Chintamoni Kar Bird Sanctuary – City of Joy’s Little Secret Unveiled

"Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity for the human spirit." - Edward Abbey

I so much agree with this. Venturing into the wilderness is a necessity for our existence. In fact, I believe that there cannot be a better way to replenish your defunct state of mind after long periods of mundane abstinence from experiencing the sights and sounds of nature. But, owing to unavailability of holidays in a busy calendar month, I zeroed on a place which I hoped would offer some bit of the thrill and excitement of experiencing wilderness. And, I was not wrong. The place which I am about to talk is located at the southern edge of Kolkata, yet offered plenty of raw greenery and wild aroma to fill my senses. I am talking about my recent half-day outing to Chintamoni Kar Bird Sanctuary.

I read about this place quite a few years back yet never bothered to check it out. 
Now, that I have visited this place, I can so much associate my feelings with Tagore's immortal lines - 

"Just two steps from my home lies

On a sheaf of paddy grain, a glistening drop of dew"

About the Place:

Chintamoni Kar Bird Sanctuary (CKBS) formerly known as Kayal-er Bagan or Kayal’s Garden is situated in Narendrapur, in the southern fringe of Kolkata. It is little known to people that CKBS houses a wide variety of birds, butterflies, epiphytes, orchids and fern species besides being host to common reptiles like snakes and monitors and mammals like grey mongoose, rodents, bats and so on. This 17 acre protected area falls under Directorate of Forests 24 Parganas (South) Division within Sunderban Biosphere Reserve.

What to see?

As mentioned above, CKBS will offer you glimpses of different bird species and butterflies. Besides, if you’re lucky enough, you might get to see reptiles. Although most of these creatures are camera shy and owing to their super senses escape public sight at the slightest murmur of leaves which covers the serpentine walk-ways inside the sanctuary. In a word, there’s no specific 'thing of attraction' for visitors, yet a world of surprise awaits everyone who wishes to sip in the aroma of wild foliage and tread among unknown species of flora, just a stone-throw from their mundane city pent.

My Experience:

I had mixed expectations before entering the gates as this seemingly ‘unheard’ place is nestled right in the middle of a bustling suburb. Even as I got down from the auto rickshaw I saw locals thronging the roadside vendor for morning cuppa 'bharer cha' lingered with the essence of quintessential adda on a sunny saturday morning. I was doubtful, whether visiting this spot would be worthwhile. But just after I entered the gates, a wild aroma greeted me and I knew, I was at the right place!

I strolled towards a crossroad (the starting point of the walk) where the map of CKBS painted on a board is nailed to a tree. As per the map, there is one main route and it crisscrosses at several points with other paths, so whichever way you go, you can catch up with the main walkway leading to the entrance.

At this point there’s a thatched cottage for resting and a water tap. Apart from this, you’ll find another board with names of all the bird species found within the sanctuary, for the curious bird watchers and photographers, which is quite encouraging! 

I started walking along the path endowed with wilderness dissecting the open sky above with thick foliage and lofty branches encrusted with epiphytes and climbers, which added a spectral glare of the soft rays of the morning sun. It was a summer morning, just before the onset of monsoon and the weather was hot with a tinge of moisture. And hence, my nimble and cautious steps over the dry leaf-covered pathway offered little help to stop me from sweating. It was surprisingly quite here, the cacophony of traffic was missing and instead the air was filled with chirping of birds and sustained cricking of crickets (even  in bright daylight) and other insects from left, right, front, behind – almost everywhere. 

Just then, I spotted something moving cautiously within a nearby bush. I was hesitant at first, so stopped, crouched and tried to spot the hazy moving figure. To my surprise, it stopped too! And after a few minutes wait in ‘statue’ position, out came a grey mongoose, some 30 feets away, showing no signs of hurry in its movement. With an ‘I don’t give a damn’ attitude it walked right towards me and stopped within 10-15 feets, probably spotted a catch within the bush, and vanished in the blink of an eye. Its grey bushy tail was remarkable. This was the first time I saw a mongoose up close.

There were butterflies around, and in abundance. Yet these pretty things were ever so fluttery that it would take some serious effort to grab a snap. I managed to draw quick shutter on one of these exotic beauties.

A DSLR was badly missed. Bird watching however was rewarding, with the aid of my binocular I saw some 5-6 species of birds, of which I could only recognize - Magpie and Indian Koel.

Walking through the pathway encrusted in greenery all around was refreshing, to say the least. I saw water holes constructed inside for collecting rain water, obviously serving as refreshment pools for the wildlife. There’s a pond as well, however, owing to the summer heat, it appeared almost dried up. Along the pathway there were plenty of mounds (ant hills) and I wasted no chance clicking a few of these nature's wonders.

Finally, I reached the end of the path and came to a halt at the northern wall which secluded this wilderness from the civilization outside. On my way back I took another path. This path was narrower cutting through thick vegetation with centurion banyans and pipuls and scores of other trees with dense undergrowth and towering branches adorned with wild creepers hanging from above. A majestic view of the sun cutting through the dense undergrowth was a refreshing sight no less!

How to go?

From Garia take a bus or an auto rickshaw plying towards Narendrapur and get down at Kalitola stop. Cross over to the other side of the road and walk along the lane for 5 minutes, CKBS will be on your right side. The overflowing greenery from inside the high walls of the sanctuary will tell you that you have a date with nature! 

*Entry fee is Rs.50 per head. Still photography is allowed, for video shoots additional charges are applicable.

Tajpur Beach – An Enchanting Escapade

I’ll say it again and again and again “I travel not to escape life but for life not to escape me”

I want to make memories all over the world, although may not be possible in one lifetime; I will try and never stop trying. “For the seas call and the stars call, and oh, the call of the sky!”

My latest travel destination was Tajpur, a seafront in East Medinipur district of West Bengal, India, only 170 Kilometres from my home in Kolkata and a 3-4 hours drive from the maddening urban cacophony I grew up with.

Location of Tajpur Beach

Sometimes I prefer to travel alone, but most often I travel with a partner or two, but rarely in groups. I believe travelling with partner(s) with whom I can connect on a mental level, even to some extent, share and understand each other’s interests and mindsets helps to make the journey complete. Enjoying the nature’s bounty all by yourself is good but if you have someone, travelling with you, to share your happiness of experiencing the sights and sounds of the natural world, the pleasure multiplies. At least I think so. This time it was my dear friend Anjan, a very gifted person with a penchant for poetry and Tagore’s songs, who agreed to come with me to Tajpur.

As the bus we’re travelling left the freshly tarred city road and rolled along the national highway crossing every bend and turn, I felt excited and ready for the fun time at the beach. And, my wait wasn't for too long. We got down at Balisai (bus stop between Chawalkhola and Ramnagar, on the Kolkata-Digha bus route) after travelling on road for nearly 4 hours. 

The poetry of earth is never dead @ Tajpur Beach

A rented cab took us to Tajpur Nature Camp our destination for the next 2 days in just over 20 minutes. The journey from Balisai to Tajpur itself offered abundant natural scenery for us to enjoy. You have to drive along a narrow (part-mettled) road, built on an embankment separating huge tracts of farmlands and water-bodies (probably used for pisciculture).

Tajpur Nature Camp offered good hospitality and the food was delicious and healthy. Yes, let me start with the food… obviously like most Bengalis, it’s my weakness! A full course lunch comprise of rice, fries (5 types, as in typical Bengali food fare), veg & non-veg (fish/meat/eggs, as per preference) dishes, sweet dish and dessert (payasam), cooked with inimitable Bengali kitchen- spices, will certainly remind you of home-cooked food. Such heavenly food in the middle of lonely sea front miles from the nearest locality! What more would you want? I savoured every single dish to the last bite. Tea time snacks (Chicken pakodas) and dinner (Mutton kassa and roti) was finger-licking good.

Tajpur Nature Camp & Beach front

During our stay we ventured out during early evenings and stayed till late inside the shacks lining the beach sipping hot tea, fries, coconut water or the occasional beer. The food and drinks, the dark shadows of the beach, the starry firmament above, the sound of the rolling waves, dim lights inside the shack and the pleasant sea breeze, all helped building up a reflective ambience. The occasional intrusion of civilization from ringing cell phones couldn't be helped with, otherwise, I felt like spending the whole night on the hammock, inside the shack, enjoying moonshine kissing the sea waves!

Sunrise from Tajpur Beach

View from Tajpur Beach with Mandarmoni seen from a distance

The Estuary (mohona) at Tajpur, the beach teeming with red crabs

Sunset from Tajpur Beach

Nature's Child 

Swing, swing, up to the sky

If you compare Tajpur with neighbouring sea beaches of Mandarmani (which by the way is visible from Tajpur beach), Digha and Udaipur, you’ll find Tajpur beach to be quieter and cleaner than the other two. Less human footprint equals less pollution and more raw beauty to enjoy. That’s what I realized while walking with my travel buddy along the casuarina-lined sandy shoreline early evening, on our last day before departure. The red crabs thronging the entire stretch of the sandy coastline reminded me of our trip to Junput, last year. 

Sunrise from Tajpur beach the next day was one magical moment I will remember for a long time. Our weekend trip to Tajpur will remain ever etched in my memory as an enchanting escapade from monotony - from routine, targets, and race with my inner self.

Junput - A Forgotten Haven

Have you heard of Junput? Not before now? Then, read along and discover Junput through my eyes! Before, I tell you about this awesome place, let me start with a brief prelude.

Back in the late 1970’s and early 80’s the Govt. of West Bengal had decided to develop Junput as a sea-side tourist hub, but due to some local objections the location was shifted to Digha. In the last quarter of a century, Digha has gradually prospered into a popular coastal retreat for vacationers from across India and Junput, on the other hand, remained in isolation for all these years.

If you want to spend a few days at a location that’s remote and lonely, there could be no better place than Junput. Once I landed at Junput Bazaar, a 45 min bumpy trekker ride from Contai Bus Stand, I could see a distant stretch of casuarinas, which hinted that I’m near to the coastline. I boarded at Junput resort and shared the room with my travel partner and dear friend Anjan. 

[Photo: Nature & Life at Junput]

Now, I must tell you about Junput Resort, our address for 2 days. To put it simply, the resort was our “home away from home”, and I’m not exaggerating! Junput Resort is spread across a few acres of lush green field. What will strike you first after entering the resort is its pond (almost 500-600 Mt. in stretch); a brick-paved path will lead you to the gates of a 2 storey villa “Urbasi”. There are over 25 rooms (both a/c and non a/c rooms are available, with attached bathroom and English toilets) in the building and each room has a balcony, facing a bigger pond just outside the resort’s perimeter and surrounded by coconut palm and casuarinas. You can spend an entire day at the balcony itself listening to nature. The resort has an open air eatery, having enough space for 10-12 people to dine together. The manager and his associates were very friendly and they served us well. There are even 2 resident canines and they seemed more than eager to be friends with guests!

On the day of our arrival (we took the Howrah-Tamralipta Superfast Express at 6.40 am and arrived at Junput Resort by 11am) we had no clue as to where we should head out to. Before this trip we did some research and found out some nearby places of attraction – Dariapur Lighthouse, Petuaghat Fishery/Harbor, Bankiput beach, the famed Kapalkundala Temple etc, were on our list. After a sumptuous lunch we headed out to Haripur. Our guide was Akhtar Hossain, a local whom we met at Junput Bazaar. Akhtar agreed to be our guide and carried us on his Trolley-van (tricycle).  By the way, trolley-van is the chief mode of transport in this remote village, the other being trekkers, but it’s almost impossible to get into one as all are overloaded with commuters.

Haripur is 7-8 KMs from Junput. The place was once marked as a probable site for setting up a nuclear power generation center by the Govt. of India, but later, due to locals’ objection the plan was cut short midway. You could see vast stretch of land leveled; most probably ground work for the project was started and later halted. After crossing a muddy stretch of 1 and a half kilometers we came to an open field lined by casuarinas in the distance. From there we could hear the rumbling sea waves.

                                                    [photo: Haripur Beach]

The sandy sea beach is unique. The reason I say it ‘unique’ is due to its loneliness and remoteness. Not a single soul was seen as far as we could see. It’s a virgin beach!! In Digha or Mandarmoni you would see garbage lying here and there, but not in Haripur! There’s no one to be found! Hence, no littering; it seemed we are in some foreign land! Another attraction of Haripur beach is the beach population. Yes, the sandy stretch seemed overpopulated with red crabs!! We went there during the late afternoon hours and it seemed that it was time for the crabs’ evening walk. Hundreds (if not thousands) of red crabs dotted the sandy coastline...Some crawling out of water and into their sandy underground refuge by the coastline while others seemed busy strolling along the watery edge and enjoying the sunset! As far as I could see, the coast was speckled with red dots!

On the next day, we’re greeted by drizzle and occasional downpour; the weather remained like this for the rest of the day. Notwithstanding, we set out for Bankiput, Dariapur and Petuaghat, total 38 KMs (19 KMs x 2) up and down of a part bumpy-part smooth road trip on Akhtar’s tricycle.

Our first stop was Bankiput. The coastline here is under continuous threat from the sea, and hence reinforced concrete, boulders and heavy granite chips have been dumped all along the Bankiput coastline. Unlike Haripur, there is no sandy beach in Bankiput. The weather turned stormy by the time we reached Bankiput and the sea looked ominous with waves threatening to strike us from even quite a few hundred yards away! But, the virgin beauty of this isolated place is beyond words! A few fisherman coves were seen dotting the Bankiput coastline and off course, not a single soul could be seen as far as our eyes would go! 

                                                             [photo: Bankiput & Dariapur Sea-front]

Next stop Dariapur. The place is linked with noted novelist and literary genius Bankim Chandra Chattopadhayay. It is believed that as a civil servant, he spent his early career in this region as an administrator, representing the British masters of that time. There, he was impressed by the history of one local temple of Goddess Kali that was believed to have been worshiped by pirates and later became a hub for Tantriks or Mystics. Also, there was a widespread rumor of human-sacrifices being carried out in the past by Tantriks inside the temple altar. The famed novella “Kapalkundala” was penned by Bankim Chandra in that setting, hence the temple is known popularly as Kapalkundala Temple. Sadly enough, nothing significant remains of it today! We saw 2 temples at the spot, one was a Kali temple built with local patronage (a recent addition) and the other an old temple, probably of Lord Shiva, being restored. The original temple of Kapalkundala was almost half a kilometer away inside a nearby village. We visited the place and found that restoration work was in progress. Talking to masons and laborers, who were working at the site, we came to know that restoration work had started 2 months back and that they were asked to plaster the walls with cement!! The brick-walled, terracotta figurines (of whatever is still left) would get damaged permanently once, lime and cement are applied on it! 
But, who would listen?? (*sigh)

                                   [Kapalkundala , Bankim Smriti Mandir & local temples]

Dariapur Lighthouse was our next stop. A black and white striped structure stood erect before our eyes rising nearly a hundred meters. The lighthouse at Dariapur is the only functional lighthouse in this part of the Bay of Bengal coastline. Sadly enough, the gates were closed for visitors when we arrived there. (The lighthouse gates open only after 4pm every day). Hence, we couldn’t venture inside or climb atop the spiral to catch a glimpse of the surrounding...Our bad luck!

                                                      [Photo: Dariapur Lighthouse]

Petuaghat Fishing Harbour: Deshapran Fisheries (a Govt. of West Bengal undertaking) inaugurated in 2005, is the nerve center of this coastal hamlet. It’s a place where thousands of fish-trawlers harbor, load oil barrels, pack ice (for preserving fish) and load supplies for their next fishing trip after unloading their catch, which are then sent for sale all over India and beyond. The Jetty is located where Rasulpur River meets the Bay of Bengal. In the distance, the vast expanse of water seemed interrupted by two prominent islands. A local confirmed the places to be Khejuri and Hijli. The fishery looked an ever busy place with hundreds of fishermen attending to their various duties. Not a single person was seen idling. Fishing is a man’s trade but then women are also involved in fishing and selling of the catch, but here inside Petuaghat Fishery Harbour it seemed that it is a ‘strictly for men’ territory!

We returned from Petuaghat at around 3 pm and had a sumptuous lunch with fresh ‘tiger prawn’ curry and rice at the resort. We lazed all evening, while I was busy tuning my world receiver, my friend became engrossed in poetry. Late evening snacks with chicken pakora and tea refreshed us once again and an extended session of adda followed with the hotel manager and an attendant. We came to know many things about the place (some of it I have already penned in the prelude). Among others Sahadeb’s (the caretaker) first-hand experience at sea, when he was young and spent 3 months in a fishing trawler, amazed me.

[Photo: Deshapran Fishing Harbour at Petuaghat]

Life at sea for a fisherman is cruel and at times unforgiving, but then, people here are more accustomed to a maritime livelihood. Even our friend and guide Akhtar talked about his experience in sea at some point in his life. Listening to him was an experience in itself. The betel-leaf chewing man, in his mid-forties, would come across as a lanky figure with an unmistakable rustic accent. But, beyond his physical appearance here was a man with a heart of gold. He didn’t know us, neither did we, yet within this short time he became our travel partner; he put a hold to his day-job of carrying logs from the coastline to log-merchants, for an entire day, just to be our guide! No amount of monetary payment is enough to equate and praise Akhter bhai’s selflessness and modesty. I lost my sandals at Bankiput in the sea while dillydallying in the waves. Akhtar offered his slippers to me for an entire day and he traveled, cycled, barefoot and wouldn’t wear them back, even on my insistence. He stayed barefoot till late evening that day when he accompanied me to a shoe-vendor at Junput Bazaar. Meeting such a great person has reinstated my faith in humanity.

Travelling to Junput was by far one of the best tour decisions of my life. Before the trip we were apprehensive about the place. I came across 2 reviews in a travel forum and both spoke badly about the resort and the place. Even, one of the reviewer went to the extent of calling it a ‘’haunted place”! But, I would say, all of these reviews are bogus. My two pence – You must visit Junput. Once you’re there please travel to Haripur beach. Junput Resort is an absolute haven to one who has been long in city pent!

Photo Courtesy : Anjan Banerjee & Rajdeep Das