"When we were very young, living on Abhoy Das Lane, my father’s office was in Tikatuli," filmmaker Animesh Aich reminisces. "There were two cinemas—‘Abhisar’ and ‘Madhumita’.

The third largest lake is home to many beautiful rocky and sandy beaches and although water temperatures are chilly—rarely top 73 degrees Fahrenheit, even in summer—there are excellent visitor ...