Sundarban: A great place to visit-2

Launch-Sundarban

Winter season is the right time to visit Sundarban. In winter, the temperature of Sundarban is around 10*C and in day time it raises up to 25*C-30*C. from October to February is the right time to visit Sundarban. My three other friends and I were made a plan to visit such adventurous forest trip for four days. Though two days is enough for Sundarban tour, but another two days we spent within the villagers to know about them.

We visited Sundarban many years ago, then my age was around of twenty-five and my friends were like me. Earlier tour to Sundarban was not easy, especially transportation system. Now we can book steamer from Calcutta (Kolkata) direct to Sundarban. But we took the train from Sealdah South Division Railway station for Canning Station.  From Canning I took three wheeler-Cycles Rickshaw for Ferrighat. Before starting this trip to Sundarban, we have taken necessary permission from the West Bengal State Government.
 
First two days we spent within the village. One local man helped us to get accommodation in village. In these two days we had talked with villagers who were linked with the forest. Earlier, in British period, there were no strict rules that prevent local people to enter inside the forest. That local man who helped us to get the accommodation was taken our guide for this trip. He charged a very nominal cost from us. The name of that man so far my memory is concerned was Bipul. Bipul took us a area where had no male persons, only widows and children. We had heard their stories; all stories are almost same; their husbands were honey collectors from Sundarban. It was their only earning source as they had no much land for cultivations. Generally the honey collectors are used one man mask behind their head; thus they assuming that tiger will think that the man is looking at the tiger.

Before leaving for the forest they would worship their Goddess ‘Ban Bibi’. Because they would think that Ban-Bibi will protect their lives. Most of the time it would not happen and the innocent villagers were killed by the tiger.

Women and children of the villages are engaged in fishing the kids of shrimp.  This is also another source of their earning. But get down into the water of inlets of Sundarban is also very dangerous, because of crocodiles. Any time they can attack and eat human body. Thus huge villagers are being food of crocodiles.

Within two day of our tip, we met various villagers and heard their practical stories of their life which is closely related with Sundarban. They always live with a fear that any time they can be the food of tigers and crocodiles. Still their lives are move on and on. Bipul was taken us an open concert area where the villagers were singing and dancing with full of joy. We watch their programs whole night. And in the morning we went to bed, because another two days of our trip will pass at density of forest and inlets.

Royal Bengal Tiger -Sundarban

Sundarban: A great place to visit-1

Royal Bengal Tiger-Sundarban

Sundarban means the Beautiful Forest.


Sundarban is a great attraction place of West Bengal which is one of the provinces of India. This is very adventurous place in India. This is the place of the great Royal Bengal Tiger. Sundarban is famous for three things; one is Mangrove Trees, second is Sundari Trees and third is Royal Bengal Tiger.

Sundarban is an inland on Bay of Bengal which is distributed in two parts, the major part of this forest is under the Indian Territory and remaining part is in adjacent country Bangladesh. From this point of view, Royal Bengal Tigers have common corridor for two countries. They don’t need passport to move within these two countries. I am joking. Sundarban is covered by canals and these canals are connected with the estuary of Bay of Bengal that is very nearby of this forest.
Other than Royal Bengal Tiger, there is very dangerous type of crocodiles. These two types of animals are very clever in nature and both of them are man eater. Some time, tigers are use to across the canals and reach to the nearest villages for their food. Generally tigers reach at the villages with the target of domestic animals of the villagers and they do it very cleverly; but when villagers try to protect their domestic animals, then tigers attack the villagers. Crocodiles are mostly eat fishes of the canals and dead animals which thrown to the canals by the villagers. Some time, they also eat those villagers who get into the water of canals for fishing.

There are different types of dangerous animals also exist in Sundarban area. Though they are generally eat withered flash which was left by the tigers. But they are very harmful for human, as they get chance they can attack people also.

Various types of birds also exist in Sundarban. This is also another attraction of Sundarban. Apart from that, in winter season, various types of guest birds use to come here from various part of the world. They generally stay at Sundarban for two-three months and during this time they hatch and take birth of new kids of them.

The natural beauty of Sundarban is very unique especially canals part. There is a common water transport called ‘Vutvuti’. Such name comes due to the sound of such vessel and this sound comes from the engine of the vessel. It has different size, small, medium, big and the fare of this boat is also different according to the size. If anyone wants to enjoy the beauty of the both side of the inlets properly, he has to book one separate vutvuti and pass through the inlets of Sundarban. The beauties of inlets are increased to a maximum number in full moon day. We are lucky that we had got chance to visit Sundarban in a full moon day. Throughout the night we stayed in such medium vutvuti and floated in most of the inlets of canals and watched the soundless atmosphere of both sides of the Sundarban. Our experience was very amazing.

In next blog I will try to write our tour plan and other information who to conduct an adventurous tour to Sundarban.