D's Travelogue

Published: October 2026  |  Last updated: October 2026 Looking for a different kind of weekend trip from Kolkata? Discover Dhanyakuria, Bengal’s atmospheric “Village of Castles.” If you ask this question to travel enthusiasts, most of the people would answer about sea beaches, mountains, or forests. Majority of the travelers who look for amazing weekend trips from Kolkata head either to the mountains in the north, to the sea beaches in the south, or to the Sundarbans. However, only a few of them turn towards a quiet hamlet in North 24 Parganas where the highway suddenly turns to open on to a gothic gateway, a three-storeyed tower with Islamic arches, or a rooftop full of stucco "dolls" looking down at the road. That's  Dhanyakuria , often called the Village of Castles of Bengal. Located at a distance of only about 55 kilometers from the city of Kolkata, a European Gothic gateway seems to appear suddenly in the Bengal countryside. To know about the great experien...

McCluskieganj is a one of Jharkhand's most unusual destinations. Established as a haven for the members of the Anglo-Indian community in the 1930s, the town, however, never fully became what its founders had dreamt it to be. Most of the people of the Anglo-Indian community moved to other Indian cities or to England. So, McCluskieganj now exists as a shadow of what it was actually meant to be. Yet, the old bungalows with a touch of British architecture, the quiet lanes, and the colonial-era charm have turned McCluskieganj into a popular weekend getaway. Many of the old homes and bungalows still remain and many of these family homes now welcome visitors as homestays. Are you not sure where to stay in McCluskieganj? Are you looking for hotels and lodges in McCluskieganj? This guide will help you choose between heritage bungalows, homestays, guest houses, and a resort-style stay. Tourists from India and abroad visit McCluskieganj to spend a few days in this quaint, little town and enj...

Kiriburu and Meghahatuburu are twin mining towns and hill destinations in West Singhbhum, Jharkhand, in the Saranda forest region. They lie close to the Odisha border. Surrounded by forested hills, mining landscapes, and spectacular viewpoints, the twin destinations offer a very different experience from the more commercial hill stations of eastern India. Kiriburu is closely associated with the Kiriburu Iron Ore Mine, while Meghahatuburu is home to the Meghahatuburu Iron Ore Mine, both operated by the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) . But the appeal of these hill towns extends beyond mining. The surrounding forests, hills, viewpoints, waterfalls and quiet roads make Kiriburu-Meghahatuburu an interesting destination for travelers looking for a less commercial hill experience. I visited Kiriburu-Meghahatuburu during the monsoon and found the landscape particularly atmospheric at that time. Clouds, rain, mist, red earth, forests, and waterfalls - together they transformed the jour...