Villages are the heart and soul of a country. If one wishes to explore places in real, they will definitely have to visit a village in order to quench his thirst. Peace, serenity and the warmth received in village life can be compared to no other. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to visit a few villages across West Bengal. Summing up the experiences gathered from those trips, I can firmly state that the root of India is in its villages.
One such visit to Ledium village in West Midnapore was possible because of my friend Dhrubajyoti. He was aware of my passion for travelling and exploration. So, one day he requested me and Sougata ( Beautiful Potashpur and its captivating history) to pay a visit in order to explore his native place . We responded promptly without hesitation. We left for Ledium on 15th September, 2022 and boarded Kharagpur Local at 4:05 P.M. from Howrah station. When we reached Kharagpur it was raining heavily. Fortunately, Dhruba was carrying umbrellas and we boarded the ongoing bus that took us to Khajra. On reaching Khajra we found out that the rain has stopped for good and thus we decided to cover the remaining part of the journey on foot. On arriving, we were greeted warmly by Dhruba's family members. We were hungry and that day, ate an early dinner. After dinner three of us went to the terrace and chatted deep into the night.
The next day i,e. 16th September, 2022 our plan was to visit Belpahari via Jhargram. We were joined by Dhruba's elder brother Saptarshi. Saptarshi is a wonderful person and has a pleasing personality. At 9.30 A.M. we kicked off our respective bikes and headed for Belpahari. The road leading to Belpahari is wonderful and cuts through numerous villages, meadows, waterfalls and jungles. As we had only two bikes, there was a constant argument as to who should drive them.
We rode for more than hundred kilometres before reaching our first destination Ghagra Waterfall.We spent nearly forty five minutes there looking at the enormous amount of water rushing through the rocks.
Ketki Lake was the next spot waiting for us. Remoteness and solitude of Ketki makes it very special amongst nature lovers. When observed patiently, one can witness several species of birds at that place.
As it was already late and we were about to retrace more than 150 kms, the plan of visiting Dhangikusum waterfall had to be dropped. While returning we ate our lunch at Kacha Lanka restaurant in Jhargram. Funny name, isn't it?
To watch the setting sun while riding through the remote village roads was a splendid experience for myself and my friends. Sometimes, nature reveals its beauty at unexpected places and one needs to have appropriate vision to witness the same.
We crossed the Chilkigarh Palace, Jhargram Palace and Savitri Temple but didn't have the time to pay a visit (Please go through my earlier blog for Jhargram and Belpahari stories). At Kultigri village we halted for our evening snacks. We also visited Guptamani temple and learnt that the temple is well revered amongst the locals.
After covering more 280 kms in a day, when we finally reached Ledium it was already 8.30 P.M. We were totally exhausted and quickly fell asleep after dinner.
17th of September, 2022 was a leisure day for all of us. Dhruba helped us to explore Ledium and shared his childhood anecdotes. We spent quality time traversing through the village. Viswakarma Puja was being held at great grandeur at different places and people were in a celebration mood. That evening we played cricket in the nearby ground. At night, we dined at Euphoria restaurant and spent quality time chatting in the adjacent ground.
Soon our time at Ledium came to an end. Next day, i.e., on 18th September, 2022 we departed to our respective ways. Believe me the more I visit villages, the more I fall in love with them. Not only because of the peace that hung in the atmosphere but also the warmth and love that their people shower us with. This is what helps us to develop into a better human being and remain contented. Live long villages.
Until next time...
(Picture Courtesy: Sougata Jana, Drubhojyoti Bhunia & Saptarshi Bhunia)
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