Purbasthali (Chupi Char)

পূর্বস্থলী

Purba Bardhaman district · Kolkata & Around

An oxbow lake full of winter birds.

About Purbasthali (Chupi Char)

Where the Bhagirathi changed course it left behind an oxbow lake at Chupi. Each winter it fills with migratory ducks, among them red-crested pochards, and resident waterbirds. Local boatmen, many of them skilled bird spotters, row visitors slowly round the lake.

Highlights

A country-boat ride among the ducks
Ospreys and other raptors
Village life on the lake shore

Plan your trip

Best time: December to February.
How to reach: Purbasthali station is on the Howrah to Katwa line, about 3 hours; totos run to the lake.
Suggested stay: Day trip or 1 night
Distance from Kolkata: About 130 km by road
Travel time: 3 hours by train
Nearest railway station: Purbasthali
Budget: Budget
Travel responsibly: Use rowing boats and keep your distance from the birds.

Tip

Go by country boat, not motorboat, and keep your voice down.

Nearby and related destinations

Ambika Kalna: The temple city of the Bardhaman kings. (about 85 km from Kolkata, nearest station Ambika Kalna)
Mayapur & Nabadwip: The birthplace of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. (about 130 km from Kolkata, nearest station Nabadwip Dham or Krishnanagar City)
Kolkata: The City of Joy: colonial grandeur, adda, books and food.
Chandannagar: A former French colony on the Hooghly. (about 40 km from Kolkata, nearest station Chandannagar)

Part of these guides

Distances and travel times are approximate road figures from central Kolkata. Check timings, permits and road conditions before you travel.