Purulia

Red-earth hills on the western edge of West Bengal: the Ayodhya Hills circuit of reservoirs and waterfalls, sunsets at Baranti Lake, Chhau mask villages, and hillsides ablaze with palash blossoms in spring.

Purulia is the westernmost district of West Bengal, India, on the eastern edge of the Chota Nagpur Plateau bordering Jharkhand. Red laterite hills, sal forests and reservoirs large and small create a distinctive landscape, making this "land of red soil" a favourite weekend and spring-break escape for Kolkatans. It is also the home of the Chhau mask dance, with a strong tribal culture among the Santal and other communities. The area divides into two main parts. In the southwest, the Ayodhya Hills are the heart of it: stay on the hilltop and follow a circuit linking the Upper and Lower Dams, Marble Lake, Bamni Falls, Turga Falls, the rock carvings of Pakhi Pahar, the mask-making village of Charida and Murguma Reservoir at the northern foot of the hills. In the northeast, the Raghunathpur area is based around Baranti Lake, with trips to the ruins of Garh Panchkot fort, Joychandi Pahar, the submerged temples of Telkupi and the ancient Banda temple. The two areas are about 90 km apart, so it is best to stay in each separately. Mukutmanipur Reservoir is covered under the Bishnupur destination. The best season is November–March, and March, when the palash trees bloom, is the most distinctive time. April–June is scorching, with temperatures above 40°C; in the July–September monsoon the waterfalls are in full flow and the countryside is lush, but rural roads get muddy. Getting there: trains from Kolkata to Purulia, Barabhum or Asansol take about 4–6 hours, then hire a car into the hills. There is almost no public transport between sights, so hire a car for the whole trip. Allow 3–4 days.

Top sights

• Ajodhya Hills – A spur of the Eastern Ghats in West Bengal, ringed by red-soil hills, forests and reservoirs, and the hub and base for travel in Purulia.
• Purulia Pumped Storage Upper & Lower Dam – The upper and lower reservoirs of a pumped-storage power station in the Ayodhya Hills. The blue lakes in the valley and the mountain road a…
• Marble Lake – A small lake formed in a disused quarry pit. Ringed by layered rock walls and filled with emerald water, it is known as Purulia's little ca…
• Bamni Falls – A multi-tiered waterfall near the lower dam. A ten-minute descent down forest stone steps reaches the valley floor, and it is a must-stop o…
• Turga Falls & Dam – A forest waterfall and new reservoir in the southwest of the Ayodhya Hills, reached by a forest path. It sees fewer visitors than Bamni Fal…
• Murguma Dam – A reservoir on the northern foot of the Ayodhya Hills, with mountains surrounding the lake on three sides. Its lakeside tent camps are popu…
• Charida Chhau Mask Village – A village where Chhau dance masks are made. Its whole street is lined with mask workshops, where you can watch artisans make deity and demo…
• Pakhi Pahar – An entire cliff face carved into a large-scale rock sculpture of birds in flight. It is a distinctive artistic landmark on the southern foo…
• Baranti Lake – A village reservoir ringed by hills, where the lake glows gold and red at sunset against distant mountain silhouettes. It is the most popul…
• Garh Panchkot – The ruins of an ancient kingdom's fort at the foot of Panchkot Hill, where brick temples and walls are half-hidden in the forest. A climb u…
• Joychandi Pahar – A granite hill rising beside the railway station, with 500 steps leading up to a goddess temple on the summit. It is also a well-known rock…
• Telkupi Submerged Temples – Temples of an old village submerged by Panchet Reservoir. When the water level drops in the dry season, stone spires rise out of the Damoda…
• Banda Deul – A sandstone spire temple from around the 11th century. Its finely carved, Rekha-style tower stands alone among the fields and is one of the…
• Deulghata – An ancient brick temple complex on the banks of the Kangsabati River. Surviving spires and riverside scenery complement each other, and a n…
• Duarsini – A forest valley in the Bandwan area of southern Purulia, with hills and sal forest around a stream. The state eco-lodge makes it a quiet fo…
• Saheb Bandh – A large artificial lake in central Purulia city. Migratory birds gather here in winter, and the lakeside path is where locals go for a walk.

Where to eat

• Aami Bangali – A Purulia restaurant devoted to traditional Bengali dishes, with duck, prawns, and hilsa thalis as its highlights.
• Thek Restaurant – One of the most popular family restaurants in Purulia, serving North Indian dishes, Indo-Chinese food, and signature fr…
• Lemon & Spice – A family restaurant beside the Dakbanglow Square, praised for its vegetarian thali and fish dishes, with warm service.

Itineraries

• Purulia Red Soil Hills & Lakes – Travel from Kolkata to the Ajodhya Hills and Baranti Lake to see waterfalls, a mask-making village, and Palash blooms.