Chandannagar Travel Essentials

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"The Land of the Nawabs and The Lords- the French and the British"

Chandannagar Tourism

Wrapped in the interiors of West Bengal, in the Hooghly District, is the small yet significant town of Chandan Nagar. This small town which could have been in place of present day Kolkata, had history gone as planned, has the most unique and formidable history in perhaps all of India.

Chandan Nagar was first under the rule of the Nawabs, then the reigns shifted to the French. With the arrival of the British, Chandan Nagar changed thrones many times between French and British until finally it merged with the State of West Bengal at the time of independence. Owing to a turbulent and colorful history, Chandan Nagar has traces of various national and foreign influences. A trip to this small town isn't just relaxing and calming, it's like seeing a bit of past in the future.

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Festival of Jagadhatri Puja

The Jagadhatri Puja is one festival which is celebrated with full zeal in Chandannagar. The goddess Jagadhatri is similar to goddess Durga. This festival is celebrated after the Durga Puja and Kali Puja. This puja is considered as the reincarnation of Durga. Jagadhatri goddess is depicted as being the colour of morning sun. Grand pandals are created and the goddess is carried out throughout the city. The entire city is lightened up making it look very beautiful.
Bhog (food offered to the goddess) is distributed in localities. The goddess is decked up with ornaments and clothes. In the evening, mela or fairs are organised which has various fun filled activities. The immersion of this idol marks the end of the festival. If you are planning to visit Chandannagar, then make sure to plan in the months of October to November when this festival takes place.

Cruising away in Chandannagar

Since river Ganga passes through Chandannagar, there are various exciting cruises that are organised. While you are on board, you get mesmerising views of historical temples and churches of Chandannagar. As you sail smoothly, you will constantly be entertained by witnessing live cultural shows. Gourmet cuisine and well-planned itinerary add up to make the cruise a memorable one. Usually, a cruise lasts for six to seven days, but you can choose your package from various operators. If you want a hiatus from your hectic schedule, come down here to experience the serenity of sailing through the Ganges.

Restaurants and Local Food in Chandannagar

Chandan Nagar is especially famous for its sweets and desserts. There are numerous shops offering a variety of sweets to tease your taste buds.
The place is also very famous for its fast food, fish curry and street food. But be careful and try and eat even the street food from hygienic local vendors.
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Suggested Itinerary for Chandannagar

Day 1- Reach Chandannagar by morning. After checking into your hotel and having breakfast, you can start your day by visiting the Sacred Heart Church. Then, in the evening you can visit the exciting KMDA Park. It is a great picnic spot.
Day 2- Start your day early by visiting Nandadula Temple. Then, you can head out to Chandannagar Museum. It is located just 6 km from the city. So, exploring the museum will take around two to three hours. In the evening, you can choose to head out to Patal Bari.
Day 3- If you are here for one more day, you can visit the Chandannagar Church. There are many other temples that you can visit. At night, you can hang out at The Strand which is located beside River Hooghly.

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How to Reach Chandannagar

How to Reach Overview

There is no airport in Chandannagar. The nearest one is in Kolkata which is located at a distance of around 52 km. The airport is easily accessible and from there, you can hire a taxi to reach the city. There are regular state transport buses and taxis plying between Chandannagar and nearby cities. Alternatively, the city is accessible via trains also.

How to reach Chandannagar by flight

Chandannagar does not have its own airport. The nearest airport to the city is the airport in Kolkata. It is located at a distance of around 52 km. The airport is well built and connected to prominent cities of India. Regular flights from different cities make it quite accessible. From the airport, you can easily hire a taxi to reach Chandannagar in one and half hours.

How to reach Chandannagar by road

There is a good network of roads which connects Chandannagar to many nearby cities like Kolkata. There are regular buses run by state government and private buses are also available. Travelling by road is a good option but avoid this mode of transport if you are visiting during monsoons as heavy rainfall can be risky.

How to reach Chandannagar by train

The city has its own railway station. It is located within the city at a distance of just 1 Km. Though it is a small station, but it is well connected to Howrah railway station. Also, trains from different states halt here. Thus, Chandannagar is easily accessible by train also. Outside the station, you will find a plethora of taxis to take you to your hotel.

How to reach Chandannagar by waterways

Chandan Nagar also gives you the unique option of getting there by waterways. River services, including ferries, are operated by the state government across river Hooghly from Kolkata and Belur.

Local transport in Chandannagar

The most widely available options in the city are auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws. Another benefit of the small town is that there isn't too much traffic, so getting around pretty much anywhere is not a big hassle. A lot of times you can just walk. But if you strictly prefer a proper car then cabs are rare but not difficult to find. They are easy to find in and around the station area.

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Chandannagar Photos

Chandannagar, West Bengal
Chandan Nagar Museum
Sacred Heart Church
Nandadula Temple

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FAQs on Chandannagar

What is famous about Chandannagar?

Peaceful place. Has various tourist places nearby.

What is not so good about Chandannagar?

No adventures. Unpredictable weather during monsoons. Scorching heat in summers. Lack of good hotels.

Who should visit Chandannagar?

Nice place for history lovers and those who want to know about different styles of architecture particularly French style. Great place for sweet lovers.

What is the best time to visit Chandannagar?

Chandannagar does not witness extreme temperatures but summers are quite uncomfortable because of blistering heat. The temperature lingers between 24 to 35 degrees Celcius. Heavy rainfall is witnessed in monsoons rendering the season unsuitable for travellers. The winter season between October to February is the best time to explore the place since the weather remains pleasantly cool.
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What is the local food in Chandannagar?

Chandan Nagar is especially famous for its sweets and desserts. There are numerous shops offering a variety of sweets to tease your taste buds.
The place is also very famous for its fast food, fish curry and street food. But be careful and try and eat even the street food from hygienic local vendors.
Read More

What is the best way to reach Chandannagar?

There is no airport in Chandannagar. The nearest one is in Kolkata which is located at a distance of around 52 km. The airport is easily accessible and from there, you can hire a taxi to reach the city. There are regular state transport buses and taxis plying between Chandannagar and nearby cities. Alternatively, the city is accessible via trains also.
Read More

What are the things to do in Chandannagar?

The top things to do in Chandannagar are Chandan Nagar Museum, The Patal Bari, The Chandan Nagar Strand, KMDA Park, Nandadula Temple, Sacred Heart Church. You can see all the places to visit in Chandannagar here

What are the places near Chandannagar?

The top places near to Chandannagar are Kolkata which is 32 km from Chandannagar, Nabadwip which is located 59 km from Chandannagar, Mayapur which is located 66 km from Chandannagar, Raichak which is located 76 km from Chandannagar, Bardhaman which is located 65 km from Chandannagar

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Popular Questions And Answers on Chandannagar

Q. Name a good hotel to stay .

Holidify

5 years ago
Some good options are- ETHNOTEL, HOTEL GEETANJALI, MAYUR RESIDENCY, ORCHID HOTEL and UBIQUE HOTEL
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Chandannagar Reviews

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Pallavi Siddhanta

5 years ago
- Must visit in November, because it is the month when Jaghdharti Pooja is held in Chandan Nagar with much go. It is the time when the whole city is set ablaze with lights and candles and flowers. Al (Read More)l the temples have Prayer Services for most parts of the day and throngs of eager tourists and devotees arrive here at the time.

debarshi Sinha

on The Patal Bari 5 years ago
Rabindra Nath Tagore usually visited this place many times and wrote many of his poems, stories here ,this is the historical value of Patalbari. It's unique for it's old french architecture ,the lowe (Read More)st floor is just beside the water level of River Ganga. It has a small garden with beautiful seasonal flowers.
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