Coochbehar

Situated at the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas lies Coochbehar, Coochbehar is the biggest and the only planned city in the West Bengal. Located 98km from Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar is the birthplace of Maharani Gayatri Devi, the third Maharani of Jaipur and probably India's most famous queens. The city gets its name from Koch dynasty which ruled the region and Behar from the Sanskrit word vihar meaning house.

Enriched with the natural beauty and the soothing climate Coochbehar has lured many tourists, along with its rich history and historical places the most prominent of them being the breathtakingly beautiful Cooch Behar Palace. Cooch Behar Palace, also called the Victor Jubilee Palace, is a landmark in Coochbehar city, West Bengal. It was designed on the model of Buckingham Palace in London in 1887, during the reign of Maharaja Nripendra Narayan inspired by the Italian renaissance. Renowned for its grandiosity Coochbehar Palace is preserved by the Archeological Survey of India who has established a museum inside the palace about the history and linage of the royal family. The Length of the palace is 120 meters North to South and the width East to West is 90 meters. At a short distance from this Royal palace is the temple of Madan Mohan. Madan Mohan was the 'Kul Devta' of the Cooch Kings it was built in 1889. Every year tens of thousands of travelers visit this place. Apart from the historical significance Coochbehar is also famous for its large water bodies. In Coochbehar town there is a large lake called Sagardighi. Another famous lake located in the area is Rasik Bil. The lake is known for migratory birds and there are Leopard and crocodile rehabilitation center on its side. Many tourists visit Rasikbil and stay at the forest department bungalow besides the lake.

The princely town Coochbehar attracts visitor from around the globe. The monument and the palace speak the tale about the historic era while the wonderful ambiance and the laid back lifestyle give you the feeling of serenity. This Regal land has a pace of its own and the charisma of old architecture of Coochbehar can bewitch any historian.