[Neversaygbye]

Having a Monday off meant having an extended weekend after a long time, and after being closeted at home for months due to the second wave of Covid, there was no way my better half and I were going to let go of this opportunity to take a weekend break.

This time we chose the hills of Ajodhya in the northwestern part of Bengal, which are known for their lush landscapes and serene waterbodies. We had never been to this part of Bengal before - the closest places in the vicinity that we had been to were Garhpanchkot and Mukut Manipur which were also good in their own way. Hence this trip promised to be a welcome change from the usual DiPuDa circuit which is so beloved of Calcuttans for their weekend trips.

Once we firmed up the plan, I checked on available stay options and was helped a lot in this by fellow BHPian ABHI_1512. He suggested Kushal Palli and Bon Polashi Eco Hut and while we found Kushal Palli to be outside our budget, Bon Polashi ticked all the boxes and we immediately got the booking done.

Thereafter a friend also wanted to join us with his family once he got to know of our trip, and as luck would have it, the resort did have another room available, so we booked that too and were all set for our trip.



We started from Calcutta early on Saturday morning with a plan to reach our destination Bon Polashi Eco Resort at Muruguma Lake by lunch time





Since our friends who accompanied us on this trip were a three member family this meant that the car was fully loaded. It was a struggle to fit all the luggage in the limited boot space of my hatchback but we managed somehow.





Google maps suggested this route which is through Durgapur, Raniganj, Saltora and Raghunathpur. Approx distance was 320 kms and ETA was 7.5 hours





Crossing the Hooghly at Dakshineswar





These bikers were going ahead of us. They seemed to be going on a long trip. Wonder where?





Road surface was good for almost 90% of the way. There were the odd broken patches and craters and in some places there were speedbreakers and a lot of congestion but on the whole it was a good drive





We stopped for breakfast at this dhaba near Durgapur. Calcutta to Durgapur took about 2.5 hours





Once we hit the state highway from Raniganj roads were a little more congested and we ran into all kinds of animals on the road too





There was road repair work in progress in some sections too





However, there was very little traffic and hardly any pedestrians so we made good progress despite the impediments





There are multiple routes to this part of Bengal. We could have come via Asansol as well





The countryside was verdant and really beautiful





Finally our destination was within sight after almost 7 hours





Sand mining in progress in one of the rivers on the way. Illegal sand mining is unfortunately one of the biggest industries in Bengal





The small town closest to Muruguma is Begun Kodar which also has this interesting temple





We finally reached Muruguma and our stay was right opposite Muruguma Lake. It took us exactly 7.5 hours to reach our destination.





Our resort Bon Polashi was quite basic but nice.





It had nice cottages and even its own pond with fishes in it





The lush greenery all around ensured that we had some beautiful visitors





Our room was spacious and functional





We also had our own (sleepy) guard dog





Rules of the resort. Made sense considering the remote location





The open common dining area had this magnificent view





Food options were simple and limited but whatever was served was tasty





After having a hearty lunch we set out for Muruguma View Point to see the sunset. The road runs past the lake.





It then goes uphill and becomes really narrow and steep. There are also at least four hairpin bends





The sunset from Muruguma View Point



That completed day 1 for us. It was an excellent day both in terms of the drive and the destination.

[Neversaygbye]

The plan on Day 2 was to visit all the places of interest in the area, starting from Mayur Pahar to Khairabera Dam. We started after a hearty breakfast of luchi (puri) and alu'r torkari (potato curry).





Our first stop was the Upper Dam. We did not get down at Mayur Pahar which had come before this





The next stop was the Lower Dam view point





Then we went to Thurga Falls which entailed navigation of this extremely challenging path





The falls themselves were okay, and I've seen better





Bamni Falls on the same road was closed for visitors so we next went to the Marble Lake, which brought back memories of my Bhedaghat trip, albeit on a much, much smaller scale.





Thereafter we made our way to Chorida, the masks village. Almost every household makes masks for a living here and most of these masks are ritually used in the Chhau dance





Craftsmen at work





The next and last stop was Khairabera Dam post which we decided to take the short route back to the resort as we were running late.





A word of caution - avoid the short route to the resort from Khairabera Dam if possible. While it takes a little over an hour (30 mins less than alternate routes), it is a very narrow and steep road which is completely isolated and deserted for most of the way and the road ends suddenly in broken ground about 1 km from the resort. Only try this stretch if you have an SUV. It was a struggle to clear the last stretch in my hatchback which has low ground clearance to boot, and we were so busy trying to get across that we even forgot to take photos or videos of this stretch.





Finally it was Day 3 and time to leave but not before taking the mandatory group photo





The route back was through Purulia and Bankura. The road from Purulia to Bankura was really nice most of the way, and though this route is slightly longer (by about 20 kms) I will recommend it over the Raniganj route.





We stopped for lunch at one of the motels run by the Bengal government. This one was just before the Durgapur barrage after crossing Beliatore. It was really value for money





The next stop was at Shaktigarh to pick up lyangchas and chanapora. This is almost a ritual for any traveller on this route.





Succulent lyangchas were just a little too sweet for my liking. Heard that Lyangcha Kuthee on the other side of the road is the better shop.





Thanks to heavy truck traffic, the stretch from Shaktigarh to Calcutta took 3 hours instead of the usual 1.5 hours. We finally reached at 7:45 pm after spending more than 9 hours on the road, having started at 10:11 am. The last 50 kms was horrible to say the least - please ensure that you start early and do not stop for long anywhere if you want to avoid the mess created by the trucks and police. In total, we covered a distance of 795 kms in 3 days.






That brought to a close a wonderful weekend trip. We were really astounded by the natural beauty of this part of Purulia and plan to go again in March when the Polash flower blooms and the hills become red.

[Samba]

A very well articulated travelogue on a lesser visited destination of Bangal. Loved reading it.

Compared to the other popular destinations in Bengal, I find AjodhyaPahar to be more peaceful and untouched.

If visited during mid March, this place is red with Palash and if you visit in late September it's white with Kash!

[sayakc]

Hello Sumanta,

Your photos and narration makes me yearn for a visit to Purulia yet again .

Close to home, whenever you wish to get a feel of the hills, I too yearn for Purulia and Bankura - and no matter how many times we visit these places, it feels, why not go one more time. And the period from mid-Oct to March is the icing on the cake.

In October the kash flowers bloom, hillocks are still green and you can feel the cold early in the morning and in the evenings. During winters, you see the smoke floating stagnant a few feet above the ground, mornings are misty and the cold catches you!

Purists might argue, but with Purulia opening up big in the last 8-10 years, why not DiPuDa mean Digha, Purulia and Darj ?

P.S.. - Its a matter of coincidence that we also had our breakfast at the Roy Hotel during our recent trip!

Best Regards,
Sayak

[turboNath]

Thanks Neversaygbye for yet another brilliant travelogue ! The rural roads look fantastic and the greenery is an added bonus post Monsoon. With its long, winding and butter smooth tarmac, Ayodhya Pahar remains one of the best places to get a flavour of the hills on wheels! The landscape shots of Muruguma and Marble Lake look stunning.Chorida village was a great addition to the itinerary and it always a pleasure to watch those artisans bring the chau masks to life.
Hope to read more of such fantastic travelogues from you real soon! Keep on revving !

[ABHI_1512]

Nicely described log of a trip enjoyed by friends and family, at a place which just provides a perfect setting to do that exactly. Ayodhya hills have its own charm and provides different vibes at different times of the year. Although, it’s been a while since I last visited the place, it still remains a winter favourite. Your pictures surely tell that you all had a gala time, basic accommodation not withstanding. Next time, do try Utsav resort near Durgapur for your hunger pangs, I am sure you will like the food and the ambiance.

Regards.

[Neversaygbye]

Originally Posted by Samba

A very well articulated travelogue on a lesser visited destination of Bangal. Loved reading it.

Thank you Samba. The photos you have posted are truly incredible and makes me want to go back in Polash and Kash season again!

I find most of the travelogues on TBHP extremely detailed with amazing photography. This was my attempt to replicate those but to be honest I think I need to click better photographs.

Originally Posted by sayakc

Your photos and narration makes me yearn for a visit to Purulia yet again ...

Purists might argue, but with Purulia opening up big in the last 8-10 years, why not DiPuDa mean Digha, Purulia and Darj ?

Thank you for the kind words Sayak. DiPuDa can very well be Digha Purulia and Darjeeling. Now that is quite a thought! Although I would be happy if it could retain its far from the madding crowd quality even after becoming popular.

It really was a coincidence that both of us stopped at Roy hotel and I suppose in future we can look forward to more such coincidences when we stop at Utsav Resort thanks to Abhi's recommendation!

Originally Posted by turboNath

Thanks Neversaygbye for yet another brilliant travelogue !

Thanks Atreya! This is actually my first TL on TBHP and while I really appreciate the praise I know that it is not a patch on any of your travelogues. Those are like the pages of NG come to life! I agree that Ayodhya Pahar remains one of the best places to get a flavour of the hills on wheels. Am already planning to go back there.

Originally Posted by ABHI_1512

Nicely described log of a trip enjoyed by friends and family, at a place which just provides a perfect setting to do that exactly.

Next time, do try Utsav resort near Durgapur for your hunger pangs, I am sure you will like the food and the ambiance.

Thank you Abhi, it was your recommendation on acco that really added the extra dimension to our trip and we can't thank you enough. We absolutely loved Bon Polashi eco resort and have no complaints whatsoever. (I have written a glowing testimonial in their suggestion book as well). We got what we paid for and it was great!

I will definitely go back to Bon Polashi again and also try the food at Utsav Resort the next time I travel in that direction.

[7000plusrpm]

Originally Posted by Neversaygbye

This time we chose the hills of Ajodhya in the northwestern part of Bengal, which are known for their lush landscapes and serene waterbodies. We had never been to this part of Bengal before

I had a very different idea about Purulia in my mind. However, over the last couple of months, I had been to Muruguma twice and absolutely loved it, be it the drive or the place and its surroundings.

We had stayed right next to Bon Palashi at Palash Bitan and didn't have much of a chance to complain.

Sharing some memories from my humble collection here.

Sunset at Muruguma





There is this small waterfall on the way to Muruguma viewpoint


And yours truly posing in front of it

[Neversaygbye]

Originally Posted by 7000plusrpm

We had stayed right next to Bon Palashi at Palash Bitan and didn't have much of a chance to complain.

Sharing some memories from my humble collection here.

Those are some amazing photos and just goes to show how much I have to learn when it comes to taking good photos! I really found Muruguma worth going back to again and again as well! Such a beautiful place. The green hills interspersed with serene waterbodies reminded me of the Lake District of Cumbria. We have our own Lake District here in Bengal and it seems to be a pretty well kept secret so far!

The owners of Palash Bitan are evidently friends of the owners of Bon Polashi. Also Bon Polashi has now set up four tents in a property adjoining Palash Bitan. Will probably try those the next time I go. We took a tour and quite liked the look of them. Very similar to the tents in Nubra Valley.

[shourya_lahiri]

Nice crisp and short travelogue with a lot of feel good vibe ! Thanks for shedding light on this lesser known tourist place. Your D90 with the fiat heart is rocking!

Waiting for more such experiences from your end, Cheers.

[Neversaygbye]

Originally Posted by shourya_lahiri

Nice crisp and short travelogue with a lot of feel good vibe ! Thanks for shedding light on this lesser known tourist place. Your D90 with the fiat heart is rocking!

Waiting for more such experiences from your end, Cheers.

Thanks Shourya, will definitely post more TLs in future.

The Fiat MJD in its 90 BHP tune is really a stonker of an engine and it is a pity that it is no longer around thanks to BS6. On hindsight, buying the Vista turned out to be a great decision despite the car being pretty ugly to look at and the presence of the typical Tata issue with fit and finish - it has been an absolutely trouble free ownership of over 8 years and the car is a beast on the highway in terms of straight line stability and planted and pliant ride quality.

[haisaikat]

A great location for long weekend to drive by and enjoy, thank you for taking us alongwith you, I have not been to Murugma and Charida and do wish to visit in the future.

The Dankuni stretch starts to get worse post 5 pm as it seems, so better to cross this within that time.

Once again thank you for the nice read clubbed with beautiful photos and wish to see more conquests from the wonderful Red Vista in the days to come.

[Carpainter]

Nice written travelogue.

I myself had gone for a short trip to Purulia and Ayodhya in September this year. I went through Asansol and the roads were mostly highways. But I found the road to Durgapur and Asansol were not as good as they were before. While coming back the road I took connecting the main highway through Ranigunje had some railway crossing with some huge speed breakers and my City touched quite a few of them badly even at snail's speed. Didn't have time to visit much of the interior though.

[Neversaygbye]

Originally Posted by haisaikat

A great location for long weekend to drive by and enjoy, thank you for taking us alongwith you, I have not been to Murugma and Charida and do wish to visit in the future.

The Dankuni stretch starts to get worse post 5 pm as it seems, so better to cross this within that time.

Thank you Saikat for the kind words. You should definitely make a plan to visit Muruguma and the larger Ajodhya Pahar area as it is really beautiful. Now is a good time to visit before it gets too cold or you could wait till Palash season next year (nearabouts Holi).

We knew about the 5 pm cut-off for reaching Dankuni but had forgotten about it on the day. Plus in a group it is not always easy to maintain timings - we had planned to leave from the resort at 9 am and eventually ended up leaving after 10. Had we left at 9 as originally planned we would have probably not faced the jam. If we had remembered about the jam we would have definitely tried to leave by 9 am. Anyway, we will not repeat this mistake in future.

[Neversaygbye]

Originally Posted by Carpainter

While coming back the road I took connecting the main highway through Ranigunje had some railway crossing with some huge speed breakers and my City touched quite a few of them badly even at snail's speed. Didn't have time to visit much of the interior though.

Thank you for your kind words.

I forgot to mention the speedbreakers and the level crossings in my travelogue. I can totally relate to your experience. I stopped counting the number of times my car bottomed out on those humongous mini mountains masquerading as speedbreakers. Also, I counted about 6 level crossings on the entire route from Ranigunj and we were lucky that we got through 5 without stopping and only had to wait for about 5 minutes at the one where we had to stop. The road through Barjora-Beliatore-Bankura Bypass-Purulia is much better even though it is longer. However, Google does reroute through side streets to bypass Purulia and these lanes have huge concrete speedbreakers too. Next time I will avoid this short cut even if it adds an hour to my trip time. Or I will go in a car with higher ground clearance than my Vista's unladen 165mm.

Do take time to visit the interiors when you travel to Purulia next. In the right season, its a great place to visit in terms of scenic beauty.