Heritage Tour

Two years ago, one day my wife came back home from her ladies circle and said, 'My friends are planning a tour to Purulia. They have asked us to join. What's your opinion?'

I looked at her and didn't respond immediately. I thought over the idea and said to myself that all of Bengal except this south western part remained unexplored by us.

Couple of days later after going through my commitments and pre engaged appointments, I told her that we may give it a try.

I knew about Purulia and it's natural beauty. But to be sure I checked up on the Internet. 

Purulia is known for it's natural beauty and is home to several hills, forests and waterfalls. Some popular destinations in the district include Ayodhya Hills, Joychandi Pahar, Matha Forest and Baghmundi. Purulia is often called the City of Lakes, is in West Bengal and lies at the border of Jharkhand and Orissa. It is a place which is a must visit who loves adventure and sightseeing. 

Our group of twenty people arranged the tour through a travel agent who took the responsibility of the nitty gritty of the itinerary. 

From Howrah Station we boarded the train to Purulia in the afternoon. By night we reached Purulia Station. From there our group

was divided into three and accommodated in three vehicles. Very soon we moved out of the city and entered into an open glade before the forest commenced. Outside it was pitch dark. Movement of traffic we saw was minimal.

As we entered the forest, it was only our three vehicles moving on in the total darkness. The only light was from the headlight of our vehicles. For almost two hours we kept on moving. When finally we came out of the forest we could see the clear starry night. The new moon in the sky in shape of a narrow sickle was blinking dimly. 

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Then our vehicles stopped in front of a house. It was the only house in the vicinity and it was situated on an open field. Sound from a stream in the distance was the only audible sound in the still night. The caretaker of the house showed us to our rooms.

The next morning we woke up early just at the time of rising sun. Every where was pin drop silence. It was so peaceful and serene unlike our city surroundings. Then the birds chirping could be heard. 

After a quick breakfast out travel agent arranged our trip to the Ayodhya hills.

The undulating topography, calm serenity and nature with its prolific abundance, silence of dense forests, twittering of birds and wild life, beautiful flora and fauna, picturesque hills and hillocks, falls, river, rivulets and streams made this place attractive.

Above the hills were two dams at different levels and the lakes behind the dams. The lakes were surrounded by rocks of various sizes which made the scenery mystical. The water of the lakes were tranquil and without waves. 

The next day we went to the area where Palash trees were found in abundance. These trees have red coloured flowers and then as the season was spring so the flowers were in full bloom. With the red flowers in full bloom the area of the forest resembled an area on fire. From there we went to the village where the masks are prepared that are worn by Chou dancers. The Chou dance is a famous dance form of Purulia and is a respected heritage.

The next spot on our itinerary was the Panchakote Raj Fort Palace. This attractive architecture was built between 1913 - 1917 

We admired the beautiful structure. 

After four days of adventure, fun, frolic and basking in the glory of heritage we slowly made our way home wards.