Bishnupur, West Bengal

Bishnupur – 18^th Century architecture amuses 21^st Century viewers

 Rashmoncho

---

There are many travelled – untraveled spots in the state of West Bengal. It is one of the few states of India which has all - Historic monuments, beaches, mountains and jungles.

One among them is Bishnupur, which has remained mainly an untouched destination by the people outside of Bengal.

Bishnupur is a small town in Bankura district of West Bengal, India, 132 km away from Kolkata. The uniqueness of this place is its terracotta temples built in 17th and 18th Century. The architecture depicts the socio economic condition of the era. Numerous big and small temples still exist in the city.

Five of us planned to visit the place in October 2014. Kolkata to Bishnupur can be a same day return trip. However, we wanted to spend time in the serenity of Shaniniketan, hence made the trip 3 days long.

We started our road journey at 8am only to repent later. We missed to enjoy the free roads of Kolkata and also missed to see the colour of River Ganga during sunrise. 

Never mind, we crossed the hustle and bustle of cities in some time and reached to the countryside which we call suburbs. We took Durgapur express way route to avoid the bumpy ride of the other route.

---

For some time, we all just quietly enjoyed the fresh breeze, beauty of long stretched paddy field, white wild flower covering (called Kash Phool in Bengali blooms in early October in eastern part of India) the sides of the roads.

We decided to have our breakfast at around 9:00 – 9:30am after reaching a place named Shaktigarh near Burdwan city. Although entire Bengal is famous for wide variety of sweets, this place is the originator of a sweet named Langcha. 

We noticed a unique thing there. All the eating joints (approx. 25-30 in number) on both sides of the road is named after the sweet Langcha like Langcha Dham, Langcha Bhavan, Langcha kutir etc. ( Dham, Bhavan are all synonyms “house”.)

We entered in one of them. Aroma of hot Kachori and Bengali potato curry made the sound of our growling stomach quite audible. I must admit that the taste and enjoyment of eating local cuisine on roadside joints is unparalleled. We signed off our heavy breakfast session with famous Langcha.  

 

---

Kids growing up in metropolitan city are generally deprived of the lovely view of the nature, so they were the one enjoying every moment of the journey. Right from looking at the grazing cattle, herders sitting on a small rock with a stick in hand, men and women working in the field, bullock carts and many more.

It was around 12pm, when our vehicle entered onto the hard road. We knew this stretch of few kilometres is going to bother us and as always we will keep complaining throughout.

However, for a change this time we decided to concentrate more on the beauty of the place and less on the condition of the road. And we agreed that the nature’s beauty subdued the agony. We passed by small villages, long stretched foliage, bamboo trees, small winding rivers…….
we crossed Bankura town and the small station of Bishnupur.

Closer view of the art 

 

As we entered Bishnupur, started enquiring about the way to the temples. We had an impression that being small place we will find the way easily but to our surprise we got only one reply “Which temple?”
 

Finally a senior person obliged us by showing us the route of one of the temples- Rasmoncho.. He asked us to further enquire there. That was a fair and honest suggestion. By then we understood that there are numerous temples known by different names (It is better to keep a route map to Rasmoncho - google to find one, from there hire a guide and no hassle thereafter.)

During this quest, kids got bored and started showing the boredom syndrome as feeling hungry. But our aim was to visit the spots so somehow with additional junk eateries chips and cold drink kept them occupied. Frankly speaking the last half an hour was quite annoying for the adults as well.

However, fatigue, anger everything vanished the moment we saw the beautiful temple – our first stop.

We hired a guide who took us to12 different temples each of them with unique art and different stories depicted on the walls.

We also visited one of the rarest temples of Hindu goddess kali built by Hindu king. The idol is famous in the name of CHIINOMASTA KALI (CHHINO meaning separated; Masta came from the word Mastak meaning head).

Though our eyes were stuck on the art of old century; but could not give a miss to the local handicraft being sold outside every temple.

We were quite behind our schedule, still could not resist to buy few articles made out of coconut shell and burnt soil.

We had earlier planned to have our lunch at Durgapur but it was already close to 3pm and there was no way kids could have waited for another hour. So we had our lunch in one of the restaurants there.

After lunch, we left for our next destination. We decided to come back again to see another set of 10 temples.

We concluded our journey by visiting shiv temple near Bardhawan railway station. It is a unique temple complex. There are 108 Lord Shiva temples, arranged in two rows and shaped like traditional Bengali mud hut. Pious end of a beautiful journey.

 

 

About me:   My name is Sanchita Sengupta. I have been associated with apparel/fashion industry from past two decades. Travelling, reading, Writing are my passion. I am writing travelogues since my childhood days. 

  

Another Goa

I first visited Goa as a student of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. The students of only one department (Urban and Rural Community Development), were privileged a second study tour. Almost everyone who heard, including inside and outside of TISS chuckled “Goa, yeh, study tour!?” This near universal expression, we the privileged (URCD-ies) interpreted as envy, a second study tour that too Goa!

Like many other, the good thing about the tour was also the background work. We read up Fish Curry and Rice by Claude Alvares, we read up about Du Pont and the controversial Asia’s largest Nylon 6.6 plant, tourism and how it impacts local culture, five-star hotels, and what they are doing to the fishing based livelihoods, the sea, the waste they generate, privatisation of common properties like the sea face and the beach and most importantly the projected image of Goa “Wine, Women and … (song, food, sun, beach, drugs..You name it), and why that is just not right. 

 

Paddy Fields in the rain

We have been there one more time after almost more than a decade with friends and stayed closer to the beach. Contrary to the Sun, Sand and the Sea, this time we went to experience the rains, forests, rivers and peace.

Our visit in early July was to watch it rain. Once you love the rains, you will watch them, hear them and feel them very differently. The rains change from place to place, the sound they make on the roofs, tin or clay, on rivers, on hills, on roads is so very different. From the tiniest drops that stick to your hair like sparkling diamonds, the big fat drops, to the sheets of rain that come crashing down to cover the earth, they bring such joy and happiness.

So, we followed the progress of monsoon (been inspired by Chasing the Monsoon/ Alexander Frater). Sadly there was very little to follow. It had rained earlier on, but as we got closer to the date of travel, there was not even as much as a drizzle, neither in Hyderabad nor in Goa!  We were waiting like the Chataka bird (as we call it in Odiya – the cuckoo, Clamator jacobinus), that waits for rains to quench its thirst.

Still, we went with hope.

As your cab turns inwards leaving the coastline behind, and you enter into the inside, curved roads, leaving the city behind, you know you have chosen well. The lush green of paddy fields, shadowy trees, cashew plants engulfs you into a different side of Goa.

 

Arco Iris

We were staying at a place called Arco Iris (which is Portuguese for rainbow) at Curtorim. A 200-year-old Portuguese house renovated as a homestay. The house faces the unending paddy fields. The walk around is surrounded by similar old houses, some abandoned and dilapidated, some locked up and some being still lived in, surfacing issues around property, ownership and the migratory status of most of us. We do not know where we belong; whether where we physically are or where our heart yearns to be.

The quiet that our countryside offers is amazing. No sound of vehicles, hardly any honking and one can walk miles without being interrupted by any sound that is not local. There is the local fish man/woman who brings in fresh fish. There is also the local bread (pui) which is delivered twice daily.

There is a peaceful rhythm to life. The paths, the river, the cats, dogs, birds make for excellent walking and living companions.

At Arco Iris, besides the lovely family of four, there is also Feni, a beautiful Labrador. The first time she saw us, she barked and then immediately became friends. We also bribed her with tiny bits of pui every day, so that we develop affinity quickly, without wasting the short vacation time of two days, expecting she will come and sit with us in the balcao and walk with us.

 

Rain-drenched Sunday

As it happened, Curtorim is a good friend’s village and this fact added to the fun, that we were going to be staying in her village, walking those same paths! On a Sunday morning we went to see the old village church, nice atmosphere of familiarity of Sunday mass. Since Sunday is also church day, when everyone steps out to go to the church, I noticed during our walks, two persons on the road who looked mentally challenged. But unlike in urban areas, where we see them uncared for, destitute and living off the road, these persons looked like they were being taken care of. Struck me what we had studied and experienced in community organising (TISS course work) that a close knit community takes care of its difficulties and problems together. It may just be out of charity, but in a country like ours, with multiple and multi-layered issues, we need to exercise both, Charity and Rights.

It rained that night, so we woke up to the rain washed surrounding, looking at the plants and trees, holding last night’s rain drops on their leaves. In no time, it poured! Lovely lovely heavy rains! Our friend (Gouthami works on Responsible tourism and has set up, Travel Another India, she suggested experiencing this side of Goa, other than the beach and sand) drove us around in pouring rain through nice long undulating empty roads. That drive is etched forever as one of the brilliant drives spent in the rain.

 

Rock Paintings

Since we were that side, we drove around looking for Usgalimal rock engravings, which is one of the most important prehistoric sites in western India. When we got there, about one km down from the main road between Rivona to Neturlim, on the banks of river Kushavati, the river was flowing full since the rains, it took us sometime to find the engravings, but as soon as we figured out one, we found them all! These petroglyphs (rock art) are approximately 20,000 to 30,000 years old and belong to the Upper Palaeolithic or Mesolithic eras. More than 100 distinct figures in an area of 500 sqm, with images of bulls, labyrinths and human figures are carved on laterite stones. The fun part was that there was nobody around; and jamun (Syzygium cumini) trees in plenty laden with fruit, no one to eat or guard. Feast!

 

Wonder what they were trying to draw?

We also stopped at the beautiful Braganza Mansions, nice, old furniture, knick knacks, the mansion presenting bygone days and ways of a household.

An old toilet at Braganza Mansion

 

At Braganza Mansion

I have often longed for Rain tourism! May be for us, Rain has come to mean either floods, when too much, or drought when none. But to go from place to place, to be in the rains, to cleanse the summer dust, to fill the lungs with the fresh smell of wet earth and to sit down and watch, to rest and to be in peace, ah! 

 

Anu and Dilip with Feni in the balcao

Thanks to Travel Another India and Gouthami, and Arco Iris, it was wonderful two days spent in a renovated Portuguese house, with Goan food and Feni.

http://travelanotherindia.com/goa.html - for bookings, gou@travelanotherindia.com or call +91 9940 559 513

Anuradha Pati

July 2014

Juggernaut of Happpiness - Sikkim Diaries

The moment I stepped into Sikkim, I instantly knew that my first post in the brand new year would be about Sikkim and no other place. There are a few places that you may like, a few places that you may end up falling in love with, but there are only a handful of places which you can actually connect to. You know the feeling of owning the place, the feeling that only your home can bring it to you. This is what I felt when I visited North Sikkim. Yes, I did travel West, South and North Sikkim. All of them equally enchanting and having different things to offer but it was North Sikkim that cast its spell on me. So, the title had to be what I felt while I was there - Juggernaut of Happiness that is and this post is all about North Sikkim.

We started our journey from Gangtok towards Lachen at about 8am in the morning. It  is a good 6-7 hour drive. It takes a long time to get from one place to another due to the high altitude, terrain and some of the roads aren’t in a good shape.

These vibrant flags are so totally synonymous with Sikkim region. It indicates the divine power and it is believed that as wind blows, the prayers that are written on the flag will have effect on people and surroundings. The colorful ones are the prayer flags and all white flags are set up in order to pray for the peace of the deceased.

This is Tashi viewpoint where you can catch the breathtaking view of Khangchendzonga a.k.a Kanchenjunga. Tashi viewpoint is on the highway en route to Lachen.

The snowcapped mountain peak that you see is Khangchendzonga. You get to see it literally from all the places in Sikkim. Best view can be found from Pelling, West Sikkim.

After a very beautiful drive, where we was totally engrossed in taking pictures, we reached Lachen village. As you can see in the picture, mineral water bottles aren’t allowed here. This is done to reduce plastic usage. They provide boiled water to drink. Don’t come here thinking about big fancy hotels. Most of the houses are converted into home stays and they completely ensure that they take good care of you. No dearth of hospitality here in Sikkim. Overnight stay at Lachen would be needed if you’re heading towards Thangu and Gurudongmar Lake.

Lachen Village is run by a self-governance system called as Dzumsa, where a headman is elected to settle the disputes in a democratic way. Shot this picture in a place called Thangu, which is the last civilian settlement that you can come across before heading towards Gurudongmar Lake. Ensure that you take permits before entering these places. At every place, including Lachen, checkpoints are present. Without permits, no one is allowed to enter these zones.

This is the magical Teesta River, lifeline of Sikkim. She is there all along the journey and in more ways than one, she makes the journey very special. I can’t pick whether it is the amazing sound that she makes while flowing or whether it is about the very distinct green color that she possesses or whether it is she along with the surroundings that make it all very enchanting.

This was a local’s house in Thangu where we had breakfast. Thangu is at an altitude of 13000 feet. What you see in the picture is actually a form of stove. They use it to cook food as well to get some relief from the cold. This stove apparently has been got from China and it costs about 10-12k.The best part in this North Sikkim trip was that we got a chance to interact with so many locals and we got to know their way of life. 

Of course dogs had to be there to make it so memorable for me. It just made my day. These two munchkins were in the same local’s house. Chai, Maggi and doggie - Amazing combination isn’t it? 

On the way to Gurudongmar lake from Thangu. If you do not wish to see snow, best time to visit Sikkim would be April-May. If not in these months, visit from October-December 1st week. Post that it’s dicey as roads may be blocked due to snowfall and Army won’t give permission to get to many of these places. Even otherwise, roads would be filled with snow and there is no way to get past.

I think Sikkim visit, in particular North Sikkim, has had a lot of impact on me personally. It was more like I got as close to nature as possible. It made me feel that I should get down there and explore more places within India. It also helped to know that people of a region can be so warm and nice to fellow Indians. Content in life and bereft of selfishness.

Getting closer to Chopta Valley. In winter, it is completely snow covered. But if you get there in summer, you get to see a riot of colorful flowers, mainly the famous rhododendrons.

This is how Chopta valley looks. When we went to Lachen, the temperature was -3 to -4 degree Celsius. It was freezing cold and no heaters were available given the electricity fluctuation at Lachen. To top it all, no mobile network other than BSNL [Vodafone and Airtel may come up in few months] and sorry, no TV also in the rooms. But that was the least of our concerns.

This is Chopta Valley and foreigners are not allowed beyond this point since it gets closer to Indo-China border from here. In winter, Gurudongmar lake is completely frozen. But it is also said that at any point in time, there would be some part in the lake that would not have frozen.

This is the water coming down from the snowcapped mountains, now frozen !

It was now time to head towards Lachung, 2-3 hours’ drive from Lachen. This is yet again a Kanchenjunga view in the evening from our hotel in Lachung. Overnight stay at Lachung is required before you head out the next day towards Yumthang-Yumesamdong.

This is how it looked as we entered Yumthang Valley or popularly known as “Valley of flowers”. Yumthang Valley is actually a rhododendron sanctuary. It is at an elevation of 11,800 feet.

This is on the way to the hot spring present in Yumthang Valley. These hot springs are rich in Sulphur content and the average temperature is around 50 degree Celsius.

Aren’t these roads absolutely stunning? En route to zero point, Yumesamdong. Some of the places are so surreal that you may end up wishing time to come to a standstill.

Yeah reached Zero Point!

It’s called Zero Point as this is where the road ends and you would find some snow over here throughout the year.

This was at Zero Point where you get to eat amazing chana, maggi and not to forget coffee and old monk ! 

One of the local people who was kind enough to let me take his pic at Zero Point

This has to be one of my best trips till date. So thankful to all the people who I could get to interact with for not only making me feel one among them but also for the amazing hospitality given to us. I already miss Sikkim! I’m not sure when I can get there one more time, but I know I will, for sure!

Surya Raju
January 2015