Kharagpur and Midnapore - City in West Bengal, India

Kharagpur (Bengali: খড়গপুর Khôṛôgpur, Hindi: खड़गपुर Khaṛagpur) and Midnapore (Bengali: মেদিনীপুর Medinīpur) are two cities in the southwest region of West Bengal, at the opposite banks of the Kangsabati River, locally called Kansai.

Understand

Kharagpur (Bengali pronunciation: KHAW-rrohg-poor) is a planned industrial city and home to the first Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). Midnapore (Bengali pronunciation: MEHD-nih-poor) is the headquarters of Paschim Medinipur district.

Get in

By plane

The nearest airport with commercial operations is Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (IATA: CCU) in Kolkata.

By train

Kharagpur and Midnapore are served by two railway stations, including , and . Kharagpur Junction is one of the longest railway stations in India.

Get around

See

Kharagpur

• Hijli Shaheed Bhawan (IIT old building), 22.3199104°, 87.31313°. Known as Nehru Museum of Science and Technology. 2019-12-19
• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Kharagpur), 22.3191561°, 87.3077001°. 2019-12-19
• Khargeshwar Temple, Inda, 22.347919°, 87.337827°.
• Balaji Mandir, Dhekeya, Malancha (Autorickshaws ply at regular intervals from Kharagpur New Bustand to Malancha. You can also take a postpaid or prepaid taxi from the taxi stand at the Kharagpur Railway station.), 22.347160°, 87.282112°.
• Kalaikunda Air Base. Air Force Station Kalaikunda was built by the British for the Royal Indian Air Force during World War II. It was used to conduct raids against advancing Japanese in Burma and also for operations to transport aid to parts of China. 2018-07-18
• Salua Air Base. Air base during WWII, which was used by the 317th Airlift Squadron of the US Airforce 2019-12-19
• Railway Garden (BNR garden), 22.334111°, 87.333246°.
• Hijli eco park (deer park), 22.302071°, 87.304015°.
• Shri Jagannath Mandir (Jagannath Temple), Nimpura Road, beside Puja Mall (Big Bazaar) (Autorickshaws and totos ply up to Nimpura and Arambati at regular intervals. You can also hire a taxi from the taxi stand near Kharagpur Junction Railway Station), 22.341407°, 87.302041°.
• Cossey riverside.
• Gole Bazaar Durga Temple (Gole Bazaar Durga Mandir), Old Settlement, Opp. B.N.R. Excellence Academy (You can either take a rickshaw or a toto from Kharagpur Railway Station). The temple was established in the early 20th century by some Bengali people working on the railways. It is famous for its Durga Puja and is very popular. It also serves as a seat of culture for the city. 2018-11-01

Midnapore

• Jagannath Temple, Nutan Bazar, 22.4082°, 87.3267°. The temple was built in 1851, possibly at the request of a descendant of the Ganga dynasty of Odisha.
• Jora Masjid, Mian Bazar, 22.4098°, 87.3164°. Notable for Annual Urs festival (Pilgrims from Balgladesh)

Do

• Gopegarh Heritage and Nature Eco-Tourism Centre, 22.4227°, 87.2805°. A good picnic spot
• Khargeshwar Temple, 22.348044°, 87.337818°. This is one of the oldest temples in the city, a Shiva temple, from which derives the name of the city Kharagpur.
• Hijli Eco Park (Deer park), Paschimpathri, 22.302169°, 87.304058°. 8AM - 4:30PM. It’s a famous picnic spot in winter. There is a small deer park inside. 2018-07-17

Buy

It is not uncommon for shops to open late and to close during the hours of the afternoon in the hotter months of the year. Also shops can close for tea and sporting events such as cricket and FIFA World Cup.

• Gole Bazar, 22.3426923°, 87.3178545°. 2017-12-22
• Puja Mall (Big Bazar), Nimpura Road, 22.341701°, 87.301354°. 11AM - 9PM. 2017-12-22
• Gate Bazar, 22.3379446°, 87.3034628°. 2017-12-22
• QED Mall, 182/155, Malancha Main Road, 22.343946°, 87.282535°. 9AM - 10PM. 2018-07-17
• Spencer's, Kaushallya, 22.330026°, 87.339095°. 9AM - 9PM. 2018-07-19

Eat

More than 50 restaurants are present all over Kharagpur with delicious food. Tea-shops and paan-stalls abound and there is a high concentration of mishtir dokaan (sweet-shops). Here you can find one of the very notable sweets in Bengal – 'Khirayer Gogjaa'. The shanty restaurants in Bogda bus stand are always ready with cooked food, comprised of coarse rice, watery dal, etc. The owner will welcome you in such a fashion like that they have been waiting for you only for a long time with their culinary expertise.

• Taaz biriyani, New Bus Stand. 11:30 AM to 11:30 PM.
• Flavour, Nawab Conclave, Ground Floor, O.T Road, Ananda Nagar Colony, Inda. 11:00 AM to 10:30 PM.
• Scrummys Kharagpur, OT Road, near Allahabad bank, Inda. 09:00 AM to 11:00 PM.
• The Waldorf, Chota Tengra.
• Momo Center Salua, SH 5, EFR,Salua, Salua.
• Great India Restaurant, NH 6, Saha Chowk, Malancha.
• Hotel Capsicum, NH 6, Saha chowk. 2017-12-22
• Food City, 253/219, Malancha Road (opposite Axis Bank). 2017-12-22

Drink

Mahua from Santhal women on the way to Bhosraghat.

• Little Sisters Restaurant & Bar, Chota Tengra (near Puri Gate). 2017-12-22
• Hongkong Restaurant Cum Bar, No shooting Area, Kharagpur Local, Salua. 2017-12-22
• Havana Restaurant, Kaushallya. 2017-12-22

Sleep

• Guin Brothers Hotel & Lodge, Traffic side railway booking counter (near the Railway Station), 22.3421°, 87.3247°, +91 3222 226543, +91 9641241665.
• Guin's Bros Lodge, Orissa Trunk Road, 22.3555°, 87.3371°, +91 3222-225021, +91 8001200463, sales@welcomeinn.com. Has a minibar and parking.
• Hotel Dwarika, Gole Bazar, Bhandari Chawk, 22.342617°, 87.316208°, +91 9474811485.
• Hotel Greenland, 22.3806°, 87.3659°, +91 3222 291606.
• Hotel Greenland Towers Pvt. Ltd., 22.380669°, 87.365925°, +91 3222 291605.
• Hotel Park, Dhami Centre, Chhota Tengra (near IIT Kharagpur), 22.3259°, 87.3142°, +91 3222 645837, +91 3222 223981. Restaurant, Credit Cards accepted, TV in rooms
• Hotel Swagat, DVC/IIT, 22.3209°, 87.2969°, +91 3222 278826.
• Hotel Tamrolipto Park, NH 6, Saha Chowk, Dhekia (near Tata Metalick Road Crossing), 22.3519°, 87.2743°, +91 3222 234194, +91 9434009553.
• Hotel Reshma, Station Rd, +91 3222 264432.
• Mrittika Tourism Property (Rani Shiromoni Paryatak Abas), 22.4213573°, 87.3076341°. 2022-12-09

Connect

Cell phone coverage is excellent with all major mobile service providers offering their services in the city. The area dialing code for Kharagpur is 3222. From overseas dial +91 3222 XXX XXX, from within India dial 03222 XXX XXX. For mobile phones, dial +91 XXXXX XXXXX. Internet cafes are also available in plenty and charges between 10-25/hour.

Cope

Emergency

• Police, 100.
• Fire, 101.

Police stations

• Kharagpur Town, +91 3222 255967.
• Kharagpur Local, +91 3222 227841.

Nearby

Karnagarh

• Fort ruins of Rani Shiromani, 22.518139°, 87.348339°. The interior of the fort was divided into two parts, the andarmahal for the royal family and the sadarmahal for others. The temples of Dandeshwar, Jogmaya and Mahamaya, the ruling deities of Karnagarh, are south of the fort. Unfortunately, hardly anything, other than memory, remains here. A big fair is held on the Poush Sankranti day (mid-January). The Karnagarh family had two other forts nearby – at Abasgarh and Jamdargarh. 2022-12-04

Pathra

There are 34 temples in Pathra, 10 km from Midnapore town, on the banks of the Kangsabati River. Most of the temples were built by Ghosal (later changed to Majumdar) and Banerjee families. Unfortunately, many of the temples are in bad shape because of lack of preservation, damage by the Kangsabati and vandalising by the locals. However, with the persistent efforts of a small group of enthusiasts, Pathra has turned the tide. The Archaeological Survey of India has taken charge of 28 temples and have repaired 18 temples.

Go next

• Jhargram
• Jaleswar
• Balasore