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The mist of winter and the untimely grey clouds carrying rain were the worst possible combination to motivate you to get up from bed on an early weekend morning for a destination you could neither get time to read about, nor had anyone sharing prior experience.

The sleepy NH19 was almost reinforcing your doubt. Thanks to a bystander, who warned that our tall vehicle will get stuck ahead under an overhead rail bridge, which forced us to take a deviation via Adi Saptagram. That ensured, we stop at a place, which, by chance, was preparing petai porotha, something I yearned for long but could never have.

Suddenly the morning seemed all bright and cheerful. Given a choice henceforth, I am not going to settle for any other form of paratha apart from petai variety.

Roads ahead seemed to unfurl with ethereal beauty, the paddy fields looked charming, the endless rows of yellow mustard flower plants was a perfect prelude to the colours that await us ahead.

While some of the craftsmen said that this profession of theirs is more than a century old, I will assume it to be even older since Gaur-nitai wooden idols were the initial wooden items that were made and even today, a beginner in this craft here, starts off with Gaur-nitai doll making. Considering its location close to Nadia and predominance of Gaur-Nitai idol, this artwork may even date back to 16th century.

In an era of remote controlled and automated state-of-the-art toys, this artform would have probably died some years back with very limited support for the artisans till banglanatak dot com engaged themselves in working with the artisans and supporting them with not only new-age equipment but give the artists exposure to the world outside both within and outside India. Collaborating with Govt of West Bengal & UNESCo, they ensured that both the artform and artists get visibility and the demand for such ancient glorious artwork is revived. As Nitai Shutradhar shared, not only have their fortunes revived, but their subsequent generations are also not going away to cities anymore to hunt for jobs. They are getting engaged in this craftsmanship as it naturally comes ot them and they see a stable livelihood from this work. Story is same across all the 50 families in this village engaged in this art.

Men mostly do the sculpting and chiseling part from a seasoned piece of wood, cut according to the size of the idol. As one of the artists was saying, a Gaur-Nitai idol needs to be worked on 32 times and that’s the practice. But once the frame with the chiseling is done and the idol take shape, the women of the houses work on the paint part. Fabric paint is used for the dolls which are polish with burnish. The dolls with white base are not polished but distemper paint is used to make the base color and oil paint is used on top of it to create the detailed painting on top of it. The quality of wood varies from mahogany to gamar and chatim wood.

In recent times, due to the re invigoration of the art-form, artisans have started making furniture with similar designs and finish and even incorporating wooden dolls in other items of furniture like a wall clock that I personally bought to carry back as memento.

Winter is a wonderful time to be there and if you can plan it along with the annual festival that Banglanatak organizes with artisans here, you can see the complete range of artwork of the artisans here apart from enjoying some wonderful folk performances from afternoon like puppet show, baul songs and other folk forms of Bengal and surrounding areas.

You can click below to view my Youtube video on Nutangram.

Nutangram travel video

Katwa is a convenient nearby railway station 18 kms away and one can also do a road trip from Kolkata, which takes just about 4 hours (one way) to go back to your childhood.

Wooden Doll Making Village of Bengal The mist of winter and the untimely grey clouds carrying rain were the worst possible combination to motivate you to get up from bed on an early weekend morning for a destination you could neither get time to read about, nor had anyone sharing prior experience.

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My only memories from my visit to Pondicherry as a child are my reluctance to repeat the breakfast of milk and bread in Sri Aurobindo Ashram since my expectation of breakfast was a well-laid out buffet with specialties not usually available at home, and my father trying to explain life and thoughts of the Ashram and why the food is so served there.

Hence Pondicherry, to me, had the strongest association with its Ashram. True that Sri Aurobindo Ashram is one of the strongest reasons many visit this place. Into its 93rd year, the ashram, started by Mother with about two dozen disciples, is now a 2000 community initiative. While the inmates live and work in various buildings around the Ashram, the Ashram is the center zone with few interconnected block of houses including the ones where Sri Aurobindo and Mother lived. The central portion, where their Samaddhi lies, is the only accessible portion of the Ashram for visitors. Many choose to spend some time meditating here.

Just like we stayed in one of the Guest Houses of the Ashram during my last visit decades back, the same is still available for serious visitors to Ashram.

The guest houses are not commercial hotels: there are no phones, TVs, or WiFi connections in the rooms, nor is there any provision for room service. Most close their gates at 10.30 pm and guests are expected to return by that time. There are also strict rules regarding cleanliness and conduct.

Based on the same world vision and integral yoga of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother as the Ashram, Auroville was developed with an objective to develop a Universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities. The purpose of Auroville is to realise human unity.

Devote half a day if you are on a 3-4 night trip to Pondicherry. You can opt for one full day trip as well and even longer stays like a week or more and plan accordingly. The tour starts off with visitor information center, where you can watch the audio-video session to gain more insights about the place and its beliefs before starting the exploration. The Visitor Information Zone is the only place which will look touristy in the entire 20 sq km area of Auroville with cafes to take care of your hunger and thirst and shops selling items and a wide variety of shops to take care of your desire to carry back memories of Pondicherry with items on sale mostly handcrafted locally.

Even for half a day trip, you will need to satisfy your hunger and there are quite a few options in the Visitors Center. We wanted to be on the right path and hence chose Right Path Café which has an outdoor sitting area as well. If you don’t expect the most professional service, this place will be quite satisfying.

The organic Veg thali that I chose, comprised of items that are right for your body and all grown locally. I cherished every bit of the exploration. The Chicken Roast was definitely different and scores high. Have pizzas here and also flower syrups which are supposed to have significant health benefits.

One can visit the Matri Mandir Viewing zone which is about 1 km walk through pristine nature from the visitor information center (there is a bus service to bring you back if you are not keen to walk back the stretch), but to get inside Matri-mandir, one needs to take prior passes by visiting the Visitor Information Center in person and availing of such a pass for the next available day. Note that one can only collect a pass for self.  Anyone wanting to go there needs to be physically present to request and collect the pass. It is highly unlikely you will get the pass for the same day. Restrictions to Matri-Mandir is maintained to ensure the ambience and essence of the place and hence only serious visitors go there. For Passes, one needs to go there between 10am to 12-30 pm and thereafter again from 2 to 5 pm.

I scheduled my trip to Auroville arriving there at around 1-30 pm. That helped me visit the Auroville Beach on the way back from Auroville and the soft afternoon sun, the clear turquoise waters of Bay of Bengal, clean beach and some sumptuous freshly made seafood on the beach made for a perfect beach experience.

  I also wanted to catch the less explored yet marvelously carved out Serenity beach which is about 3 km down from Auroville beach on your way back to White Town. Sandy beach, dominated by fishing boats, taking rest before they venture out into the seas in the early hours of dawn, a rock embankment jutting 500 meters out into the sea and offering a panoramic view of the shoreline are indeed vistas that leave a serene feeling in your soul on top of the profound experience at Auroville.

Instagram is filled with images of lanes and buildings of White Town of Pondicherry. And along with Ashram, exploring the White Town is another key objective of visitors here.

  It is mostly popular as an erstwhile French colony and from cuisine to culture, a lot of it is still visible in today’s White Town. While it was the Portuguese who first arrived here in 16th Century, and thereafter Dutch, Danes and English all settled here, but the attachment of the place to the French settlement era is the strongest, which started off with the arrival of Bellanger, the French Officer, when the ruler of Gingee invited them for trade.

After Francois Martin (first Governor of Pondicherry) converted the small fishing village into a port town, twice the French had to accede control of the place, first to the Dutch in 1693 and then again to the English led by Lord Clive in 1760. On both occasions, through peace treaties, the region came back to the French. A lot of such history is still maintained in the Museum in White Town.

Our church exploration in White Town started off with Immaculate Conception Cathedral, a 10 minute walk from the place I was staying. Completed in 1736 after the Dutch demolished it once, the church that was built here was demolished by the British in 1761. The present Cathedral, one of the oldest touristy sites of Pondicherry, is well over 200 years old located where the Bishop house is also situated.

Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, situated on the south boulevard of Pondicherry, is an oriental specimen of Gothic architecture. It contains rare stained glass panels depicting events from the life of Christ and saints of the Catholic Church. In recent years it has become one of the famous pilgrimage spots for Christians. This 111 years old historical church is 50 m long, 48 m wide and 18 m high with Latin rite cross shape in aerial view is in Gothic style. 24 main columns hold the structure. The biblical verse from 2 Chronicles 7:16 is written above the entrance door in Latin “sanctificavi locum istum, ut sit nomen meum ibi” which means “I have consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there forever.”

Our Third Church visit was just across the narrow road from the place where we stayed. In fact, the church’s courtyard was the view that we got from our balcony – Eglis De Anges. The only church that offers mass in three languages, the original structure was built in Greco Roman architecture by Napoleon III in 1855. It is believed to be based on Notre-Dame in Paris and the Basilica at Lourdes. Witnessing the morning service here on the last Sunday before Christmas was a memorable experience.

  To break out from the White Town and French colony mode, a tour of some of the oldest and famed temples of Pondicherry will exhibit the other side of this town, a history preceding the French occupation here. Manakula Vinayagar Devasthan is one such example, which the French tried destroying but the local inhabitants could prevent. Dating back to more than 300 years, this temple is a couple of hundred meters walk from The Ashram. Not sure if the reason for an elephant standing outside and offering blessings is linked to Lord Ganesha being the main deity of this temple.

  On your way while entering Pondicherry, you may want to drop into Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple, a Vaishnavite temple where Lord Narasimha – an incarnation or avatar of Lord Vishnu – is placed behind Venkatachalapathy, the principal deity. Lord Vishnu as Varadaraja Perumal and Goddess Lakshmi as Thayar are worshiped in this temple in this 800 plus year old temple.

Not heard of anyone who has been to Pondicherry and yet not spent leisurely moments roaming in the Promenade or Rock Beach. The White Town is a well-planned part of the city with roads in parallel and perpendicular alignments enabling you to arrive at the Promenade from wherever you are staying there. A large part of my stay there was spent in roaming aimlessly in the alleys of White Town, freezing certain colorful moments in my camera. You may opt of a Scooty or a bicycle to explore the same and is probably one of the unique experiences of being here.

Don’t miss sunrise hours from here while you sip Filter Coffee at Le Café, the only restaurant on the beach and is open 24×7.

  Stroll down southwards and you will soon reach the rocky embankment jutting out into the Bay and beside that the fishermen arriving with their fresh morning catch. Across the street, on the Promenade are a lot of options to settle down for some tea and snacks. But don’t miss the ice cream from Gelateria Montecatini Terme (GMT) on Goubert Avenue (the road along the promenade). The sheer variety and quality will tempt you to pay a visit to the place everytime you are at Promenade.

While the morning presents people focused on health and some tourists on the Promenade, evening opens up a whole lot of tourists and locals who spent time entertaining themselves here till quite late in the evening. The well-lit Promenade with its hustle and bustle somewhere suddenly vanishes into the dark unknown mass of water where the sandy beach is intercepted by huge rocks signaling the road ahead is of unknown danger into the depths of sea.

Explore the Old Lighthouse and the French War memorial during your stroll on the Promenade.

  Sita Cultural Centre is a nice option if you want to learn local artforms and you are staying for a while in Pondicherry. Raj Niwas and the well spread out garden in front of it can make for a nice one hour exploration. Raj Niwas is open for public for a specific duration everyday (except Sunday) but prior online registration is required for entering the place.

  Want to take a feel of the local pulse of Pondicherry, not influenced by colonial presence? Walk down to MG Road and the market area. You get to see the busy trading zone of the town. If you are lucky, you may have the chance to explore Ananda Ranga Pillai Mansion, house of Ananda Ranga Pillai who was designated as chief dubash of French India. His house in Pondicherry, which is located in a street named after him, was one of the few buildings to survive the British invasion of the city in 1761. It was recently recognized as a heritage monument by the Government of Puducherry. The mansion is known for its unique blend of Indian and French architecture: the ground floor being built in Indian fashion, while the columns which supported the terrace followed the French architectural style.

  Your Pondicherry trip is incomplete without exploration of delicious French cuisine at the restaurants and cafés of White Town. You may want to read my blog (link below) on the French Cuisine of White Town.

While Pondicherry nicely satisfies sea, history, cultural and architectural holiday needs, little is heard about this place as a beach holiday destination. Maybe because most visitors restrict their stay and exploration options to White Town and Rock beach on the Promenade isn’t the kind of location beach lovers would love to be in.

  The Verrampattinam beach and Paradise Beach on the South will be a great attraction for those who love to laze on a beach not crowded by day travelers and only cherished by occupants of the resorts there and fishermen.

  We chose to stay just beside the themed Paradise Beach in RKN Resort. If you are staying in White Town, you need to reach Chunnambar Boat House and take a ferry through the mangrove surroundings to arrive at the Beach for a day visit. For me, since I planned 2 nights stay in a property adjacent, I didn’t need to take this trip but enjoyed the serene golden granular sand beach at my own pace. As I walked upto Paradise beach, the golden clear sand was ahead of me, the turbulent waves on my right and the calm serene river on my left flowing and meeting the sea somewhere ahead. Couldn’t have asked for a more kaleidoscopic setting.

In the morning you can just walk out of your resort to capture the fishermen returning with the catch of the day against the backdrop of the rising sun. Here, you can observe them closely, how they wait for the boats to return and how they together maneuver the turbulent waves near the shore to reach the land.

  You may want to spend enchanting moments with you near ones in the sea here (don’t risk going too far into the sea) and then sun bathe on the sands.

Spend time soaking in the refreshing sea breeze in the afternoon, sipping coconut water, as you watch young fishermen make merry with sea waters and the vibrant hue of the setting sun behind you filling the sky with a riot of colours.

Our trip was for 4 nights – 2 nights in White Town and 2 nights in a beach Resort adjacent to Paradise Beach. That can be a perfect balance for those who want a balance between a beach holiday and exploring culture, history and cuisine of White Town. Stay at Auroville can be a holiday in itself and plan ahead and book one of the Ashram Guest Houses, if meditation and spiritual yearnings are the key reason for your travel to this bustling erstwhile French colony.

Profound Pondicherry My only memories from my visit to Pondicherry as a child are my reluctance to repeat the breakfast of milk and bread in Sri Aurobindo Ashram since my expectation of breakfast was a well-laid out buffet with specialties not usually available at home, and my father trying to explain life and thoughts of the Ashram and why the food is so served there.

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It took 150 years for this place to get a GI tag for this art-form. While it is a formal acknowledgement for the craftsmanship and art-form heralding from this place, but for the ones involved in art and handicrafts, Charida is synonymous with the phrase “mask making village of Bengal”.

It is popularly believed that this tradition started during the era of King Madan Mohan Singh Deo of Baghmundi. Predominantly surrounded by jungles, such vibrant masks used to light up the morale and spirits of the dwellers of the region, and the violent art-form was aligned not only to ward off the dangers from the wild but also to keep them agile and alert to live a life in a difficult terrain. The masks are made mostly around Gods and Goddesses and the characters from epics when the Chhau dance is themed around stories from the same or takes forms of wild animals when the art-form depicts the struggle between man and the wild.

Mostly made of paper pulp and clay, these masks are often huge in size but not heavy since they are worn by the performers during the show. The clay molds are first hand-made and dried in the sun (known as mati Gora). They are then layered with powdered ashes. Depending on the type of mask, 8-15 layers of paper moistened with gum made of flour is applied on the mold. Thereafter, a thin layer of earth (bele mati) is applied on top and then the same is polished with wood to carve out the features in the mask. Thereafter, it is left to bake in the sun.

Once dry, Khori Mati (soil rich with Calcium) is applied on the surface. Thereafter the masks are painted depending on the character it is going to depict. While dark yellow and bright Orange are used for Gods and Goddess, for demons, black or dark green is popular with large mustache and protruding eyes and teeth. Foils, beads, pith works, paper flowers, feathers of birds are used to decorate the masks. Since these masks are always baked in sun and never in fire, cloudy and rainy days in between can undo all the efforts of the artisans as the paper pulp with degenerate if not kept in the sun immediately after it is applied.

While they create vibrant looks and moods for the people to soak in the colours of the art, the artisans are mostly deprived of colours in their life. Rising raw materials costs, lack of promotion and multiple intermediaries left very little money for them to sustain their livelihood. The village of 60-70 families have all their members trained and dedicated to creating masks and they weren’t able to migrate to other forms of livelihood. Thanks to efforts of some Voluntary entities, this great artwork started spreading beyond just making of masks for Chhau dance. Tourists started buying them to adorn the walls of their houses and some of these artisans were invited overseas as part of Indian handicrafts shows.

Chhau Dance form today is inscribed in UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It was in the era of Gambhir Singh Mura that this dance form reached its pinnacle. You may want to visit the site of his statue located at one side of this village.

Next time you are in Purulia, don’t just make a brief halt at Charida. It deserves a lot more. Even if the walls of your home are perfectly decorated, you can carry back a few as gift items. You will not only gift to your near and dear ones, but you will also end up gifting these skilled artisans a fresh lease of life and gifting Bengal your acknowledgement for holding onto such timeless artforms.

How to reach: The nearest railway station is Barabhum. Charida is 36 km away from Barabhum station. It is about a six-hour drive from Kolkata.

Masked in Oblivion It took 150 years for this place to get a GI tag for this art-form. While it is a formal acknowledgement for the craftsmanship and art-form heralding from this place, but for the ones involved in art and handicrafts, Charida is synonymous with the phrase “mask making village of Bengal”.

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Terracotta of Bankura, Clay Dolls of Nadia, Kantha works of Birbhum, Dokra of Purulia, Midnapore and Burdwan – and one can go on naming such amazing work of artisans across districts of Bengal. My quest to soak in one such famed craft of Bengal took me to Paschim Medinipur (Pingla) in West Bengal to get a first-hand feel of this rich cultural tradition of Bengal. And it couldn’t have been a better timing – the annual Pot Maya festival which showcases the best of Patachitra.

Pot Maya festival is a wonderful initiative for about 15 years now where the Patuas demonstrate their patachitras and also hold workshops to take the visitors through the process of creating such patachitras. Supported by an NGO BanglaNatak dot com, this has helped spread the craftsmanship of Patuas far and wide. While people like Anwar Chitrakar has won President’s medal, many like Yakub Chitrakar, Moyna Chitrakar and Manimala Chitrakar has traveled across the world as part of art & crafts exchange programs and exhibitions of Indian handicrafts to many countries across the world.

The patachitra village is only 20 minutes from Balichak, which is located near Panskura and can be reached by local trains from Howrah. By road, you need to take the NH6, turn left from Debra towards Balichak, go up to Mundamari and then again turn left to reach Naya.

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The Patachitra of different districts of West Bengal are characterized by many peculiarities in colour and design. The patachitra of Manbhum can easily be distinguished by their preference for one particular shade of burnt sienna relieved by white and yellow patches and densely packed composition. In the scrolls of pot of Birbhum, Bankura and Burdwan preference for Indian red background is usually found while the scrolls of Hooghly preferred a dark brown. The Hooghly and Manbhum ‘pats’ are peculiar and definitely modernistic with the abstract linear treatment.

Patachitra is an ancient folk art of Bengal. Art lovers all over the world appreciate it for its effortless style of drawings, colours, lines and space usage. The world Pata derived from the Sanskrit word Patta means cloth. The painters are called Patuas. Patuas do not just paint, they also sing as they unfurl the painting scroll to show it to the audience.

These songs are known as Pat-er Gaan and this differentiates this art from many other art-forms. Before this caught attention of people beyond the respective voillages, the Patuas used to go out in the morning, showing their artwork in nearby vilages and explaining those drawings with the songs they used to write and tune. The songs are of wide variety ranging from traditional mythological tales and tribal rituals to stories based on modern Indian history and contemporary issues like protecting forests and preventing spread of HIV/AIDS.

Patuas generally use natural colours, which they procure from various trees, leaves, flowers and clays e.g the yellow colour is obtained from turmeric, red color from a local fruit called Lotcon, blue from the petals of Aparajita (Asian pigeonwings or bluebellvineflower), green from the leaves of leaves of Broad Beans (Sheem) tree or Strings beans (Borboti) tree and so on. The colours are then mixed with sap of wood apple tree (bel) (squeezed and mixed with water) as a binder. Long scrolls is the most well-known shape of patachitra. The Patuas slowly unroll them as they share the stories though their songs. Square formats are also popular and seems like has a greater demand because they cost less and are easy to carry.

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Patachitra has been mentioned in Puranas, Epics, Ancient Literature and Historical Descriptions. The style of painting is similar to the cave paintings of Mohenjodaro, Harappa and Ajanta . ‘Patuas’ and ‘Chitrakars’ have been referred to in literary works dating back to more then 2500 years. Some researchers opine that ‘Patashilpa’ was originally an art from of the Santhals (tribal community).

It was heartening to see revival of such an artform and great enthusiasm amongst the artists about the same. Their rare expertise is being recognized now and they also have hopes of bettering quality of their life. All the houses in that village are engaged in this and it involves almost all family members. Some are helping get raw materials, some are creating colors, some are stitching the paper or cloth and some are doing the artwork. And what was amazing was not only the knowledge they have on Indian mythology and practices, but also on current affairs as well, as some of their works depicted sinking of Titanic, 9/11 attacks and so on.

I asked them how come that while they apparently belong to one specific religion, the work they are showcasing is linked to mythology of another religion. The response was “Babu: we may belong to certain religion but why will our work and art be influenced by that. It never mattered.” It made me feel that the babus haven’t still been able to pollute such artistic minds yet. Things aren’t as hopeless as it seems.

As I started driving back in the dark wintry evening through the village roads, while the colorful tints and hues acted as indicators, the ray of hope aroused by the deeply secular beliefs of the artisans, acted as my headlamp on my way back to Kolkata.

Pingla Patachitras Terracotta of Bankura, Clay Dolls of Nadia, Kantha works of Birbhum, Dokra of Purulia, Midnapore and Burdwan – and one can go on naming such amazing work of artisans across districts of Bengal.

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During 1980s, we had only a select set of soaps/ serials in Television and even lesser number of English ones. One such TV show was Sherlock Holmes to which I was addicted to. Jeremy Brett was Sherlock Holmes.

As the horse carriage in the scene moved through the meadows in English countryside, my father, who was reading a book, Bhraman Shongi (one rare book which covered India travel information in as much details as possible) said “The landscape of Daringbadi maybe very similar to this”, referring to the meadows being shown on TV.

He had a list of places which he kept repeating that he will someday go. Even today, when I utter Daringbadi, I find so many curious faces wanting to know what I am talking about. More than three decades back, my father not only was contemplating visiting this place, but had created in my mind, a sketch of how this place could be. But when he said that this is the only place where snowflakes are found every alternate winter, I was somewhat in disbelief till I could assure myself.

All these flashed up as the vehicle took the right from Kalusandpur (on our way from Berhampur) and moved ahead with the lush green meadows and distant hills cropping up. Something that my father made me visualize decades back is now a reality for me. The straight well-laid out road, Rushikulya river occasionally starting to peep out, local people walking along the sides in a rhythm which aligns so well to the rhythm created in your soul by the vistas around.

Brahmapur (earlier Berhampur) station is not as uncommon to many Bengalis since that’s the gateway to some of their favourite holiday destinations like Gopalpur, Taptapani, Rambha (Chilika Lake). Yet, the fact, that there is this pristine meadows up at 3000 ft about 3.5 hours away from Brahmapur is known to only a few. I used to frequent this place during my first job, more than two decades back, and all such nostalgia cropped up as I made my way through the busy yet disciplined traffic of the place for the breakfast halt. Just like the place is confluence point of Odisha & Andhra culture, the food too reflects the same.

Burighora temple is where all drivers will halt the vehicle for a minute to seek blessings of the goddess as they start on their journey ahead to this land, not explored much till recent years.

The journey is probably more enthralling than the destination as the landscape unfolds after every turn, and so does the sketches created by the locals as they move along for their work or take their herd out for grazing.

The pouring from the sky started lending yet another form of beauty to the entire landscape, as it bathed the surrounding greenery to freshness. The long and extra wide hat of shepherds and rhythmic walk of local people with umbrellas and others ignoring the rain and continuing their work presented yet another visual splendor. Did the landscape change? Now the vista around is limited by tall trees, sharp bends and slower vehicle speed. We are climbing up the Eastern Ghats. And just like any such climb in any hill locale, every turn presents itself with a new vista around with a creeping curiosity about what the sight ahead is. Just after the Hanuman statue, the roads wind up and take you upto 3000 ft.

Accommodations in Daringabdi are mostly basic. There are zones of small settlements and there are few lodges located in those areas. If you are one who loves luxury of the accommodation more than the luxurious nature around you, Daringbadi may disappoint you.

As in all such hill stations, there are typically a few earmarked points for the tourists who feel more convinced after ticking the tourist sites they visited. If one is focused on that, one may miss the treasure trove of the place, which, instead of being concentrated in a few spots, is broad heartedly spread across the length and breadth of the landscape. To me, this zone offered more treasure while traveling than when in a destination.

For those, who still prefer to know the sites one can go to while In Daringbadi, the list is as follows:

Butterfly Park: Don’t just keep searching for butterflies. I didn’t find any (maybe because it is monsoon and raining). Soak yourself into the verdant beauty of the landscape inside this place, and maintained well by crafting a nice pattern of trees and grasses with a statue of a saint in the middle.

  Just opposite to Butterfly park is Hill View Park. There are viewpoints created here for an uninterrupted view of the surrounding hills. But our view was limited by dark clouds which warned of imminent downpour that limited our exploration of the place.

Sunset Point: Have you heard of any hill station which doesn’t have either a sunrise or a sunset point. I haven’t and Daringbadi didn’t disappoint me either. Being monsoons, I never hoped that I will see fireworks in the sky during sunset. Moments spent with an elderly tribal lady and the undulating layers of hills ahead with winding roads presented a view, far more pristine than many such hill stations. In the 30 minutes we spent there, not a soul crossed us except the lady on her way back home.

Having arrived in the afternoon, these are the three places one can visit the same day.

If the morning kicks-off with pine trees all around you and surreptitious music created by flowing river at a distance, the day is bound to be significantly different. Stop the vehicle anywhere in this zone and walk down the mud road. You will smell and feel romance all around you; look up and feel yourself afloat looking at the converging pine trees with blue sky peeping through them.

Once you overcome the thrill of this cinematic surroundings, you will crave to trace the origin of the musical mystic which will lead you through the trees into a point from where the sight of Rushikulya flowing by will mesmerize you. A chair to sit, a pen and paper to write /sketch and occasional serving of piping hot aromatic Darjeeling tea can make you stay here for hours.

Madubanda & Badangia Waterfalls can be your next stop. Enroute, feel free to halt yourself at strategic turns on the road to capture just a few frames amidst innumerable framing scopes that this landscape offers. While the climb back from the falls is not steep, but it is quite a bit for the elderly though the walkway is well maintained.

We could only take a glance inside the Emu farm as it is currently under maintenance work.

Daringbadi is often called the Kashmir of Odisha. But I felt it is more like Ooty or Kodai in her landscape. One may even called the place Coorg of East because this is one rare place in Eastern India where coffee is grown. While there has not been much of focus from relevant authorities to expand the scope of coffee growing here, existing plantations of coffee and black pepper can be maintained even better making it a major attraction for tourists.

Don’t forget to explore the just fried Cauliflower fritters and sweet kakera and wash them off with a cup of local coffee (from the plantation).

Day 2 morning can be rounded up with the above activities. Time now to satisfy your physical hunger, now that the thirst for experiencing nature is partly quenched.

Wilderness and country chicken is a combination is find salivating. A light curry of chicken supported with vegetable fritters and curry of fresh vegetables of the locale was a perfect break between verdant nature in the morning and an exhilarating afternoon and evening amidst work of art.

The art of casting metal to create sculptures has been there for many thousands of years and is often traced back to tribal communities. This “lost-wax” method of creating sculptures was named after Dhokra Damar, a tribe in Bengal, and is now known as Dhokra work. And within Dhokra, the black Dhokra work is more precious and has been practiced by tribes in Kandhamal district of Odisha for ages.

The work they are doing will surprise the visitor. But what is even more amazing is the obscurity in which they are and the abject poverty of the people there. Lakshman Nayek explained us the process with which the sculptures are made. They showcased work of various artisans. Their warm hospitality was demonstrated through the simple yet warmly served puffed rice mixed with onions, green chilies and bhujias, aloo bonda and a lively dance performance.

In return, their only expectation is that you may want to buy a few work of art from them to support them. And I can tell this for certain, it is at a fraction of a cost for which you will buy the same items in plusher city shops.

Return through the less-traversed jungle road connecting Daringbadi with Phulbani was thrilling, the thrill of the unexpected.

You can halt at Lover’s point (not a cliff perched high up). The gushing Rushikulya in the backdrop of hills and meadows yet again reminded me of the Sherlock Holmes serial.

Day 3 can be the trip to Mandasaru. (click on below link to know about Mandasaru)

Mandasaru – Silent Valley

One can either return to Berhampur via Udaygiri & Bhanjanagar or you can retrace back via Daringbadi. We did the latter as we wanted to soak into the heavenly beauty enroute back yet again. And the way the surroundings settle in you in so different while you retrace back the same route. Maybe, during onward journey, there is a thrill of experience the unknown. What lies ahead is what excites one much more than what lies beside.

As we sped our way back towards Brahmapur from Daringbadi, we could absorb the surroundings far more. Rushikulya flowing seemed more overwhelming, the grasslands seemed more intense and the receding mountain contours behind brought in a sense of melancholy. Will I be ever back to this charm of this dreamland again?

  As if, the invisible sensed the melancholy of the soul; lines of Kash Phool (Saccharum spontaneum) started emerging on the roadside. The Rushikulya River seemed to be overflowing. The dark clouds were behind us. The sky is clearing up. Autumn is peeping there in the distance. Somewhere there is a new rhythm starting to beat within; the rhythm of Dholak. Only Durga Puja can wipe off the sadness in a Bengali leaving this remote dreamland.

Dreamland Daringbadi During 1980s, we had only a select set of soaps/ serials in Television and even lesser number of English ones.

[trailsoftravel-blog]

It can be called the verdant highlands of Bengal. It can be called Silent Valley of Kerala. But that is because people know more about them than this. To me, many silent valley will henceforth be benchmarked by Mandasaru.

Approachable either from Phoolbani or Berhampur (Brahmapur station), this place truly aligns to the term “silent valley”. The Mandasaru Gorge ecosystem is located in the eastern part of Kandhamal District of Odisha and is surrounded by dense tropical moist deciduous forest on all sides. This 15 km. long gorge is guarded by 22 hills positioned one after another with the highest peak Saashimaha Manda Hill towering at 3280 feet above sea level.

Roll the window panes down as you approach this place. You can literally hear and feel the silence of nature. Wonderful roads (except for certain patches) can make this a great biking route as well. Flat verdant meadows is inter-spaced with shrubs lined up on the edges separating you from lush green grassland. The hills starts propping up in the horizon. Your state of trance created by the surroundings and occasional picturesque appearance of the local people on the road is suddenly broken as you realize that the vista has changed and the vehicle has slowed down. Yes, tall trees and steep slopes indicate, you are nearing the “truly” silent valley at 2500 ft. Plantain and mango trees take over the surrounding greenery as you trudge into the Eco Tourism Center.

The Mandasaru Ecotourism site was initially developed as day tourism center under OFSDP. After the initial success as a day tourism center, it was decided to develop night staying facilities at the site which can be an exhilarating experience. Perched on the edge of a hill, the two towers there offers an almost 270 degree view of the surrounding hills and valley deep inside with Rushikulya flowing at a distance. Monsoon may block the distant view, but creates mystic feeling with clouds suddenly engulfing you at times and then at other moments engulfing the hills around you.

Covering an area of 5.28 sq km, the 22-meter deep gorge houses 1,563 recorded varieties of plants, animals and fungi species. Mandasaru is rich in biodiversity with two species of otters, about 40 orchids, 150 medicinal plant species, a number of wild food plants and tubers, nearly 125 mushroom species of which 20 are edible. While the locals have ensured that the biodiversity is unharmed, but the place has been exploited by outsiders for medicinal plants and its flora and fauna.

The facility here is managed by a group of almost 20 women, part of the Eco-tourism Group. They don’t prepare exotic dishes, but they prepare it with warmth and love that can leave a far more lasting taste in not only your mouth but in your soul as well. If you are staying there, walk upto the sunset point in the evening to experience riot of colours in the sky (except maybe in Monsoons).

As you drive back, even before sadness engulfs you, the same landscape, that you experienced while coming here, recharges you till you descend back to the plains.

As I bid goodbye to this magical secret of Odisha, I wondered if I should curse the Tourism of the state for not developing enough facilities for tourists in this breathtaking place, or should I consider it as a boon that at least there is one Valley which is still truly Silent.

To stay at Mandasaru Eco-Tourism huts, you can click here.

Accommodation details

Let some Valleys stay Silent It can be called the verdant highlands of Bengal. It can be called Silent Valley of Kerala.

[trailsoftravel-blog]

“Morning you had sighting here I guess”, asked our Guide as we drove along the forest path.

“Yes, we waited for ours till Patdeo joined her cubs in the waterhole out there”, I responded.

“These are her second set of cubs. Some of the previous ones were killed by one of the new males who have come in recent times”.

“But why?” – A tone of disgust accompanied my question.

“BMW and Raiyakasa were the dominant males in this part of the jungle, territory divided between them. The previous cubs were from BMW. These two new males came in and defeated BMW and Raiyakasa. As a norm, they will kill cubs of the previous male before they mate with the female. Out of 4, they killed two and two escaped. These are cubs of one of these new male tiger”.

Intriguing practices of the wild.

“Now we are passing the zone of Collarwali.” A name that struck a chord, but I couldn’t recollect why.

“Don’t think she will deliver any more cubs after having delivered 30.” That immediately reminded me that she holds the record on earth for being the tigress who has delivered maximum number of cubs.

“She lost how many” was my obvious next question after knowing about the phenomenon of the jungle where a male tries to kill a cub of a tigress with whom he intends to mate.

“All are alive” was the surprising response. And her cubs, some of who are now adults have been located in areas as far as Karnataka as well.

Nothing can be a more immersive experience than knowing the tales of the jungle as one roams through it. Maybe it is a legacy here – the land which prompted many stories of Mowgli by Rudyard Kipling. While Kipling probably never visited this zone, the description of the forests and mention of Seoni on quite a few occasions associates this zone to Jungle Book.

Every national park has multiple points of entry and ours were split across the most popular Turia Gate in MP and Khursapur Gate of Maharashtra. Sillari Gate is another popular point of entry but located quite far off if you are staying near Turia gate. If you are arriving the same day into Nagpur and then planning to arrive down to Pench, choose the safari from Turia Gate for that day, since it starts at 4 pm and stretches till 7 pm. The one at Khursapur starts at 3 pm and ends at 6-30pm. The morning safaris start at 5-30 am at both gates. While one needs to exit by 9-30 am at Khursapur, the one at Turia stretches till 10-30am.

It is exactly ten years later that I am back in Pench. Then it was winter. It was with my family, parents and in-laws. A long dreamt itinerary of my father – the jungles of MP. Pench was the last halt and we had only one safari scheduled. Yet, I vividly retain memories of that safari. Nowhere else, in all my forest trails, have I been welcomed by the Queen of the jungle herself – royally occupying the road as our gypsy were amongst the first two to enter that morning. She stayed along with us for quite a while and even waiting to pounce on a herd of deer that was approaching her, till they sensed her presence and moved away. It was also memorable since it was a photographic disaster of mine, with the gypsy driver constantly moving the vehicle in critical times, torn between my eagerness to stay close to the tiger and my father-in-law’s utter irritation and worry at being so close to the tiger. Also it probably presented thrills and excitements like no other safaris till recently, maybe the Almighty knew that was the last one my father was experiencing – his last sojourn into the wild before he passed away.

All the above feelings and experiences merged together, Pench was always on the list for a repeat visit. Being the peak of summer with Nagpur clocking the highest temperature in the country the previous week, the jungle seemed a lot barren than the dreamy memories I had. It is dominated by mixed forests with considerable shrub cover and open grassy patches. The meandering jungle path traverses through tall lanky trunks of saja, bijiayasal, lendia, haldu, dhaora, salai, aonla, amaltas on the Turia side and a lot of Teak trees on Khursapur side. Forest fire has destroyed quite a bit of all these trees and it gave a ghostly look to the landscape in patches, with only black trunks standing, devoid of branches and leaves. The path then unfolds itself into vast open stretches similar to African Savannah. Soon you are on the picturesque banks of Pench River – the river sparsely filled in these summer months. The poetic thoughts were hindered by a movement nearby – two jackals appear from nowhere and make their way down the slope of the bank to the river to quench their thirst. Binoculars help spot two tigers sitting far away, resting after satisfying their thirst.

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While mahua is often associated with forest lands in Chotanagpur belt of Jharkhand, Purulia & Odisha, here too Mahua has a dominant presence, not only in the jungles but in the life of the tribals here and also of the animals. Around March-April, the attraction of Mahua pulls the sloth bear out into these zones and chances of sighting them are high. We did chance upon one, but at a distance, trying to dig out the soil.

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The early morning darkness and the pleasant breeze before another dreadfully hot day is such a great motivator for waking up early. I don’t think, anything else makes me alert and awake as much in the wee hours of dawn, as the desire to foray into the wild. The langurs are taking their positions as they have realized that safari time has begun. The first rays of morning sun makes the Indian Roller look gorgeous as we stop to take a few snaps. The White Eye Buzzard seemed oblivious to our presence as it looked away, planning the day ahead. Nonchalance of the kingfisher was a camouflage which maynot be apparent to the fish but quite evident to us. The forest workers are on their prowl on elephant back to track tigers as they need to stay updated about locations of the animals and their status.

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We are back to Bono Dobri, near the waterhole, where now a tiger cub is playful with water.

“Cub of Patdeo”, our guide whispered. “The others should be around too”. And that’s where we decided to halt for the next couple of hours. It is critical to anticipate movement of the animals and attempt taking a position from where one can snap better. We kept exploring such a spot as we kept an eye at the waterhole. One cub, seemed to be quite enterprising as it kept coming over to the waterhole and going back, while the other two, probably weren’t as bold and hence proceeded with caution into the waters and became comfortable as their mother graciously walked in to join them. They greeted her into the waterhole by rubbing their faces against Patdeo and then they settled down, as a family for a while, in the waterhole.

The enterprising young cub kept moving in and out, while his two other siblings cuddled beside mother as obedient kids. Time flew by watching the ways of the family out there. Little did we realize that color of our skin has changed, exposed at length to such a strong sun of summer in that zone for hours, first in anticipation, and then in emancipation. Finally, mother decided that she had her share of sunbathing and walked out from the pool, yet again caressing her cubs. The enterprising cub had already moved away and the two others were confused for a while whether to embrace the cushy safety of mother or continue to relive themselves from the heat by staying in the waters.

The prolonged viewing of the above scene was too tempting and hence, all three of us jumped into the swimming-pool of our resort on coming back. We could empathize with the cubs and their unwillingness to move out of water.

The Nagpur cuisine with its liberal use of red chilies in the besan curry gravy and the beans subzi was the perfect catalyst to begin the afternoon safari with a bang. With the gypsy ahead of us standing still, we sensed sighting – and it was the semi—adult male cub of Langri, who was at a distant, peacefully taking a break. Seemed like it was waiting for our arrival, post which it started moving towards us. Past trails in the wild have given some idea about the possible movements of the fauna in the wild and was happy that could guide the gypsy to a place where we were in perfect position to snap him as he walked onto the road and crossed over. As a child, I was taught that whenever you cross a road, first look right, then left and again right and then decide. I am sure Langri must have taught him the same since he followed that as he crossed over.

The strong winds seemed even stronger amidst trees as we set out for the afternoon safari. The battle for the sky was evident between clouds and sun, just like the battle for gaining ground is an eternal truth in the wild. Lack of previous experience of a shower during safari dampened us partly as it started raining. But avid enthusiasts like us refused to succumb in and have the cover pulled up on the Gypsy.

“Herbivores seem to be less here”, I checked with our guide. In fact we have only seen one Nilgai and one herd of Sambar near a water-body in two days. Spotted deer, of course has been an occasional sighting.

Our guide agreed and said hence tigers come out often in search of their feed.

“What about Indian Gaur?” (or Bison as some also refer to them as). He explained how the construction of a new dam has changed the course of the Pench river and portions, through which the river used to run has developed into swampy grasslands and Gaurs get their kind of food better there and less of predators.

“Sir, your words were heard, look on the right.” The dark black mound like thing slowly unfolded itself as a large Indian Gaur, tearing the bark of a tree. Those barks are high on fiber and hence favourite food for the Gaurs. We stopped a little ahead, in an anticipation, that if it walks straight down, it will be right in front of us. Patience and hope converged to pull the Gaur slowly towards the edge of the road. And for a wildlife photo enthusiast, an animal crossing over is a coveted moment to capture. Not often I have seen a Gaur of this size, with a charismatic hump, decorative horns with colors emanating from them.

My companions were fast asleep. I walked out in the verandah to smell the nature and hear her silence. I looked up – the moon seemed to be throwing rays of hope through a small gap amidst the trees.

We kept wondering what made Bindu (tigress) afraid and move out just after we got a passing sight of her? Was there a bigger tigress somewhere amidst the tall grasses ahead? It remained unanswered.

In Tadoba, our first tryst with a tiger was when we chanced upon Maya sleeping. As I shared in my blog on Tadoba, I had never waited so long for anyone to wake up, the way I did at Tadoba for Maya to wake up. But when our Guide said “Paras sighted” after receiving a call, the gypsy driver sped through the jungle roads to reach the spot in next 5 minutes. But Paras seemed sleepy, utterly irritated at our presence. So long, we have seen gracious or aggressive looks of a tiger. But here, Paras seemed quite cute, her sleepy eyes, yawning and gently keeping her head on her paws trying to sleep was a sheer unusual sight. She got up from the water, walked down to a shade, sat for a while and then suddenly lied down on her side and off to sleep she went. From a tigress waking up to another one going to bed, it is a good cycle of experience for us.

There isn’t anything very different about Pench than many other similar forests in India. Yet, as I started writing, stories seems to be cropping up one after another. If this place can create so many stories for a non-literary soul like me, no wonder it helped the likes of Rudyard Kipling create chapters of stories.

This park indeed holds a special place in my mind for past experiences. Not sure when I will be back here again, but we will soon be back in this zone as we firmed up plans for our next wildlife travel-trail to Tippeshwar. The old favourite tune was running through my mind, aptly echoed when I heard my companion humming it with words

“Jungle jungle baat chali hai……pata chala hai”

Pensive Pench “Morning you had sighting here I guess”, asked our Guide as we drove along the forest path.

[trailsoftravel-blog]

History is replete with stories of great men, who were either ignored or marginalized when they were alive, but their values and contributions suddenly is realized after they pass away. And then they not only become legends but often is worshiped and remembered for decades and centuries.

The story of Qu Yuan is one such story in the above mold. He was a Chinese poet and Minister in the state of Chu during the feudal dynasty period of ancient China. He had advised the King to ally with the state of Qi (one of the seven warring states) to fight against the most powerful state of Qin. The king, however, did not believe in him and actually thought him to be a traitor and sent him to exile. During his exile, Qu Yuan wrote a great deal of poetry that showed his love for his country. Qu Yuan was however right, and the state of Chu was captured by its enemies. On hearing about the tragedy, Qu felt so much remorse that he committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River in the Hunan Province. When the death of Qu Yuan came to the knowledge of the local people, they were aghast. They took out their boats and rowed to the river in search of Qu’s body. But alas! They were unable to find his body. So they paddle their boats up and down the river, hitting the water with the paddles and beating drums in order to scare away the water spirits. They also threw rice dumplings into the water to keep the fishes and the water spirits away from Qu Yuan’s body. Later these rice dumplings also became offerings to the spirit of Qu Yuan. From here originated the Dragon boat race and the rice dumpling ‘zongzi’ (sticky rice treats wrapped in bamboo leaves), drinking realgar wine (an alcoholic drink that consists of cereal wine and powdered yellow-orange mineral).

Dragon boat racing is officially a competitive sport played under rules set by the International Dragon Boat Federation. This is something beyond what the Chinese people could imagine some 2,500 years ago when they took boats to distribute feed in a river trying to keep fish from disturbing the permanent rest of patriotic and beloved poet Qu Yuan.

The Dragon Boat Festival also called Duwanu Jie is usually held on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar.

Today, it is celebrated globally in many cities. It is one of Britain’s fastest growing water sport as well as a highlight in London’s cultural calendar. The 23rd edition of the annual London Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival last year entertained 10,000 visitors.

In the United States, dragon boat racing is popular in cities including San Francisco, Kansas City and Boston. In New York City, it has become the largest local summer event.

Kolkata, with its significant history of Chinese association since the time Tong Achew alighted on the river bank near today’s Budge Budge, couldn’t have been left out of this unique Chinese festival. It was in 2015, driven by the initiative of the Chinese community in Kolkata and the Consulate General of China in Kolkata, the festival was celebrated for the first time in India in Tiretta Bazaar, Kolkata. While there weren’t any boats that year, it was celebrated by decorating the first China Town outside of SE Asia and people enjoying cultural programs and cherishing Chinese Food.

In 2016, with support from Calcutta Rowing Club, the festival was held in Rabindra Sarobar. While the Dragon boats weren’t there, but it retained the remaining fervor and mood of a Dragon Boat Race. The historic Dragon Boat Race finally gets flagged off in the city where the first member of the community had settled almost 250 years back.

Ma Zhanwu, the Consul General seemed extremely happy about the race being held in Kolkata. He praised the city’s culture and lifestyle.

“For the first time in the history of India, we have real dragon boats. Everyone is excited, including me. It’s certainly the city of joy.”

While celebrations began in a place that is referred to as Old China Town (Tiretta Bazaar), in 2017, the boat race moved closer to the New China Town, Tangra – in the waters of Calcutta Boating and Hotel Resorts. The celebration will spruce up one’s soul – colorful decoration all around with motivating sounds of drums and horns welcomes you to the venue. The colorful boats with dragon heads becomes an aspect of curiosity, and so is the preparations that happen alongside by the teams to get the boats and their own selves ready. The boats sail away on the other side of the lake and spectators wait for the faint starting signal at the other end. Even if you have missed the flagging off the race because it is from the extreme other side, the sudden haste of the people rowing them will signal that the race has begun. While the race is like any other similar event, so many dragons racing upto you is what differentiates this to a common spectator.

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Settle down with some delicious Chinese food for a show of Chinese Lion Dance. You may see familiar faces amongst the people selling food. Many of them are the ones, whom you must have seen in dreary eyes, while exploring the Chinese Breakfast in Tiretta Bazaar. While you may get almost anything you get there, Zongzi is something which is specific to this occasion and intricately linked to the mythology behind this festival. How can you not try one?

Maker:L,Date:2017-8-30,Ver:5,Lens:Kan03,Act:Kan02,E-Y

Maker:L,Date:2017-8-30,Ver:5,Lens:Kan03,Act:Kan02,E-Y

If you are a Kolkatan, one experience of this event is bound to reinforce your ideas about this being a City of Joy and melting pot of cultures. If you stay elsewhere, time one of your visits to coincide with the first and the only Dragon Boat Race of India.

Its tragic origins, vigorous actions and thrilling camaraderie, blends seamlessly into one compelling and exciting spectacle.

Drumming up the Dragons History is replete with stories of great men, who were either ignored or marginalized when they were alive, but their values and contributions suddenly is realized after they pass away.

[trailsoftravel-blog]

Where happiness was a way of life, where peace allowed the inhabitants to sleep in peace at night, where horses and elephants of the king were preserved without they having to be taken out for war, where the soldiers lived merrily and not having to worry about a battle – that was what the kingdom of King Chandraketu was all about.

During this time, estimated to be early medieval period, it is believed that 11 saints from Arab world proceeded towards India to spread the message and teachings of Islam. They split themselves across different parts of the subcontinent. One of them, Abbas Ali reached this place Chandraketugarh. He met the King and expressed his keenness to spread the teachings in that kingdom. The King allotted land to the saint for his preaching. The tall fair stout look of Abbas Ali led to the queen naming her Gour Chandra. This name became popular later on as Gora Chand amongst the masses in the kingdom.

Over a period of time Gora Chand had two sets of followers – one who has converted themselves to Islam, and another set of followers who followed him but abstained from converting themselves. At this point Gora Chand approached the King and proposed him to adopt Islam as a religion. Chandraketu politely refused which infuriated the saint and to show his abilities, he got lively champa (yasmin) flowers to blossom on a bare boundary fence (called bera in Bengali). The king remained firm on his decision which made the saint threaten him with a battle. The place, which was known as Deulia, later on was known as Berachampa because of this phenomenon. Deulia in Bengali indicates bankruptcy. But other stories indicate that Chandraketugarh was a prosperous kingdom. Hence, it can be concluded that the word deulia is linked to presence of a lot of temples in the area also called deuls.

Soon the fierce battle happened at a place called Ronkhola, about 10 kms from Deganga. It is believed that the name of the place owes its origin to this battle (called ron in Bengali). King Chandraketu did win the battle but either by mistake or deliberate plot black pigeons were sent from the battlefield to the palace. It was a practice to send white pigeons to the palace to inform the inhabitants there that the king has won or black pigeons were sent to indicate that the king has lost.

Seeing the black pigeons, the queen and all the other female occupants of the palace gave up their lives as we have later also known in history. When King Chandraketu arrived at the palace, it was devoid of any souls. The shock and depression led him to commit suicide by drowning himself in a huge pond called Amritakunda, which is still found slightly south of the Khona-Mihir mound. With the demise of the King, conversions started happening more rapidly in the area.

Abbas Ali or Gorachand was badly injured in the battle and soon he passed away at a place called Balanda. That followed a debate between his two sets of followers about the way he should be cremated, whether he will be buried under the ground or his last rites be performed on a pyre. Once they removed the cloth covering his body, it is said, that they found only bones (har as they call in Bengali). The bones were buried there at Balanda and possibly that led to the place being renamed as Haroa. There is still a gram panchayat called Balanda there. Balanda finds its place in Buddhist scriptures as well in the context of some form of Buddhist place of worship being present there. Incidentally, collateral evidences suggests, that it was around the same period.

All the above is apparently more a legend than reality or may it was a reality. But then why there aren’t any state stamps or sealmore of that Kingdom. It maybe that in reality, Chandraketu was more a prospering landlord and thus was called a Raja or King which is a practice also seen centuries later in Bengal.

Khona-Mihir mound is one rare portion of the era that is still partly protected. Reason I say partly, because, even in last 25-30 years, parts of it has got damaged. It is believed that it is a remnant of a temple that dates back to Gupta dynasty (300-500AD). But why the mould is named after Khona-Mihir is not clearly known. The legend of Khona (A medieval Bengali language poet and legendary astrologer between the ninth and 12th centuries AD) centres around her association with Chandraketugarh and that she was the daughter-in-law of the famous astronomer and mathematician, Varāhamihira (505 – 587), also called Varaha or Mihira, a jewel among Chandragupta II Vikramaditya’s famed Navaratna sabha.

Pottery is indicative of cultural level of a particular site. Traces of red slipped ware connect to Pre-Mauryan era. The Sunga period had blacked polished ware, black slipped ware and polished and unpolished grey wares. Stamped red ware has been revealed here from Sunga period. The Sunga period dates back to 200 BC to 50 AD and hence the earliest known linkage of this place can safely be 300-200 BC. Moreover, female figurines, which can be predominantly classified into Yakshi (portrayed as a wide-hipped, voluptuous woman) or as depiction of Goddess links again back to Sunga period. The finesse in their hair styles, ways of wearing clothes and ornaments can stun many as to how contemporary their thoughts were.

“Gangaridai (Latin: Gangaridae) is a term used by the ancient Greco-Roman writers to describe a people or a geographical region of the ancient Indian subcontinent. Some of these writers state that Alexander the Great withdrew from the Indian subcontinent because of the strong war elephant force of the Gangaridai. The writers variously mention the Gangaridai as a distinct tribe, or a nation within a larger kingdom (presumably the Nanda Empire).

A number of modern scholars locate Gangaridai in the Ganges Delta of the Bengal region, although alternative theories also exist. Gange or Ganges, the capital of the Gangaridai (according to Ptolemy), has been identified with several sites in the region, including Chandraketugarh and Wari-Bateshwar. “ Does Gangaridai link to the bengali phrase “ je hridai e ganga thaken”? Slightly north of Khona-mihir mound, there is still a small canal/ or streamlet (mostly encroached) which is known as Padma. Yet again it indicates to Ganga and Padma rivers.

Availability of a good number of amphorae, often decorated, definitely suggests maritime linkages with Mediterranean world. But then what was the trade route. Was there a river, capable of transporting ships, near this place? Linking back to the Greek reference of Gange, it indicates proximity of Ganga to this place. Connecting back to the mythology of Raja Chandraketu, it is said that Ganga was invited to the marriage of his son. On her way, someone told her that forbidden meat was being served in the ceremony. Ganga forced herself to stop nearby and divert her course. Hence both mythology and relics indicate proximity of Ganga to Chandraketugarh.

There have been volumes of research and years of work by researchers and historians about this place. In a brief blog, it is daring to attempt to share the enormous facts and stories of a place that dates back 2300 years. But alas, the same amount of effort has not been given to systematically protect the place. As you visit the place, while its past history creates goose bumps, the lack of attention and negligence about a place of such value soon fills one with a feeling of intense frustration. Is there a way we can attempt to protect whatever is left of one of the earliest known civilization of Bengal?

My heartiest acknowledgement to Mr Goutam Dey,, a passionate protector of history and facts about Chandraketugarh for sharing the mythological background.

Portion within inverted commas are from Wikipedia. Pictures of figurines are courtesy wikipedia

A city that never was or a heritage that won’t be there Where happiness was a way of life, where peace allowed the inhabitants to sleep in peace at night, where horses and elephants of the king were preserved without they having to be taken out for war, where the soldiers lived merrily and not having to worry about a battle – that was what the kingdom of King Chandraketu was all about.

[trailsoftravel-blog]

There are some places on this earth which gets synonymous with certain things. You think of Bhubaneswar, temples prop up in your mind; thought of Goa associates one with sea; Nainital will immediately pop up images of lakes in your mind and the list goes endless. But if you try to do it the reverse way, thought of sea maynot prop up just Goa, or thought of temples may never prop up just Bhubaneswar. Yet there are some places where even the reverse association will lead to what you associated the place with – you think of Coorg, coffee comes to our mind first. And if someone asks you which the coffee country of India is, Coorg will occur to you.

While it was during the British era, 1854 to be precise, that the first coffee estate was set up in Coorg by and Englishman, history of Coffee in this zone dates way back into 17th century.

During his pilgrimage to holy places of Islam, Baba Budan was fascinated by the magical beans that he came across in Yemen. He carried a few of them back and planted them in the Chandragiri hills of Karnataka. Coffee then flourished here and its fragrance filled the hills.

If you are here in the month of February, you may be misled to think that there has been snowfalls as the coffee plants blossom with snow white flowers and by March the entire place is filled with the fragrance of coffee. Great Indian Pied Hornbill, Giant Malabar Squirrel are famous here because they get attracted by the ripening coffee fruit. And if you are back again around November and December, you get to see the ripened coffee fruits ready to be plucked.

But is Coorg only about Coffee?

Thought of penning down how you can spend 48 hours in the Coffee Country of India.

Nisargadhama: If you are reaching Coorg from Mysore, just before you enter Coorg, on your left will be this nature park. If you are from a place where such parks exists, there is nothing that will seem striking here. For people around this place, it is nice, well laid out park with sculptures of local people and a deer park where I could locate only one deer and if you are keen to walk a lot, there is the river bank. However, crossing a narrow stream of Cauvery over a handing bridge is the only one thing that is different here.

Dubare Elephant camp: If you are a wildlife enthusiast, this place is not going to excite you. Bathing elephants and varied activity of elephants with tourists pouring all around maynot be a perfect wilderness which a wildlife lover prefers. But for kids and those whose only hope of viewing elephants are parks like this, this can be exciting. Wait your turn in queue to be ferried across a small stretch of the river to the other side to watch the activities. Desperation, on the day I was there, made people cross the water walking – rather some intended to walk but later attempted swimming.

Chikli Hole: Post lunch if you start, you can briefly touch Nisargadhama and then head to Dubare so that you are in time just before sunset at this place. And I loved being here. One reason being it is not populated with tourists as much as the previous ones are. The sight of serene lake surrounded by hills helps you rediscover yourself after you had lost yourself amidst crowd in the previous places. And if you are there for sunset, it will leave a lasting impression in you. Also, post sundown, the drive back to your resort through the woods will be enchanting.

Chetali Village: A tribal tour in Coorg can be a different experience. But if you are short on time, do take a drive up the winding roads of Chetali. You will feel the charm of the hills dotted with opulent plantations and huts of locals and tribal people who work in these plantations. Take a deep breath and view the vast stretches of undulating hills from the view point in Chetali. You will find yourself to be the only one there since very few explore this part of Coorg. And standing tall alone amidst undulating hills around you – yes you truly feel on top of the world.

Madikeri: Kodagu is the district which many refer to as Coorg and Madikeri is the district Headquarters.  A nice little town, quaint in some places, busy with activity in the main market road, it has a welcome mix of colonial and local theme. Half a day here is something I wouldn’t want to miss.

Shopping: Spices are popular items here. But so it is in many other places in Kerala, Goa and so on. What I focused more on was the homemade wine and homemade chocolates. As they say, if a lady in Coorg is presented with rose, she may soon use the petals for making wine. From almost every possible fruit and some vegetables, wine is made at home here. Visit a Coorgi house. A glass of that wine is what welcomes you. No alcoholic content or yeast is used. It is through natural process of fermentation wine is made here. While you will be tempted to buy a bottle each of the wide variety, I restricted myself to a bottle of chili wine, driven by my dominant gustatory receptor.

Madikeri Fort: What struck me about the place is the way architecture of various periods has influenced its final shape. While Mudduraja built it in 17th century, Tipu Sultan modified it significantly, especially the palace portion, which is probably not open for tourists. The British, who took control of the fort in the early 19th century has left their influence too. There is a church (placed under the Church of England in India, Diocese of Madras) which was built here (in 1859) as you enter the fort. The building now houses the Madikeri Fort Museum. The Museum here contains several items related to history – mainly the British rule era, and also has a huge portrait of Coorg’s eminent personality Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa. The Fort has a functioning office of Madikeri Deputy Commissioner’s. Guess that has helped in a better upkeep of the place than many such places which are languishing for want of care.

Raja’s Seat: Watching the sun set from here is spectacular. Built for the King of Kodagu for watching the setting sun and spend time with his queens with an eye soothing view of undulating green hills, this place may crowded on weekends and holidays.

Abbey Falls: if you are in the hills, I guess it is customary to visit a waterfall. Abbey falls fills in that in your itinerary. But being close to the city, yet again, you are accompanied by mostly voices of fellow tourists rather than the sound of silence gently rhymed with the music of flowing water.

Café: Take an in-between halt at one of the many cafes that dot Madikeri. You are in Coorg and you should experiment with variants of Coffee while you are there.

Coorgi Meal: if you are in Coorg, you ought to focus only on the local cuisine. While a lot can be written about that, this blog captures nicely the essence and experience of Coorg Cuisine.  Coorgi Cuisine

Plantation Visit: While choosing your stay in Coorg, ensure you choose a place amidst the plantations and up in the hills to get the feel of being in a coffee country in the hills. And to me, the most exciting part of Coorg trip was navigating through the plantation, smelling the plants, listening to chirping of birds and getting to soak into the feel of the environment. Passing through Arabica & Robusta plants, one needs to be told that both produce coffee, so different they are in their looks. Smell of peppercorn, stretches of paddy fields and rows of banana trees will make you lose yourself in some other world.

  Places nearby but needs additional time: There are a few more places worth visiting, only if you have planned at least 3 nights stay in Coorg.

Iruppu Falls: plan your journey from Mysore to Coorg in a way you can visit Iruppu Falls on your way (it is a diversion enroute). If you have seen those falls in movie where the actors are cherishing the marvel of the falls by bathing under it while standing comfortably on a floor, you will get to enjoy the same here.

Talakaveri: Located in Brahmagiri Hill, it is considered as the source of holy river Cauvery (Kaveri). While it is exciting to be here in monsoons, you may still want to plan for this 48 km drive from Madikeri, if you want to visit the origin of this holy river. The temple here is dedicated to Goddess Kaveramma.

Bylakuppe: About half an hour before you reach Madikeri, you cross this place. While many associate Tibetan settlements in India to places in the Himalayas, it is not widely known that after Dharamshala, this is most populated area for the Tibetans in India. And apart from the plantation explorations in Coorg, this was probably the most satiating experience of mine in Coorg. And hence it deserves a separate blog. You can find my experience at Bylakuppe here :

Thriving Tibet

Coffee Country – Coorg There are some places on this earth which gets synonymous with certain things. You think of Bhubaneswar, temples prop up in your mind; thought of Goa associates one with sea; Nainital will immediately pop up images of lakes in your mind and the list goes endless.

[trailsoftravel-blog]

“To understand the real India, the Indians say, you must go to the villages. But that is not strictly true, because Indians have carried their villages to the railway stations. […]

The village in rural India tells the visitor very little […] The life of the village, its interior, is denied to him. But the station village is all interior.”  That’s what Paul Theroux shared in his travel narrative of India.

It is broadly believed that Railways led to the undivided India getting a notion of it being a nation. This can be debated since it is often disputed whether the railway in India is capable of building a nation or indeed whether there was a nation in existence prior to imperial rule at all. In complete contradiction to this, Gandhiji believed “We were one nation before they came to India. One thought inspired us. Our mode of life was the same. It was because we were one nation that they were able to establish one kingdom. Subsequently they divided us.”

Richard Cronin in Imagining India highlights a perspective which is ironical as well – “Lord Dalhousie planned the railways to tighten British rule of India, to make it more efficient. But the trains had one effect that Dalhousie surely did not foresee. They made possible the birth of the idea that was finally to put an end to the Raj, the idea that India was a nation.”

What remains unambiguous is that the railways in India give structure and a vital functioning order to society and helped maintain continuity and coherency amidst the apparent chaos, even in the aftermath of such an atrocity as Partition. It was the Railways which was the sole lifeline to life for millions when the nation was partitioned. It was the railways which allowed leaders like Mahatma to tour the nation creating awareness and consensus.

The railway and the nation both encapsulate the movement of multitudes who appear fundamentally chaotic in their diversity, yet who move in similar patterns and on the same terrain. A train compartment for instance is home to a whole range of characters and throws a miscellany of people together without regard for their tastes or preferences. Once the train chugs out from the platform, all these people will need to create a new identity, new relation for the forthcoming hours they will spend here, some creating lasting connections, some leaving them within the railway coach, recreating newer ones during his next journey.

That is probably the reason; trains have found their place in literary work of most writers. Even today, the thought of Pather Panchali evokes the sight of the steam locomotive with its smoke bellowing in the air as Durga and Apu run to take a glance at it. It depicts, how across generations, this mode of transport has always evoked visual pleasure – for some a sense of curiousity, for some a sense of wanderlust and maybe for some, a sense of nostalgia. The most picturesque shot of the ever-enticing movie Sonar Kella was probably when Feluda and his team were on camel back and the Jaisalmer Express was winding its way up the golden desert of Rajasthan. Toofan Express remains firmly entrenched in us as the train where Feluda met Jatayu first. Toofan Express (renamed as Udayan Ava Toofan Express) featured in so many other movies as Toofan Mail. To replicate house-like comfort, the first class of the trains then tried replicating a room within a coach. While those may have long been extinct, their images stay with us through movies like Sonar Kella where Mandar Bose attempts to kill Feluda or the coach where he sees original Dr Hazra.

Source: Cardinal Cinema

Source: Youtube (making Desert scene)

Source: Youtube (making Desert scene)

Source: Cardinal Cinema

Continuing on the thread of the legendary film-maker, he created Nayak in the context of a train journey alone. It showed a train in complete different perspective – being a medium of journey for the elite as well. While it was shot in Air-Conditioned Deluxe Express (prior to Rajdhani Express) , which was later renamed as Purba Express and non-air-conditioned coaches were attached to it, it could well be a foresight for the launch of the most cherished train launch in Indian history – Rajdhani Express.

The first Rajdhani Express was flagged off on 3rd March, 1969, exactly 50 years ago, from Howrah station. All the coaches were air-conditioned with first class coaches and AC Chair Car. While waiting for suburban trains in platforms of stations on the route of Rajdhani, remember the announcements? “Stay away at safe distance – Rajdhani express is scheduled to pass by platform no …”.

Image Source – wiki

It was during Summer Vacation of 1980 that we were scheduled to holiday in Himachal. And that was when my father booked tickets in Rajdhani Express. We had to align our journey since it used to depart from Howrah three days a week only. One needs to be far better decked up since this is no ordinary train journey. Clearly remember the AC chair car coaches – it used to recline considerably to give maximum possible alignment for a night’s sleep. They say the fish fry served in Rajdhani was legendary. I don’t recollect that so many decades later, but I remember the entire experience was a royal one, starting off with soup in a bowl (and not in paper cup), to a mouth-watering continental spread and some delectable dessert all of which will confuse you whether you are in a restaurant in Park Street or amidst countryside being borne by two rail tracks.

The AC Chair cars are long gone. AC two-tier was introduced around 1983 and finally like in all trains C 3 tier in 1993; probably the rising demand to travel to Delhi and the desire to soak into the experience called Rajdhani Express was increasing, coupled with the significant difference with air fare then. Ray didn’t miss showcasing this train as well – remember the dinner being served to Shri Manomohan Mitra as he was heading back to his hometown Kolkata via Delhi, after being overseas for decades?

The Tickets of Rajdhani then resembled more an air ticket – ticket with a flap with passenger name, fare, coach & berth numbers and date of journey. The flap cover was embossed boldly “Rajdhani Express” The tickets used to have picture of Qutub Minar and Howrah Bridge and the arrow printed on the ticket was pointed to the photo towards which you are travelling. Being the most coveted train, it enjoyed the first number of train naming nomenclature – it was called 101 UP Rajdhani Express from Howrah to New Delhi.

  Featured Image: Source Quora

101 UP from Howrah “To understand the real India, the Indians say, you must go to the villages. But that is not strictly true, because Indians have carried their villages to the railway stations.

[trailsoftravel-blog]

My intense affinity to explore national parks is probably attributable to my father’s trait of yearning to explore nature, in places where it is best kept untouched by mankind. National Parks or wildlife sanctuaries qualify as one of the leading destinations for such locales, probably because of the laws governing their protection. And, hence, he loved reading articles on the same and also sharing with me, since frequenting such locales wasn’t always possible. While private resorts weren’t as prevalent in such locations three/ four decades back, but even Tourism or other few lodges, which could be booked slightly more easily, were places he avoided booking. Those weren’t days of e-mail or smartphone. He used to write a letter to the DFO or Wildlife Conservator of the Forest seeking a room in the Forest Department Lodge. While he never shared explicitly, I now know it was to feel the place more closely, more intensely since these Lodges were mostly located inside the forest. Also, difficulty in booking them kept most tourists away from them. Nature and wildlife are locations, where I prefer to be only with immediate companions and not with a large group of other fellow tourists. It probably spoils the silence and charm which is why you are there.

I recollect faintly that I heard the name Kabini first from him only. Maybe, he had shown me a photo also – some green grass leading to water and a tusker standing tall at the edge of the water. That’s a picture that always floated up whenever I thought about Kabini. He longed to be there. He longed to be in the forests of Madhya Pradesh. It is consoling that I could plan a trip to Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Pench exactly a year prior to his passing away. But Kabini remained elusive for him. Hence, enroute to Kabini, the usual excitement of mine while approaching a national park, blended with a feeling of grief which probably had subdued the excitement that I otherwise have.

In Karnataka, Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JLR) have the exclusive rights to manage the Government facilities. It started off as a joint initiative of Govt of Karnataka and Tiger Tops of Nepal, after the CM of Karnataka was impressed seeing the way lodges were done in Chitwan National Park.

If you want to explore the wild being the closest possible to it, Kabini River Lodge is a good option to stay at Kabini. They are the closest, and aligned more to the theme and flavor of the wild here. Moreover, as far as I know, the exclusive safari rights lie with them and other resorts hire the vehicles from them for their guests. Needless to mention, it is located right on the banks of the river, and in a campus sprawling across 54 acre.

This place was the former hunting lodges of the Maharaja of Mysore and Maharaja Cottage is reminiscent of that. Later on it was taken over by the British during their stay in India and was made the hunting grounds for their officials. Viceroy Bungalow bears ample evidence to the same with not only photos from the era of British dominance in India, but an architecture that will immediately connect you to the colonial era. This is where the evening wildlife show is hosted. Pick up your favorite drink from the adjacent bar and spend time in the small auditorium where the show is hosted.

Everything is perfectly planned out at JLR. And, hence, one extremely important tip is to ensure that you arrive there by latest 1 pm on the day. To ensure we do that, I didn’t attempt to reach Bangalore the same day and drive down to Kabini. With interim halts, it will take you at least 5.5 hours. That means one should land in Bangalore at 7 am. I planned an interim halt at Mysore so that we can take it easy next morning and be there by midday.

As you check-in, you are not only updated about the itinerary for the next 24 hours, but also given a briefing about the place. You must be hungry after the long journey. Buffet lunch is laid out in the dining area and, to say the least, it was hearty and delicious with a nice spread to offer for tourists coming from different geographies. From taking the meal to disposing off the waste and keeping the plates in the wash area is a complete self-service, and  indeed well organized.

Want to take a quick nap? Complete your lunch early and you can take one as you need to report for the safari at 3-15 pm. For people who have taken a 2 nights plan, they can avail of 3 jeep safaris and 1 boat safari. For those who have chosen 1 night plan can avail one jeep and one boat safari. These vehicles are bigger than the gypsy that we are usually used to for jungle safaris and these can accommodate 8 people. The entry gate is quite a distance away from the starting point – you will take about 15-20 mins to reach the same. All entry formalities are taken care of if you are staying at JLR. Time to enter the park.

Nagarhole National Park, part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, is one of the oldest National Parks in India, created in 1955. Kabini WLS is part of the Park on its southern fringes. It covers an area of 645 sq km and was renamed as Rajiv Gandhi National Park in 1992. Clear pathways with trees and flora emanating few metres away from the pathway indicates that the bushes near the path has been kept clear to ensure wildlife sightings. Tall, teak trees create a feeling different from many other parks – a sense of straight vertical perspectives with occasional rosewood plantations. The flora is mostly of moist deciduous variety a dominance of green unlike many of the central Indian national parks.

Except for Pench, in my entire wildlife sojourn, it has either been a peacock or a spotted deer which has welcomed me to their habitat. The trend continued with the sighting of a spotted deer here. The langurs were as royal here as they are anywhere else. But somehow, my eyes were constantly scanning for that stretch of water, which has always been in my memory whenever Kabini came to mind. Did the chauffeur hear my inner self? He decided to take us on the banks of the Kabini river. The very sight of the water first and then the entire span of view once we were on the banks of it, was mesmerizing. Somehow I can relate to the picture I had created from some photo that my father had shown me decades back.

Brahminy Kite, Woolly Necked Stork, Cormorant, River Terns, Brown Headed Fishing Eagle – you can just settle down there and keep watching them. If you are a bird lover or bird watcher, you will need to hold back your excitement till following morning for the boat safari – it will be a memorable sail for you, watching all the variety.

“Give me your camera sir” – the chauffeur-cum-guide whispered. I handed it over. He leveraged the zoom therein to check something and handed me the camera back whispering “crocodile on other bank”. While I could spot it, it became more apparent as it started to move as the safari boats approached it. Maybe it wasn’t hungry, else deer wouldn’t have been roaming around it.

We were back to exploring the jungle. We were perched on an embankment from where finally the key attraction of Kabini – the elephants. They were busy arranging their afternoon meal and overly irritated with something that was causing them to spray dust on their body using their trunk. Had they been on the river bank, it would have perfectly fitted into my imagination of Kabini so long, but never mind. We could view them in their natural grace.

“Should we go over there closer to them?” – the chauffeur asked. Why not – the closer the better, but….. I have experienced close ups with a variety of fauna in the wild. But my experience of closing up on the elephants has always proved nerve wrecking – be it the experience of Betla a couple of decades back when I was gheraoed by a herd or the charging of a the mother elephant at Manas, or the wild calls of the herd head when we intercepted their crossing over again in Manas or one rubbing its body against our jeep on its way through. My tentativeness was obvious, more so when the proximity with them went beyond all previous experiences. I must acknowledge the behavior of theirs as they allowed us to stay that close while they continued their activities till a wild call from inside the jungle suddenly made them run towards the bushes away from us. I haven’t spent so long with them in the past without feeling threatened.

The fading light, the wild call from inside the jungle, the clean blue waters of Kabini and the smell of the flora led to a scintillating exit from the wild.

Snacks and tea await you as you alight from the vehicle at JLR. It has been a long day. Freshen up quickly so that you are in time for the Wildlife Filming at Viceroy Cottage. It was time to revisit the afternoon and update oneself on various aspects wildlife through the video.

Winter nights in the wild makes one yearn for the heat from flames and barbecue to act as an appetizer. While I wasn’t expecting so, but I was so pleasantly surprised that they have set it up. Some fresh veggies and chicken were being done out there. Egg curry, very similar to the way I am used to having, some soulful daal (lentils) with palak (spinach) and coastal mutton curry was a perfect finale to an exciting day. Time to retire because you need to be back at the same place at 6-15 am to board the vessel for morning boat safari.

Everything will rarely follow your expectation, especially when it is to do with nature.  The intense mist early morning was something I wasn’t expecting after a clear evening the previous day. Visibility was poor and apparent perception of it being cold was high. Early morning safari has always been interesting to me; not because of being in the wild, but because of the extreme variance in expressions of people that is around. Some are charged up, fresher than what they would have been had they woken up late, with zeal to explore the unknown. And at extreme end, there are some, who forced themselves to come over, maybe because of their companions, or maybe of a lurking sense of loss in case they miss “something”. The indignant faces of theirs bear testimony to the same.

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The unexpected morning mist rendered a unique blue haze to the surroundings, something different from similar experiences. The Cormorants were occupying the jutting trunks of trees in the lake as if they need to maintain a pattern while waiting for the fish. The comfortable stroll of wild boar indicated no signs of any lurking danger. The Painted Stork was alone, unperturbed by our movement, focused on its catch. As you go farther into the lake, you sense a world which is so different from the one we live in – life here has its own rhythm, own pace and rules that seem to be so well laid down for its inhabitants.

The most mystical part was the various ways the trunks of trees were jutting out. The trees took this form when the area was inundated with water of the lake after the construction of the dam across Kabini (also called Kapila) river. It has its origins in Wayanad district of Kerala and flows through this part of Karnataka eastwards to meet Bay of Bengal.

The Barn Swallows seems to create a pattern on the trunks of the trees whereas brown fish owl seems to be more comfortable in isolation. If you are a bird lover, bird watcher or a bird photographer, you can’t miss Kabini. It is paradise for you.

The sun continues in his attempts to peep out through the clouds. You hear snoring, you hear splashing of water against the boat, you hear the occasional clicking of the shutter of a camera and beyond the boat it is heavenly silence all around – it is just those occasional movements for which the eager eyes and the ever-ready lens wait.

By around 9-30 am we were back – some had wash-room urgency, some were hungry for food and some like me were hungry for more. I strolled around the banks as a concluding paragraph to my Kabini safaris. The hot delicious breakfast could do little to assuage a soul, which felt it was too short, indeed too short to explore the graceful suspense of cozy Kabini and unearth the mysteries lurking at every bend. I need to be back soon – very soon.

Kabini – graceful suspense My intense affinity to explore national parks is probably attributable to my father’s trait of yearning to explore nature, in places where it is best kept untouched by mankind.

[trailsoftravel-blog]

The imaginary essence of coffee that you were smelling in your thoughts on your way to Coorg will be temporarily disturbed at the sights of Buddhist monks passing by, as you drive your up towards Coorg from Mysore. Tibetan monks are a sight we associate mostly with the Himalayas, and quite naturally since it is across the mighty mountains that Tibet lies. But far down in Southern state of Karnataka, that is the last thing you expect.

If the sights of the monks surprised you, what will further surprise you is the fact that outside Tibet, Bylakuppe is the second largest Tibetan settlement on earth, after Dharamsala. In fact it was the first ever Tibetan exile settlement when the Government of Mysore allotted 3000 acres of land here to them in 1960. The government supported the settlement with free schools healthcare and so on and today the place is a thriving mini Tibet with Tibetans engaged in agriculture, teaching and in religious activities. Tibetans live in India with a stay permit which is processed through a document called Registration Certificate (RC). It is renewed every year or half-year in some areas.

The number of Buddhist flags on either side of the road increases as you approach the lane where you need to turn left from the state highway to enter the place. Well organized parking facilities create a welcome impression in you as you embark on exploring this Tibetan settlement with Namdroling Monastery as the starting point. It is the most popular site for tourists both within the country and those arriving from outside. The campus at the entrance is more of a courtyard to the main monastery inside. It houses a café whose coffee and savouries were indeed classy. It also has shops and houses rooms for the monks staying here. The place has over 200 rooms for the monks studying here. While the population of monks varies depending on the number of them studying, currently there are about 5000 of them.

The monastery was established by the 11th throne-holder of the Palyul lineage, His Holiness Drubwang Padma Norbu Rinpoche in 1963, following his 1959 exit from Tibet as the second seat of the Palyul Monastery, one of the six great Nyingmapa Mother monasteries of Tibet prior to annexation.

The smiling face of Pema Norbu Rinpoche’s portrait welcomes you as you move ahead from the lawn.  You move ahead past the same towards the main monastery building, which now can host several thousand monks. This structure, called, Padmasambhava Buddhist Vihara was inaugurated in 1999.

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As you enter this hall, the three gold-plated statues of saints Padmasambhava, Sukhayami and Amitayus, makes you awestruck. You are caught in greater awe seeing the paintings on the walls. The prayer hall is lined with small desks and a cylindrical drum is placed periodically (maybe to indicate the start and finish of the prayer sessions).

Lucky enough to be witness to a prayer session with hundreds of monks seated a sight I haven’t witnessed anywhere else. While earlier one could go close upto the golden statues, in recent times, the inside of the hall has been cordoned for security reasons. The statue of Buddha is 60ft high while those of Guru Padmasambhava and Buddha Amitayus are 58 ft. The statues are sacred scriptures and small clay stupas , which symbolise the body, speech and mind of the Buddhas. The followers believe that venerating these statues, circumambulating them and making offerings will generate within oneself faith, peace, wisdom and compassion.

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While Namdroling attracts all the visitors’ attention, nearby Sera Je Monastery and Sera Meh Monastery are places where you get the opportunity to feel the silence and interact with monks on their ways of life.

Further, away, about 5-7 kms further down is the gorgeous Tashi  Lhunpo Monastery. It is seat to the Panchen Lama, the second most important spiritual leader of Tibet. Tashi Lhunpo Monastery seeks to provide the best possible modern education, along with a deep and intimate understanding of the heritage of Tibet.

In 1447 the Monastery was founded by His Holiness the First Dalai Lama, Gyalwa Gendun Drup, in Shigatse, Tibet’s second largest city. It is one of the four great monasteries of Central Tibet and was supervised and looked after by the Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas. It has the glory of producing thousands of renowned scholars in the field of Mahayana Buddhist Philosophy. The monastery was sacked when the Gorkha Kingdom invaded Tibet and captured Shigatse in 1791 before a combined Tibetan and Chinese army drove them back as far as the outskirts of Kathmandu, when they were forced to agree to keep the peace in the future, pay tribute every five years, and return what they had looted from Tashi Lhunpo.

During the lifetime of the 4th Panchen Lama, Lobsang Choekyi Gyaltsen, there were more than 3,000 monks in the Monastery and by 1959 there were 5,000, with another 2,000 monks affiliated to the Monastery living outside Tibet. The Communist Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959 and the Cultural Revolution from 1966-80 both wreaked destruction on Tibet’s monastic institutions, which lost many precious scriptures, statues and images. In 1972, under the patronage of His Holiness of the 14th Dalai Lama, Tashi Lhunpo Monastery was re-established in the Southern Indian state of Karnataka. The Monastery has monks coming from Tibet and the Himalayan regions of Spithi, Khunu, Ladakh and Arunachal. Occupying a central position in the Tibetan settlement of Bylakuppe, there are close to 400 monks including many Tulkus (reincarnate lamas) studying and performing various religious practices.

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It was a rare soulful experience for me when I entered the premises of this monastery. I was the only soul around. The vast campus of the monastery, the glory of the structures, the silence all around except the sound of breeze slowly takes you into a state of peace. Maybe, had I spent a little more time there, it could have been a state of trance.

After all the time you spent experiencing the monasteries, hunger pranks may lead you to explore out for food. Of course, my only choice is to try out Tibetan food. Having been closely linked to Tibetan food not only in my hometown Kolkata but all across the Himalayan hills, wanted to find out how different it is out here, separated by so many hundred miles from that belt. While in the mountains, you will find multiple eateries serving only Tibetan food, I guess the visitors’s relative non-alignment to Tibetan food has made some of the eateries keep traditional Indian fare too.

I walked into Tibetan Kitchen, a place which was serving only Tibetan food. That reassured me about the confidence of the place in attracting guests only through Tibetan food. Taking a risk I ordered Gya-thuk. Most of the dishes have three options – vegetarian, beef and chicken. The usual bland soup with noodles was perfectly balanced with spiced up well done beef mince that blended so well with the rest of the ingredients. A bit of momo sauce, to suit my greater-tha-usual love for spiceness made me acknowledge my decision. Hunger made me pair it up with Ting-Mo, the steamed Tibetan bread, which I tried for the first time.

Never been a strong proponent of momos being fried, we chose that because of preference of my companions. Must say I haven’t tasted a juicer fried momos in recent times. While the shell was fried and crispy, moment you give a bite, juice oozes out. Thenthuk is a typical Tibetan noodle soup that keeps the nomads warm during the long Tibetan winters. While it is soupy in consistency traditionally, nowadays, one gets an option to have a dry variety of the same. The main focus of this dish is the dough and how well it is done, more than the vegetables and meat accompanying it.

A satisfying Tibetan lunch post such fulfilling monastery visits were a perfect prelude to quieten the mind down as you wind your way up to soak into the essence of coffee and sights of unspoilt nature in the Coffee Country of India.

Bylakuppe – Thriving Tibet The imaginary essence of coffee that you were smelling in your thoughts on your way to Coorg will be temporarily disturbed at the sights of Buddhist monks passing by, as you drive your up towards Coorg from Mysore.

[trailsoftravel-blog]

Imagination probably has more powerful wings for a child. During the vacations of my school-life, while being alone at home, the stories of Palamou by Sanjib Chattopadyay used to create fascinating sketches in the mind about the deserted and sparsely populated forest lands of Jharkhand. Shakti Chattopadyay aroused curiosity about even lesser-explored forests of sal, teak, mahul, harida of Kiriburu and Meghataburu. They formed images that created romance in the mind about places that someday I should visit, immerse myself in the sights and smell of those lands and spend days being part of that land, the people whose simplicity and struggle always created a yearning to be there and know more.

In the Bengali movies of yester-years, the deprived and the lone elderly people used to move to Kashi while the rich and affluent often used to go to the West (west of West Bengal – Paschim e Hayoa badal) for a break from regular life. Those helped created some firm images of these places giving shape to those imaginations.

While situations ensured that I could explore parts of Palamou, Kiriburu and Meghataburu have always eluded me furthering my curiosity about these places and building on the imaginations of childhood.

Barabil Jan-Shadabdi Express often took me to Tatanagar for business trips. But this time, boarding the same train emanated an unusual excitement as you are boarding a train in which you have travelled so often. Even greater excitement was when it left Tatanagar, heralding a feeling of finally making it to my long desired destination.

Vast stretches of this land is where SAIL (Steel Authority of India) is focused on mining minerals, predominantly iron ore. And hence most of the development including roads and housing are developed by them. And it is their Guest House which offers a convenient place to stay, away from the activities of the Barabil town, amidst nature, yet at a convenient distance from the facilities of a town. Bonani (where the guest house is located) can be a nice place for you to stay while being here.

Jateswar Lake and the Shiva temple near it, tucked amidst wilderness, is a great prelude for starting your exploration of Saranda Forests. In about half an hour, you reach the place from where you need to walk a few steps to reach the Shiva Temple. Years back, only the Linga was there; a temple has now been built there and through the rocks in the hills, water keeps dropping on the Linga continuously all 365 days. There was something hypnotic about the place, maybe the eerie silence and the reclusive nature therein.

Walk for about 15 minutes through the semi-laid pathway, at times crossing a streamlet which accompanies you till you reach a spotless serene lake – Jateswar Lake, named after Jateswar Temple. What differentiates this lake from many others is her unpolluted waters acting like a mirror, complete silence where you can hear the nature, and forest and hills closely guarding her arousing a sense of suspense.

WHile the sight of marinated chicken pieces for the pakoras were rejuvenating, just-fried hot chicken pakoras and the strong tea infused with milk was refreshing, after having woken up at 4 am and activities thereafter. It could be the stories read in Bengali literature or some of the movies shot in such locales, which arouses an unusual urge to have country chicken for dinner. Not that it is not available in places where we live, but maybe the settings therein, a unique finesse of cooking of cooks out in such kitchens and the basic setup of dining facilities combine well to lend a taste that is sumptuous and memories that are ever-lasting.

A drive through the forests in Saranda is a compulsory activity. You may give it a skip if safaris in the wild mean just the count of animals that you have sighted. But if you are one of those who love the sights of the flora, the changing landscape from vast open stretches to towering sal and mahua trees almost blocking sunlight in certain places, the only sound being that of the engine of your vehicle and when the vehicle halts the chirping of birds, this is a drive that is bound to rejuvenate a mind tired of regular chores of city life. Unlike other forests, here you can stop the vehicle and get down for a breath of fresh here or maybe spend a few moments with people who has made these jungles not only their means of livelihood but their homes too.

If you can manage to stay a night in the Guest House of Forest Department, deep inside the forest, am sure you will emerge as a rejuvenated soul next morning. We managed to have our lunch there, and truly wanted to stay back had we planned for the same. (Note that if you manage to get a booking, you need to carry everything including diesel for the generator)

While the fauna of the jungle is not visible easily, we took a chance to walk down upto the cave where one of the bears of this zone lives. One needs to light a fire and proceed since, if confronted with the bear, the only way to protect is to scare it away with the fire. Not sure where it was, but the strong smell of the animal wasn’t very comfortable for us to extend our stay at its den.

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Time your trip during the day in such a way so that you reach the sunset point in time for sunset. Apart from the view of sun setting behind the hills, the vast expanse of undulating hills till the horizon is breath-taking. It is said that 700 hills can be seen from here. We couldn’t stretch our vision beyond a few, considering the surroundings get engulfed in mist during winter.

The Meghalaya Guest House of SAIL here is another tempting lodging facility, just adjacent to the sunset point. This needs to be booked via a SAIL employee, and if you have such an acquaintance, will suggest that you plan to stay here during your Kiriburu-Meghataburu visit.

Whether the soil here is naturally red or the intense reddish colour is because of extensive iron ore mining is something I am not sure about. But what I loved was the back drop of lush green forests and vegetation against this intense red soil that led us into Jhikra falls next morning.

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Like in most falls, one need to walk the last few hundred meters, but here there isn’t a well laid out path here. One has to maneuver through the bushes and over rocks and pebbles across inclines to finally arrive here. But then who has seen heavenly locales by reaching there without efforts? While many grumble as to why proper paths have not been laid out, I always prefer the other way round, since not only do such man-made walkways spoil the natural beauty of the places, but it also ensures hordes of tourists that ruins the pristine environment and the rare opportunity to feel and listen to nature.

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Approaching Pundul waterfall was also a similar experience. However the beauty of the place was completely different from Jhikra. While at Jhikra , you were down below where the waterfall is hitting the rocks, at Pundul, it is a stepped fall and you land up somewhere in the middle. The place, with wide open skies above, and huge boulders spread all across, and the water flow meandering its way into the forests after the stepped falls gives a completely different feeling from what I got at most other waterfalls. Not a soul around apart from you. I realize why these locales inspired the likes of Shakti Chattopadyay to create such timeless literature.

Contrary to the two places above, the walk up to the Pachari Waterfall was through a relatively flat terrain though the forests. Is there someone walking behind you? You turn back to see there is no one. You realize it is the sound of your own steps over dried leaves that are subtly echoing to create that feeling. You get another mesmerizing view of water falling in steps from high up in the hill.

The setting up of mattresses on the banks of Karo River for an afternoon lunch reminded me of Aranyer Deen Ratri and you realize how adept this master director was in choosing the locales for his movies. Wintry afternoon, the sun kissing you to make you feel comfortable in the chill, the gentle music of water flowing over rocks, chirping of birds, red soil amidst green vegetation and a wholesome lunch with the grass as your floor and open sky as you ceiling and trees acting as umbrellas.

The beauty of a landscape is intimately linked with the people living there and you leave your experience unfulfilled if you miss out an opportunity to interact with them. Don’t hesitate to enter a village hut and check with them if they are comfortable interacting with you. We did so and it felt humbled at the warmth and hospitality of the people living there. While many are struggling to make ends meet, there weren’t any miserliness in the warmth and affection they could extend. Half an hour with them gave so many insights to the life and times of people there.

All the above are some spots of this verdant nature at its best. This is not a location for those who believe in number of sight-seeing points. Some such places are merely an excuse to drive through a terrain rich its content, vibrant in its expression and musical in its gentle sounds. You can stop anywhere enroute and it can become a spot for you. The nature here slowly and silently intoxicates you – a state of trance which can only be matched by what the famed mohua or hariya of the land leads you to.

Wading through childhood imaginations Imagination probably has more powerful wings for a child. During the vacations of my school-life, while being alone at home, the stories of Palamou by Sanjib Chattopadyay used to create fascinating sketches in the mind about the deserted and sparsely populated forest lands of Jharkhand.

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"The millions mired in poverty here can only get rid (of it) when science is used in their interest. Such maximum application of science is only possible when scientific knowledge is available to Indians in their own country." The vision that led to Madan Mohan Malviya establishing the first #University in #India that was the result of a private individual's effort. Combined with the efforts of Annie Besant, the efforts to gather funds for this started in 1911 and finally Lord Hardinge, the then Viceroy of India, laid the foundation stone on Vasant Panchami in 1916. Indeed a place that needs a mention on #worldheritageweek . . . . . . . . . . #indiatravelgram #indiatraveldiaries #IndiaPictures #indiaclicks #heritage #indianheritage #uttarpradesh #benaras #education #everydayindia #indiatravelgram #connectwithindia #storiesofindia #_instaindia #wahhIndia #indiaview #TPSindia #indianphotographyinc (at Varanasi, India) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqjZqmHldS9/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1cfdoqyl8s8pl

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Move from one place to another in the state of #westbengal , you will be amazed at the varying forms of art and handicrafts and the quality of work therein. If possible, try and visit this village called Naya in Paschim Midnapore. Every house here is focussed on a form of art work called #patachitra . Existent for many centuries, villages here recalls at most a upto a century of works that they still have. Enter the village, it is colours everywhere. And every member of the family is so deeply involved in creating this artwork. Will soon share my blog about this place on my link in bio . . . . . . . #travelblogger #travel #countryside #westbengal #pingla #artwork #handicraft #India_Gram #indiatravelgram #indianhistory #bengaluntold #bengali #weekendgetaway #weekendaway #kolkatagram #bangla #india_undiscovered #indiafeatures #nikon #nikonindiaofficial #photographers_of_india #travelphotography #culturetrip #Bestofindia #bengal_ig #traveller #travelindia (at Pingla) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqU9y9blBZz/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=9xba91wv2bep

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The sleeping beauty. #tiger #nationalpark #wildlife Discovered at Tadoba National Park, Maharashtra, India. See more at Trover