East calling: Start with Bagdogra
Kakoli Thakur
If you have never explored east, you can
always start with Bagdogra in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district. So the next
time when you are tired of the hustle and bustle of your busy city life, visit
this small town known for its serenity and tranquillity.
Located in the lap of the hills that
lead to the mighty Himalayas, you can make Bagdogra the base and explore the
exotic places around. The best part is the town has an airport that is well
connected with Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.
Kurseong: Sixty
km from Bagdogra airport lies the sleepy hill town of Kurseong. Once there, you
can hear the whistling sound of the steam engine and see the toy train slowly
snaking its way through the mountains.
Kurseong is also known as 'The place of white
orchids' due to the abundance of rare flowers. There are beautiful tea gardens,
lush green forests and year-round vegetation on the slopes. From some parts of
nearby Kalimpong, you get resplendent views of Mount Kanchenjunga, Kabru and
Jannu. The sight of the rivers Teesta and Mahananda just takes your breath
away. Kurseong is an ideal place for nature walks where you can enjoy a slice
of rural life.
Animal lovers, don’t forget to visit the Deer Park
and Dowhill Eco Park, about 4 km east. Spread across a green patch of about 20
acres, it has a sparkling water fountain, a flower house and a number of rare
animal species. Trekkers will love the secluded stretches and the scenic views.
It is named after deer as large numbers of the animal was found in the area
before deforestation and poaching set in.
Mirik: About
55 km from Bagdogra airport, is another ideal destination. The main attraction
is the 1.25-km Sumendu lake surrounded by Dhupi trees on the western bank and a
vast garden on the eastern bank. A floating fountain in the middle and a quaint
little footbridge that connects the flower garden on the eastern bank to the
heavily forested ridge with thousands of Cryptomaria-Japanica trees on the west
make it a tourist’s delight.
If you are lucky, you may see a rare reflection of
the Kanchenjunga in the lake waters. There are points from where you can see
Kanchenjunga’s blinding snow-white peaks. This place is surrounded by tea
estates, orange orchards and cardamom plantations. Short treks from Mirik are
also conducted.
If you want to just laze around, stay in the Swiss
cottages on the hill top from where you can have a panoramic view of the lake
and almost all of Mirik.
Rameetay Dara:
An ideal spot to enjoy the sunrise and sunset, it is famous for the pristine
view of the plains and snow-clad mountains of Mirik. The pleasant weather throughout
the year is such a relief. At a short distance is Kawlay Dara, known for the
misty mountains. This peak provides a spectacular view of the lush green flora
of the Himalayas.
Tourists can enjoy trekking, leisure walks or
mountain climbing at these places. A number of interesting places are located
in the vicinity of Kawlay Dara like Singha Devi Temple and Deosi Dara.
Deosi Dara:
Located 1768 m above sea level, it is a perfect destination for nature lovers
with a panoramic view of the Mirik Valley and is a heaven for photographers.
Surrounded with emerald green pine trees and lush green jungles, it is popular
among local picnickers too. Away from the polluted cities, one can enjoy the
lovely sunrise and sunset.
Mahananda Wildlife sanctuary:
Half an hour away from Bagdogra lies the sanctuary located between the
Mahananda and Teesta rivers.
If you drive straight down the main forest road, you
will reach the banks of the Mahananda. Regular day safaris are offered in the
sanctuary from the Sukna gate in the morning and afternoon. But you need to
take your own car, preferably a big one, and return before dusk.
If you are lucky, you can even spot Royal Bengal
Tigers. Some 36 different species of mammals approximately exist, including
Himalayan black bear, leopards, rare mountain goats (serow), etc.
A haven for bird watchers, there are approximately 243
different species of birds, including Himalayan pied hornbills, peafowls,
racket tail drongo, etc.
Several watch towers have been set up: one in
Laltong on the Teesta river bank, astounding for watching elephant migration;
another has been created in the Gulma railway station using a train's cabin and
is used to watch deer, Indian bison, etc.
Gorumara National Park: Located
on the flood plains of Murti and Jaldhaka rivers, Gorumara is famous for the
Asiatic one-horned rhino. Just two hours from Bagdogra, the meandering ride to
Gorumara through tea gardens is just splendid.
Tourists can go for jungle safari to have a sight of
elephants, rhinos, Indian bison (gaur), etc. You have to book forest safari
with the forest department and take an authorised guide along to the
watchtowers. Trespassing is illegal and can be dangerous. The common safaris
include the Jatraprasad, Methla, Chukchuki, Chandrachur and Chapramari watchtowers.
Visitors need to obtain a special permission to
enter its interiors. The Gorumara national park has approximately 48 species of
carnivores and herbivores, 193 species of birds, 22 of reptiles, 7 of turtles,
27 species of fishes, etc. Birds include minivets, pheasants, hornbills, etc.
During winter, migratory birds including the brahminy duck, ibis, teals, etc.,
can be seen. The night hunters are the owls and the nightjars.
Access points
From Bagdogra
Airport, it is easy to explore West Bengal’s hills (Darjeeling, Kalimpong,
Chalsa, Dooars etc.) and Sikkim (Gangtok, Pelling, North Sikkim etc).
Another plus
point is, the airport also has direct flights from Paro (Bhutan) and Kathmandu
(Nepal). The nearest railhead is New Jalpaiguri.
Attractions in
Bagdogra
Bagdogra is very
rich in culture and tradition. The best season to visit is October to March.
Some of the major festivals include Gangasagar Mela, Kenduli Mela, Jalpesh Mela
and Naba Barsho.
Naba Barsho is
observed as the New Year according to the Tibetan calendar and is celebrated
with great zest.
You can also spend a day in local sight-seeing and
visit the Kali Mandir, ISKCON
Temple, Science
City, Coronation Bridge, Surya Sen Park, Salugara Monastery, Madhuban
Park, Savin
Kingdom, Umrao
Singh Boat Club.
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