Travel to Jaldapara, the state of the one-horned rhinoceros.

At the entrance of Jaldapara Sanctuary, you can see the stone signboard carved gate known as ‘The Rhinoland’. In 2012, Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary was renamed as Jaldapara National Park. It is located in the Alipurduar district of West Bengal, in the foothills of the Bhutan Hills in the eastern Himalayas. 217 sq km: Jaldapara is famous for its almost horned rhinoceros. In the poems of Purnendra Patri including Malangi, Halang, Buribasara, Kalijhora, the young river Torsa flows through this forest.

 

 

Many years ago, on a hot May day in 2003, we reached Siliguri at about mid-day, wandering around the hilly lake of Mirik on the Nepal border. After freshening up at Hotel Snowview next to the bridge, I went to a dining hall next to the bus stand to look for lunch. Wearing hot potatoes, soybeans, and hot tea, I boarded a West Bengal State Transport bus at the bus stand in Tenzing Norgay. On the way to the bus stand, I came across a middle-aged rickshaw puller near the house of the legendary CPM leader Charu Majumdar. It will take about three and a half four hours to reach Jaldapara forest in Madarihat by bus from Tenzing Norgay bus stand in Siliguri to Jaigaon.

 

 

When the bus stopped in front of Jaldapara Sanctuary, it was almost evening. I have come a long way through the tea garden of Dooars in Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri. Located on the banks of the river Torsa, the sanctuary has a total area of ​​141 sq km. . Jaldapara is basically a vast grassland with riverine forests. A diverse gathering of animals and plants in the sanctuary. Of these, the endangered rhinoceros is particularly noteworthy. Jaldapara was declared a sanctuary in 1941 for the conservation of these animals and plants.

 

 

Jaldapara is across the famous Dooars tea garden of huge size. Many aspects of Bengali literature The background of the writer’s writing is Naxalbari, Angravasa river, biography in the tea garden of Dwars. Especially after reading the writings of Samresh Majumder and Sunil Gangopadhyay, it seems that there are many circles and places to visit.

 

 

In Jaldapara Sanctuary, we were accommodated in the name of the river, Banbanglo Hallong Guest House. Talks were held with Ramendra in charge of the information center. I have worked in the Sundarbans in the forest department of Bangladesh, so some extra hospitality. A few small cottages across a lot of space in the middle of the surrounding forest. Halong bungalow on a wooden platform. You have to break ten or twelve stairs to get to the cottage. First a few small porches. Tidy bathroom, nice clean bed, civic amenities even inside the forest. In the light of night, in the darkness of my mind, it is as if Satyajit Ray lives in the forest day and night. However, as soon as I got into bed after eating, I got lost in the state of sleep without realizing the fatigue of the long bus journey. I woke up very early in the morning to the call of unknown birds. Like the paradise of birds – tia, peacock, kite, hawk, deer, cormorant, and many other unnamed birds. 56 years ago, in 1954, Jaldapara forest was declared a protected forest. And now it is a sanctuary for various animals and livestock. There is a small zoo with an office. Statistics of different species found in this forest were found there.

 

 

After Kaziranga National Park in Assam, this sanctuary has the largest number of rhinos in India. Other wildlife living in the sanctuary are Bengal Tiger, Elephant, Sambar Deer, Maya Deer, Chital Deer, Hog Deer, Wild Pig, and Gaur. Jaldapara is a paradise for bird watchers. Jaldapara is one of the few areas in India where Bengal Florican is found. Other birds seen here are the Crested Eagle, Pallas’s Fishing Eagle, and Shirka. Also seen are peacocks, peacocks, parrots, Bengal floricans, laser paid hornbills, etc.

 

 

Inside the reptiles are pythons, chameleons, crates, cobras, GUI snakes, geckos, and eight species of freshwater turtles.

 

 

Apart from the period from 15th June to 14th September, Jaldapara Sanctuary is open to tourists at other times of the year. New grass grows in the forest in October-May, especially in March-April.

Elephant safaris are available at Jaldapara forest. The jungle safari is on two trips. Morning and afternoon. Four tourists per elephant can safari in a boxer. It’s like visiting the forest in slow motion. Elephants can be ridden deep into the forest and wildlife of rhinos, elephants and other animals can be seen in the forest and grasslands. Apart from elephant safaris, car safaris can also be done in the forest.

 

 

 

A little panic works when you think of the leopard. From the Kaziranga forest, I met an elderly couple who had just finished their journey. Deer and elephants can be easily seen in this forest. Climbing the inspection tower, the famous one-horned terrifying rhinoceros was seen in the distance. Without our tour guide, everything seems to catch his eye first. Putting salt in a small hole in the ground for rhinos on the way, a small river next to it. The crystal clear water of the mountain river. Below are rock pebbles, dug-outs – colorful fish fairs.

 

As soon as the sun sets, the pet elephants of this sanctuary come back to the open forest all day eating grass, herbs, and leaves. A few elephants are bathing in the river next to us, ignoring us.

 

At the end of the safari in the cottage. Just go downstairs for food; If you want, you can also match the food on top. After spending one night and two days in the forest surrounded by silent mysteries, it is time to go to Jaigaon. In the silent silence of nature and the wild maya of the forest, it seemed that the plan of the tour was wrong. It would not be bad to go somewhere else and just get lost in the greenery of natural beauty for a few days in the cocoon of animals and birds. If nothing else, at least I could find myself in it

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Finally, I thought to myself, I will return to the forest again, I will surrender myself day and night in the forest.

How to go

 

 

Madarihat by bus from Tenzing Norgay bus stand in Siliguri to Jaigaon. The entrance of Jaldapara forest is in front of Madarihat bus stop.

Where to stay

 

 

In the Jaldapara forest, there are luxurious Hallong bungalows or various quality hotels in Jaigaon, the gateway to Bhutan.

Warning:

 

Beautiful forest like the picture – Jaldapara Sanctuary. The forest is the habitat of many animals. Being a responsible tourist, one should enjoy the beauty of the forest flora and fauna and the natural cosmos. A clean forest should not be made unclean in any way.

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