Sunderbans........

Most awaited break… Break after 3 years… KOLKATA Calling… Trip started eventful… Me,Madhu and Rukku started to airport… Ofcourse had to start eventful.. Thanks to Rukku, started late, then we had to rush back since she had left the ID proof.. We reached 6.45 PM for a 7 PM flight… Had to literally plead the Indigo people to get on the flight.. But with all her luck, we reached Kolkata… Lights on the city looked beautiful from air… Had carried bag full of warm clothes, fearing cold would be really bad.. But felt like its lesser cold than Bangalore.

Our first outing in Kolkata is to a mall :D… South City Mall looked all decked up for Christmas.. Roamed around Ghariahat and went back home.. Aunty had prepared loads of food… Ate sweets and slept off..

Mangrove forest, had read so much about it right from school… Sunderbans… Started at 9 AM to science city junction.. Rukku,Madhu,Didi and Me were all set to go.. We were all boarded a Qualis.. All thrilled by the description being read about the trip, started the trip.. We went by road for 3 hours to Godhkhali. Around 25 people were seated in 4 vehicles and we reached a place where we were transferred to a boat. Around 30 mins on motored boat and we were taken off on for next bit of ride… Next stretch of 5 kms was asked on cycle rickshaw.. It’s a 3 wheeler with wooden plank seating which can take many people together. Me and Rukku were asked to sit on one of the rickshaw and we had out luggage being carried along.. Was one different experience. He drove taking so much of weight on his vehicle.. :D After 5 kms stretch was done, I wanted to try riding it along… I did as soon as we reached .. Took a pic too… Next and the last stretch was on boat again. This time the boat was more of a smaller and typical boat which is rowed not motored. Reached the Chatimara again.. Place where we had to stay with no electricity… It’s an ecofriendly village where no plastic zone and no electricity also there.. We were given mud huts. Neat huts with an attached bathroom… Everything was nice and earthly.. We got freshen up and went for the lunch. Lunch reminded me of the mustard oil.. Found it very hard to eat that lunch, all my thoughts went on eating bread n jam later part of the day.. Post lunch we went on a village walk. We looked at lots of birds on our walk. Heron, types of Kingfishers like black capped kingfisher, collared kingfisher and so on. Looked at one of the clay oven, a small pond outside the huts… They store water for daily purpose and to breed fish in pond. After that we went on a local boat ride.. Beautiful the view was. Spotted more birds and was time for sunset. Sun sets at 4.30 here… View was soo beautiful. Couldn’t take my eyes off the sunset view. Orange sky, cold the weather was… Wooow it was… Sunset by 4.30 PM… By 5 everywhere it was dark and scary… We came back to our huts and got ready and ofcourse no electricity… We had lantern on and few torches on. Such a different experience. Got ready and there was a Baoul (folk music) music played. Group of 4 men sang so many Bengali Baoul songs. Thought we didn’t understand the meaning of it, beats were head banging ones… Just wanted to dance around for that music. Enjoyed the music, was really nice… After that had dinner. Ate Chapathi with jam and butterJJ. Group had few interesting people. Next day’s plan was to get up 5 AM and whole day on boat. Just the thought was so thrilling. Have never been on boat for one whole day.

Ajay babu(Organizer) gave us a wakeup call. Got hot water from the kitchen and we all took bath and got ready by 6 AM. It was all misty and cold outside. Of course the first ones to get ready. Had a lemon tea and all set to get on the boat. We were boarded to two different boats. We got on ELMAR (which means SEA). Got the required permissions from the forest office, which is just opposite to eco village, and head off into the jungle, for rendezvous with one of the biggest mangroves of the world, rich in flora and fauna… It was all misty.. Couldn’t see anything after 3 feet distance.. Boat ride started and few seconds we did hit on another boat… Though it wasn’t a bad one, it still scared hell out of everyone in the boat… Was so cold two sweaters and a cap and shall and were still trembling.. Was fun though.. Whole day on boat was something I had never done.. Was all thrilled and was looking forward for it.. Got a seat right infront of the boat and settled there…. Was easy to spot and click click. With help of Mr Aasif and his friend we could spot lots of birds(Which I was always unaware of)… Cruising  the small channels and creeks we will try to spot different wildlife.Clicked a crocodile,moniterlizard,loads of birds….. Went through visit 3 watch towers hoping to spot the ROYAL BENGAL TIGER namely Sajnekhali, Sudhanyakhali and Dobanki.. Didn’t find a single one J.Breakfast, lunch and other refreshments were cooked and served on the boat.

Mangroove forests is huge and beautiful.. We were on boat for whole day and for 50 kms almost.. Saw the sunset by 4.30.. captured few clicks and waited for us to reach the shore… We reached shore around 6.30 PM.We start our journey back for Kolkata and reached by 9.30 PM. Even after coming home had the feeling of as though I am sailing.. J Lovely experience it was, cant really explain it in few words… JJ