Bandel is a Portuguese colonial estate in the later phase of medieval Bengal. This place is easily accessible from all parts of India and Kolkata.

Location of Bandel
Bandel is situated in Hooghly District of West Bengal. It now falls under the urban area of Chinsurah-Mogra block in Chinsurah subdivision of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is under Chinsurah police station and is a part of Kolkata Metropolitan Area. Bandel is a major rail junction station of Eastern Railway and it is 40 km from Howrah station.

History of Bandel
Bandel was a Portuguese settlement in the later phase of medieval era. The Church and the Monastery were built around 1660 by the Portuguese. Bandel word derived from Portuguese word mast of ship. Bandel Church is one of the oldest Christian churches in West Bengal and a nice tourism attraction especially in winter season. It is dedicated to Nossa Senhora do Rosario, also known as "Nossa Senhora da Boa Viagem", meaning "Our Lady of the Good Journey". The keystone of an older church with the year 1599 on it adorns the riverside gate of the monastery attached to it.

Geography of Bandel
This semi urban area in Hooghly District is located at 22 degree 55 minutes 22 seconds North to 88 degree 22 minutes 46 seconds East and it has an elevation of 16 m. The main river that flows by Bandel is Ganges. The town of Bandel is in Gangetic plain.

Climate of Bandel
The climate of Bandel is tropical wet-and-dry in nature. A prolonged hot and humid weather is the main characteristic of the climate of Bandel. The monsoon stays from early June to mid-September. The winter persists for almost three months, from mid-November to mid-February. The weather remains dry during the winter and humid during summer.

Festivals of Bandel
Durga Puja is the biggest festival of Bandel. Kartik Puja is one of the famous festivals celebrated in Bandel (Sahaganj-Bansberia area). Also Lakshmi Puja, Kali Puja, Viswakarma Puja, Saraswati Puja, Poila Boisakh-Ganesh Puja, Chhath Puja, Holi are widely celebrated at Bandel. Olichandi Mela is the biggest fair observed at Bandel in early summer after the Dol Yatra. Christmas is well celebrated at Bandel church and lots of people come here for this occasion. Eid Ul Fitr is the major festival celebrated by the Muslim community of Bandel.

Economy of Bandel
Bandel has the economical growth with secondary business like Dunlop Factory, the famous Dunlop factory is situated at Sahaganj near Bandel. Bandel Thermal Power Station was started with a capacity of 82.5 MW in 1965. It has since been expanded and currently has a rated capacity of 530 MW. Bandel is the base of many bakery industries.

Visiting Information
Bandel has the two railway stations, Hooghly railway station and Bandel Junction. Bandel Junction is an important railway station of Eastern Railway and is a model rail station. The station is situated approximately 40 km from Howrah station on the Howrah-Bardhaman District Main Line. The Bandel-Katwa meets the Howrah main line, here at Bandel Jn. Another branch line connects Bandel with Sealdah Railway Station , Kolkata and Kolkata station via Naihati Junction. An EMU car-shed as well as a goods yard is situated in the neighbourhood of Bandel station. Like other parts of Kolkata suburban area auto rickshaws can easily be found on the roads and streets of Bandel. Besides, there are buses, taxis and rickshaws. These all contribute to the public transport of Bandel. The nearby airport is the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata, West Bengal.