Mousuni is a small island located near Namkhana, West Bengal. It's beauty lies in the confluence of the sea. Tourists visit Mousuni to experience its virgin beaches and fisher folk fables. For the past couple of years I have heard a lot about this island and so when my friends planned for a weekend visit to Mousuni Island I instantly agreed. As time was short we made necessary arrangements and booked Skyler Nature Camp at Mousuni Island.
This time our team comprised of Soham, Sandipan and myself. Sadly my brother Piangshuk could not make it through as he had prior engagements. We boarded Namkhana Local from Garia railway station at around 4.20 A.M on 14th November, 2021.
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| Team Mousuni Island... |
We started early because we wanted to spent maximum time exploring the island. We reached Namkhana railway station at 7 A.M. As we had ample time to spare we relaxed for a while with a glass of warm tea. After quenching our thirst we booked a Toto for two hundred and thirty rupees and headed for the Bagdanga Ghat. It was nearly a one hour Toto trip from Namkhana to Bagdanga Ghat passing through numerous small villages on the way.
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| Bagdanga Ghat |
When we reached Bagdanga Ghat, the ferry had already left for Mousuni Island so we had to wait for nearly fifteen minutes to catch the next one. Our sail over the river was a smooth one and the ferry fare was Rupees five per person. On reaching Mousuni we booked another Toto and reached our destination Skyler Nature Camp which was nearly twenty five minutes from the ferry ghat. On reaching the camp we were welcomed with coconut water and were allocated to our respective room. The simplicity and humbleness of the staff touched our heart.
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| Exterior View |
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| Interior View |
We quickly freshened up and were served with breakfast. We had our fill and retired to our room for a siesta. We only woke up at around 2 P.M. when the manager knocked and informed that the lunch was ready. The lunch was a sumptuous affair to say the least including two types of fish. After finishing our lunch we went for a stroll around the village. We witnessed the devastating effects caused by the super cyclone Amphan. We stopped at a local tea shop and had a few cups of tea. Afterwards we went to the sea beach and chatted for long hours. It was already dusk when we returned to our camp for checking out the chicken berbeque we had ordered earlier that morning.
What astonished me most was even in that remote location the berbeque chicken was made super tender and juicy. In less than half an hour we were done with nearly one kilogram of chicken sitting in the hammock by the fire. That night after having our dinner we played cards and reflected on our trip so far.
Next morning i.e., on 15th November, 2021 we skipped our respective breakfasts and instead had high tea in a nearby local shop. Afterwards we were about to go for a walk through the adjacent village when we spotted a carrom board and started playing. It was nearly six and half years when we last played carrom and it was so mind refreshing that it became the highlight of the trip to Mousuni Island.
We spent nearly two and half hours playing carrom. When we returned to our camp the manager informed us that the lunch was ready. We took bathe and ate our lunch before finishing our formalities for check out at around 2.30 P.M.
We boarded Namkhana Local at around 4.33 P.M. and reached Garia at 6.45 P.M. According to me, weekend trips clear away the rust of the whole week and is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.
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| Life is like the ocean. It can be calm or still, and rough or rigid, but in the end it is always beautiful... |
(Picture Courtesy: Sandipan Mondal and Soham Nayek.)
