Tourism Bangladesh
← Home

Destinations

Kushtia

Kushtia is the spiritual home of Baul music and the mystic poet Lalon Shah, whose shrine here still draws musicians and pilgrims from across Bengal. It's also where Rabindranath Tagore lived for years while managing his family's estate.

Getting there

Kushtia is about 5-6 hours from Dhaka by bus via the Padma Bridge, departing from Kalyanpur or Gabtoli.

Best time to visit

Mid-March and mid-October are when the Lalon Festival takes place at the shrine — worth timing a visit around if you want to experience Baul music at its most immersive, though the crowds are correspondingly larger then.

What to see

  • The Mausoleum of Lalon Shah (Lalon Akhra) — in Cheuriya village, the resting place of the Baul mystic and songwriter whose work influenced Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam. Musicians often play and sing at the shrine outside festival dates too.
  • Shilaidaha Kuthibari — Tagore's former residence, where he lived for roughly a decade managing his family's estate, now a museum.
  • Hardinge Bridge — a century-old rail bridge over the Padma River, worth a look if you're passing nearby.

Practical notes

For visa and entry requirements and general safety guidance, see Practical Info.

Kushtia features in several of our sample itineraries — see Itineraries for full multi-day routes. More photos of the region are in the Photo Gallery.