West Bengal
| State Capital | Calcutta | |
| Population ('000s in 1991) | 68,078 | |
| Area ('000 sq. km) | 89 | |
| Females per 1000 males (1991) | 917 | |
| Literacy rate (1991) | 57.7 | |
| Ratio of urban population (1991) | 27.5 | |
| Net Domestic Product (Rs. million at current prices in 1992-93) | 416,040 | |
| Per Capita Income (Rs. at current prices in 1992-93) | 5,901 | |
| Principal Languages | Bengali |
West Bengal, the gateway to the exotic east - is a land of sheer passion and poetry, natural beauty and strong people, marked by a humaneness, evident in every facet of their life.
West Bengal covers the bottleneck of India in the east, stretching from the Himalayas in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the south. Countries that share international boundaries with West Bengal include Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal while Sikkim, Assam, Orissa and Bihar frame its domestic borders. The alluvial plain in the south is watered by the legendary River Hooghly and its tributaries - Mayurakshi, Damodar, Kangsabati and the Rupnarayan. The Himalayan north, comprising the districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Bihar are watered by the swift flowing rivers Tista, Torsa, Jaldhaka and Ranjit. Variations in altitude result in great variety in the nature and climate of West Bengal. From the northern highlands at the feet of the Himalayas to the tropical forests of Sunderbans, West Bengal is a land of myriad beauty, each region different from the other.
Bengal has a long history, that dates back before the Aryan invasion of India. Known as 'Gauda' or 'Vanga' in ancient Sanskrit literature, Bengal had a well - settled civilisation and culture, at the time of the Aryan penetration. An integral part of successive empires of the Mauryas and Guptas, Bengal also had its own dynasty of independent rulers, the Palas, who extended the existing boundaries considerably. The Senas and the Muslim Sultanate, who occupied Bengal, shaped the distinct identity of Bengal. After the Mughals, modern Bengal's history began with the advent of European and English trading companies. The end of British imperialism, saw a divided Bengal in 1947, with East Bengal (now the soveriegn state of Bangladesh) becoming a part of Pakistan.
Bengal's artistic genius is reflected in numerous ways in its theatre, folk music, literature, films and paintings. Bengal also boasts of two Nobel prize winners, the inimitable genius poet Rabindra Nath Tagore and Mother Teresa. Jamini Roy, Uday Shankar, Satyajit Ray, Bimal Mitra and Tarashankar Banerjee all belong to this culturally rich land.
Fish, rice and a plethora of sweets are Bengali specialities. Ace Bengali artisans work wonders with terracota horses, conch shells, clay models, leather, batik and wood work. Bengal handloom sarees with exquisitely woven borders also have a universal appeal.
Goddess Durga
Durga Puja, coinciding with Dussehra in other parts of the country, rouses the state to a feverish pitch, with its preparations that touch the life of every Bengali. Kali Puja, festival of lights (Diwali), Dol Jatra (Holi), Ganga Sagar Mela at Sagar (January /February), the Muslim festivals of Id and Ramzan, Baisakhi - Bengal's New Year's day, Rabindranath Tagore's birth anniversary, Christmas and New Year are marked by typical abandon and devotion.
Agriculture plays a pivotal role in the state's income, and nearly three out of four persons in the state are directly or indirectly involved in agriculture. The state accounted for 66.5 percent of the country's jute production including mesta in 1993-94, and 22.2 percent of tea production during the same period. Important crops of the state include potatoes, oilseeds, betelvine, tobacco, wheat, barley and maize. The state also occupies a leading position among principal rice growing states of India, by contributing 15.3 percent of the total production of rice in the country.
Victoria Memorial, Calcutta
Major industries of the state include steel, engineering, electronics, automobiles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, aluminium, ceramics, leather, footwear, bonemetal, bicycle, jute, cotton, textiles, tea, paper, glass, timber and wagon building. Coal and china clay are the important minerals found in the state.
This fascinating land of the Hooghly has a lot to offer for tourism enthusiasts. Calcutta, a unique city with its intriguing environs; Digha, the land of sand and sea; Vishnupur, an architectural treasure trove; Shantiniketan, Tagore's abode of peace; the lost empire of Murshidabad; Malda - Gourand Pandua, relics of the Muslim rule; Darjeeling - a magnificent hill resort; the wildlife sanctuary at Doars and the marshy mangrove jungles of>Sunderbans, home to the Royal Bengal Tiger are some of the major attractions of this state.
State Resident Commissioner in Delhi
A/2 State Emporium Building, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, New Delhi.
Tel: +91-11-3747203/3732695
Foreigners Regional Registration Officer in Calcutta
237, Acharya Jagdish Bose Road, Calcutta.
The duties of the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer in other districts of the state are performed by the respective Superintendent of Police
Madhya Pradesh is replete with unique handicrafts. Delicately woven Chanderi and Maheshwari saris, carpets from Vidisha, Mandsaur and Sarguja, intricate gold and silver embroidery, leather toys, stuffed animal miniatures, and bead handbags, dazzling lacquer work, cigarette cases of Jabalpur stone are all proof of the excellent craftsmanship of the people of the state.
Arunachal Pradesh is skirted by Bhutan on the west, China on the north-east, Myanmar on the east and by the Indian state of Assam on the southern side. It mainly consists of verdant mountainous ranges sloping to the plains of Assam, and has the largest area in the north-east region.
Here, kingdom after kingdom rose and fell, leaving their indelible mark on history. Rival kings fought legendary battles, devastating the land and the people. Yet, by some strange alchemy, the same land also saw the birth of some of the most gentle and progressive religious teachers like Buddha, Mahavira and Guru Gobind Singh.
The Mizos belonging to the Mongoloid race, are original settlers of the Shan State of Burma. Two of the tribes, the Lushai and Himar, migrated to India and occupied the Lushai hills. Mizoram was annexed in 1891 by the British as Lushai Hill district, and made a part of Assam. With Independence, Mizoram became a district of Assam. Mizoram was made a State of the Indian Union on 20th February 1987, following the historic Mizoram Peace Accord, signed between the Central Government and the Mizo National Front in June 1986.
Lakshadweep is spreading its wings in the way of tourism, by providing various facilities for the tourists. Tourist facilities in Lakshadweep have been developed by way of luxury cruises around the islands. All tourists need permission to visit Lakshadweep, except those booked on a cruise, in which case permission is automatic. Four of the inhabited islands (Kavaratti, Kalpeni, Minicoy and Kadmath) are open to Indian tourists and Bangaram, an uninhabited island, is open to both domestic and foreign tourists. Bangaram has facilities for water sports.Swimming, fishing, sailing in glass - bottomed boats which give enchanting views of the coral below, and yachting are the main attractions. Wood - carving in the Ujra Mosque at Kavaratti, the tomb of Hazrat Ubaidullah at Andrott, the Buddhist archaeological remains at Andrott, and the famous light house at Minicoy, are some of the places worth visiting.
This restored, attractive, former French colony exudes a Mediterranean aura, with its chic streets, elegant houses, ornamental gardens and the Hotel de Ville. Being a small and quiet enclave of Tamil Nadu, it has imbibed the Tamilian culture. Apart from the charming atmosphere, excellent restaurants and cheap beer, what attracts most travellers to Pondicherry is the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and its offshoot, Auroville, 10 km outside town. The ashram, founded by Sri Aurobindo in the year 1926, has brought international reputation to this coastal town. The ashram, the spiritual tenets of which, combine yoga and modern science, is quite popular within India, and abroad.
Pondicherry is oval-shaped, with streets aligned at right angles. The skilfully planned township is distinguished by a 3 km long espalanade which skirts the town and encloses the tourist attractions. Raj Niwas, where Dupleix once lived, (now,the residence of an Indian Lt. Governor) has a garden with a sculpture of Lord Vishnu as the 'varaha avatar' (boar incarnation) together with the earth goddess Lakshmi. The Government Park is well-planned with flower beds and fountains, one of them dating back to the period of Napoleon III (1852-1870). The Botanical Gardens, conceived in 1826, boast a variety of rare and exotic plants from India and abroad, and the Sama Koil church, once a temple of Shiva is impressive with a grotto of Mother Mary. The beautiful unspoilt beach, the aquarium, Poet Bharathi and Bharatidasan memorial museums, First World War Memorial, Ousteri lake and Joan of Arc Square are the other spots of tourist interest.
The Pondicherry Museum has whole suites furnished in the French style, in vogue, at the time of occupation. Marble sculptures include the Cupid and Psyche, Venus and Spring pieces. The Art Gallery contains invaluable archaelogical finds pertaining to Roman, French and Hindu cultures.The Arms Gallery is yet another fascinating feature of this museum. The Romain Rolland Library has over 60,000 volumes, including rare French books. The Manakula Vinaynagar Temple on Rue d'Orleans, the 12th century Sri Tirukameswarar Temple at Vilayanur and the 7th century Thiruvandar Temple are shrines built in the Chola period, in the 10th-12th centuries.The Sacred Heart Church, the Eglise de Notre Dame de Anges and the Eglise de Notre Dame de Lourdes are the other interesting historical sites.
There was, however, an ancient urban settlement in Delhi known as Indraprastha on the banks of the Yamuna which is traditionally believed to have been founded by the Pandava brothers, the mythical heroes of Mahabharata, the national epic of India. Excavations at the site of the township inside Purana Kila or the Old Fort show that the date of the oldest habitation in Delhi is around the 3rd or 4th century B.C.
Among the places of special interest to tourists in Delhi are the 
