TALK OF THE WILD

People living in the dooars adore elephant as God,though many villagers,mainly ethnic Nepalese and tribal Santhals, fall prey every year due to man-animal conflicts in the forest areas.

On the other hand casualty of animals in train accidents increased after railway tracks in the region were coverted into broad gauge from meter gauge.

On 22 Sept.2010,seven elephants-four adults and three babies were killed when a goods train mowed them down near Binnaguri,taking the biggest ever toll of animals in a single mishap.

Jaldapara Jazz

Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary is famous for Indian one horned rhino.A bird watcher's paradise,the place is situated in the foothills of eastern Himalaya.The river Torsha flows through this rain forest Santuary which is almost covered with tall grass.Jaldapara is almost 60kms from the princely district of Cooch Behar and about 55kms from the sub-divisional town of Alipurduar.

Wild life lovers can experience Elephant ride deep inside the forest,alternatively jeeps can be hired to move inside the jungal.At the Santuary Tourist Lodge and forest department banglow cater the ultimate safary experience and can be booked from Cooch Behar as the santuary comes under the administrative control of DFO,wild life-III Division , Cooch Behar.Bird watching ,elephant ride,sighting of rhino,deer (Spotted,Hog,Barking,Sambhar),wild pig,tiger,leopard,bison at the salt pit

surely provide a life time experience. One can also opt to enter the depth of wilderness to encounter 'wild things'. Watch-Towers have been built to observe wild animals.

Tariff Entry fee-Rs50 per person,Rs150 per vehicle Guide-Rs200 one guide per vehicle. Carhire-Rs500 can be shared. Camera-Rs50 Best time to visit Jaldapara Wildlife Santuary is between September-February. Apart from the WBTDC tourist at Jaldapara and the forest department banglow inside the the jungal,there are various budget hotels in Alipurduar,Cooch Behar,Birpara(17kms),Hasimara(9kms).

Paren and Jaldhaka

Paren, Jaldhaka – 112 kms from Siligur

Paren in Dooars, admired with lush green forest areas, hilly terrain, meandering rivers and agricultural fields and clusters of picturesque village is an ideal destination for a weekend tour. You can spot the location on your way to Bindu, at the verge of the Indian border with Bhutan and is 10 km drive from Jaldhaka. The road leading to Bindu offers a visual splendor with its exotic natural surrounding. The Dooars region commence immediately after crossing the Tista River at the Coronation Bridge. The entire region is covered with emerald green vegetation.

Places to see in Paren: While staying at Paren, you can take a nature walk to Garibos, Dalgaon and Rango, known for medicinal plants. Those who want to explore further afield, can enjoy trekking to Rechella Pass, to view the convergence of the Bengal, Sikkim and Bhutan borders.

Nearby attractions around Paren: Trips can be made to a number of destinations from Paren. Jaldhaka, which is located at a 10 kms. driving distance from Paren, is famous for the Jaldhaka Hydel Power Station. Another popular destination is Todey, which is also a 10 km. drive from Paren. Tangta, 35 kms from Paren, is an uphill station, offering spectacular views of the surrounding hills and jungle. You can also visit Cardamom Curing Centre, located 14 km. away from Bindu and also the Gairibas Diascorrea Plantation, famous for nurturing the medicinal plants, especially Diascorrea.

Located on the border area of India and Bhutan, Bindu few kilometers from Paren is a tourist hotspot, famous for the Bindu Hydel Power Station and the Dam.

Tourists can also view the wonderful sight of the converging point of Bindu and Jaldhaka. On the way to Bindu, the spectacular sight of the Bhutan hills and the stunning landscape dotted with hamlets truly offers a visual pleasure.

You can also organize a trip to Godak Village, located at a distance of 15 km. from Bindu, which houses a small river, spurting from a single rock.

Things to do in Paren: Paren is an ideal place for enjoying treks, drives and trails. If you are a trek enthusiast, trek to Rechella and from there via Alubari, you can reach Lava, the site boasting of its natural beauty.

How to reach Paren: Paren is accessible from Siliguri via Jaldaka. Jaldaka is located at a distance of 100 km. from Siliguri. You can avail shared taxi or bus to reach Jaldaka from Siliguri.

Best time to visit Paren: Paren attracts tourists round the year. However, if you are not enough adventurous try to avoid the rainy season.

Lodging and dining facilities in Paren: Since Paren is not much frequented by the tourists, lodging facilities is quite limited in the region. The only accommodation facility is offered by Forest Department cottages. However, there are some provisions of private accommodation in Bindu, located 10 km. from Paren.

Garuchira,leisure amidst the woods

Garuchira , a tourist destination in the Dooars in North Bengal,India.Surrounded by dense forest and majestic mountains of the Kingdom of Bhutan ,Garuchira certainly infuse a sense of thrill and mysterious feelings.Sacred rivers Supti and Reti flowing downstream make the atmosphare spellbounding,which inspire and energize the mind and soul.So many wonders are waiting to be explored.Garuchira is also a corridor of wild elephants and one can stay at the jungle watch-tower to watch them very closely passing by or one can hire a tour guide to hike the nearby villages and sneak into the depth of the wilderness.

Garuchira is about 80 km away from Alipurduar,a sub-divisional town and an hour from Birpara(also called Dalgaon)railway station.Bus service from Siliguri Turminus and P.C. Mittal Bus Stand,Siliguri is frequent.There are two banglows of the Forest Department amidst Bandapani jungle,an eco-village built by the effort of the concerned department.Banglows should be booked at an early date to avoid disappointment.One can visit the place at anytime of the year except Monsoon Season.

Revamp of tiger reserve in Buxa forest

The Archaeological Survey of India has agreed to restore the Buxa fort that used by the British in the 1930s as a deportation camp for political prisoners during India's freedom struggle.The Buxa fort is surrounded by the Buxa forest and some breathless scenic beauties.Buxa is also .known for Tiger Project.The forest department is planning to construct four new watchtowers in Buxa and set up tents in Raimatang and Rangamati,which are a part of the 761sqkm of the reserve.Buxa is about 30km from the sub-divisional town of Alipurduar.

Well done TAAS

The Travel Agent's Association of Sikkim (TAAS) has decided to set up a dedicated team that will have members with well-defined tasks to carry out relief and rescue operations. British mountaineer Roger Payne was nominated as the advisor to the TAAS search and rescue team.The TAAS has always stood shoulder to shoulder with the Sikkim state government in rescuing injured or trapped tourists from high altitude areas of Dzongri in West Sikkim or in Tsomgo in thd East district.The association had recently air-lifted a Scottish woman who had fractured her leg while trekking in Dzongri.