India, April 4 -- West Bengal, my home state, has a habit of throwing surprises when a curious traveller tries to discover the tourist spots beyond Kolkata, its capital city. Most travellers arrive in Kolkata to fall in love with its chaotic but colonial grandeur, and leave satisfied. But the real Bengal, the one that is rural and simple, just as seen in Satyajit Ray's films, the one that has been accumulating history, culture, and wilderness for over two millennia, actually lives outside the city. Step beyond Kolkata and discover the diverse places you can visit in West Bengal.

Bengal has been fought over, ruled, and reinvented by many in a long history; from Mauryan emperors and Buddhist monks to Afghan Sultans, Mughal Nawabs, Danish t...