ANTPUR

        Antpur is the perfect example of village Bengali poets had described since time immemorial. Full of green,calm n quiet, it is the abode of peace. Devotees of SRI RAMAKRISHNA DEB hold the place in high regard.

        Baburam Ghosh , one of the  twelve disciples of SRI RAMAKRISHNA DEB was born here. His parents were okay with the fact that he wanted to be a monk. So they played host to other monks of Ramkrishna Mission & SRI SRI MAA SARADA DEBI.

       After SRI RAMKRISHNA left for his heavenly abode in the year of 1886 ,  the twelve disciples left home & started living in a dilapidated house at Baranagar. They spent days meditating & survived on alms. They came to Antpur on a chilly day of December. They were realizing the need of renunciation. Finally, on the Christmas eve in 1886 the twelve young men took the decision to renounce the world & be monk.  This event took place in Baburam's house at Antpur.

        The  place where they performed homa & took the oath is well preserved & embellished with a huge  sculpture of the first twelve monks of Sri Ramakrishna order.

        The dilapidated two-storeyed house of Baburam has been restored by the Ramkrishna Mission. On the first floor there's a room where SRI SRI MAA SARADA DEBI put up on Her visit to Antpur. Now a beautiful picture of Hers is housed in the room. The room of Swamiji too is on the first floor.  Behind the house is a pond where Swamiji loved to swim. Now it is named after Him.

HOUSE OF BABURAM GHOSH

        Antpur has some beautiful relics of terracotta architecture also.  There's a huge chala (hut) style  temple of Radha Gobinda. Diwan of Burdwan royal family, Krishna ram Mitra built this terracotta temple in 1786.  Daily worship is performed in Rradha Gobinda temple.  There are  dol mancha & ras mancha in front of the temple.

RADHAGOBINDA TEMPLE

        There are temples of Lord Shiva as well.

        Behind the Radha Gobinda temple stands a chandi mandap ( shrine of Goddess Chandi ) that was erected in medieval period. It  bears the testimony of expertise of the craftsmen in Antpur & adjoining area. The mandap made of wood of jackfruit tree is one of its kind.

       

PART OF THE CHANDI MANDAP

       

          Antpur has a lot to offer, but there's a very few takers. Most of the Bengalis aren't aware of the presence of such a heritage place near Kolkata. Ramkrishna Mission welcomes everyone visiting the place. They provide food & lodging. If solitude,spirituality rejuvenate you, Antpur is your destination.

      

       

BAKKHALI

        Bakkhali is like the shy,submissive member of family who is content to be overshadowed. Despite having potential it couldn't make it to the A-list of sea destinations. Bakkhali lags behind Digha,even the new kid,Mandarmoni.


        The Ganga formed many islands at her confluence with the Bay of Bengal. These islands form the major part of the largest mangrove forest on earth, the Sundarbans.  While most of these are covered by dense mangroves & inhabited by wild animals, some are exceptions. They are 'normal' because wildlife is not rampant there.These islands have magnificent beaches. Bakkhali belongs to this category of islands.


        When you cross the Hatania-Doania river at Namkhana you leave the mainland of the country behind & set your foot on a island resting on the lap of the Bay of Bengal.  Now your life is surrounded by water.


        The beach of Bakkhali is situated on the southern fringes of the island. Here the sea is mellow. The roaring, feisty waves are missing. So bathing at Bakkhali is not a thrilling experience at all.Moreover, presence of sandbanks has taken its toll on the fun of bathing.Tourists are warned against going to these sandbanks.

        The afternoon is magical. The place,like Cinderella undergoes a change from plane Jane to princess. The sun before retiring for the day puts a splash of colours. The sky, waves, sandbanks, beach, trees, windmills,all look celestial. A 'different' kind of light fills this part of earth.

SUNSET AT BAKKHALI - RIOT OF COLOURS

 THE SEA IS BREATHTAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL  DURING SUNSET

        Morning too has a surprise for the urban people. Bakkhali wakes up to the chirp of birds. True to its name (Bakkhali means Egrets only) the place has abundance of egrets as well as other bird species.

SERIOUS PHINGE

BAK KHALI

GREEN BEE EATER

WAITING FOR A CATCH

KINGFISHER TAKING A BREAK

SEA GULL

        Bakkhali lets you meet some of the Sundarban's famous reptiles & mammals as well.There's a crocodile project near the bus depot. It houses spotted deer too. The area is green with mangroves.

 

HETAL  -- ROYAL BENGAL TIGER LOVES TO SPEND TIME IN THE BUSH OF HETAL

THIS IS WHAT THE SUNDARBANS IS NAMED AFTER - SUNDARI TREE

        HENRY'S ISLAND

        The name Henry's Island is misleading.It's no island. Actually a part of the island which Bakkhali is part of  has been named after Henry sahib. He fell in love with a local girl & the locality. After marrying his ladylove Henry started living here & worked hard for the development of the area.

        Now Henry's island is in  the charge of Fishery Dept, Govt. of  West Bengal.  The 200-acre area is used for pisciculture, ecological conservation & tourism. Various fish, prawns & crabs are cultured here. The area is full of green & blue. Bird's eye view from the watch tower is breathtaking.

       

HENRY'S ISLAND FROM THE WATCH TOWER

ONE OF THE TANKS FOR REARING FISH

        On the way to the beach waits a surprise for the urban tourists. It's a bamboo bridge. Balancing on the bridge in the middle of dense mangroves is quite a thrilling experience.

THE BAMBOO BRIDGE

        The beach of Henry's island is outstanding! Those who are present there are sun, sand & sea,nothing else. This is the only beach in West Bengal which can be called unadulterated.It's free from crowd,noise,plastic,electricity ... everything. It's very original.
     
        Tourists are prohibited to go the beach after sunset.

WAY TO THE BEACH

BEACH OF HENRY'S ISLAND

        FRAZERGUNJ   

        Bengalis don't forget to visit Frazergunj which is 4 km. away from Bakkhali beach. What attracts them is fish.The place is  famous for capture fisheries where everyday fish is harvested in huge quantities from the sea & sold to the market. if you are interested, you can buy the silver crops of various species at unbelievably low prices.  

        There's a number of beaches in Bengal , but they don't offer the tourists any scope for exploring the sea. That's where Frazergunj  scores over others.It gives you the opportunity for enjoying the thrill of a 2-hour-long voyage. Go to the jetty, hire a boat for Rs.100 per head (12 persons are allowed in a boat) & start sailing for the mysterious Jambudwip, an island in the lap of the sea. For the purpose of ecological conservation all sorts of human activities are prohibited on the island. You can't even alight on the landmass. A no. of wild mammals reside there peacefully.

        Bay of Bengal is not like what it is in Bakkhali. Here it is like a big rocking chair which you are placed on. 

        At the beginning the situation is very normal. People are excited. They talk,laugh,click the sea,the sky,the birds & of course,take selfies. Gradually starts the change. The waves turn boisterous & the boat starts rocking. Nervousness overpowers jubilation.People get calm n quiet & try to maintain their composure. All in vain!

       The waves get violent in no time & toss your boat like a paper boat! Screams of various amplitudes & frequencies break the silence of the environment into pieces.

       If you brave the waves, go & stand outside. You will feel the purity of  nature. 

       In the poem somudrer proti Rabindranath Tagore described sea as a mother in different states of mind. Frazergunje lets you witness that.

STARTS THE JOURNEY

        There s an alternative too. If you can't combat  the panic attack, then prefer a creek in the middle of mangrove forest to sea. It's a nice experience. If you keep vigil, you'll spot wild animals,like boar,deer.

THE CREEK

         Most of the tourist spots desperately try to adopt urbanization. As  a result  their real identity gets lost & they all end up as wannabe towns.  Bakkhali is not like them  The place still retains the charm of rural Bengal! Though there are hotels, public transport, tourists etc. the place is surprisingly calm and quiet. Go a few meters away from the arterial road, you'll see the picture postcard of village of Bengal. Huts,courtyards, abundant greenery, women performing evening prayer at tulsi mancha (the holy Basil) will take you to a different world which either you have lost or haven't experienced before.

        In a word, Bakkhali is very soothing, like the sound of conch shell you hear during your evening walk.

BAKKHALI - TAMING THE WIND

DIGHA

        Birkul was a coastal village in Bengal surrounded by dense forest. The British were fond of this hamlet where trees outnumbered human beings & sea talked louder. Governor General Warren Hastings was so much in love with Birkul that he called it 'Brighton of the East'.

       Birkul, or Hastings' Brighton underwent sea change keeping pace with time.It's renamed Digha. The forest-clad hamlet metamorphosed into a happening sea town of Bengal & became part of our life. It's picnic spot, family tour destination,honeymoon spot,location for film shoots, site for educational tours, fish trade centre , what not!

     Digha has come a long way from Birkul & the journey continues. The Government works nonstop for the  development  ensuring frequent makeovers of Digha. A huge gate in the beautiful combination of blue & white welcomes you to Digha. This is the latest addition to the illustrious CV of the beach town. The gate is shaped like a sailboat.

DIGHA GATE

    A new beach named Udaypur has been developed nearby. The beach is ideal for those who love to stay far from madding crowd. It's connected with Digha by marine drive road,the first of its kind in West Bengal. Work is on to extend the road up to Tajpur in the east.A walk down the road in the setting sun is therapeutic.

MARINE DRIVE ROAD

UDAYPUR

    In near future Digha is going to be connected with Gopalpur in southern part of Odisha by a seaside road ensuring us a memorable journey.

    What is most amazing about Digha is its dynamism. It didn't waste time basking in the glory of cashew nut farming  or a marine aquarium. It keeps changing itself & appears in new avatars. It  is now  going to the extent of introducing ropeway service from Digha to Shankarpur.

    The beach in Old Digha has been reduced to nothing by severe erosion. So people use the beach in New Digha. This is an amazing beach that can cater to everyone,from fish lovers to adventure lovers, from shopaholics to lovebirds. Fried prawns,cashews,gigantic coconuts,speed boats, handicrafts of seashells,cosy corners, everything is served on the beach.

DIGHA BEACH

   Unlike its Old counterpart, New Digha  is safe for bathing. Since Bengalis have a penchant for sun-bathing, they stream in to New Digha beach & merge with the Bay of Bengal.  They bathe,sip coconut water,click groupies & again get back to bathing.

BATHING GOES ON

    Digha is a 'super power'  in tourism industry of Bengal. Except Darjeeling there's nobody else in West Bengal who is richer,more famous & influential than Digha. It's chock-a-bloc round the year.People rush to Digha whenever they feel like,even at the time of calamity like cyclone!

 FULL-MOON 

   Digha caused a sea change in  the socioeconomic life of the coastal belt of East Midnapore district. It upgraded a number of adjoining coastal villages to  seaside resorts of repute.  Communication has improved remarkably. All the roads are in good shape. The area is connected to Kolkata & other parts of Bengal by Digha-Howrah railroad.

   Fish trade in the area has gained momentum. Shankarpur's claim to fame is now the wholesale fish market, not the tranquil beaches anymore .

   Banks, ATMs,hospitals,nursing homes,hotels,mobile towers,cars of various shapes & sizes changed the area completely.

   Digha supports Odisha as well. Places like  Talsari,Chandaneswar,Bichitrapur  in the neighbouring state have become popular tourist spots thanks to their proximity to Digha . Most of the tourists who floack to these places are neither  from Bhubaneswar nor Cuttack,but Digha.

   The scenic beauty of Goa,Vizag & Kovalam, pilgrim centres of Puri & Kanyakumari - Digha has none of these. Then what made it special? The answer is 'Passion'.  The Bengalis have a passion for Digha.
    This passion made the place  what it is now.
     Digha is a great success story of the Bengalis.

     

MAITHON

        Maithon has an exciting 'buy one get one free' offer. A visit to Maithon means visiting some breath-takingly beautiful spots of West Bengal as well as the neighbouring state of Jharkhand. This is because the Maithon project of DVC is housed by both West Bengal & Jharkhand.

        Damodar Valley Corporation came into existence in the month of July,1948. Now it's difficult to imagine what the emaciated Damodar was like in the past. It was the deadly Damodar devastating Bengal & southern parts of Bihar ( now what's called Jharkhand) every monsoon. In 1943 the flood situation was so serious that Kolkata was marooned & cut off from rest of the country.

       DVC was formed to manage Damodar & perform other functions like irrigation , power generation etc. It was India's first multi-purpose river project. Dr.Meghnad Saha played major role in it.


        Maithon dam was inaugurated  by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1957.It's different from other three DVC dams as it's constructed not on Damodar river but Barakar. The underground hydel power station, the first of its kind in south east Asia is situated in Burdwan district of Bengal & rest of the project in Dhanbad district of Jharkhand.


        Barakar river is captivated in a vast reservoir spreading over an area of 65 sq. km. This is the biggest DVC reservoir. It acts as the canvas on which Nature paints with beautiful colours. There are hills of various heights in the reservoir. Hills in green drapes standing in the midst of vast blue of water soothe the nerves.

MAITHON RESERVOIR

        There are some islands in the lake whose shapes are amazing.

SPOON ISLAND

TORTOISE ISLAND

         One can reach such an island named Swabuj Dwip (Green Island). There are small bridge,chairs & merry-go-round,all in the thick vegetation  on the small island. It's maintained by the West Bengal Govt.
         Boating is a must. Most of the tourists opt for speed boats. But I suggest that you ride a country boat in the setting sun. It's riot of colours in the sky, on the water, all around you. It's one hour of playing holi !

SUNSET

 

        BHANDAR PAHAR

        The first thing I want to say about Bhandar pahar is ' looks are deceptive'. The hill,nearly 2 km away from Maithon dam is 170 ft high, according to the locals. A flight of stony staircase welcomes & starts taking you to the top. 

        After scaling a considerable height you'll go "OMG!!!!!" discovering the flight of staircase has come to an end & the only option is climbing or crawling over the rocks to reach the temple atop. 

        More than 50% of the distance is covered by trekking amid a pretty dense forest. You'll hardly find any people around you. The temple is named after Amarnath. The linga is white. Shivratri is observed with pomp,up there.

WAY TO BHANDAR PAHAR

AMARNATH SHIV MANDIR ATOP BHANDAR PAHAR

   

        KALYANESWARI TEMPLE

        Bengal is the abode of Goddesses. Each and every district has at least one temple of either  Goddess Durga or Goddess Kali which is the district's pride. Some of those temples are world-famous.

        Burdwan district is proud of Kalyaneswari temple. Ma Kali appeared as Kalyaneswari, the goddess of fulfillment. It's believed that the Goddess blesses the childless with child.The deity is different from that of Ma Kali. It is covered with a red cloth.

        Goddess Kalyaneswari was worshiped by King Harigupta in 3rd century AD.  The temple he built gave in to time and was reduced to ruins. Much later, in 16th century the King of Panchokot rebuilt the temple. The foundation is still there inside the fortress of Garh Panchokot.

FOUNDATION OF KALYANESWARI TEMPLE IN GARH PANCHOKOT

        

        Later the temple was relocated to where it is now. It is at a distance of only 4 km from Maithon dam. The temple premises is very neat and clean. The devotees stand in queue & offer puja peacefully. 

        It's a must-visit place in Maithon.

SANCTUM SANCTORUM OF KALYANESWARI TEMPLE

PART OF THE TEMPLE

       

PURULIA

        Purulia unveiled a new face of Bengal before me. I've been to the hilly parts of Bankura district. But Purulia is different. It's rough & enigmatic. And believe me, this harshness is the beauty of Purulia.
        There is a large forest cover. Still the area looks nude. There are rivers & falls. But the area is arid.

         We got off at Barabhum station from where  trekker takes approx.40 minutes to reach Baghmundi, the nearest town to Ayodhya hills. When we left the station area behind we entered a whole new world of undulating land, red soil, forest, rocks & hills.

    

       AYODHYA HILLS

          Ayodhya & other hills in the western parts of West Bengal are parts of the Eastern Ghats. Ayodhya,situated in Purulia district near the border with Jharkhand is under thick forest cover & houses many wild animals. In the parts where human activities are high, density of forest & animal species is low. Other parts or peaks are out of reach the tourists.

         In 2008 was inaugurated Purulia Pumped Storage Project, a hydroelectric power plant generating 900 MW of energy. When the water rushes down from the upper to  lower reservoir, its kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy.

         The upper & lower reservoirs, popularly known as  upper & lower dam are breathtakingly beautiful.  Large water bodies on the lap of the hills provide our body, soul & mind with much needed relief in this land of hard,solid rocks! Rigidity & fluidity here lie together & create beauty.

LOWER DAM

UPPER DAM

DAM TOP ROAD ( UPPER DAM)

        

            Mayur pahar (peacock hill) is a peak of Ayodhya hills. Getting to its top is no difficult job. Mayur pahar allows the panoramic view of  Ayodhya range. 

FROM TOP OF MAYUR PAHAR

PART OF THE PANORAMIC VIEW OF AYODHYA

       Bamni is a beautiful river flowing on the hills. Rocks of various shapes & sizes try to hinder har path. But Bamni is undomitable. She makes her way through the rocks & ultimately falls off the cliff making an enigmatic falls & a lake below. Adventurous souls climb down to catch a glimpse of the falls. 

      Though rattling sound of the water, huge rocks, thick foliage & solitude give an eerie sensation, Bamni falls is a must-visit place.

BAMNI FIGHTING WITH THE ROCKS

BAMNI

BAMNI

YOUNGSTERS BEFRIENDED BAMNI

BAMNI FALLS

        Matha buru ( 'buru' means hill) is the training ground for the rock climbers. The hill is quite high & almost nude. Hats off to the people who climb up this formidable mass of rock !

MATHA BURU

        Popro kocha was suggested by the locals. According to them, this is the best spot in Ayodhya. We drove past the tribal villages. Their houses are fine examples of artistry!
     
       The tribal people don't have any formal training in painting. But that doesn't deter them from embellishing their humble mud houses with beautiful designs. The sketch, colour combination, everything is impeccable.

A TRIBAL HOUSE

        When we reached Popro kocha, we all went  'WOW!'  In front of our eyes was a huge lake surrounded by hills. On the backdrop was a hill with two peaks standing like two bodyguards in 'alert' position. Near the lake was a plain field.  Maybe Nature was tired of making plateaus & hills & for a change crafted this small piece of plain land!

POPRO KOCHA

THE PLAIN  LAND

        CHORIDA

        Chorida is 3 km. away from Baghmundi. This can be called 'village of masks' because Chorida produces masks used by the chhau dancers. Also,the smaller masks used as showpiece are made here.

        People of all age groups in the village are engaged in the business. The village looks like a workshop. You'll find masks being dried out roadside, little boys preparing the headgears, seniors doing eyes,lips etc. of MAA DURGA. The masks are made without using mould.

       Chhau dance depends heavily on MAA DURGA. This power packed dance form depicts the tale of GODDESS DURGA killing the dreadful demon MAHISHASUR.  So, the masks of MAA DURGA, GANESHA, ASURA dominate the market.

       

         Bengalis love simplicity. They have the ability to create extraordinary with the help of ordinary. To believe this you have to see how the masks are made using paper mash, soil,plastic beads, iron wire etc.