Jaldapara forest

If you’re looking for some adventure this weekend, take a trip to Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary in the Dooars area of the Himalayas, in north Bengal. Jaldapara is a breath-taking mosaic of woods, grasslands, swamps and streams with an amazing diversity of flora and fauna.

We travelled via Hashimara and reached Madarihat, a settlement that serves as the entrance to Jaldapara. Trudging along the scenic Peacock Avenue, a tree-lined road led to the Holong dak bungalow. The building is in the middle of a large clump of sal, khaer and shishu trees that lend a picturesque appeal to the bungalow. Close by, the rivers Torsa and Malangi flow gently from east to west. A salt lick was seen on the banks of Torsa when a herd of deer sauntered past to quench their thirst.

Elephant ride

It seemed as though one were in the Garden of Eden. Silence reigned all around, and the forest was hauntingly wild and beautiful. We visited the Interpretation Centre at Madarihat next morning. The resident forest officer explained the concept of joint forest management to protect forest resources in West Bengal.

It was recently modified and called joint protected area management. The district administration, in association with academics, technocrats and politicians, has taken active interest in making the project successful.

In the middle of our discussion, a group of wildlife photographers arrived on elephant back. They had started off early in the morning and gone deep into Jaldapara for a glimpse of the rare and elusive one-horned rhinoceros. Shortage of food is believed to be one of the reasons for their population to dwindle.

At the Cheetah Rearing Centre, near the forest office, you have the opportunity to see how young cheetahs are reared and equipped to live in their natural habitat as adults.

Rhino

The main attraction in Jaldapara is, of course, the Asiatic one-horned rhino. The Jaldapara sanctuary holds the maximum number of rhinos after Kaziranga National Park in Assam.

Elephants, Indian bison, tigers, leopards, spotted deer and hog deer also roam the wildlife sanctuary. Take an elephant ride or a jeep safari into the jungle and enjoy the thrill of adventure.

For bird-lovers, it’s a paradise. From the rare Bengal florican to the pied hornbill, racket-tailed drongo, paradise flycatcher, crested eagle, fishing eagle, shikra, jungle fowl, peafowl, partridges and many more, Jaldapara is home to one and all. Set out with a pair of binoculars and catch the feathered creatures in flight.

Near the sanctuary is Totopara, home to the Totos, an endangered tribe that has remained the same over time, with a population of about a thousand. Deep inside the forest are remains of an ancient civilisation, like the ruins of an old fort referred to as Nala Rajar Garh (as in king Nala of the epic) by the local residents.

If time permits, one could visit places around Jaldapara. In this part of Jalpaiguri district, a tour of the tea plantations is a must. There’s Gorumara nearby and Mahananda wildlife sanctuary. But with time being a constraint on a weekend trip, explore the wild of Jaldapara and return refreshed to the humdrum of daily life. It takes a while to get to the forest, but it’s worth the effort.

How to get there:

The nearest airport is Bagdogra. Indian Airlines has regular flights and Jet Airways has daily departures from Kolkata. Hired taxis and buses are available at the airport. By train, the nearest station is Madarihat, seven km from Jaldapara. Dadar Express, Rajdhani Express, Kanchenjunga Express and Saraighat Express stop at New Jalpaiguri.

Holong bungalow

Where to stay:

Holong bungalow, inside the Jaldapara wildlife sanctuary, is the best place to stay. Madarihat bungalow, on the fringes of the forest, is another option. Tour operators like Silent Valley Wilderness Tours organise all-inclusive packages to Jaldapara.


Contact: 14/1 Karaya Road; Kolkata
Phone: 22802893/7811Email: silent@vsnl.net This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

The Telegraph