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.
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| SUNSET AT BAKKHALI - RIOT OF COLOURS |
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| 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.
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| SERIOUS PHINGE |
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| BAK KHALI |
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| GREEN BEE EATER |
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| WAITING FOR A CATCH |
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| KINGFISHER TAKING A BREAK |
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| 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.
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| HETAL -- ROYAL BENGAL TIGER LOVES TO SPEND TIME IN THE BUSH OF HETAL |
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| 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.
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| HENRY'S ISLAND FROM THE WATCH TOWER |
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| WAY TO THE BEACH |
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| BAKKHALI - TAMING THE WIND |
