Tucked away in the far reaches of North Bengal, just before the Assam border, Cooch Behar feels like a city dreaming of its past. Once the seat of the princely Koch dynasty, this isn't your typical chaotic Bengali town. It is a place of wide avenues, calm lakes (dighis), and a skyline dominated not by high-rises, but by a palace that looks like it was teleported straight from Renaissance Italy.
While most travellers rush past it on their way to the hills of Darjeeling or the jungles of Jaldapara, Cooch Behar rewards those who hit the brakes with colonial nostalgia, spiritual fervour, and a surprisingly laid-back charm.
