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 Travel Permits
Restrictions on travel in the North-Eastern Region have been relaxed considerably. No permits are required for Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura. Permits are still necessary, however, to visit Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland. Obtaining a permit to visit Arunachal Pradesh is relatively straightforward, but applications for permits to visit Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland are still routinely rejected. Permits for foreigners are generally valid for 10 days. Applications can be made at the Foreigners' Registration Office in Delhi, or at each state's trade, information or tourist office in Calcutta. Be sure to check the current security situation in the North-Eastern Region when you arrive in India. simmering separatism
The capital of West Bengal sprawls shapelessly along the eastern bank of the Hooghly River. Founded in the late 17th century, it grew from a sleepy settlement into the capital of British India. Its fortunes continued to soar until a massive influx of refugees - the result of Partition - led to Calcutta becoming an urban horror story. Since then the mere mention of its name has conjured up baleful visions of squalor and starvation. However, this plucky city is keen to promote itself as the `City of Joy' and, given half a chance, it reveals itself to be one of the country's most fascinating and congenial cities, the intellectual capital of the nation, and a thriving political and arts arena.
 Chai wallah, Calcutta (20K)
Sadhus at Bura Bazaar, Calcutta (15K) The city's `lungs' is the Maidan, an enormous open expanse used by Calcuttans for recreation, cricket and football matches, political assemblies, yoga sessions, grazing flocks, and, this being India, as a public toilet. The park's peaceful setting is in stark contrast to the anarchic streets that enclose it, and it is large enough to engulf the massive Fort William. The fort is still in use today, although visitors are only allowed inside with special permission (rarely granted). At the southern end of the Maidan stands the huge white-marble Victoria Memorial. Fronted by a statue of a frumpy Queen Victoria (who seems not at all amused), the museum houses an extensive collection of British-Indian historical objects, and is probably the most solid reminder of the Raj to be found in the country.
Residents of Calcutta's Maidan (17K) Calcutta's administrative centre is BBD Bagh (Dalhousie Square). On the square's north side is the Writers' Building, built in 1780 for the convenience of young `writers' (a quaint euphemism for clerical workers), brought out from Britain by the East India Company. Inside is a Kafkaesque nightmare of endless corridors and vast chambers, and where most of West Bengal's quintuplicate forms, carbon copies and red ink come from. Also on BBD Bagh is the GPO, built on the site of the `black hole of Calcutta'. Here, on an uncomfortably humid night in 1756, over 140 British inhabitants - captured by Siraj-ud-daula, the nawab of Murshidabad - were forced into an underground cellar causing many to die overnight of suffocation. According to legend, when Siva's wife's corpse was cut up, one of her fingers fell at the site of what is now the Kali Temple. The temple is an important, and spectacularly grubby, place of pilgrimage. Kali represents the destructive side of Siva's consort and demands daily sacrifices. In the morning, goats have their throats slit here to satisfy the goddess' bloodlust. The city's other attractions include: the excellent Indian Museum, the largest and probably the best museum in the country (but dusty and worse for wear due to lack of funds); the Botanical Gardens, home to a 200-year-old banyan tree, claimed to have the second-largest canopy in the world (the largest is in Andhra Pradesh); and the iconic, cantilevered Howrah Bridge, considered to be the busiest bridge in the world.
Sadhu outside Kali Temple (10K) Budget accommodation, cheap eateries and bars are thick on the ground in Chowringhee, south of the Howrah Bridge. Sudder St, off Chowringhee Rd, is the focal point for budget travellers. There are also lots of cinemas in this area, screening Calcuttan arthouse fare, new release Hollywood movies and their Bollywood cousins. Calcutta is no shopper's paradise, especially since a clean-up campaign has forced hawkers off the pavements, but New Market, north of Sudder St, is a good place for arguing the price of goods from clothing to caneware.
This Orissan coastal resort is one of the four holiest Hindu pilgrimage sites in India. Religious life in the city revolves around the huge Jagannath Temple, which is unfortunately off limits to non-Hindus (although you can sneak a peak from the library opposite). Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims come to Puri for the Rath Yatra Festival in June/July when images of Jagannath, his brother and his sister are dragged from the temple in huge `cars', known as {raths}. Travellers come most of the year round to enjoy Puri's long sandy beach, where Indian pilgrims bathe in the dangerous surf in their customary fully attired manner. The great 13th-century sun temple of Konark is 33km north-east of Puri. The temple was conceived as a chariot for the sun god, Surya, and includes 24 gigantic carved-stone wheels, seven mighty horses and elaborate erotic carvings. Straddling a ridge at an altitude of over 2100m in the far north of West Bengal, Darjeeling has been a favourite hill station of the British since they established it as an R `n' R centre for their troops in the mid-1800s. The town remains as popular as ever and offers visits to Buddhist monasteries, tours to tea plantations, shopping in bustling bazaars and trekking in high-altitude spots to the north. Like many places in the Himalaya, half the fun is in getting there and Darjeeling has the unique attraction of the famous miniature train, which loops and switchbacks its way from the plains up to Darjeeling in a 10-hour grind of soot and smoke.
Elegant and dilapidated Darjeeling, West Bengal (22K) Among the town's highlights is the Passenger Ropeway, the first chairlift to be constructed in India, which connects Darjeeling with Singla Bazaar on the Little Ranjit River far below. It's a superb excursion, though not an obvious choice for vertigo sufferers. Unfortunately, the ropeway is not always in use - phone in advance to see when it's running. Nearby is the Zoological Park, which houses Siberian tigers and rare red pandas in less than ideal conditions. The animals are prey to Indian tourists who show-off by teasing and spitting at them mercilessly. The precious snow leopards are kept in a separate enclosure and get a much better deal. If you're interested in learning about the complex tea-producing process, call in at the Happy Valley Tea Estate; you can also savour some of the crop at the impressive Gymkhana Club, once the playpen of the Raj and now slouching reluctantly towards the 20th century.
Young monks go for it, Dali Monastery, Darjeeling (13K)
Toy train to Darjeeling (11K) Every morning a battered convoy of jeeps and taxis leave Darjeeling, caracoling through woodlands for 11km to catch the dawn views at Tiger Hill. This lofty spot, at an altitude of 2590m, provides magnificent vistas over Kanchenjunga and other eastern Himalayan peaks - on a clear day even Mt Everest is visible. Also outside Darjeeling is the Ghoom Buddhist Monastery, the town's most famous monastery, which enshrines an image of the Maitreya Buddha (the coming Buddha). Trekking around DarjeelingThe Darjeeling region has a number of good walks, with the six-day Sandakphu/Phalut trek the most popular. It involves a short bus trip from Darjeeling to Manaybhanjang, the starting point for the walk to Sandakphu (3636m). Here you can turn back or continue to Phalut (3600m), and then walk down to Rimbik for a bus to Darjeeling. The views from the trail are breathtaking and include Kanchenjunga and, if it's clear, Mt Everest.For the Sandakphu/Phalut trek, you don't have to bring much with you since there's accommodation along the way. However, it's best to take along a sleeping bag (in case there's not enough bedding to go around), water bottle and a selection of snacks as some stretches are without water or places to eat. The Youth Hostel and several agencies in Darjeeling can arrange guides and porters, which are not absolutely necessary for experienced trekkers. The best months for trekking are April, May, October and November, when many shrubs are in flower and the visibility is excellent.
Sikkim, or New House, is immediately south of Tibet, with Nepal to the west and Bhutan to the east. Until 1975 it was an independent kingdom; however, following a period of political crises, India annexed the country and Sikkim became the 22nd Indian state. For many years it has been regarded as one of the last Himalayan `Shangri-las' because of its remoteness, a spectacular and varied mountain terrain, Buddhist monasteries, and rich flora and fauna - including orchids, rhododendrons, snow leopards and the endangered red panda. Sikkim's lures include a lively capital, and high-altitude trekking in the west of the state.
Kanchenjunga, Sikkim (16K) Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, occupies the west side of a long ridge flanking the Ranipool River. The town has undergone rapid modernisation in recent years but it still retains elements of its Buddhist past, and the scenery and views, especially those of the Kanchenjunga range, are superb. Most visitors are drawn to the Tsuk-La-Khang (Royal Chapel), an impressive and beautiful building that is the Buddhist's principal place of worship. Inside are lavishly decorated altars holding images of Buddha, bodhhisattvas and Tantric deities, fine woodcarvings and a large collection of scriptures. Unfortunately, it's officially only open to visitors during the Tibetan New Year celebration, when the famous Black Hat dance, portraying the triumph of good over evil, is performed. Nearby is the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, which houses one of the world's largest collections of books and rare manuscripts on Mahayana Buddhism, many religious works of art and a collection of astonishingly beautiful and finely executed silk-embroidered thankas (cloth paintings). Surrounding the institute, and enclosed by a peaceful forest, is an orchid sanctuary, where you can see over 400 species of Sikkim's most famous flower. Outside Gangtok, the newish monasteries at Rumtek and Phodang are also popular with travellers. The only high-altitude trekking possible is from Yuksam to Dzongri in western Sikkim. This is a beautiful route which passes along the base of Kanchenjunga. Included in the cost is accommodation, food, transport, porters and yaks. The trek must be organised through a recognised travel agency in Gangtok, and be accompanied by a guide provided by the government.
The largest and most easily accessible of the north-eastern states, Assam produces 60% of India's tea as well as a large proportion of its oil. Its main attractions are a bustling capital, some of India's most important Hindu temples and a wildlife sanctuary famous for its one-horned rhinoceros.Gawahati, the capital of Assam and the gateway to the north-eastern states, is a lively city revered for its ancient Hindu temples. The best-known are just outside the city and include the Kamakshya Temple, a centre for Shakti (energy) worship and Tantric Hinduism; and the Navagrah Temple (Temple of the Nine Planets), which was once a significant centre for the study of astrology. Also worth a visit is Hajo, an important pilgrimage site for Buddhists and Muslims, and the place some Buddhists believe is where Buddha attained nirvana. It's on the north bank of the Brahmaputra, 24km north-west of Gawahati. Some 230km north-east of Gawahati is the 430 sq km Kaziranga National Park. The park provides the last major home for the rare one-horned Great Indian Rhinoceros - a species Marco Polo thought was the legendary unicorn. The park also has wild buffalo, elephants, tigers, bears and rich birdlife. Animals are best seen from the back of an elephant, and most of the critters seem oblivious to camera-clicking tourists. The best time to visit the park is between February and May.
The tiny state of Meghalaya was created in 1971, and lies north of Bangladesh. It is among the wettest places on earth - little wonder that Meghalaya means Abode of Clouds. The state has a picturesque colonial capital, and is home to an extraordinary diversity of peoples, including the Khasia, Jantia and Garo tribespeople. The pleasant hill station of Shillong, the state capital, is renowned for its climate and jaw-dropping views, and was once dubiously dubbed the `Scotland of the East'. Its attractions include the All Saints' Cathedral and the State Museum, which has exhibits covering the flora, fauna, culture and anthropology of the state. Fans of the raj may be interested in the cemetery here which has gravestones bearing colourful inscriptions such as `killed in the great earthquake' or `murdered by headhunters'. Just outside Shillong are a number of waterfalls, and the 1960m high Shillong Peak, from which there are fine views. VishnupurThis interesting town west of Calcutta is a famous cultural centre, and renowned for its cluster of terracotta temples. It flourished for centuries as the capital of the Malla kings, who were great lovers and patrons of the arts. They built a number of brick temples (stone was rarely available) which had facades covered with intricate terracotta tiles depicting scenes from the Hindu epics. About a dozen temples remain and include the pyramidal Ras Mancha and the enormous Madan Mohan. The area is also famous for the manufacture of ceramics (particularly the stylised Bankura horse), and has plenty of eye-catching markets - great places for metalware, jewellery, tussar silk and Baluchari saris. In August, the Jhapan Festival draws snake charmers to honour the goddess Manasa who is central to the cult of snake worship.
The innumerable mouths of the Ganges form the world's largest delta, and part of this vast mangrove swamp, some 100km south of Calcutta, is a 2585 sq km wildlife reserve. It's designated a World Heritage Site and, as part of Project Tiger, has one of the largest tiger populations of any of India's parks. Tourist agencies capitalise on this fact but few visitors even glimpse one of the 270-odd well-hidden cats. You wouldn't want to get too close to these animals: partial to a little human flesh, they kill about 20 people each year by lying in wait beside the narrow channels that criss-cross the estuarine forest. Fishermen and honey collectors have taken to wearing masks, painted with human faces, on the back of their heads since a tiger is less likely to attack if it thinks you're watching it. Tigers may be scarce but you're likely to see spotted deer, wild pigs, monkeys and plenty of birdlife. The journey here, by local boats and cycle-rickshaws, is fun, and the area is wonderfully peaceful after frenetic Calcutta.
The site of Gaur, north of Calcutta on the border with Bangladesh, was once the capital of the Buddhist Palas, then the Hindu Senas and finally the Muslim nawabs. Although its glory days have long since passed, Gaur offers enough attractions to make a leisurely visit more than worthwhile. Monuments of interest include the ruins of an extensive fort, a mosque said to contain the Prophet Mohammed's footprint in stone, the tomb of Fath Khan (complete with sign informing that he `vomited blood and died on this spot'), and buildings with colourful enamelled tiles.
Standing at a height of 2805m and enclosed on two sides by snow-capped mountains, Pemayangtse is one of Sikkim's oldest and most important monasteries. Founded in 1705, it belongs to the Tantric Nyingmapa sect, which was established in the 8th century. The monastery is a three-storey structure filled with wall paintings and sculpture, and includes a magnificent seven-tiered painted wooden model of paradise and hell, complete with rainbows, angels and the whole panoply of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. The model was built by the late Dungzin Rinpoche over a period of five years.
Painting at Pemayangtse Monastery (21K)
There are frequent domestic and international flights to Calcutta, and from here there are competitive fares to Bangkok and Kathmandu. Train connections from Calcutta are much better than bus links and include overnight services running to Puri in Orissa. The only buses which travellers use with any regularity are those from Calcutta to Siliguri/New Jalpaiguri en route to Darjeeling. Calcutta has two frenetic railway stations (Howrah and Sealdah), overcrowded buses, dilapidated trams, an efficient metro, forthright taxi drivers and plenty of cycle-rickshaws. If you're only going short distances, traffic is usually so clogged that it's much quicker to walk.
Last year's model (19K) Travellers generally reach Darjeeling via Siliguri by bus, taxi or jeep, or via New Jalpaiguri on the miniature train. The latter is a superb, cramped and sooty experience and should not be missed. The nearest airport to Darjeeling is at Bagdogra 90km away, on the plains near Siliguri. Gangtok (Sikkim) is not serviced directly by rail or air, so travellers bus in from Siliguri (five hours). The only way to get around Sikkim is by bus, jeep or on foot. There are three flights a day between Calcutta and Gawahati (Assam) and a couple of express trains (23 hours) which travel via Siliguri. From Gawahati, regular buses and taxis service the well-made 100km route south to Shillong (Meghalaya). If the Bangladesh border is open, you can cross at Dauki, and it's a three to four-hour bus trip from there to Shillong.
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Attractions
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