Bolpur: The Land of Literature

I always loved travelling to offbeat places far away from the hustle and bustle of our regular lifestyle. Every time I travel to these remote places I find my soul and rediscover myself as a traveller. That's how I can sum up my trips so far but this time I decided to break my regular travel pattern. While nature has always been in the top of my priority list literature also incites me from within. So, this time I decided to break my regular travel pattern & take a trip to Bolpur, Santiniketan on 29th April, 2022.

One-day, my brother told me that he was travelling to Puri with his office colleagues on 29th of April, 2022. I could never sit back when it comes to travelling. So I decided to take a short trip as well. Whenever I start to plan for a trip nature comes to my mind first but as the time was very short we could not make the necessary ticket reservations. I called up Netin and he came up with the plan of travelling to Santiniketan. In the mean time I also called Abhranil Kundu (one of my friends) and disclosed him the entire plan. Finally we all agreed upon and set forth.

We boarded Santiniketan Express (12337) from Howrah and reached Bolpur on 29th April, 2022. Bolpur being a heritage station is very well maintained.

As soon as we stepped out of the station we were encircled by the awaiting Toto drivers and offered us with several packages for sight-seeing. We thoroughly negotiated with many toto drivers before selecting one. Fortunately, our Toto driver was a humble person and offered us a good package (Boloram- 8759647922). We boarded his Toto and headed straight towards our accommodation for the next couple of days, Lodge Swagatam.

After reaching the lodge we quickly freshened up and headed for lunch as we were very hungry. Our destination was Ghare Baire Restaurant. The restaurant is famous for Bengali cuisine. On finishing the lunch we called up the Toto driver and headed to our first spot of the day Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary/Deer Park. Entry fee for each visitor is fifty rupees. The park is a part of the sanctuary which serves as a rescue centre for the Chitals or Spotted deer. The park is very well maintained and it being off season we were the lone visitors in the park. The tranquillity and serenity of the place touched our heart. More than 250 Chitals are being conserved in the park.

While we were strolling through the vast wilderness we noticed a watch tower and quickly went to the top for getting an overview of the area. Here I would like to mention that I prefer travelling during the off seasons not only because it is budget friendly but also because I can witness the true essence of any place when people are less in number. If one is planning to visit Bolpur, Ballavpur Deer Park is a must visit place.

From Ballavpur Deer Park we went straight to Srijani Silpagram maintained by Eastern Zonal Cultural Council, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. It is an ideal place for people who  are in love with culture. The objective of the place is to provide a realistic glimpse of different states and their cultural heritage.

Whilst we were inside the silpagram weather suddenly turned stormy and soon it started pouring heavily. Fortunately, by that time we had almost completed our exploration. Sellers from the nearby locality displayed their self made handlooms to the visitors. We not only enjoyed the place but also were surprised by the sudden upturn of the weather. The downpour was so welcoming after such a hot and humid day that I wished to drench myself but somehow managed to control my exuberance.

Because of the rain we had to drop our plan of visiting Surul Zamindar house and were forced to return to our abode. Finally, when the rain stopped it was already 7: 30 P.M. We went for a little stroll in order to explore the locality and its street food. Santiniketan is not famous for its street food so apart from panipuri and chicken momo we could not find any other choice. That day we had our dinner at Canteen 4. It was a sumptuous dinner and the quality of food was excellent. We were so tired from the day long exertion that after reaching the lodge we could hardly stay awake. We quickly called it a day.

Next day i.e. 30th April, 2022 we woke up early and headed straight towards the Kankalitala Temple located in the outskirts of Bolpur. Due to the heavy rainfall in the previous night, the weather was very pleasant. On our way to the temple we witnessed numerous small villages. We halted every now and then to get lost amidst the greeneries. When we finally reached the temple it was already 9: 30 A.M.

Kankalitala temple is one amongst the fifty-one Sati Peeths in India and is very auspicious among the devotees. Here I would like to mention that there are no bullies or Panda (one who force the devotees for money) in this temple so everyone can offer their prayers peacefully and according to their capacity. We spent quite some time sitting in the temple campus as the place offered us immense inner peace. The temple is located at the banks of the Kopai river.

Here it is important to mention that one visiting Santiniketan must surely witness the sunset from the banks of the Kopai river. When we went beside the river we saw many devotees bathing in the river before offering their prayers in the temple.

There is a small water hole or Kund beside the temple and according to the locals the water in that water hole never dries even during drought. The devotees often carry the holy water of the Kund far and wide as a mark of blessing.

From Kankalitala we went straight to Shonajhuri forest market or Khowai market or Saturday market, as people tend to call it. The market is named after the numerous Shonajhuri trees that grow in the area. Being a Saturday the market was in full swing when we visited the place.

People from nearby localities sell their handmade looms and wooden house hold items sitting between the Shonajhuri trees. If one decides to purchase sarees and wooden decoration for their household decoration Shonajhuri market is the best destination for them. There is no fixed price for the items and one need to sharpen their bargaining skills before purchasing stuff. I would request my readers to kindly taste the local kheer and sweet curd in between exploring the place. From Shonajhuri we headed straight to Banabithi Henshel Ghar for lunch. After having their delicious food we were so full that we could hardly move. As time remains a permanent constraint in short trips, we had to keep rolling. Our next destination was Surul Zamidar Bari.

In spite of the age old structure, the Surul Zamindar Bari is very well maintained by the Surul trust and to keep up with the expenditure of maintaining the colossal palace, every now and then it is being rented out for the commercial purposes. I love visiting palaces as I feel that every brick holds some history behind it. Being a thinker, I love to retrospect the bygone eras.

From Surul Zamindar Bari, we came to Viswa Bharati Campus. Visitors are restricted from entering the campus due to political unrest so we had to take pictures from outside the campus. We witnessed Chatimtala, Kala Bhavan, Sangeet Bhavan, Parthana Bhavan, Viswa Bharati Museum, Poush Mela Prangan, etc.

 

We also visited Maharshi Devendranath Tagore house known as Santiniketan where Rabindranath Tagore spent his adolescent days. Here we heard an interesting story from a localite that the name of the place is not Santiniketan, instead it is the name of the house and because of obvious reasons it got so popular that it became a household name. So now Bolpur is known as Bolpur (Santiniketan).

We bid adieu to our Toto driver and went back to our lodge. That night we again had our dinner at Canteen 4 and conversed late into the night reflecting on our trip so far before snoozing.

On 1st May, 2022 when we woke up it was already 9 A.M. We rearranged our belongings in a lackadaisical manner and took bathe before check out. From there we went straight to Bangladesh Bhavan but unfortunately it was closed for renovation.

We strolled through the Vivekananda Sarani exploring numerous beautiful farm houses and experiencing the true essence of Santiniketan. We got too exhausted in the scorching sun and headed for Kasahara, the cafe located adjacent to Sangeet Bhavan. We had our lunch and passed time in a lazy manner as our return train (12348 Sahid Express) was scheduled at 5: 38 P.M. All three of us enjoyed our stay at Bolpur and laden our soul with new memories. As according to the great poet: 

"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add colour to my sunset sky..."

Oh! We also visited Gitanjali Rail Museum on our way back which is adjacent to the Bolpur railway station. Our stay in Bolpur is very well depicted in Abhranil's vlog "Da Bong Family".

Picture Courtesy: Netin Baidya and Abhranil Kundu)

Rajgir and Nalanda: Embracing Ancient History of India

The idea of travelling sometimes pop up from the most unexpected places that one can think about. Keeping true to this statement our trip to Rajgir and Nalanda was a perfect example. One of my brother's colleague's wedding was scheduled to be held in Rajgir and my brother along with some of his colleagues were all set to attend the wedding. My brother requested me to join them. Initially, I was a bit reluctant to join a group of complete strangers but when my brother told me that his colleague, Shri Manish Kumar whose marriage was set requested him to take me along to attend his wedding, I gave my consent. Since childhood I have heard a lot about Rajgir but never got a chance to visit the place in person so when this unexpected venture showed up I was more than excited to fulfil my long awaited desire.

All know the way, but very few actually walk it...

Beauty perishes in life, but is immortal in art...

Rajgir is an ancient city in the Indian state of Bihar. Surrounded by hills, it's known for its holy sites. Remains of the Cyclopean Wall, which encircled the city centuries ago, still stand in the center. Rajgir was the first capital of the ancient kingdom of Magadha which eventually evolved into Mauryan Empire.

The city is in a valley surrounded by seven hills: Vaibhara, Ratna, Saila, Sona, Udaya, Chhatha, and Vipula.

Team Rajgir...

According to the plan we started our journey on 5th February, 2022. We boarded Doon Express (13009) from Howrah Junction at around 8.25 P.M. Three of our team members didn't get confirmed sleeper berths so they had to settle in second sitting. During the whole train journey I got familiar with my brother's colleagues which set forth the tune for the upcoming journey. Our train reached Gaya Junction at 4.55 A.M the next day i,e., 6th February, 2022. The temperature in Gaya at that time was ten degree so we decided to halt at the station till the dawn broke. We passed time sharing lighter moments amongst ourselves and a few cups of coffee. From the station we could hear the prayer chanting of the Bharat Sevashram Sangha which was located nearby.

At Gaya Junction...

With the first rays of sun we boarded a Vikram Auto (Big Autorickshaw) and moved towards The Buddha Resort where the occasion was scheduled to be held. We were among the first few to reach the destination and soon found that the hosts had not arrived yet. So, my brother called up his colleague and he instructed the resort authorities to allocate two rooms for us. Our team got divided into two parts, four each and settled in our respective rooms. After freshening up we went for the Bodh Gaya sight seen.

Hotel Buddha Resort

Bodh Gaya contains one of the holiest of Buddhist sites: the location where, under the sacred Peepal tree Gautam Buddha (Prince Siddhartha) attained enlightenment and became the Buddha. We visited Mahabodhi Temple complex, Great Buddha Statue, Thai Monastery, Royal Bhutan Monastery, Chinese Temple, Daijokyo Buddhist Temple, Vietnamese Temple and Bangladesh Buddhist Monastery. Unfortunately, all these temples and monasteries were closed on that day due to Covid restrictions so we had to witness all these holy sites from outside. At Mahabodhi Temple we saw many Buddhist monks had gathered together to offer their prayers to Lord Buddha. I felt immense pleasure in witnessing the rich cultural diversity as people from different religion intermingle to offer their prayers to the almighty. Truly incredible India!

We had Litthi Chokha and Alu Paratha for breakfast. When we returned the hosts had already arrived. After taking shower we settled in our respective rooms. At around 3 o'clock in the afternoon we went for lunch downstairs. After lunch we sat in the resort lawn and chatted for long hours. Afterwards we got too tired from the day long exhaustion and went for an afternoon siesta. 

Maha Boddhi Temple, Gaya

When we woke up we found that people were gearing up for the night long party and the sound systems were playing hard. We quickly dressed up and went downstairs to join the wedding party. The resort was well decorated. The bride and the groom arrived in gracious attire illuminating the occasion. After having dinner when we went to our rooms the occasion was on full swing but as we had to travel early the next day we called it a day.

At the marriage ceremony...

Next day i,e., 7th February, 2022 when we left the resort the hosts were in a deep slumber. We boarded an Auto from the resort and reached the bus stand where our bus to Rajgir was waiting. We could not find time for our breakfast so had to settle for biscuits only. At around 10 A.M. our bus started its ongoing journey and reached Rajgir at around 1.30 P.M. We booked two rooms at Hotel Raj  and quickly left for our lunch as we all were very hungry. We had Chicken Thali for lunch before leaving for Nalanda in a bus.

Nalanda University Campus

Nalanda was a renowned Buddhist monastic university in ancient Magadha. It was considered by historians to be the world's very first residential university and among the greatest centres of learning in the ancient times. After seeing Nalanda in its element we got absorbed in its captivating history and immense cultural heritage attached to it. I would request my readers to visit Nalanda once to understand the rich influence it had during ancient India. We hired a guide who explained to us the rich historical importance of the place. 

Architecture is a visual art and the buildings speak for themselves...

From Nalanda we went to visit Mahavir Jain Temple situated nearby. We also intended to visit Pawapuri but sadly the temple was closed for the visitors due to Covid restrictions. After such an eventful outing we relished our experience on our way back to the hotel.

Rajgir have some wonderful street food delicacies. At evening Sourav and I went to taste a few of them namely vegetable burger, alu tikka chat, steamed momo and Panipuri. Rajgir is also known for its Pedha (sweet delicacy) so we tasted them as well. We both were so loaded that we had to skip our dinner. Rest of our team members completed their respective dinners with Roti and Egg Tarka. That night we chatted for long hours reflecting on our journey so far and shared few lighter moments as well.

On the way to Vishwa Santi Stupa, Rajgir

Next day, i,e., 8th February, 2022 our team got divided into two parts. The first group left hotel early in the morning to book tickets for the Glass bridge while the other completed the hotel check out formalities. I belonged to the second team while my brother went with the first team. 

The Tanga ride was fun...

After we completed the hotel check out formalities and were about to leave for the Glass bridge my brother informed that the bridge would remain close for that day due to maintenance purpose. Disappointed as hell, we booked two Tongas (horse driven carts) and went for the rest of the sight seen attractions of Rajgir. We joined the rest of our team members on our way to Japanese Peace Pagoda or Vishwa Shanti Stupa at Rajgir Hill top.

Viswa Shanti Stupa, Rajgir

Japanese Peace Pagoda or Vishwa Shanti Stupa is one of the most beautiful places of Rajgir. The rope-way ride to the hill top adds to the thrill. We spent around two hours at the hill top as the view from the top was breathtaking.

Peace begins when the expectation ends...

Rajgir rope-ways are pure adrenaline rush...

Then we visited Ghoda katora lake deep inside the adjacent jungle. My love for jungle is wide known and truly speaking the serenity of the place touched our souls. We were reluctant to leave the place but had to as we were chasing time. 

The root of suffering is attachment...

At Ghoda Katora Lake...

Our next destination was Bimbisara Jail. But I was disappointed to see that a place of such historical importance was ruined due to lack of maintenance or negligence. I would request authorities to be more vigilant and conserve sites of such historical importance. 

Bimbisara Jail

From Bimbisara Jail we went to Veerayatan Museum. It is a beautiful place and hundred percent recommended for the tourists visiting Rajgir. Finally, we visited the Bramha Kund hot water spring in Rajgir. My brother, Sourav and I decided to bathe in the spring but the water was too hot which deterred us.

Soon our time at Rajgir came to an end. We had our lunch at Hotel Green and packed sweet Pedhas for home. Time flew and before we could realise we were sitting in our train (13233) Rajgriha Express and headed for Baktiyarpur Junction. At Baktiyarpur we had to wait for few hours before boarding our train (12352) Howrah Express.

No matter how hard the past, you can always begin again...

As yet another trip came to an end I realised that one should not leave any opportunity to visit places with new people as you never know that people who are strangers before a trip might become friends for life afterwards. I spent nearly four days with people who were completely strangers to me but as I came back I made seven great friends, two of them younger than me & most of them elders. I  take this opportunity to thank my brother's colleagues who never let me feel out of sorts in their group. Someday somewhere may be in a new journey I will again share light moments with Sajal da, crack jokes with Dipak da, go on a walk with Kartick Babu & Aparti ji, share rooms & spend quality time with Debanjan & Sourav.

Until next time...

(Picture Courtesy: Sourav Kundu and Piangshuk Mukherjee)