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Voykit pocket guide · India
Chakdaha
চাকদহ
Half a day is enough: see the Palpara Temple and the old port building, then move on to Nabadwip or Mayapur.
Chakdaha is a small town in Nadia district, West Bengal, best known as the birthplace of cricketer Jhulan Goswami. Its main draw is the 17th-century Palpara Temple with rare char-chala terracotta work, plus the abandoned Calcutta Port Trust building at Simurali. Most travellers use it as a short stop between Kolkata and the pilgrimage towns of Nabadwip and Mayapur.
- Country
- India
- Local name
- চাকদহ
- Best months
- Oct–Mar
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (monsoon)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- INR
- Money
- Indian rupees (INR, ₹) in small notes for autos, street food, tips and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₹800–1,500 excl. bed · Mid ₹1,500–3,000 excl. bed · High ₹3,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jio, Airtel and Vi sell tourist SIMs at airport counters and their shops; passport, visa and a photo needed; activation can take a few hours.
- Emergency
- Police 112 · Fire and ambulance 112
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin C plugs fit most sockets; D (three round pins) is the common wall socket; hotels often have universal sockets. UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and dhabas: Nothing.; Restaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Car and driver: ₹300–500 a day at the end of the trip.; Guide: ₹300–500 for a half day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₹50–100.; Auto or Uber: Round up.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles (check the cap), or use RO-filtered refill stations in hotels and cafés; avoid ice from street stalls.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and airports; squat toilets with a water jug or hose in stations and villages. Carry tissue and sanitiser; paid public toilets (Sulabh) cost ₹5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Tea at a roadside stall | ₹10–20 |
| Vegetarian thali | ₹60–120 |
| Auto-rickshaw ride (within town) | ₹30–80 |
| Train from Sealdah to Chakdaha (general / reserved) | ₹30 / ₹120 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CCU · Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (Kolkata)
- About 70 km (43 mi) south; taxi or train via SealdahAbout 43 mi (70 km) south; taxi or train via Sealdah
Typical fares
- Sealdah → Chakdaha, train
- about ₹30 general, 1 h (check)
- Chakdaha → Nabadwip, train
- about ₹10 general, 15 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws cover the town. The railway station is central; Palpara Temple is about 2 km (1.2 mi) west, Simurali about 4 km (2.5 mi) south.Auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws cover the town. The railway station is central; Palpara Temple is about 1.2 mi (2 km) west, Simurali about 2.5 mi (4 km) south.
See and do
Known for
- Palpara Temple (17th-century terracotta)
- Calcutta Port Trust Building (Simurali)
- Birthplace of Jhulan Goswami
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Nabadwip | Train from Chakdaha station, about 15 min | About 30 min |
| Mayapur | Train to Nabadwip, then auto-rickshaw, about 30 min total | About 1 h |
| Kalyani | Train from Chakdaha, about 10 min | About 20 min |
| Krishnanagar | Train from Chakdaha, about 20 min | About 30 min |
| Palashi | Train from Chakdaha to Palashi station, about 30 min | About 45 min |
Sleep
- Chakdaha town centre
- A few budget lodges near the station; most visitors sleep in Kalyani or Nabadwip.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Namaste | নমস্কারnomoshkar |
| Thank you | ধন্যবাদdhonnobad |
| How much? | কত?koto? |
| Where is the temple? | মন্দিরটি কোথায়?mondir-ti kothay? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste (palms together) or a handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging or kissing strangers
- Hands and feet: Give and eat with the right hand; apologise if your foot touches someone; avoid: Pointing feet at people or shrines; touching books or food with your feet
- Temples: Shoes off, walk clockwise around shrines, accept prasad (blessed food) with the right hand; avoid: Leather in Jain temples; entering sanctums that say Hindus only
- Home visit: Bring sweets or fruit; accept tea at least once; avoid: Refusing all food; wearing shoes inside
- Questions: Expect personal questions (married? job? salary?) as friendliness; avoid: Taking offence; answer vaguely if you prefer
- Saying no: A firm, polite 'nahi, dhanyavaad' (no, thank you) and keep walking; avoid: Long explanations to touts
- Dress: Loose clothes covering shoulders and knees; kurta tops are cheap and cool; avoid: Swimwear or shorts away from Goa beaches
Scams and watch-outs
- Palpara Temple may be locked; ask the caretaker at the nearby house for the key.
- Simurali port building is abandoned and overgrown; no facilities nearby.
- Last trains from Chakdaha to Kolkata run around 22:00; check the schedule.
A quiet town; standard precautions for rural India. Watch for traffic on the main road and carry water in summer.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Chakdaha yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Palpara Temple (17th-century terracotta)
- Calcutta Port Trust Building (Simurali)
- Birthplace of Jhulan Goswami
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5068237
- Wikivoyage: Chakdaha, revision 5319083 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5319083
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/chakdaha). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.