The trip to Gorumara was not to end the endless plans that come with a promise of great week ends. Many graduates in India envy their american counterparts for having some great week ends, that has a proper Friday Night to look forward to. In India, the situation is nightless, endless... sometimes PhDjokes seem targeted towards us only!
So, a fortnight hence, it was another pleasure week end trip. Garpanchakot. Where time with the power of nature and innovation of humans.
Located upon a small hill, this place is one of the eastern most fringe of Chora Nagpur plateau. Industrial place, but this place has one of the greatest marvels of Indian engineering. It is located beside the Panchyet Dam, one of the four Hydel Power Dams within the grip of the Damodar Valley Corporation, producing more than 2million Watt power as a minimum production, per day. Taming the devastating Damodar River, called the Hwang Ho of India or rather say the Sorrow of India, this huge dam is a highly secured zone, placed between the territorial states of West Bengal and Jharkhand. Garpanchakot, is in Bengal.
I have seen sun rise / set over the oceans, rivers and lakes. It was my first to see it live from the reservoir of a dam. It was no less than awesome!
The team comprised of Nandana, Banhisikha, Bille, Belda and myself. Jayanta Da was about to join us, but due to unavoidable circumstances, he couldn't! But, never the less he missed a lot of things like the jungle....
West Bengal Forest Development Corporation (WBFDC) runs some guest house in several forests, within the territorial supervision of West Bengal. You can check the status of room availability, online and go with cash to the WBDFC office, located at Raja Subodh Mullick Square, Kolkata 13 and book.
We had reserved one four bedded room while a double room, all named after the local birds and trees, names that are specialty of Purulia District, West Bengal. Ours were "Kusum" and "Palash". Kusum was a four bedded suit and it was huge! Air Conditioned, but we loved the sun, as long as we had our eyes treat with the crowded forest; for a change, crowded with flora and aerial fauna, we were feeling great. The food was excellent as well.
What else was missed by those who failed to accompany; Good Trek and Excavation at the Garpanchakot ruins...
And did I mention about excavation? Oh! Yes... it was something to remember...
I can bet, with a handful of pictures about this dilapidated place, whose existence is over 900 years, a few will depict such pictures from the top of the temple. It was a paradise to sit a-top! Also, it was exciting to climb up the steps.
In between the lines, let me put in the little information about reaching the place. Take Black Diamond from Howrah, an early morning start and get down at Kumardubi (IRCTC code: KMME). Its nearer from Barakar, which many people believe as the nearest station to Garpanchakot. From Barakar its, a 45 minutes drive; from Kumardubi. it was 25 minutes! You reach the place within 4 hours, riding the Black!
How about soaking your feet, sitting within the reservoir. I mean, the place that would be flooded between July to March, due to rain and water storage for the hydel, remains dry between April to June. It's another paradise. The landscape is seasoned by the stored waters, where young grass grow and cattle graze, you move with a crazy driver, just up the hillock, which would be nothing but an island during the flood! And then, you take some rare snaps!
Bliss....
Surprise! The greatest experience of all: Mubarak Bhaiya's Snake museum, which he is trying to make a place where people can come and meet with these wonderful creatures, wild type! You can get a lot of such experience in Singapore, but those are well trained! These are all wild and you can touch them and even wrap them. Some are non-toxic, hence you can just love them, near your face... just like my good friend Nandana did:
Its the greatest thing you achieve, when you become connected with nature... Like that or may be,
Like this...
Always had the desire to hold a python.... Thanks Mubarak Bhaiya....picture: Jayabrata Mondal...!
In brief, the trip was fanta-bulous!
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