Gangasagar Revisited

Kapil Munir Ashram

Gangasagar, an un-spoilt beach on the estuary of the river Ganges, also known as Sagardwip, is a place of Hindu Pilgrimage. This large island is known for Temple of Kapil Muni (who was accordingly to mythology, Lord Bishnu). As per mythology king Sagar’s grandson, king Bhagirath, came to Kapil Muni and begged Him to release the soul of 60,000 sons of King Sagar, who were burnt to ashes by the Muni as they unknowingly blamed Him for stealing their father's Sacrificial Horse. Kapil Muni kindly ordered Bhagirath to bring Ganga to this place and with the touch of this Holy River's water, their souls were liberated. It was performed on the date of Makar Sankranti. So, this day is observed as a day of great religious importance in Hinduism and like every other year, this year also around 2 million pilgrims across India and few also from abroad accumulated here to take a holy bath in the river Ganga. This time, our tour was inspired by my elder brother - Partha Bhattacharyya, we two had a great time their. Here goes few pictures we captured during Sagar Mela.

Journey Starts Me with Brother Er Partha Bhattacharyya

On Launch from Lot 8 ( Harwood Point to Kachuberia)

Views of Sun on the horizon from the Launch Boat

Illuminated Temple of Kapil Muni

Kapil Muni

A close look reveals anger on His eyes as he got furious on 60,000 sons of King Sagar after they accused him of stealing the Sacrificial Horse of their father.

Beautiful Floral Decoration

Sea Beach Sagar

Sagar Mela 2019

 

Stall on Sagar Mela 2019

GODAN - Donate the Holy Cow Ritual

Pilgrims taking shelter on Temporary Hogla Hut constructed on Sea Beach

Cooking Grand Lunch, Sagar Mela 2019

IN the long queue for offering PUJA to Kapil Muni

Returning from Kachuberia to Lot 8 on Launch

A view of Sagarmela 2019!

Journey Details:-

From Kolkata to Lot 8 (Harwood Point) following National Highway - Appx. 3 hours - 90 km

From Lot 8 to Kachuberia by Launch Boat or Vessel - Appx. 45 minutes - 5 km

From Kachuneria to Sagar Mela on road - Appx. 1 hour journey - 30 km

 

Tourist Amenities:-

Gathering of around 2 million pilgrims well monitored by Civic Administration.

Good arrangement of Drinking Water, Bio Toilet, Foods and ample nos of temporary Hoogla Hut constructed everywhere on the island. Facility of emergency services like Bank, ATM, Ambulance, Sagar Hospital available.

Civic Volunteers and administrations keep a strong vigil on pilgrims' movements as well as towards provision for basic infrastructure and intervened promptly to resolve any issue including hospitalization of severely ill pilgrims.

SOUNDS Great? You may witness yourself in the next year!

এক অনামী শিক্ষকের স্বীকারোক্তি - Confession of an Anonymous Teacher

এক অনামী শিক্ষকের স্বীকারোক্তি

সিদ্ধার্থ ভট্টাচার্য

কথাগুলি তোদের বলা হয়নি সুজন
বহুবার ভেবেছি বলব,
মনঃস্থির করেছি, বলতে গেছি 
আবার ঢোক গিলেছি। 

বহুবার বিড়বিড় করেছি
অবশ্যই মনেমনে
পথ চলতি অচকিতে সম্বিত ফিরেছে
নিজের অস্ফুট শব্দ উচ্চারণে
মনে ভেবেছি একি বিপদ
শেষে, এই বয়সে, বাধল কী মাথার অসুখ ?

তবু স্মৃতির ঢেউ যেন
থেকে থেকেই অশান্ত করে আমার চেতনা।
প্রতিটি শিক্ষক দিবসে
ভেবেছি করজোড়ে সর্বসমক্ষে চাইব ক্ষমা। 

আবার ভেবেছি এসবই তো অতীত
এখন তো তোরা সবাই প্রতিষ্ঠিত।
যে এখন যেমন - ই থাক
জীবন তো চলছেই নিজের মতো।

কথাগুলি তোদের বলা হয়নি সুজন
বহুবার ভেবেছি বলব,
বলব যে, আজ অবধি তোদের না- হওয়া স্যার
শিক্ষক জীবনে শত-সহস্রবার তোদের ক্ষমা করলেও
অদ্যবধি ক্ষমা করতে পারেনি নিজেকে
অদ্যবধি কমেনি মনের ভার।

এতবছর পরেও তোদের না-পারার যন্ত্রণা
একদিনের জন্যও আমি ভুলতে পারিনা।
এতবছর পরেও যখন তোদের দেখি
মনে হয় এত আপন, এত প্রিয়জন
আর কেও হতে পারে নাকি!

মনে হয় হয়ত আর একটু যত্ন, আর একটু ভালবাসা দিলে
এগোতে পারতিস আর একধাপ, ভিড় ঠেলে।
এত বছর পরে একটা কথাই তোদের বলি
পারলে মার্জনা করিস,
ভুলে যাস ‘সেই’ দিনগুলি।

Dhuandhar Falls, Jabalpur One of the Natures' Greatest Wonders

Dhuandhar Falls, Jabalpur

Dhuandhar Falls, Jabalpur - We reached late in the afternoon. The Sun has already gone far down the horizon. It takes a 10 minutes walk over concrete road to reach Dhuandhar falls from Bus Stand. We had a long drive all the way from Panchmari when the day officially did not really break out! The team moved fast just to witness this nature's marvel and voila! Upon our reach to the spot we were moved by witnessing the extravagant falls bombarding water jet in its own tempo, as if fairies of the heaven were dancing ballad in their whitish mystic attire!

Dhuandhar Falls, Jabalpur

Dhuandhar Falls, Jabalpur

You get to forget everything! The problem we had due to start our day at around 5:00 am in the morning, getting bare-minimum feeding at around 8:00 am, traveling as long as 7 hours all the way from Panchmari to this point with little snack-packet on the way! You literally forget everything looking at this world's 'should be' the eighth wonder! Watch the clips we captured and the movies. This was an experience beyond depiction.

Our team - me, maa, and Jolly Biswas ( Jolly di) at Dhuandhar Falls, Jabalpur

The Sun has dipped down into the horizon - It was hard for us to say goodbye to Dhuandhar Falls

Watch the videos to witness fuming water vapour steaming out from the gushing water-jet beneath!

This also concluded our unforgettable tour of Jabalpur Marble Rock,  Bandhavgarh Jwalamukhi Temple, Bandhavgarh National Park Safari and Panchmari!

Stay tuned to my blog as more stories to follow shortly.

Did you miss my previous stroke? Here goes the link to Marble Rocks - The Must Watch Marvels in Rocks

Marble Rocks, Jabalpur Boating from Marvel to Marvel

8km stretch of Soft Marble Rocks beside Narmada River

Marble rocks are something you do not get to see anywhere else but here! It is an astonishing wonder of 8 km trajectory along the Narmada river near Jabalpur at Madhya Pradesh. Words would fail to explain the beauty and even pictures can't capture the marvel. It is an experience that you need to realize being right at the spot. Anyway, I would share some photos I captured during our visit. Enjoy.

Green natural garden atop Marble Rock

Close Shot of Marble Rocks

Shinning Marble Rocks

As they sail the boat, they recite funny rhymes to explain the beauty and marvels of this spot

Our Unputdownable Team on the boat - Maa,Jolly di and Me

 

Wondering through the Marble Rocks, Jabalpur

A boat just sailing beside ours and nature creates astonishing views of Marble Rocks

Reflection of Marble Rocks on Narmada River

In case you missed my previous stoke, here is a read on Jwalamukhi Temple, Bandhavgarh, Madhya Pradesh

Happy Reading! Please do follow us and subscribe to my blog feed to get immediate updates!

Jwalamukhi Temple, Bandhavgarh Madhya Pradesh - Pilgrimage+

Goddess Jwalamukhi

It is believed goddess Jwalamukhi has has the power to fulfill the desires and wishes of her devotees. Just come here with faith in your mind. Unlike most other temples in India, there was no restriction on Camera usage.

The Jwalamukhi Temple


The temple is surrounded by picturesque scenic beauty

Forest Area behind Jwalamukhi Temple

Situated on the bank of river Charan Ganga, the place is sure to compel our wonder not only for its religious aspect but also for its serenity and natural elegance!

Charan Ganga River

Charan Ganga River

Just before Sunset

It was the time to take the day-close for the Sun!

Surrounding views of Jwalamukhi Temple

  

So calm and peaceful integration of natural elements. Simply spending few idle moments create peace of mind.

Location: 10 km / 12 minutes drive away from the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
Better to take both Jungle Safari and Jwalamukhi visit on the same day!

In case you have missed, read my stroke on Panchmari Tour.

Panchmari, Madhya Pradesh 2N Stay is Not Enough

Priyadarshini View Point from Panchmari

The winter mornings at Panchmari presented with a panoramic 360 degree view of Satpura Hill Tops - something splendid, explainable in words. Eventually we concluded Panchmari deserves a longer stay then scheduled 2N stay, if you happen to reach here in the afternoon like we did. It was hard for us to say goodbye to this spot when the tour operators declared 'the end' to this trip impromptu.

Garden around Pandav Cave

Among the top-notch view points, our guide was an equally interesting fellow who clocked our visits to perfection to give us a comprehensive viewing pleasure. But we have Bengalis' in blood and it was difficult even for a nagging guy like him to drag us, or better mention, distract us from view points before we could have fully quenched our nature-loving thirsts.

The snapshots captured on my Mobile Camera says it all:-

Pandav Cave

Views from Pandav Cave

View Points at Panchmari

Team at Panchmari

Priyadarshini View Point from Panchmari

Dense Forest Area - Satpura Tiger Reserve Forest

Views from Panchmari

Panchmari Lake

Wonderful views of Panchmari

Sunset Point, Panchmari

Should you have missed my previous stroke, do read Bandhavgarh National Park

Happy Reading!

Bandhavgarh, Bandhavgarh National Park Safari - A Splendid Journey

Happy New Year 2019! After couple of years of break from my touring schedule, somehow managed time to venture into the world of adventure travel once again. This led my pathway to Bandhavgarh National Park, as a part of touring parts of Madhya Pradesh during the penultimate week of 2018.

The weather was chillingly cool and some of our co-travelers struggled to coup up with the cold. The safari starts either early in the morning from 6:30 - 10:00 am or in the afternoon from 3:00 pm  onwards for three hours. 

Bandhavgarh National Park :-

 

The terrain is not like Rajaji National Park (a travel through River Bed and Mountains), however, it has its own charm to move over the gravel road through densely populated trees and plantations in the jungle over Jeepsy Car. We got to meet with few dears, wild boars, parrots, lemurs and fortunate to find Royal Bengal Tiger footprint. But for obvious reason, there was no trace of the jungle monster nearby. I persuaded with our guide to help us find a tiger but he apologized. 

No more in words. Here goes few snapshots:-

Me inside our Resort, Narmada Resort, Bandhavgarh

Me with our local guide

Wild Boar

Footprint of Royal Bengal Tiger

Natural Drinking Water Resource

Two of my most enthusiastic travel partners - my mother & Jolly di

Wild Dear

Wild dears spectacular relaxing under soft sun beam and literally posing for the picture

L4MUR

BANDHAVGARH TIGER RESERVE FOREST AREA

BHUTNI TREE!

This tree has stunning bright whitish bark - local people calls them Bhutni Tree as they are found to glitter like GHOSTS in moonlit nights.

Do watch this video of how the dears are enjoying the warmth of early morning sunshine!

How To reach Bandhavgarh :-

We traveled by train from Howrah to Katni Junction, and from Katni  a 4 hours bus journey took us to Bandhavgarh. Other than the National Park and Tiger Reserve Forest, we visited JWALAMUKHI - a place which has traces of volcanic eruptions that took place long ago. I'll share more update on Jwalamukhi in the coming blog post.

Accommodation:-

You can search online to book a resort inside the Jungle area or just within the town itself which is located close to the Jungle. And tigers visit these places frequently being close to Reserve Forest!

We stayed at Narmada Resort, Bandhavgarh which has good food supplies - but bit expensive though and fair amount of hot water supplies! A must have to combat around  4 - 6 degree Celsius mercury level.

Happy Reading!