Asansol is the second largest city of West Bengal, situated in the Bardhaman District. It serves as an important coal mining commercial center in India. In fact, its claim to fame is its base of coal and steel industry. Situated between Durgapur and Chittaranjan, this city, with about 1,000,000 residents, is one of the 100 fastest developing cities in the world. With a rich mineral resource and extensive work force, Asansol has become one of the best options for versatile industrial ventures, institutions, transport and commerce.
Situated about 200 km away from the capital city of Kolkata, Asansol is sited on the exposed Gondwana rocks, unlike the rest of West Bengal. Its topography is composed of undulating laterite soil. Damodar and Ajay, two mighty rivers in West Bengal, flow besides this city. The climate of Asansol can be divided into four seasons, namely summer, monsoon, autumn and winter. The summer of Asansol is like the rest of the West Bengal, extremely hot and humid. The monsoon are pleasant and the winters chilly.
Asansol is also an interesting destination, in terms of tourism. Within a radius of 20 km from the city, there are several beautiful excursions. One of the most popular places near Asansol is the Maithon dam and lake that, apart from being a power production unit, also serves as a popular picnic getaway from the city. Other than this, Nehru Pak, Churulia and Kalyaneshawri temple are popular destinations around the city.
Reaching Asansol is not a difficult task. Though there is no direct air link, except for a private airstrip at Burnpur, you can always land in Kolkata, about 200 km from the city, from where you can hire cabs to reach Asansol. Being one of the major junctions in West Bengal, almost all important trains halt at Asansol's railway station. The city also has excellent road connectivity with the rest of India, as it lies on the famous GT Road.
How to Reach Asansol
Asansol is the second largest city in West Bengal. It is also a prominent industrial city and the headquarters of coal mining industry of the state. It also finds an inclusion in the list of the 100 fastest developing cities of the world. Situated between Chittaranjan and Durgapur, Asansol is one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse cities in West Bengal.
Kalyaneshwari Temple
The famous Kalyaneshwari Temple is situated about 20 km from the city of Asansol. It is considered to be an ancient temple, which is as much as 500 years old. The presiding deity of this temple is Maa Kalyaneshwari, a form of Goddess Shakti or Kali.
Tourist Attractions
Asansol is basically an industrial area, which serves as a prominent center for coal mining in India. However, the city is also important from tourism purposes and offers enough tourist attractions to the visitors. In the radius of 20 km from the city, there are several places that will keep you pre-occupied on a trip.
Asansol Weather
Asansol is the second largest city in West Bengal. It is also one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse cities in the state. Being the location of one of the largest coal mines in India, the city is one of the 100 fastest developing cities in the world.
Maithan
Maithan is one of the most popular excursions from Asansol. It is not only visited by tourists, but is also a favorite getaway of the locals, especially on weekends. Situated about 22 km from Asansol, on the border of West Bengal and Bihar, Maithan also houses the largest reservoir of the Damodar Valley Corporation.