[AJ-got-BHP]

February the month of Love brought in the opportunity for a handful of car enthusiasts to unite for the Love of their Jeeps ! A brainwave in a WhatsApp Group was enough to trigger the longing for travel for many Jeepers. It was all done in a day - with that I mean, finalizing the destination, negotiation with the property and taking confirmations from the Team Members along with their Advance Payments to plan a flawless outing. It was super quick !!

Now why do I say Jeepers ?
So all in all 11 Jeep Compass owners volunteered to join the drive to Joypur Forest British Aerodrome near Bishnupur and Gangani the Grand Canyons of Bengal.

Now that was the Line up :


Is everything right with that picture ?
Mostly yes, apart from the fact that there are only 9 Jeeps here !

What about the remaining 2 Jeeps ?
The remaining two Jeeps belonging to BHPian premjit and BHPian AJ-got-BHP (yours truly) set sail much later than the convoy did and at our own pace caught up with the convoy at the Joypur Forest British Aerodrome

A picture of the above mentioned Jeeps (with a little more BHP ) taking it's first break in Salboni :

[AJ-got-BHP]

It so happened that the 9 Jeeps set sail at around 06:30am in the morning and planned to meet at the Azad Hind Dhaba (AHD), Uluberiya for Breakfast. This was more the assembly point for the convoy which me and BHPian Premjit could not join, since we had some commitments at home to attend to. Some glimpses of the meet at AHD :


BHPian brownianmotion's Silver Jeep Compass TrailHawk at the extreme end of the line up :




The convoy set sail towards Kharagpur and thereafter onto NH-60 towards Salboni Forest.

Some customary pictures of the Jeeps lined up with the Owners :









I had a depot in Midnapore over a decade ago so used to frequent this region a lot in those days. That time the maoist chaos was at it's prime and the jungle was very dense then with a single (narrow) road bisecting the forest. Things seem to have changed drastically now. The dense forest is no more and the road is butter smooth and not so narrow anymore. Perfect ingredient for a flying low with a 2000cc engine

We had set sail from Kolkata at 08:30am and we managed to overtake the convoy at this point and surprise them with some decent pictures.

Waiting for the convoy :


Some clicks of the other Jeeps rolling :






Daughter Ishanvi posing :


Me posing with mine :


The lady gets her turn now :


A quick break with BHPian Premjit at this point :


The convoy had decided to head for Lunch to Banalata Resort and we decided to head to our Hotel for a freshening up and grab a quick lunch and meet the convoy at the Air Strip directly.

Cruising to Bishnupur :


This made us travel back in time :


My Jeep posing with the terracotta structures :

[AJ-got-BHP]

We reached our abode for the day Hotel Annapurna in Bishnupur; checked in, freshened up and feasted on the sumptuous lunch at the Hotel itself to recuperate the energy and catch up with the convoy at the Airstrip. In the meanwhile the entire group of 9 Jeeps decided to have Lunch at Banalata Resort.

Some pictures of the Banalata Resort (as received from fellow travelers) :




The 9 Jeeps posing the British Aerodrome, waiting for us :


Now with the spirits high, me and Premjit set off with both the Boys in Premjit's Compass. I am sure that he was the one on a ride with the two devils:


Enroute to the Aerodrome, Google Maps was showing an alternate route which was a minute more and this is what it looked like :


We diverted from the suggested path and took this beaten path out of curiosity. As we moved on, the path (if i may call it) just kept getting narrower and narrower and we kept on moving till the time a motorcyclist came in our way and told us that the road was too narrow ahead to be motorable by car. We somehow managed to take a U-Turn which was also slightly dramatic and started driving back to the paved/ tarred road which we had left behind.

Some snaps of our Jeeps that we captured on this beautiful stretch :




The tarred road again lead to the forest trail with dirt road which we were longing to see. We dusted our way to the Aerodrome and it was too much fun playing around with the so called "Lal Maati" (means Red Soil). Some pictures of the forest trail :





The there the British Aerodrome welcomed us !!


However, we were at the other extreme end to where the other Jeepers were. The place was too luring not to take some pictures of our Jeeps posing :




The Little Boys with their Dad's Toys :


The vegetation alongside the Airstrip :


We enjoyed our adrenaline drive to the other end of the Airstrip where the Jeepers waited for us for a group picture :


The men :


The women :


Meeting and Greeting took some time and it was a pleasure to be amidst a bunch of Jeeping Enthusiasts :




The Lal Maati covering the boot of our respective Compasses :




Group Picture of the 11 Jeeps together :




"Not all who wander are lost" when you have a Compass :


The TrailHawks taking center stage with BHPian brownianmotion's on the right :


Another formation of all the Jeeps together :


Once the pictures were done, I could not resist myself from trying out the P2 Mode of the DieselTronic installed on my Jeep Compass on the Aerodrome and yes it did make the heads turn and the eyes roll and it was a matter of time that BHPian Premjit asked me for the keys to that happiness !!

BHPian Premjit driving my Compass to experience the added BHP and the enhanced Torque delivery. I could only be a spectator to his joy and capture the moment through my lens :

[AJ-got-BHP]

As I pen down this travelogue, I have missed out on Introducing the Jeepers Individually !! So here it is.

Dipan aka BHPian brownianmotion with the TrailHawk :


Dr. Sayak Paul with his TrailHawk :


The TrailHawks posing together :


Dr. Swastik Nandi & family :




Dr. Obydul Khan & family :




Snehasish Pan - Our Champion Organizer :


Niladri Chakravarty & family - The Motivator :


Nitin & Anju Nair - The world is a small place and they happen to be school friends of BHPian predatoronwheelz :


Mr. Ghosh & family :


Somnath & Co. :


Me with my son Mivann wearing our Jeep T-Shirt alongside our Jeep :


My wife Eshita posing exclaiming "why should boys have all the fun ?" :


Another me snap :


The convoy again set sail back to the Hotel Annapurna where we all were put up together. Some snaps enroute :






The beautiful sunset with Jeep Compass dusting it's way through the forest trail (noticeable at the far end) :

[AJ-got-BHP]

On the return leg to the Hotel, some took the conventional road through the busy Bishnupur town, whereas some took another diversion from the highway which supposedly was a short cut to the hotel. But we opted to take the more scenic road back to the hotel through which we had come. The two reasons were to firstly avoid the traffic and secondly to attend the local "Haat Bazaar" which was on the way. It seemed to be setting up stage when we were heading to the Aerodrome and I was sure that with the setting sun the locals will make the place more colourful with their offerings.

Some Jeep Photography :






The colours already coming to life :


The famous terracotta handicrafts of Bishnupur :




The local folk music and dance :






The terracotta backdrop :




We posing :




The children having some fun time together :






Some more artifacts :






There was lots to shop and we did indulge ourselves into some impulsive (although worthwhile) shopping. Thereon feasted on the local "Chop" and "Jalebi" and to sum it up the local hand churned Ice Cream which just looked good and was definitely not the icing on the cake (don't even try) :


The venue where we were :


We had utilized the time well enough at the "Haat Bazaar" which the whole group would have taken to Check In at the hotel and it was time for us to head back too !

View of the property from my Room Balcony :


Our cozy and comfortable 4 Bedded Room :


The Gala Dinner was planned in a banquet hall at around 08:00pm where the stories from everyone flowed endlessly for the rest of the evening making it a memorable get together. Unfortunately no pictures of the evening as everyone was tired and in an unwinding mode.

[AJ-got-BHP]

A good night's sleep was very welcoming and everyone had different energies flowing and with that came in different ideas. Some decided to stay back at the hotel and relax till Check Out whereas some decided to get ready, have breakfast and leave for a 14 Point Sightseeing in the Totos (Electric Auto Rickshaws) queued up outside the Hotel Entrance. We instead planned to walk it to Rasmancha (pronounced as Raas-Moncho in Bengali) which was a 5-7 minutes walk from our Hotel.

The busy parking lot of the Hotel :


BHPian premjit's Compass right under our Balcony :


The Rasmancha :






The Wiki Info :

The Rasmancha is a historical temple located at Bishnupur, Bankura district, West Bengal, India. It was commissioned by Mallabhum king Hambir Malla Dev in 1600 CE. Length and breadth of this temple is 24.5 meter and the height is 12.5 meter. The base or altar of the temple is made of laterite stone and upper part is made with bricks. Upper structure looks like a pyramid. Middle part resembles Bengali huts and the arches of the lower part resembles Islamic architecture. During the Vaishnava Ras festival, all the Radha Krishna idols of Bishnupur town used to be brought here to be worshipped by the citizens. The annual festival was held till 1932.

Us at the Rasmancha :




























Playing the the shadows :




Well manicured gardens at the Rasmancha :






We were joined by Anju & Nitin :


As well as Somnath at the Rasmancha :


The colourful walls opposite the Rasmancha also have lots of tales to tell :




We walked back to the hotel and feasted on the lavish buffet breakfast which was laid out for us. It was fantastic and very filling, indeed more than one could have asked for in a place like Bishnupur !!

[AJ-got-BHP]

Once done with breakfast, we took turn in getting ready and packing up to depart. But, nothing is complete without a parting shot !!

The Jeeps at the Hotel Parking :


The Jeepers at Hotel Annapurna, Bishnupur :




The Team at the Hotel made the Check Out procedure smooth and presented every family with a Terracotta Gift from their side as a token of appreciation which was a very touching gesture from their side. So now with great memories to cherish we flagged off from the Hotel and were headed to Gangani, the Grand Canyon of West Bengal located in the Garhbeta Region of West Midnapore District. It was a slight diversion from the main highway of NH-60 which would lead us back to Kolkata, but was totally worth the visit.

The Jeeps in convoy :


A random click :


The first view of the Grand Canyon from the parking lot :






Daughter Ishanvi delighted :


Once there, everyone was busy finding their own spot (random pictures of everyone in no particular order) :
































The last few glimpses :






Some Macro Stuff :


I scream Ice Cream :


Not only the children, the elders too caught hold of the Ice Cream vendors gathered in the parking lot and feasted on the Ice Cream on a humid afternoon which was honestly such a relief. The majority of the Jeepers decided to sit around a bit and have lunch in Kharagpur on their return while me and Premjit decided to put our 6th Forward Gear to use and head straight to Kolaghat Express Food Plaza which was around 2 hours away for a late Lunch instead.

This is where we bid adieu to the other Jeepers who were more like family now and with whom we would like to plan more such getaways in the future !!

[AJ-got-BHP]

Assimilating cherished moments we drive down the country roads towards the National Highway and thereon to our destination talking about how lovely, short but sweet this outing had been for us as a family wherein we connected with so many unfamiliar families who now seemed to be a part of us, post this trip.

Some random clicks enroute to Kolaghat :








Hungry for Food now :


A parting shot of my Compass with Premjit's Compass :


And last but not the least, a selfie of 7 of us which was the icing on the cake of this trip :


Goodbyes are always difficult although never forever till we meet again with another Travelogue soon !! Many in queue and piled up to be penned down since 2020; I guess I will pen it down on Last In First Out (LIFO) basis which will be easier for me

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Travelmania]

Hii AJ,
Nice to see the vast, colourful and capable toys ruling the highway. Nothing more to appreciate than your skill of splattering the Travelogue through stunning photographs. The tour seems to be well planned and thematic.

[haisaikat]

That is one hell of a meet with an envious community of dominant Jeep Compass owners. The photos came out excellent and seems very well planned with no hiccups considering it was such a big convoy. If I am not wrong that is hotel Annapurna in Bishnupur, it's the best in the town. Keep travelling and hope to see the Compass conquering India soon. Did it already visit Rajashthan?

[DogNDamsel12]

Very nice POV of the photos, AJ. Looks like a cool getaway for February!

[PapaBravo]

Superb Outing Arav. Makes me wish I had a Jeep Compass

The pictures are superb. We did make a trip to Joypur Aerodrome one week before your trip. But it was just that & Banalata since we were strictly on a one day trip.

Cheers,
Pawan

[yashg]

Originally Posted by AJ-got-BHP

The 9 Jeeps posing the British Aerodrome, waiting for us :
Attachment 2278309

Amazing travelogue! Liked this shot of 9 Jeeps with red ones alternating. Was it planned or just a co-incidence? Either way, it seems red is the preferred colour amongst Jeepers with half of them being red.

[AJ-got-BHP]

Originally Posted by haisaikat

That is one hell of a meet with an envious community of dominant Jeep Compass owners. The photos came out excellent and seems very well planned with no hiccups considering it was such a big convoy.

It was extremely well organized indeed and the convoy drive too was in sync all throughout which is actually very difficult to maintain considering the numbers were in double digits !!

Originally Posted by haisaikat

If I am not wrong that is hotel Annapurna in Bishnupur, it's the best in the town. Keep travelling and hope to see the Compass conquering India soon.

Yes it is the Hotel Annapurna. Unexpectedly very plush for a place like Bishnupur.

Originally Posted by haisaikat

Did it already visit Rajashthan?

I have spies on me Yes the Compass has already munched around 17,000 odd Kms in less than 6 months of my Ownership which includes a Trip to Orchha & Ranthambhore and a Trip to Darjeeling & Gangtok too.

The Compass at the Orchha Fort :




The Compass in Ranthambhore (Travelogue coming soon) :


The Compass in Snow Covered Darjeeling (Travelogue coming soon) :

Originally Posted by Travelmania

Hii AJ,
Nice to see the vast, colourful and capable toys ruling the highway. Nothing more to appreciate than your skill of splattering the Travelogue through stunning photographs. The tour seems to be well planned and thematic.

Glad you liked it ! It was a joyful experience with the fellow Jeepers indeed.

Originally Posted by DogNDamsel12

Very nice POV of the photos, AJ. Looks like a cool getaway for February!

Thanks ! The summer months here are scorching hot. I am glad we went at the right time of the year.

Originally Posted by PapaBravo

Superb Outing Arav. Makes me wish I had a Jeep Compass

The pictures are superb. We did make a trip to Joypur Aerodrome one week before your trip. But it was just that & Banalata since we were strictly on a one day trip.

Cheers,
Pawan

Thanks PapaBravo and I could only wish for the rides you have in your garage Honestly, the picture of your X1 at the Aerodrome which I came across before our trip, got me even more excited for our trip.

Do share some pictures of the beast here !

Originally Posted by yashg

Amazing travelogue! Liked this shot of 9 Jeeps with red ones alternating. Was it planned or just a co-incidence? Either way, it seems red is the preferred colour amongst Jeepers with half of them being red.

When the other 9 Jeeps had lined up, I was not there and honestly even I did not notice this till the time you mentioned it. I guess it must have been intentional. The colour Red does not suit all cars although the Jeep Compass definitely looks good in Red and is always hot in demand !!