You step out of Asansol Junction into the evening, and the station clock glows above a square full of autos and waiting relatives. Behind you a long-distance train hums at the platform, and ahead the Grand Trunk Road carries buses and trucks past shuttered shops toward the old bazaar.
Beyond the station, Burnpur's riverside park looks out over the Damodar, Barakar keeps stone temples far older than the railway, and Churulia, birthplace of the poet Nazrul, sits a short ride north. Summers are fierce, the monsoon soaks June to September, and winters are mild and dry. When your list runs out, a Local Friend knows which temple, river bank or side road makes the next good stop.
