Jaldapara - Dooars - Beautiful Colours of West Bengal - Destination East - Incredible India

Jaldapara

 

We are enjoying the car ride through the Buxa forest. We are going to Madarihat. Our driver is telling stories about this road. How people has met with elephants on this stretch. We are thrilled. The sun has gone set. The light is diminishing. So is doing our bravery. I am wishing no meeting with jumbos on the road. 

We have reached Madarihat. We have booking in a lodge. We are searching for the lodge and we have found it in no time. Our driver has stopped the car at the exact place. 

Our luggages are unloaded from the car. We are saying goodbye to our driver. He was hired for the day long trip and dropping us here. We are happy with his service. He will now return to Jayanti on the same route.

 The road map from Buxa to Jaldapara

( Please don't judge by scale ;) )

Its a nice cool evening. I have come out to accompany Soumendu for his venture to buy cigarette. There is a four point crossing nearby. We have crossed the road and walked few steps to reach a shop. The shopkeeper has returned the balance amount and Soumendu is counting it. The shopkeeper has included a five rupees Bhutanese note instead of five rupees Indian note casually. The customer now has found it and expressing his objection. The shopkeeper is insisting to take the note as a souvenir of the trip. But the customer is not interested at all.

Our dinner is over and now we have gone to bed. Tomorrow we have to get up early to do jungle safari. A Maruti Gypsi will come in front of our lodge to pick us up. We wanted to do Elephant Safari but no vacancy is there. So we have to do the whole jungle safari on Gypsi. We need to go to sleep quickly but I am having an interesting chat with Soumya while Soumendu and Argha are listening silently.

We have got up at right time and we are now ready for our early morning jungle safari. We have come down on road and boarded the Gypsy. Its a December morning and we are the passengers on board of a open top Gypsy.

Our car started and quickly we have reached at the gate of the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary. After completing the formalities to enter the jungle, our car has started again.

Now we all four are standing. Our eyes are searching for the inhabitants of the jungle. After some time our car has stopped and our guide is showing us something at the left side of us. Its a male peacock. The peacock is having a stroll and we are watching it silently. Suddenly it started flying on above our head and crossed the road and disappeared in the jungle.

Our car is running fast and we are all freezing by standing on the open car. Again our car is slowing down and our guide is showing something on the left side in front of us. Its a big bison.

The bison we saw

Our car is moving fast. We can hear the sound of the car tyres on the ground. We are watching carefully if any more animal can be seen. We four tourists are standing. The wind is so cold that our hands are getting numb. The sun is rising. The earthy road is going deep into the sparse jungle. I am enjoying the beauty of this fantastic morning.

One of the branches of the earthy road network in Jaldapara

We can see some other earthy roads are crisscrossing the road we are traveling. The roads have formed a network to reach different parts of the jungle. We have now taken a diversion on our left. After passing some distance we can see some spotted dears are kept inside a closed area. The fencing is made of iron nets. Don't know what is the reason behind this zoo like system. Probably its made to protect the deers.
Next part:  Jaldapara Part-2

Let me know your comments (all sort of) in the comments section ;)

Youtube video link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkkB2AEBy5w

Next part:  Jaldapara Part-2

Previous part:  Destination Buxa Fort

Buxa Part-2 - Dooars - Beautiful Colours of West Bengal - Destination East - Incredible India

Buxa Part-2

After crossing the tree, we have found a shop nearby. There are few benches too in front of the shop. We are taking a break here. After eating some momo, we are enjoying tea now. I am tired and nobody else is seating on this bench. So I am now taking rest on my back and looking at the big tree above. This facility is free with momo and tea. I am feeling homely. This is a beauty of my country. 

We have resumed our walking. This part is easier. We have reached to a small stream. There is a bridge built on it. We are spending some time here. We can see the moon in the clear sky in the broad daylight. From here again our journey is upward.

The forest cover of Buxa hills

We are taking a small shortcut route. It is quite steep. When we are climbing, suddenly a dog has pushed me by its body and overtaken us. We did not know a dog was following us. It has surprised us.

Soumendu captured the moment when the dog was overtaking us

Now the pathway is going through a village. The houses are scattered on both sides of the path. There are mainly flowers plants that can bee seen all over the village area. The villagers are not seem to be much interrupted by our presence. So we can assume tourists are very regular to visit this place. Its winter time and peak season for tourism in dooars area.

A decorative plant in the village

We have reached at the Buxa Fort. There is a nice playground inside the fort premises. No idea what purpose this flat ground served when the fort was alive. During the British rule, this fort was used as prison. There were many prison cells spread all over the fort premises. The remains can be seen spread all over. It was a big prison and a notorious indeed.

The gang inside the ruins of Buxa Fort

We have explored the fort's main building area and we spent some time doing photo shooting. We have posed with the kukri (a dangerous looking knife) of our guide. Everyone of us posed with the kukri alone (giving a killer expression). In my photo I am looking innocent and helpless with the kukri in my hand. I am not going to show you that photo.  ;)

Now we are sitting at a tea shop near the fort gate adjacent to the fort wall. We cant say that its a tea shop in particular. It is selling many things mostly grocery items along with alcoholic beverages. Fosters and Haywards 5000 cans are fighting to attract the visitors. Lets see who wins.  ;)

The score is

Fosters             : 3

Haywards 5000  : 1

We have taken enough rest. Now we have started our return journey. This part of the trekking is easier as we are going downhill. 

We are having conversations with the guide about his family. His son and daughter are settled in faraway cities as there are very few employment opportunities here. They come to visit their native place occasionally. We are asking him if he has ever visited the Kolkata city. He is saying that he has visited the big Siliguri city but not the Kolkata city. He has heard about the Kolkata city as most tourists come from there. I am thinking that this man has spent almost his entire life in this jungle. It is fortunate or unfortunate for him, I am not able to judge that.

We have crossed more than half of the distance towards Santrabari. The sun is going to say adieu for the day. We can see our car is waiting for us. Our driver has taken it here to save time as we have to cover a long distance to reach Madarihat. Everyone is seemed happy to see our car.  :)
Next part:  Jaldapara 

Let me know your comments (all sort of) in the comments section ;)

Youtube video link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_UyjcDL4DE

Next part:  Jaldapara

Previous part:  Destination Buxa Fort