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