As the grey veil from the sky obscuring the sun was gradually lifted, the earth took on a festive, inviting look. Staying indoors was no longer an option. Team WHEELS thus drove to a close by virgin territory – to a land of hills and valleys, lakes and dams – Topchanchi and Parasnath at Jharkhand.

Route
As per the plan chalked out by Chief, we reached Vidyasagar Setu by 8:30 am. Setting our tripmeter to 0.0, we set off on our next expedition, to yet another unblemished natural hideout.

Reaching Kona Expressway, we took the flyover at the end and continued our drive towards NH-19 (old NH-2). At tripmeter 21.8 km, we crossed Dankuni Toll Plaza and entered Durgapur Expressway. Our first break was at Nabanna – a popular joint by the Highway.

After a sumptuous breakfast, we resumed our journey. To our relief we noticed that the highway which was full of potholes on our earlier trip, had been repaired. Naturally, the drive turned out to be a much smoother one than expected. Chief pointed out the importance of our news reporting which had been instrumental in saving hundreds of lives plying on NH-19 (NH-2).

We continued to drive forward, passing Palsit, Panagarh, Durgapur and Asansol. Continuing for another 20 km, we went over Barakar River. Thereafter, we crossed the state border and entered Jharkhand to pass by Chirkunda, Nirsa, Dhanbad, and Govindpur. At tripmeter 272.9 km, with the Volvo showroom on our left, we took a U-turn on the highway and entered the service lane on the Kolkata-bound flank. Driving southwards for about 600 m we reached our destination Hotel Wedlock Greens by the highway at 2:00 pm. Our host, Sudip Das, Marketing Manager of the hotel came out to welcome us and ushered us into our rooms.

The guest rooms had chic decor with all the expected modern amenities and were well sanitised. After a thorough wash we were all set to refuel ourselves.

Lunch was a simple Chinese spread, with fresh ingredients cooked to perfection. We tasted hot and fresh chicken-sweet corn soup, fried rice and chilli chicken. After a quick meal, we left the hotel at 3:00 pm to visit the first major attraction in the region – Topchanchi Lake.

Topchanchi Lake
Topchanchi Lake is an ethereal nature spot in the Dhanbad district of Jharkhand. We drove northbound on the highway for nearly 30 km, crossing Rajganj Market and reached Topchanchi Bazar. The entry to Topchanchi Lake is through a blink and miss lane on right accessed through a passage below a flyover on NH-19 (NH-2) after Hotel Shan-e-Punjab.

A tall uncared for gate on the lane marks the entry to Topchanchi Lake. We saw a sprawling but unmaintained government guest house on the approach road passing through a light wood followed by the luxurious bungalow of the yesteryear Bengali hero, Uttam Kumar which has now changed hands.

As we rolled on, we noticed a sudden change in the topography. We marvelled at the undulating tarmac pathway lined by thick forests on either side that created a mystic feel in the dimming light of the day. These forests had tall trees of mixed varieties. Driving for about 500 m through a slightly ascending lane, we arrived at a check post where we had to buy entry tickets to visit the lake. Rolling a few yards further, we arrived at a clearing and what we saw before our eyes was nothing short of magical – the resplendant Topchanchi Lake we had heard so much about.

Surrounded by several hills and dense woods, the glimpse of the verdant expanse of the beautiful waterbody was breathtaking. On the right there were a couple of shacks selling tea and titbits. At an elevation of 10-15 ft was a Bajrangbali Mandir.

Timing
Summer: 8 am to 6 pm
Winter: 8 am to 4:30 pm

Ticket Rate Chart
Jeep/Private car: Rs 100
Picnic: Rs 100 (per party)

We walked straight towards the lake and sat in the soft light of the late afternoon. Admiring the beauty of the waterbody set against the Parasnath range we spent some solitary moments sitting on the benches by the water.

The Dam
To our left was the Topchanchi Dam which allows the passage of vehicles. Cars can easily pass over the dam and go around the lake over a narrow tarmac track through a forest over an uncharted route.

As Chief drove over the 150 m long dam, Captain showed us the 9 slice gates on the dam. We learnt that Topchanchi is an artificial lake covering an area of almost 214 acres. It is basically a stream which is dammed like a reservoir to supply drinking water to Dhanbad district and its suburban areas. Below the dam is a filtration pump that purifies the water which then gets distributed through supply pipelines. Interestingly, since Topchanchi is situated at a higher altitude than Dhanbad, no motorised pump is required for the distribution of the water which naturally flows down the supply pipeline.

The trail around Topchanchi Lake
We continued to drive over the dam following the trail passing through dense woods on our left and the enchanting lake on our right. In about 500 m of the track, we crossed over a narrow bridge. A small stream burbled downhill under the bridge to merge with the reservoir. At places on the track, we found the water of the stream filling the track, turning it murky. Cattle were found grazing at various spots.

In about 1.5 km, the track takes two major descents. This made it impossible for the sedan to cross over. We were told by the official at the booking office not to get off the car at any odd place along the track as the forest has animals such as wild boar, deer and elephant. We had no choice but to negotiate along the uneven track especially when the daylight was dimming. Captain got out of the car and guided Chief to drive past the mounds. The rest of the journey around the lake was comparatively smooth, barring a certain stretch when the tarmac suddenly got obscured, giving way to an unsealed pathway.

In about 4 km of the trail, we came to a vast open area with tall trees forming natural canopies. The entire area was being paved and seats with shades were being constructed – an ideal picnic spot for hosting tourists.

We spoke to the local caretakers from whom we learnt that the forest abounds in trees such as mango, jackfruit, lichie and various types of berries, sheesham, shimar, sandalwood and so on. The locals have been generous in their help to the government which is trying to prevent the smuggling of wood.

On our trail we met the forest guards Nemchand and Md. Nausen who expressed their anguish at being deprived of their salaries for the past 43 months, making it impossible for them to meet even their basic needs.
It took us around 45 min to cover the entire length of the 7 km long forest track around the lake, halting every now and then for some quick clicks or to admire the serene beauty. Once back at the main entrance, we had tea at the shacks and retraced our way back to our hotel.
The evening was spent at the poolside café of Wedlock Greens, relaxing over assorted kebabs and drinks. Dinner was eventually served and we relished every morsel of the pan-Indian fare sitting by the pool. Soon we called it a day for we were scheduled to make an early start the following day.

Parasnath
We left Wedlock Greens at around 6:30 am for Parasnath Temple – a Jain site of pilgrimage in the Parasnath Range in the Giridih district of Jharkhand. The hill is named after Lord Parshvanatha – the 23rd Jain Tirthankara.

Driving for nearly an hour through NH-19 (NH-2) at tripmeter 46 km, we arrived at a Y-fork. Taking the right arm of the Y-fork, we left NH-19 to enter NH-114A from Rangamati that leads to Isri Bazar. After crossing a congested market area, we were impressed to find the smooth and soft, undulating tarmac roads lined by numerous tall trees on both sides shaping into a beautiful avenue.
At tripmeter 49.6 km, from a triangular traffic island at Dumri Morh, we took a right turn towards Giridih and Parasnath. At tripmeter 66.6 km, taking the sharp right turn below a huge gate across the road and driving for another 4 km we reached Madhuban town at the base of the Parasnath Hill.

Parasnath Hill
The 1365 m tall Parasnath Hill is a holy and revered site of the Jains. We learnt that out of 24 Thirthankaras of the Jains, 20 of them got nirvana on the Parasnath Hills and hence it is also called the ‘Sammed Sikhar’. We further learnt that there is a dedicated shrine (gumti or tonk) for each Tirthankara on the hilltops – some of which are believed to be more than 2,000 years old.

As one begins to climb the Parasnath Hill, the road passes through Gandharv Nala (4km) – Sheetal Nala (6 km) – Gautam Swami Tonk (9 km) – Parasnath Temple (9.65 km) – Jal Mandir (10 km) and Chandra Prabhu Tonk (11 km).

To reach the temples one can either climb up the hill using the concrete stairs or avail the dolis or motorbikes. While the motorbikes would take 1 hr to cover the dedicated 16 km uphill track, the dolis would take at least 6-7 hours to climb the 10 km track via staircase. The bikes would however go till the Dak Bungalow on the hilltop and the pilgrims would then dismount to visit the temples laid over a 2-3 km pathway on their own. There are no eateries or hotels on the Parasnath hilltop, we were told by the locals.

Rate (round trip)	Time TAKEN (one way)
Motorbike	Rs 1000 – Rs 2500 1 hr
Doli	Rs 3500 – Rs 7000 7 hrs

The foothill
By the time we reached Madhuban – the main town connecting Parasnath hilltop, it was already 8 am. Due to the prevailing pandemic, the temples on the Parasnath Hill were closed. Thus we refrained from climbing the hill and visited the magnificent Tees-Choubisi Jain temple with at Madhuban instead. This gave us a feel of the pilgrimage.
At Madhuban, there are dharmasalas, for devotees to stay in overnight, which are available on advance booking.

Shikharji Continental
Opp Jhaj Mandir, Madhuban
Ph: 226150 6363

Siddhayatan
Shri Sammed Shikharji Main Road, Madhuban
Ph: 76040 77024 / 25

We spent some time exploring Madhuban and came across several naga sadhus (naked Digambar Jain monks) who moved about and interacted freely with the devotees. After energising ourselves with some tea from a local stall we hurried back to our Hotel Wedlock Greens where a lavish breakfast awaited us, followed by a guided tour of the property.

Accommodation
Situated in Govindpur on the outskirts of Dhanbad, Wedlock Greens is a luxurious hotel on NH-19 (NH-2). Covering a large 14 acres area, the plush 70-room property with its lush green setting provides the guests with the flexibility of three different room types that include suites spread across two blocks – Maryland and Marygold. The rooms with their modern decor and amenities are both convenient and comfortable for the guests. They also carry a distinct touch of class. Each of the floors has a huge common area and a quaint balcony.

At Wedlock Greens, one can savour the delicacies of a multi-cuisine restaurant at Thyme or relax at the poolside café. The azure waters of the swimming pool is more than inviting. The cuisine, Oriental or Continental, pan Indian or Italian is exquisite and prepared by expert hands. The bar, Open Box, has some of the finest cocktails on offer while the multigym is ready to set the fitness freaks on fire with their specialised equipment.

Wedlock Greens is an excellent venue for a destination wedding. It has two sprawling banquets – Ivy and Iris with a hosting capacity of 200 and 500 guests respectively, ideal for organising conferences and business gatherings. The beautifully manicured lawn can host a party for 1800-2000 people, while the huge parking lot can accommodate up to 250 cars.

Time was ticking as we headed for our lunch. And as every good thing has to come to an end, we had to bid farewell to Topchanchi. Seeing our reluctance to return, on our way back, Chief made a detour, through Maithon Dam – only 40 km from the Hotel Wedlock Greens. The sight of the beautiful dam in a picturesque setting helped lift our spirits.

After a brief stopover at Shaktigarh for some refreshments, as we reached the Kona Expressway, we got stalled in a traffic gridlock. To save our weary souls, Chief took a detour through Unsani via Andul Road that saved us around an hour and a half. Working out options for our next drive out, we finally parted.