Cooch Behar ( /ˌkuːtʃ bɨˈhɑr/; Bengali: কোচবিহার, Kochbihar ? ) is the district headquarters and the largest city of Cooch Behar District in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is situated in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas and located at 26°22′N 89°29′E / 26.367°N 89.483°E / 26.367; 89.483. Cooch Behar is the only planned town in North Bengal region with remnants of royal heritage. One of the main tourist destinations in West Bengal, the town is well known for the Cooch Behar Palace and Madan Mohan Bari temple and has been declared a heritage town. It is also well known for being the maternal home of Maharani Gayatri Devi.
During the British Raj, the town of Cooch Behar was the seat of the princely state of Koch Bihar, ruled by the Koch dynasty. After 20 August 1949, Cooch Behar District was transformed from a princely state to its present status, with the town of Cooch Behar as its headquarters.
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Famous quotes containing the word behar:
“I have a huge need for financial security; the emigrant in me has a fear of ending up homeless and in the gutter.”
—Ruth Behar (b. 1956)