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| Launch-Sundarban |
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.
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| Royal Bengal Tiger -Sundarban |
