Marveling Landmarks of Alipurduar District for Vacationers
Updated- 25/Aug/23 Alipurduar is the base spot for those who want to plan to proceed towards the northeastern states. The meaning of Alipurduar can be comprehended in three parts –
‘Ali’ refers to the name of the person Col Hedayat Ali Khan, who fought a war against Bhutan, residing in Alipurduar. ‘Pur’ refers to the place of residence. ‘Duar’ refers to the origin of the Dooars region.
The place was formerly known as Alipur, implying the place of residence of Ali. But ‘Duar’ was later added to distinguish it from Kolkata’s Alipore. Alipurduar is the gateway to the Northeastern region of India as well as Bhutan. The ancient and popular ‘Silk Route’ connected to Tibet and Bhutan, which had been a significant trading route. The remnants of the route can still be found near the Santarabari village, located somewhere between Buxa Fort and Rajabhatkhawa. Talking about connectivity, the Alipurduar station is an efficient junction that links different parts of the country via trains.
The gorgeous view of the meandering Teesta River, while crossing the famed Coronation Bridge, welcomes tourists to Alipurduar. The Coronation Bridge is locally known as Baghpool, meaning Tiger Bridge due to the presence of two tiger statues one at either edge of the bridge.
Some of the popular and wonderful sites of the Alipurduar district are mentioned below -
Jaldapara National Park - The national park is the natural habitat of a wide range of mammals, reptiles, birds and fishes. Bengal tigers, leopards, Asiatic elephants, and one-horned rhinos are among the most celebrated mammals of the national park. The Jaldapara Tiger Safari Tour can be experienced through jeep safari and elephant safari.
Buxa Tiger Reserve - It is the protected area for tigers in the Dooars region. It is the 15th tiger reserve of India established in 1983 and was declared a national park in 1992. Apart from tigers, there are several medicinal plants and rare orchids found in Buxa National Park. Jayanti River, Mahakal Cave, and Buxa Fort are the top attractions of Buxa Tiger Reserve other than the sightings of multiple wild animals.
Buxa Fort - As mentioned already Buxa Fort is a significant attraction in the Buxa Tiger Reserve. The fort holds a rich historical background and has witnessed several wars and battles. The fort also provided shelter to many Tibetan monks. The fort served as a barbaric prison house for Indian freedom fighter captives, arrested by the Britishers. At present, the ruins of Buxa Fort entice tourists and the spot serves as the starting point of several trekking routes. Some of the popular trekking routes lead to Rover’s Point, Rupang Valley and Lepchaka.
Chilapata forest - The forest is close to Jaldapara National Park and is an important corridor for the elephants migrating from Jaldapara to Buxa and Bhutan. Trekking routes pass through the forest. Other than this, jeep safari, angling and bird watching are the other common activities carried out in the Chilapata forest.
Jaigaon - Jaigaon is an interesting place as it is located on the Indo-Bhutan border and is a gateway to Bhutan. Several hotels are available where you can stay before passing through the beautiful Bhutan gate to the other side of the border.
The best time to plan for Alipurduar is from the post-monsoon season till the mid-summer season, which is from October to May. The weather during this period remains quite pleasant, perfect for sauntering around the Alipurduar district. The place records heavy rainfall during the monsoon and therefore is not an ideal time to visit from July to September.