Ausgram

Bhalki Machan

Chandni Jaltungi, Dignagar

Ausgram (আউশগ্রাম Auśgrām) is a rural area in the Purba Bardhaman district of West Bengal, India. It consists of Ausgram I and Ausgram II community development blocks of Purba Bardhaman district.

Get in

By train

• 1 Guskara  ER  (station code: GKH). Well-connected with Bardhaman and Howrah stations on the down line and Bolpur Shantiniketan, Malda, New Jalpaiguri and Rampurhat stations on the up line. Uttarbanga Express and Gaya Express are the only express trains that stop at Guskara. It is better to catch a Rampurhat or Santiniketan-bound passenger or local train from Bardhaman or Howrah. (updated Oct 2022)

By car

NH 112 runs north-south of Ausgram and it is the best way to get here from Bardhaman, Kolkata and Santiniketan. SH 14 runs east-west of the area and it may be the best wat to get here from Asansol, Durgapur, Katwa and Suri.

See and do

Kalikapur Rajbari

• 1 Bhalki Machan (ভাল্কী মাচান Bhālkī Mācān, also spelt Valki Machan) (2 km (1.2 mi) from Bhalki village, 22 km (14 mi) from Guskara). A forested area with remains of an age-old watchtower. It is said to be a favourite spot for hunting bears (ভালুক bhāluk) of the Rajas of Bardhaman. Bhalki Machan is often used as a picnic spot. It has only one resort called Aranyasundari. There's a waterbody for boating and a fort near the resort called Bhallu Rajar Durga. (updated Jun 2023)
• 2 Chandni Jaltungi (চাঁদনি জলতুঙ্গী Cā̃dni Jaltuṅgī), Dignagar. A historical park built on a lake by Maharaja Kirtichand at around 1710. It is said that his wife from Rajasthan felt the lack of Rajasthani architecture and culture in Bengal, and the Maharaja built the park to create the ambiance of Rajasthan. The park was later restored by the Ausgram I block administration in October 2018 with a light and sound show at the evening. (updated Jun 2023)
• 3 Kalikapur Rajbari (কালিকাপুর রাজবাড়ি Kālikāpur Rājbāṛi). A 350-year-old mansion that you can find in some Bengali movies. Now mostly in shambles, the palace was built by Parameshwar Roy, a Dewan of the Bardhaman Raj, for his sons. Terracotta reliefs can be found on the gates of the palace, which is surrounded by the temples of Shiva, Kali and Durga. (updated May 2023)
• 4 Pandu Rajar Dhibi (পাণ্ডু রাজার ঢিবি Pāṇḍu Rājār Ḍhibi). An archaeological site. According to legend, the main mound at Pandu Rajar Dhibi is associated with King Pandu mentioned in the epic Mahabharata, hence the name. (updated Jun 2023)

Buy

Ausgram is renowned for its dhokra artistic brassware. In particular, the Dwariapur village (দ্বারিয়াপুর Dbāriẏāpur) is famous for its dhokra metal craft.

Go next

• Bardhaman
• Santiniketan