Travel Blog

By-P.C.Ray

There are many ways to reach Sunderban. One way is from Sealdah by train via Canning which is called the Gateway to Sunderban., or from Chowringee, Kolkata by bus via Sonakhali to Basanti. From here either by bus or by boat one can go to the Tiger Reserve Forest and Pakhirwalla within one and half hours. The government Tourist Lodge is fully equipped to give comfort and joy of stay. Besides, there are private lodges and lodges maintained by the Municipalty. Far from the madding crowd, yet adorned with pomp and pleasure, the lodges invite the elite of the neighbouring places. Here the people come to shake off the drudging daily routine life, while others come to gain experience of the solitude. As the great litterateur of the English literature Francis Bacon said, “ Travel in the younger sort, is a part of education; in the elder a part of experience.” (Of Travel)

Sunderban is full of scattered islands, the only link being boat .In trugh, it is the land of the greenery. Here the men and women are simply dressed. Men are mostly found with stripped Lungis and women are simply covered with apron with open unruly hairs. Most of the people have no fixed earning, they live on chance. Area is sparsely populated, and by and large people live from hand to mouth. Women are seen here and there catching fishes pulling their saris up to the middle of their thigh. This is their daily routine. Though their daily life seems to be miserable and uncertain, yet it is pure and serene. Here there is no artificiality of the city-men and hence no tension or morbidity of outlook. The skin is black but smooth. The weather helps the inmates to keep themselves fair and lovely. The greeneries are covered by the bluish sky and all along one can hear the soft sweet music of the chirping birds of many colours, along with the blowing soft breezes. It seems the very existence is controlled by some unknown forces. I asked my friend Mr. B.N.Choudhury, “How do you feel?” His instant reply was, “Fantastic.” He further added, “This part of the country side is really eco-friendly. The people have self confidence. They know how to depend. That is why having nothing they have everything. They do not moan. They do not grumble. They are the real stoics. They do not suffer like affluent of the city-people.”In fact, acceptance of the stark reality is their virtue. Their firm conviction in their destiny keeps them hale and hearty. They know that life is uncertain; they have the zeal to accept the challenge of life and are ever ready to combat and face any encumbrances. Their innocent spirit is not polluted by he sophisticated education. Their teacher is the nature. It is the natures which give them the impetus to face life and its problems.

They live in close association with each other. Most of the people are of scheduled castes, their titles being, Mondal, Maity, Giri, jana, Sarkar etc.There are very few old men. So I concluded that the average life is less than the nation’s average. However, they welcome the travellers as tourism is a source of income in this part of the area. And the Govt. of West Bengal is trying to add colour to Sunderban for attracting the travelers. The clustered of islands have their own distinctive qualities. Some islands are not vitiated by the people. These islands are called Virgin Island. Who would not like to visit these islands in the otherwise most populated State of West Bengal.

The chief food is rice, dal, vegetable and of course fish.’ Where there is fish, there is water’; and Sundeban being murshy place is full of variey of fishes. Thee are about 120 species of fishes, like, pran, lobster, mobskipper, ban fish, pakhal fish, sankar fish, pacha fish, arfish etc. Forest area is about 4000 square kilometer and there are fifty verities of mammals. Among them are most attractive are Vora deer, boar, wild cats etc. It is said that there are not less than 315 species of birds like, White sea-eagles, King fisher, Raptors, Sand pipers, Storks, Saras, mayona etc. Reptiles are also of 50 varieties like snakes, crocodiles etc.

The chief attraction of the place is Watch Tower Complex in Sajnakhali from where one can see the peerless pure beauty and serenity of nature. And if you are lucky you can have a near view of the Royal Bengal Tiger on the lap of nature, the scene of which is unparalled in this earthly earth. You would be happy to know that the Govt. has declared 9360 square kilometer as Biosphere Reserve. National Tiger Reserve is now World Heritage Site as declared by the UNESCO. Now there are 271 tigers according to the census of 2002. The Mughal, East India Company and the British wanted to make this area agricultural instead of fisciculture . This attempt marred the virgin beauty of Sunderban to a great extent.

In conclusion I must mention that Sunderban, in spite of all its nobility and variety is not free from nature’s fury. Torrential rain, strong wind and typhoon do visit during the summer. So the best time to visit this place is after Diwali. Of course during monsoon Sajnakholi becomes the strong hold of the ornithologists and the birds of various species. , The vastness of the furious sea can be observed by the Motor boat which moves around the deep jungle of the Sunderban being escorted by the Tourist guides of the Govt. of West Bengal. The traveler can book three days journey with about Rs 3000, from Kolkata, West Bengal Board of Tourism.

In this dull and drab world you can have a scope to release the pangs of life by floating in the Bay of Bengal on the coast of Sunderban. Here is the nature’s bounty to make your mind spacious and broad enough to accommodate the seamy side of life. Let me end with a quotation, “What is this life if full of care, you have no time to stand and stare.”