Cooch Behar, Gateway of the Far Eastern India

Cooch Behar

West Bengal

India

Bengali, Koch, Bhutia, Assamese and English

October To April

+91-3582

3387

Located in the North of West Bengal, Coochbehar is truly a window to the far eastern states of India. To travel to the north eastern states of India, one has to pass the small sleepy town of Coochbehar. While the district of Jalpaiguri lies in the north and the state of Assam in the east, Coochbehar shares an international border with Bangladesh in the south. With a brief spell of summer and heavy rainfalls during the monsoon season, Coochbehar enjoys relatively pleasant climate throughout the year.

One of the most famous princely states of the Royal India, Coochbehar still carries the remnants of its past. A well architected city, it has a great history behind it and beautiful greenery surrounding it. The history of Coochbehar dates back to the period of the Pala and Sena of the 11th and 12th century AD. The territories of Coochbehar and Bhutan were part of the great Kingdom of Kamrup. When this kingdom broke up, many petty principalities were born and a fresh kingdom was built by the Koches. Till then this state was known as Kamta. It was during the period of Maharaja Viswa Singh and his son Maharaja Naranarayan that the name was changed to Coochbehar meaning, where the Koch people dwell. The present Maharani of Jaipur, Gayatri Devi was the princess of this princely state.
The city centers around a huge beautiful lake called the Sagar Dighi and the administrative blocks surround this old structure. The city was specially designed with well laid roads and lakes by a French architect in the mid 19th century and is perhaps the first planned city of India.