Into the Wild – II

The subject sounds like an animation movie sequel but I’ll only be concluding my trip to Sundarbans in this article. In the last article, I took you through how to reach there, the accommodations, and the time you need to take off from office to visit the land of tigers.

The best thing that I liked about Sundarbans is the vast greenery, clean blue sky, and the innumerable islands that form the complete forest area. It has around 200 islands, which are part of both India and Bangladesh. Then there is the rise and fall of tide, the water recedes early in the morning and by late evening, you can hear the gurgling of the water almost near the hotel where you put up.

A couple of items you should buy from the place are – honey and tiger paw prints. You get the purest of honeys in the area, fresh from the forests. The paws are imprints taken to determine the number of tigers alive in the area, as well as the sex of the beasts. These two things make for a perfect visit, a memorabilia of the place and a feeling of being as close as possible to the ‘wild’.

Amongst the places to visit, there is a museum at Shojnekhali, Hamilton’s bungalow in Gosaba, tower at Sudhanna Khali from where you can see the animals at large, and Sonakhali where there are some guest houses and small shops. Barriers and check points stand tall in Sudhanna Khali from where you might get to see some deer and if you are extremely lucky, a tiger. The most adventurous part is that all these spots can be reached only through water body.

And don’t think that your day of fun ends at sun-down. If you are willing to take a little pain, you can contact the Forest Officer and obtain permits for tiger-watching at night. But the chance of catching one in action is almost nil. You can also spend the evening around a nice and cozy bonfire with a guitar and a bottle of beer.

Sundarbans is a haven for bird watchers and photographers. Migratory birds are pretty abundant here, displaying their multi-coloured plumes. The sunset and sunrise gives picturesque view of the extended Bay of Bengal. The golden reflection of the sun poses a fantastic catch for a photographer.

A word of caution: drink safe. Even though the place is a government aided tourism haunt, the water used for cleaning utensils in the boats is from the river where all these steamers function. Also, if you are sea-sick, you might come back with an upset tummy, so keeping some medicines and bottled water at hand will be useful.

I know too much packing and planning ruins a trip, but trust me, for some trips you have to have prior knowledge to enjoy a comfortable and fruitful holiday. Sundarbans is one of those. Have fun!