Cooch Behar Tourism

Cooch Behar is the district headquarters of the Cooch Behar District in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas at 26°22′N 89°29′E. Cooch Behar is the only planned town in North Bengal region with remnants of royal heritage. One of the main tourist destinations in West Bengal, it is the location of the Cooch Behar Palace and Madan Mohan Temple and has been declared a heritage town. It is the maternal home of Maharani Gayatri Devi.
The historic essence which still lingers in ancient monuments of Coochbehar has been the major tourist attractions of Coochbehar. Historians from around the world travel to Coochbehar to visit these ancient monuments, Raj Palace established in 1887 by Raja Nripendra Narayan Bhup Bahadur being the most prominent attraction. Rajbari also known as Victor Jubilee Palace was built in Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture combining British architectural style with Mughal style. The Coochbehar Palace was made with red bricks since its design was inspired by Buckingham Palace. The palace design was also inspired by Italian Renaissance. Originally Coochbehar Palace was three storeys high but during the great earthquake of 1897 measuring 8.7 in Richter scale, third floor of the palace collapsed. The building of Rajbari covers an area of 4,700 square meters. The Length of the palace is 120 meters North to South and the width East to West is 90 meters.

At the present time Coochbehar Palace has been turned into a museum where traveler can learn about the regal family that once ruled the land of Coochbehar. Located at short walking distance from this Royal Palace is Madan Mohan Temple another favored sightseeing spot in Coochbehar. Built in 1889, this ancient temple is dedicated to Lord Madan Mohan. Madan Mohan is the name of the ‘Kul Devta’ of the Cooch Kings. During the festive time, pilgrims from across the world travel to Coochbehar to visit Madan Mohan Temple. Apart from housing historic monuments Coochbehar is also famous for its large water bodies. Among them Rasik Bill is the most famous lake. Surrounded by dense forest of sal trees Rasik bill is known for its vast collection of birds and migratory water fowls. During winter season migratory water fowl like Brahimy Duck fly from Central Asia and Ladakh to Rasikbill Lake of Coochbehar. The Forest Department has built a forest rest house in Rasikbill to meet the demands of a growing number of tourists interested in ornithology.

The land of regal palace and temples, this princely town Coochbehar is the perfect destination to learn about the historic era of 18th century and there is no best time to visit Coochbehar since the weather remains favorable throughout the year. The well planned town structure with old architectural buildings along with the monuments are the treat for all the historian and Coochbehar is a paradise for the people who loves to dwell in a historic town and enjoy the laid back life of this place.