So as the winter takes entry, all the hodophiles and a few non-hodophiles escape their mundane lives and set out for whatever they are looking for. I am a hill person (gasp!).
BUXA TIGER RESERVE
Very recently I have been in Buxa Tiger Reserve Forest, one of the largest forest areas in Dooar’s spanning over 759 sq. km. in Northern West Bengal. The height ranges from 60 m in the Gangetic Plains to 1,750 m bordering the Himalayas in the north. About 284 bird species dwell in there.
Buxa Fort
Buxa Fort
Getting there was a sublime experience for me and my co-trekkers. Admittedly, I am inexpert while it’s talking about trekking and hiking. But at the call for Buxa, I could not help but join my troop. We, the people, assembled nearly at 8:30 am at Alipurduar Junction and within a few minutes, we started. From there the entry point of Buxa Tiger Reserve Forest which is at Rajabhatkhawa only 13 km away. We had the tickets there and departed.
TREKKING IS NOT SMOOTH……
The way to Santalabari provides you with the silence, the dark greeneries and a welcome notion to the forest as a relish. It took us hardly 30 minutes to reach there. A few cars (of other groups) were parked there which used to be the last parking spot earlier. Now the cars are allowed up to Zero point. We stopped at Zero
Majestic Jungle rout to Buxa Fort
point and had our brunch. The mount greeted us there and then began our hiking.
The horde consisted of uneven age groups which made us more relaxed while walking. The hushed ambiance, rugged cliffs, cascading series of waterfalls bubbling over rocks and branches, the burble of water kept us refreshed as we were going up. Roads were not easy, a common single path bending and curving all the way.
Although I staggered a lot to my feet, took breaks repeatedly as climbing more but hiking was exhilarating to me.My shoes were running ones of Campus helped me largely but those Adidas trekking shoes like Adidas Men’s terrex CMTK Ind Hiking Shoes could be the best for hill tracks. It is very comfy for everyday use and also very eye-catchy, good quality at a reasonable price.
ASSETS OF BUXA TIGER RESERVE
Around 12:30 pm we arrived near Buxa fort. It is located at an altitude of 867 m in Buxa Tiger Reserve. It is itself a piece of history. The fort was invaded by the British in 1865 and it used to be the most inaccessible prison in India after Cellular Jail in Andaman. Many famous personalities some as Troilokyanath, Pulin Das, Jatin Roy, Anil Roy so on and the most revered freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose were said to have been imprisoned there.
Buxa Fort Gallery
I must say a passionate photographer can take out the best from the demolition of those cells inside the fort which emphasizes the historical vibration there. I had a glimpse of shots from both Nikon D5600 Digital Camera 18-55mm VR Kit and Canon EOS M50 24.1MP Mirrorless Camera. I could not compare them. Pictures were so lucid; the zoomed images were also crystal clear.
To stay at Buxa there are some houses of those native ones who arrange the lodging and food for the out-of-towners. We reserved one of those while going up. Walking through the twisty, rock-strewn routes at a stretch made us all as ravenous as a tiger. We were about to get down when our chaperone whistled again and led us to a museum and later to a post office. The museum kept various kinds of stuff from Buxa fort; there was a letter from Rabindranath Tagore to the prisoners. We hung around there a while and made it end of our mounting.
THE HIGHER YOU CLIMB THE BETTER THE VIEW
After these 6 hour long marches on these gravel roads we were exhausted and had to drop the plan of going towards Lepchakha. Lepchakha is a picturesque hilltop Drukpa village of Buxa Tiger Reserve at an altitude of 3500 ft.
A glance from the Buxa View point
The astounding panorama and the serene circumstances are so tempting. We were crossing lots of groups of college students or a bit elder than that going up for lepchakha carrying tents for night stay.
I truly lamented and promised that this time I would surely buy the Coleman Sundome Camping Green Tents for 2 people. It is super handy and very cool; the most alluring point is that its top hood can be completely taken off for more air and it has e-port.
SEEING OFF FOR NOW
Many people find Buxa more attractive in rain than in winter, but I am afraid of leeches. One should wear shocks under shoes for trekking in mountain or forest at any season of a year. Along with all stuff I mentioned here people can also bring a hiking pole. It would be of ample help for those stony roads. Bridge2shopping Adjustable 9 Led Anti Shock Trekking Hiking Pole with Compass is a good one to buy. It is a 3 section telescoping pole that can check the balance, reduce joint pain and it’s truly light-weight and long-lasting.
We returned at Zero Point before dusk and it was time to get parted. Buxa Forest offers Jungle Safari that takes place at Buxa from Jayanti. Main animals are tiger, Asian elephant, gaur,clouded leopard, python and butterflies will accompany all over the tour.
Nature can restore your peace of mind if you come out of your monotonous life and change your place. A short or long break (as per our condition) is healthy in our tedious life. After all, “ IT IS NOT THE DESTINATION WHERE YOU END UP BUT THE MISHAPS AND MEMORIES YOU CREATE ALONG THE WAY.” – PENELOPE RILE