The Garpanchkot ... Diwali 2011 ....

Diwali. 2011 …. The Garpanchkot …. This is our destination this time. Garpanchkot is located at North-east part of Purulia, near Panchet Dam, at border of Burdhaman and Jharkhand. We packed our bags and the journey started at early morning. It was our 2 night and 3 days tour. We hired a car from Kolkata to Garpanchakot and it took around 5hr.  

The road towards to WBFDC Resort

 

We had our booking at WBFDC Resort. They have very good accommodation with AC/ Non AC rooms. Kitchen/ Dining facility is also available. But, the problem is that, they do not have sufficient staffs according to their no of guests. So, the food variation is limited.

The resort campus is full of green. It is well designed by allowing the Nature to come in. The trees are full of colour with their flowers and various types of butterflies are doing their duties to the kind Nature.

This place is very much isolated from the hectic city life.  The valley is green, air is fresh and you will feel chirping and melodious sounds coming from the various birds. You can feel the Nature while trekking through the wild forest. History is very rich in Garpanchkot. Ruins of Garh and the ruins of Panchratna temple, Jorhbangla Mondir, Kalyaneswari Temple near Garh will tell you the historic importance of that place.

 Panchet Dam is another attraction. In morning you will find various birds playing in the blue water and in evening you can enjoy the change of colour while The Sun says good bye to you.

Baranti forest is other option, which can be enjoyed during this tour. It is just 30min drive way from the resort. If you are lucky, you can say a Hi to the wild animals like Hyena, Jackal, deer etc. The trees are full with the resident birds. Enjoy  their beauty in the wild. In Baranti dam you can enjoy fishing also. If you want to stay at Baranti, you have to book Baranti FRH from Kolkata.

Spot booking is not allowed in WBFDC resort, so, book your accommodation from Kolkata. You can travel up to Garpanchkot by road via Asansol or by train you can go to Asansole or Barakar, the nearest rail station. From there you can reserve an auto up to Panchet Dam, WBFDC resort is just 3km from Panchet Dam.

 

The Panchet Dam

 

 

The Garpanchkot can be your weekend tour, if you want to spend your weekend in peace with the touch of wildlife.

Discover Puri..... in new style ...Diwali 2012...

November. 2012 … This Diwali we planned for a family tour. The first common name was Puri. All of us agreed to Puri, because it would be our second time visit and after a long 18 years. So, we booked our tickets in Howrah-Puri express on 12^th. And reach Puri on 13^th early morning. Subhankar, one of my close friend, was waiting at rail station and received us warmly. We had our booking in Puri Beach Resort for next nights.

The morning breeze was chilling. We take an auto to our hotel, it is near Light House. While crossing the main attraction are “Sargadyar”, we found that the beach was crowded like a mela. The roads were inaccessible. The smoke, coming from burning ghat, covered the sky with its grey colour and irritating smell. Somehow our driver managed a narrow space for his auto and we reach our hotel.

From Kolkata, we had booked a private suite room in that hotel, by paying an advance.  And found that the hotel admin did not reserve that particular room. So, again we had to fight to get our best accommodation, and we managed 2 deluxe rooms for us.

After getting fresh, we went to “Jagannath temple”. My mom and dad went to inside of temple and we two friends, wanted to visit the outer surroundings for searching some topic regarding photography.  So, our journey started through the mob. After an our fighting, we found ourselves exhausted and tired. There was nothing but mob, smoke, crying and chaos.  After sometime, in front of temple, we met together and returned to our hotel.

The mid sun was crazy and the weather was seriously hot. At after noon we walked to wards “Mohona”, and found that place somehow quite peaceful. From the light house to mohona, there was no so called road, we enjoyed the walk along with the beach. At evening we had to go again towards burning ghat., and found the pathetic situation same or more like the morning experience.

After 18 years most of things were changed. I remembered my first visit. Then I loved Puri. And now, truly speaking, the most disgusting place ever I seen is Puri. Everywhere mismanagement, chaos is badly present in the air. Beggars are so powerful in crowding the  road. Finding some place for yourself is too difficult. We suddenly realize that, if we want to spend our holidays in our style, we should leave Puri.

Though we had a 2 night booking in our hotel, the next morning we checked out and hired a cab for Konark. We thought, we would manage some thing for us outside this crowed. Puri-Konark Marine drive was awesome. It goes to Konark through Balukhanda Wildlife Sanctuary. After 30min drive from Puri, we noticed an ad of Lotus Resort and crossed it. We took an U turn and took the narrow road towards the hotel. And at last we found our place. We talked to the front office manager  Mr. Suvendu and he managed 2 nos of double bed cottage for us. We checked in into our dreamed place. The Sun-temple was 10min drive away from the hotel.

We reached Sun temple  and noticed that this is the structure remained unchanged. 18 years ago we saw the conservation work was going on and now again we saw the conservation was still going on. The left side of the temple was covered with steel shuttering and work was on progress. Perhaps The Sun also do not know how long it will be on progress ! Okay. We went inside the complex and memorised our old memory.

We returned our hotel and after getting fresh, we had a walk in the campus. After spending a day in Puri, I will tell you that place was out  of the world. The resort is situated inside the Balukhanda Wildlife Sanctuary. The campus is covered by green in 3 sides and sea at the front. They have 23 cottages and 4 nos of villa. The cottage rooms were excellent and the hospitality and services of the host were beyond to excellence. They have their private beach also, that was connected to Chandrabhaga beach.  At evening we enjoyed a boat riding on the sea. The weather was cool and comfortable. We had a great Sun-set from Ramachandi Temple. The night stay was almost similar like staying in a forest rest house and the only sound was coming from the sea.The next day, we entered into the forest. That was wild and a paradise for resident birds. You have to find them very patiently. Watching them and shoot (to frame) them is my favourite time-pass. Finding something new and framing them was great in that forest. If you love wildness, you will surely love this place

At evening, we had to leave that sweat place, Diwali was “Khatam”, the city life was calling. We reached Puri rail station by 6.30pm, our Howrah bounding train was standing in platform.

 

Near Puri, if you want to spend your holidays in your style and in peace, believe me, go to this place. You will find something new. Have a look on the pics ....

 The beach in front of the resort

You can try also fishing

In the Wildlife

 

The colour in the golden sand

 

Finding something new

 

The way to fly

 

The Wild Sanctuary

 

The life in grey

 

With the Nature

If you love the Nature

The Nature will love you

 

One more thing about Puri I forget to tell you and i.e. auto rikshaw fare. They were brutal to the tourists and like dacoit, they will charge to 70/80 bucks for only 1km ride, so, be prepare for it.