Come August, the monsoon showed its true colours with the incessant rains. Team WHEELS was on tenterhooks, raring to get out. The unexplored forests of Ilambazar beckoned. Battling the deluge, off went the crew, breaking free of the concrete confinement. This time the destination was a rustic neighbourhood at Daronda, bordering Ilambazar forest, on the outskirts of Bolpur.

ROUTE

The weather was perfect for a long drive. Charged up with energy, Team WHEELS reached Vidyasagar Setu at 8:30 am. Setting our trip-meter to 0.0, we set off on our expedition to another paraje natural. The traffic was thin on the outskirts of the city, so reaching Kona Expressway was a breeze. At the end of Kona Expressway we took the flyover on the right and then continued to drive on NH-19 (NH-2) proceeding towards Bardhaman. At trip-meter 21.8 km, we crossed Dankuni Toll Plaza. We pulled the car to a halt near Palsit Toll Plaza and dug into our breakfast packets – cup noodles and coffee.

Unfortunately the highway was full of potholes. Chief and Captain were discussing the nuances of the horrible road condition and how the potholes could prove fatal to bikers. And as apprehended, right before our eyes, a biker bumped into a pothole, lost his control and was thrown up in the air and landed in front of our car. He was saved by a whisker; had it not been for the adept hands of Chief there might have been a serious accident.

We continued to drive straight without any further halt, passing Bardhaman, to reach the newly constructed Panagarh flyover on NH-19 (NH-2). On the flyover we took the extreme left lane indicating ‘Ilambazar’ and ‘Darjeeling Morh’ to exit the flyover and enter Panagarh-Morgram Highway entering on right below the flyover that leads to Ilambazar and Bolpur. Following the Panagarh-Morgram Highway (SH-14), we went over the bridge on the river Ajoy, reached Ilambazar Toll Plaza and proceeded forward. From the traffic island at Ilambazar, we took the right to drive towards Ilambazar-Bolpur Road connecting Bolpur. The road is smooth and scenic with the lush green forests of Ilambazar on either side for about 7 km.

An interesting observation: the forest land is at the same level as the road surface with ample runoff area and multiple entries into the forest from the highway. Unable to resist the temptation of driving inside the forest, we sneaked into one of these bylanes. Having spent some time in the enchanting forest, we continued our drive till we arrived at Bonovila Bus Stand and took a right turn inside Daronda by 12:30 pm.

DARONDA

Daronda is merely the lane identified by the popular eating houses, Bonolakkhi on the right and Barishaler Rannaghar on the left, in about 200 m of the entrance. Daronda's proximity to Bolpur and Sriniketan, overruling the congestion and hustle-bustle of the latter, makes it an ideal destination for weekend getaways.
A fast developing neighbourhood off Bolpur, Daronda lies adjacent to Ilambazar forest. The resorts that have mushroomed lately are seen along either side of the lane. The vast stretches of paddy fields that surround the resorts and extend till the horizon, have thankfully retained the sanity of the place.

CHOUPAHARI HOMESTAY RESORT
Our destination was ‘Choupahari Homestay Resort,’ a niche 3-star resort – merely a 500 m drive from Bonovila Bus Stand. A quaint double storey quarter for the security by the gate (with ornate railings entwined with creepers) caught our attention. As we entered the driveway, we were greeted by our host Rudra.

The Property
A pebbled pathway, and open Gazebo through an interestingly curated landscape set in the backdrop of the forest, led to our rooms. The chirping of birds and the burble of water in the decorated water basin was enchanting.

The Guestrooms

The rooms are spacious and tastefully done with solid wood furniture. We marvelled at the ethnic artefacts that accentuated the modern amenities. A cozy pantry nook by the entrance added a touch of glamour. The warm colours of the furnishings and the hand-made paintings of Kushal Ghosh, the owner, were lit up by light pouring in from the large windows on either side opening to a splendid panoramic view of the forest.

Glass House and Kolorab

Particularly captivating is the glass-house with its eclectic decor. It is a uniquely done up studio with glass walls and ceiling, meant for regular addas. The handcrafted rugs, the interesting seating area with radiant colour scheme, the huge screen with projector and the brightly coloured ‘Ravana’ hanging in the centre of the ceiling made for a fascinating ensemble. Each of the artefacts has been handpicked by Kushal, reflecting his passion and style. A few yards from the glass house is Kolorab, an open air stage for creative performers.

Gunjan

We proceeded towards Gunjan, a spacious dining hall open on all three sides with mighty pillars, much like a large verandah of a yesteryear zamindarbari. Kushal’s work of art – painting, landscaping or decor, is clearly inspired from Tagore’s philosophy of openness of body and mind.
Lunch was a tasty affair with an authentic Bengali spread - rice, dal, beguni, alooposto, lauchingri, machherkalia, chatni, papad and rosogolla. During regular bookings, a standard meal comprises 3 fish dishes. While we ate, we were treated to a ‘live show’ – the antics of the naughty langurs in the trees.

EXPLORING DARONDA

In the evening, we took a spin around Daronda. We stopped to look at some of the emerging boutique homestays such as Upasana, Bubahat, Basha Bari, Palash Tali and so on. Back at our homestay, we enjoyed a delicious dinner comprising rice, dal, begun bhaja, sabji and mutton (a must-try).
The sound of the rains falling on the green canopies in the dark of the night created a surreal atmosphere. Listening to the pitter-patter, I soon fell fast asleep, only to be woken up by the cheerful call of the Chief booming into a sunbathed morning.

AMKHOI FOSSIL PARK

After a sumptuous breakfast we began our exploration – first to the Fossil Park. The park can be accessed from 2 points – one from Ilambazar-Bolpur Road and the other through Daronda. The latter is a driver's delight as it passes through the narrow laterite winding pathways of Daronda, amidst vast stretches of paddy fields and Sonajhuri forests.
Spread over 3.5 bigha, Amkhoi Fossil Park, the only fossil park in West Bengal, is a beautifully manicured park with display boards and signages. We were amazed to see the picturesque landscaping with a large water body in the middle of the park. The huge fossils of tree trunks at various points, some under interesting canopies, some on elevated platforms, others in the waterbody, are a must watch.
Discovering the fossils

Scientists have discovered that soil and plant matter from Myanmar came floating to this place and got fossilised over a period of time. According to Ramprasad Barui, caretaker of Amkhoi Fossil Park, people of Amkhoi and Jambuni villages had to walk down a couple of miles to fetch drinking water. In 2006, they demanded a pond be dug out to solve their water crisis. It is only then that DFO Santosh Rana discovered the rock-solid structures or fossils.

The fossils were buried at different layers 14 feet below the ground level. They are mainly trunk portions of flowering plants which become rock-hard due to petrification. These weigh upto 3 ton/sq m and have a hardness index of 7 to 8 in Mohs scale (diamond being 10).

Petrified woods are aesthetically pleasing with soft lustre and hues of green, blue and orange. They are considered material for semi-precious stones and are widely used in lapidary works. These are turned into items such as jewellery, clock faces, paper weights and sculptures. Bigger sized, better quality wood with bright and unusual colours are more valuable.

Thanks to the efforts of the local Forest Protection Community (FPC) and the various self-help groups, Amkhoi villagers have now come forward to protect the forest wealth and the state's valuable treasure. The smuggling of fossils is no longer the huge menace it was once.

ILAMBAZAR FOREST

Coming out of the Fossil Park we drove through the forest to reach the main road. Ilambazar forest is unique in that it has a mix of trees such as sal, piasal, sonajhuri, sissoo, eucalyptus, akashmoni, neem, etc., unlike other sal forests. It was great fun cruising over the rugged laterite track filling our senses with the smell of the wet soil and the rain-drenched foliage.

TERRACOTTA TEMPLES AROUND ILAMBAZAR

From Ilambazar traffic island proceeding towards Siuri, we took the first left within 100 m to enter Ilambazar Hashpatal Road with Haldar Mishtanna Bhandar at the entrance of the lane. Rolling for about a kilometre we reached a village crossroad with a banyan tree and a Durga Mandir. A right turn from the temple and we entered a small lane that extends into a vast open area. On our right was the 200-year-old Gouranga Mahaprabhu Temple.

Gouranga Mahaprabhu Temple

The Hath-tala Mahaprabhu Temple is a rare octagonal terracotta temple, with a tin shade on top, enclosed within a basic iron fencing. We could hardly have anticipated discovering such a magnificent temple of the early 19th century amidst the congested alleys of Hath-tala. Wonderstruck by the intricate terracotta works, we closely studied the panels that depicted stories from Hindu mythology. Mahishasurmardini avatar of Durga, the assassination of Ravana, Samudra Manthana are some of the common terracotta works. The tablets also portray the daily life of the people in those days.
We observed that the tablets on the upper part of the temple are intact while the lower ones are badly damaged. Our hands joined, we paid obeisance to the yellow-clad deities of Gour Nitai. There is a huge Naatmandir adjoining the temple for the kirtanas. During the 4-days of Mahaprabhu Mela from 20th jaishtha (around 4/5th June) Harinam kirtanas are sung in the Natmandir. In the adjoining huge pavilion, the entire village assembles to listen to the devotional songs. On communicating with Harekrishna Rakshit, a local shop owner, we learnt that the devotees offer salt at the feet of the deity and it is this salt which has contributed to the damage of the temple.
Led by Harekrishna, we proceeded towards the next set of temples in the area.

Navaratna Gopal Lakshmi Janardan Temple

This temple is located in Brahmanpara. From Mahaprabhu temple, we drove inside the village for about 300 m and turned left. The lane is very narrow and has to be negotiated carefully. At the turn, we saw the original Gaur-Nitai Temple, known as the Adi Mandir. Proceeding for another 200 m we landed up at a crossroads with the huge temple of Lakshmi Janardan on our left.
Lakshmi Janardan Temple is another marvellous depiction of old Bangla temple architecture with exquisite terracotta work of 1846 (1768 sakabda etched on top). Similar to the Mahaprabhu Temple, the panels of Lakshmi Janardan Temple depict Hindu mythology. Here too we saw the idols of Durga, scenes from the Ramayana and many other characters all reigning in glorious, perfectly maintained condition.
The deity of the temple is brought down from the first floor every morning by 5:00 am, worshipped, aratis and bhog offered and shifted back by 11:30 am. Visitors will need to follow the timing if wishing to partake in the rituals.

Rameswar Shiv Mandir

The temple lies a few steps ahead of the Lakshmi Janardan Temple at the lane intersection. It is a makeover of the ancient temple of Shiva on a raised platform. Very attractive in its new avatar, the temple boasts beautiful relics on its shikhara. Carvings of Krishna and cattle, Durga and other Gods are prominent.
We took the left from here and in a few metres saw another simple but attractive ancient temple of Bhairavnath. We drove straight from here and entered the road by the Ilambazar Hospital leading to the Panagarh-Morgram Highway. It was already 1:00 pm and we could hear our tummies growl. That internal rebellion had to be appeased first before we could advance further!

BONOLAKKHI

Lunch had to be at Bonolakkhi – the most popular eating house of Ilambazar. Catering to thousands of food-fanatics over generations, Bonolakkhi is actually the trend setter of traditional Bengali food in this region. The place is inside a blink-and-miss gully inside Daronda. Drive in a 100 m from Bonovila Bus Stand to find a small board on the right directing you inside and arrive at an open parking lot under a huge banyan tree.
As we entered Bonolakkhi, Bijon gave us a guided tour of the property extending over 36 bigha. We saw the huge 54-seater dining hall bustling with foodies, licking away the last droplet on their dish. Strolling about the property to find the vintage car, the dheki (an old lever mechanism to extract rice grains from paddy), the guest houses and a beautiful orchard with ducks moving about freely, the 53 ft deep well, the kitchen and the quarters, were truly appealing and well worth the visit.
Banani Kunja, the 3-bedded cottage made of mud in the middle of the beautiful orchard has a rustic appeal and is cool during summers, we were told. The place emanates peace and tranquility and is a replica of a model Bengal village.
Vanalakshmi Unmesh Samity

We spoke to two of its founder members – Mrinal Kanti Pal and his elder sister, Kanan Pal. According to them, Vanalakshmi Unmesh Samity is a community originally founded by the late Niranjan Sanyal. He had purchased the land way back in 1963 with the idea of providing employment to a small community of like-minded people. To bring up this community, the members slogged day-in and day-out in adverse conditions for 22 years. Today the community has earned fame round the globe.
From cultivating paddy, mustard seeds, all kinds of fruits and vegetables, rearing cattle to supplying finished products in the form of jams, jellies, ghee and other sweet-meats such as pithes, narus and moas, Bonolakkhi offers its customers a complete package thereby providing employment to a large number of local people. All these items are sold in their outlet located inside the property. Their products are also available at Sanghati Bipuni in Bolpur.
Bonolakkhi as a lunch home has always been a name for visitors of Shantiniketan. It is only in the year 2000 that they started the restaurant for their sustenance. Bonolakkhi serves traditional Bengali cuisine – rice, ghee, shukto, dal, bhaja, dhokar dalna – as the standard vegetarian meal. In addition to this, you can opt for fish, mutton, chicken, egg or prawn as per your choice.

The farm fresh vegetables, the freshly ground spices, the locally sourced raw materials and the adept hands of the cook fuse into a mouth-watering affair. We were offered a taste of a variety of their pickles, both sweet-sour and hot-sour. If you are a pickle lover, don’t forget to try the brinjal and chili pickle. The grand luncheon ended with their special dessert, Amrita Rashabali, a sweet which is also offered to Lord Jaggannath of Puri.
On the other side of the lane, there's another famous eating house, Barishaler Rannaghar, serving traditional Bengali cuisine as well. Contact: 9434446150 / 9476350554
It was already time to check out of Choupahari Resort and bid adieu to Daronda-Illambazar. The lovely stay at the resort, the delectable food and the heritage temples will continue to levitate us till we pay another visit and then, yet another. Carrying away with us the smell of shudh desi ghee and regret at not being able to stay just a little bit longer, we began the drive back to Kolkata.
Stuck in the traffic in the Kona Expressway, as we grew more and more impatient, a tune of Tagore’s came fluttering into our ears, ‘Kothao amar hariye jaoar nei mana, mone mone…’

Bonolakkhi – Rate chart
Basic Veg Meal – Rs 130
In addition:
Katla – Rs 120
Pabda – Rs 170
Prawn – Rs 270
Hilsa – Rs 600
Egg – Rs 60
Chicken – Rs 130
Mutton – Rs 200
Recommended items:
Ghee – Rs 700/kg
Pickle – Rs 100-130 for 400 g
Radhunipagol Rice – Rs 190/kg
Tulaipanji Rice – Rs 120/kg

For booking: 9434233376