There’s nothing more pure than the smiling of innocent children. It matters not where they are from on this planet.
"Sing us the song you're the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well we're all in the mood for a melody
And you've got us feelin' alright"
(Quote from the famous song- "Piano man" by Billy Joel.)
Photographed on visit to a very remote village in the fringes of forests, Kankrajhore, West Bengal, India. My April' 2021 trip.
May listen to this famous song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_g7fPjVxvg
Kankrajhor
Kankrajhor is a beautiful tourist destination of Jangalmahal Circuit in West Bengal, India. It is situated in the tropical, hilly forestlands of Jhargram district. It comprises 9000 hectares of hardwood forests. The wealth of trees includes Kusum (Ceylon oak), Shaal (Shorea robusta), Segun (Tectona grandis), Mahua (Indian Butter tree, or honey tree- Madhuca longifolia ), Piyal (almondette or calumpong nut, ) and Akashmani (Acacia auriculiformis), as named in Bengali. Its tribal villages at the edge of forests and ethnic people will make you feel a happy stay. Kankrajhor is just 22km from Ghatshila (Jharkhand) & 65 km from Jhargram town.
Beyond the fertile Gangetic plains of Bengal, Jhargram offers the most exotic undulating topography culminating in hilly ranges of Belpahari, Kankrajhor in the north to the serene and meandering Subarnarekha River in the south. Nearby famous Dolma Hills are frequented by animals from Bihar, including tigers, leopards and elephants. Bears and wild boars are frequently found in the hills in search of Mahua flower sap. The sap is a potent intoxicant in the region and is used to make country liquor, simply called Mahua. This is a regular corridor of elephants. They are very much fond of this Mohua flowers and get intoxicated...a pleasure to watch in a full moon night. Every year at this time of month elephants frequently enter into these villages and spoil the crops.
It is a favourite destination for people who love forests and tranquillity. Its exquisite forestry, ancient temples, native folk cultural and tribal dances, makes it an extremely attractive destination for tourists who love yet unspoiled nature and her people of the soil on the face of earth.
How to Reach Kankrajhor-Belpahari:
By Train: The distance from Howrah to Jhargram station is 157 Kms and the journey takes three hours by train from Howrah.
By Road: Jhargram is also very well connected by highways with other nearby cities like Medinipur, Kharagpur, Durgapur, Bankura, Purulia, and Kolkata.
Personal experience
In the first week of April, this year, we suddenly planned to go to Kankrajhor, in the district of Jhargram, West Bengal, India. We drove straight from Kolkata to Jhargram, and then another 60km drive to the heart of Kankrajhor. Our destination was a private cottage with very basic arrangements situated in a small tribal village, on the edge of the forests. This time of a year it was little bit late to enjoy the dazzling blooms of Palash, described as “Flames of the Forests” (Butea monosperma). But this was a right time to cherish the beauty of Shaal-Piyal-Mohua trees everywhere. The green new leaves, sweet intoxicating fragrance of Mohua flowers and the extreme business of the wild bees and birds, will always remind you the youthfulness of a spring. The red lateritic forest floor is an experience to walk on. While walking on its undulated trails through forests you will hear only the relentless chirping of birds and murmurs of dry leaves being moved by frequent gust of cold breezes. Such ambiance in an afternoon will surely make you intoxicated and drowsy, free of all wiriness and stresses of busy urban life, and will help you enter into a peaceful siesta. One may arrange tribal dances amidst this forest, their native home. Their beating of drums, and the indigenous harmony of dances will make you fallen in love with this place. I’m sure. With the sunset the whole surroundings suddenly turn into a mystical darkness. Far from the distance sitting in the hut you may hear the intermittent sounds of nocturnal birds, hyenas, jackals and foxes.
The dinner is very simple. Country chicken and rice is a luxury here. We had the wonderful taste of its country liquor made from Mohua flowers (Madhuca longifolia). It was a wonderful experience for all of us.
Simple and beautiful tribal people there, basic stay with optimal standard and simple healthy food, unspoiled nature, tranquillity, and serenity...all will definitely make you feel... “How much we need to be happy?” Really?
There’s nothing more pure than the smiling of innocent children. It matters not where they are from on this planet.
"Sing us the song you're the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well we're all in the mood for a melody
And you've got us feelin' alright"
(Quote from the famous song- "Piano man" by Billy Joel.)
Photographed on visit to a very remote village in the fringes of forests, Kankrajhore, West Bengal, India. My April' 2021 trip.
May listen to this famous song:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_g7fPjVxvg
Kankrajhor
Kankrajhor is a beautiful tourist destination of Jangalmahal Circuit in West Bengal, India. It is situated in the tropical, hilly forestlands of Jhargram district. It comprises 9000 hectares of hardwood forests. The wealth of trees includes Kusum (Ceylon oak), Shaal (Shorea robusta), Segun (Tectona grandis), Mahua (Indian Butter tree, or honey tree- Madhuca longifolia ), Piyal (almondette or calumpong nut, ) and Akashmani (Acacia auriculiformis), as named in Bengali. Its tribal villages at the edge of forests and ethnic people will make you feel a happy stay. Kankrajhor is just 22km from Ghatshila (Jharkhand) & 65 km from Jhargram town.
Beyond the fertile Gangetic plains of Bengal, Jhargram offers the most exotic undulating topography culminating in hilly ranges of Belpahari, Kankrajhor in the north to the serene and meandering Subarnarekha River in the south. Nearby famous Dolma Hills are frequented by animals from Bihar, including tigers, leopards and elephants. Bears and wild boars are frequently found in the hills in search of Mahua flower sap. The sap is a potent intoxicant in the region and is used to make country liquor, simply called Mahua. This is a regular corridor of elephants. They are very much fond of this Mohua flowers and get intoxicated...a pleasure to watch in a full moon night. Every year at this time of month elephants frequently enter into these villages and spoil the crops.
It is a favourite destination for people who love forests and tranquillity. Its exquisite forestry, ancient temples, native folk cultural and tribal dances, makes it an extremely attractive destination for tourists who love yet unspoiled nature and her people of the soil on the face of earth.
How to Reach Kankrajhor-Belpahari:
By Train: The distance from Howrah to Jhargram station is 157 Kms and the journey takes three hours by train from Howrah.
By Road: Jhargram is also very well connected by highways with other nearby cities like Medinipur, Kharagpur, Durgapur, Bankura, Purulia, and Kolkata.
Personal experience
In the first week of April, this year, we suddenly planned to go to Kankrajhor, in the district of Jhargram, West Bengal, India. We drove straight from Kolkata to Jhargram, and then another 60km drive to the heart of Kankrajhor. Our destination was a private cottage with very basic arrangements situated in a small tribal village, on the edge of the forests. This time of a year it was little bit late to enjoy the dazzling blooms of Palash, described as “Flames of the Forests” (Butea monosperma). But this was a right time to cherish the beauty of Shaal-Piyal-Mohua trees everywhere. The green new leaves, sweet intoxicating fragrance of Mohua flowers and the extreme business of the wild bees and birds, will always remind you the youthfulness of a spring. The red lateritic forest floor is an experience to walk on. While walking on its undulated trails through forests you will hear only the relentless chirping of birds and murmurs of dry leaves being moved by frequent gust of cold breezes. Such ambiance in an afternoon will surely make you intoxicated and drowsy, free of all wiriness and stresses of busy urban life, and will help you enter into a peaceful siesta. One may arrange tribal dances amidst this forest, their native home. Their beating of drums, and the indigenous harmony of dances will make you fallen in love with this place. I’m sure. With the sunset the whole surroundings suddenly turn into a mystical darkness. Far from the distance sitting in the hut you may hear the intermittent sounds of nocturnal birds, hyenas, jackals and foxes.
The dinner is very simple. Country chicken and rice is a luxury here. We had the wonderful taste of its country liquor made from Mohua flowers (Madhuca longifolia). It was a wonderful experience for all of us.
Simple and beautiful tribal people there, basic stay with optimal standard and simple healthy food, unspoiled nature, tranquillity, and serenity...all will definitely make you feel... “How much we need to be happy?” Really?