thirteen festivals in twelve months) indicates the abundance of festivities in the district. Durga Puja or Saradotsav, celebrated by Bengali Hindus, is the main festival in the district. Other festivals are: Kali Puja, Saraswati Puja, Holi, Ratha-Yatra, RakshaBandhan, Eid al-Fitr, Muharram, Christmas, Good Friday, Guru Nanak Gurpurab, Buddha Poornima, Mahavir Jayanti, Gajan of Dharmaraj and Gajan of Shiva.
Numerous fairs are held in Purba Bardhaman district. A month-long fair is held around Makar Sankranti at Dadhia in Mongalkote PS. There is a Nangteswar Shiva fair during Maha Shivaratri at Babladihi. A week-long fair is held during Rama Navami at Kairapur in Ausgram PS. A fair is organized at Karui to celebrate the Gajan of Shiva on the last day of the Bengali month of Choitro. At Kaigram Kusumgram, Nerodighi and Suata, Urs of a Pir is celebrated with fairs in the Bengali month of Falgun. The Santals organize a fair at Baidyapur during Aswin Nabami. A fair is organized during Bhadu Utsab in the Bengali month of Bhadro at Sitahati in Ketugram PS. There are many more fairs in the district.