Into The Wild And Amidst The Hills
I have a lot of things to thank God for; in my life. One among those is the fact that I grew up in the northern part of Bengal. I secretly wonder if that's the reason why I love forests and the hills more than I like beaches (P.S. I do not like beaches at all!!)
I remember the school picnics we used to have in and around the forests of my little hometown of Cooch Behar. And my most fond memory was of a trip I went on after my eight grade finals with a friend and her family, in the forests of Jaldapara; the small town of Chalsa and the surrounding hilly regions. Almost eleven years later yesterday, I went on the same trip again... this time with my family!
The morning was chilly and foggy and I was wondering if it would be a nice day for a safari. But the fog thinned out a bit gradually. As I was travelling along the familiar forest terrain, I could recall the last time I was there. Especially the silly songs my friend and I had made as kids. The chirping of the crickets, the squeaking of the monkeys, and the screams of peacocks around was like a soothing balm to the ears habituated to the honking of horns and blaring traffic noise. I could hear myself thinking (that being my one of my absolute favourite things in the world to do)!! And that was worth the effort of traveling so far into the wild. Jaldapara National Park is one of the most popular wildlife sanctuaries in Bengal as well as in India. With an area of 216.5 square kilometers it is a popular tourist attraction. This place is popular for one- horned rhinoceros (after Kaziranga National Park), elephants, leopards, deers, and a variety of birds. We were lucky enough to spot a Malabar pied Hornbill.
After the safari we moved on to the town of Chalsa. This is a small town situated on the foot of Himalayas in Dooars. Small towns and hills make the best pair in my opinion. We traveled on to Jhalong which is a small hill station on the Indo-Bhutan border. Our last stop was at Bindu (meaning a dot or zero). This again is a small hamlet. But what makes it special is the fact that it is the last village in India bordering Bhutan. A leisurely stroll with my parents on the hilly roads of Bindu made me wonder about the beauty of God's creation... the beautiful places, the beautiful people, their smiles, and their humble lifestyle. Coming back home on vacation and spending such wonderful time in such picturesque places with my folks is one of the things that I still enjoy as an adult.
On our way back I could feel the weight of rich natural experience within me. As if I had grown rich with the places I had seen (or seen again), the people I had met, and the memories I had made. It is true, that travel makes a person richer than he/she can imagine. And traveling isn't like any other hobby, that you can be average or good at. Traveling is not something you are good at. It is something you do... like breathing!
I remember the school picnics we used to have in and around the forests of my little hometown of Cooch Behar. And my most fond memory was of a trip I went on after my eight grade finals with a friend and her family, in the forests of Jaldapara; the small town of Chalsa and the surrounding hilly regions. Almost eleven years later yesterday, I went on the same trip again... this time with my family!
The morning was chilly and foggy and I was wondering if it would be a nice day for a safari. But the fog thinned out a bit gradually. As I was travelling along the familiar forest terrain, I could recall the last time I was there. Especially the silly songs my friend and I had made as kids. The chirping of the crickets, the squeaking of the monkeys, and the screams of peacocks around was like a soothing balm to the ears habituated to the honking of horns and blaring traffic noise. I could hear myself thinking (that being my one of my absolute favourite things in the world to do)!! And that was worth the effort of traveling so far into the wild. Jaldapara National Park is one of the most popular wildlife sanctuaries in Bengal as well as in India. With an area of 216.5 square kilometers it is a popular tourist attraction. This place is popular for one- horned rhinoceros (after Kaziranga National Park), elephants, leopards, deers, and a variety of birds. We were lucky enough to spot a Malabar pied Hornbill.
After the safari we moved on to the town of Chalsa. This is a small town situated on the foot of Himalayas in Dooars. Small towns and hills make the best pair in my opinion. We traveled on to Jhalong which is a small hill station on the Indo-Bhutan border. Our last stop was at Bindu (meaning a dot or zero). This again is a small hamlet. But what makes it special is the fact that it is the last village in India bordering Bhutan. A leisurely stroll with my parents on the hilly roads of Bindu made me wonder about the beauty of God's creation... the beautiful places, the beautiful people, their smiles, and their humble lifestyle. Coming back home on vacation and spending such wonderful time in such picturesque places with my folks is one of the things that I still enjoy as an adult.
 |
| Murti river |
Comments
Post a Comment