East India Travel Information

East India is made up of four states: West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa. The Bay of Bengal flanks the southern part of the region, and the region shares land borders with Nepal and Bangladesh. East India also serves as a good jumping off point to visit the country's far northeastern Seven Sister States and Sikkim.

Planning Your Trip

For international travelers, the gateway to East India is Kolkata. The city's Netaji Subhash Bose International Airport is one of India's busiest, and from Kolkata you can catch transport to the rest of the region. Bear in mind that Kolkata has two major train stations, Howrah (HWH) and Sealdah (SDAH). You also can travel into East India via Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan. The best time to visit East India is between October and May, as monsoon rains drench the region from June through September.

West Bengal

Aside from its bustling capital and transport hub, Kolkata, West Bengal has a variety of things for tourists to see and do. Ride the Himalayan Railway to colonial hill station Darjeeling, take an elephant trek to spot one-horned rhinos in Jaldahapara Wildlife Sanctuary, or sign up for an ecotourism retreat to look for Royal Bengal Tigers in the jungle.

Bihar

Bihar's capital city, Patna, is also the state's transport center. This eastern state is known as the birthplace of Buddhism, and you can visit Bodhgaya, the place where Buddha is said to have reached enlightenment while sitting under a Bodhi tree. Bihar is also the location of the Sonepur Mela, a Hindu festival for cattle farmers that takes place annually in November.

Jharkhand

Previously part of Bihar, Jharkhand became its own state after the territory was split along tribal lines. In Jharkhand you can visit a number of sites sacred to members of the Jain religion. For wildlife lovers, one place to visit is Betia National Park. The state's capital city is Ranchi, which is a good jumping off point for Betia or to visit area waterfalls.

Orissa

Orissa is known for the stunning architecture of its Hindu temples. The most visited temples are Jagannath Temple in Puri and the Sun Temple in Konark. Both of these temples host annual festivals; the Rath Yatra takes place in mid-July in Puri and the Konark Dance Festival takes place in December. Other places to visit in Orissa include the lagoon at Chilika Lake, Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, and the tiger reserve at Similipal National Park. For travelers with anthropological interests, a number of 'tribal tourism' tours are available.

Sources:

Maps of India: East India
Lonely Planet: Bihar & Jharkhand
Frommer's Guide to East India
Festivals of India: Sonepur Mela
Lonely Planet: Kolkata (Calcutta)