Winter was slowly removing its chilly hands from this part of the earth. The nip in the air continued to afflict us mere mortals though. Purulia was all set to bloom in its fiery red hues. Off went Team WHEELS braving the cold of an early February morning. The call of a romantic interlude at the Tulin Heritage Bungalow beckoned enticingly.

Route
Team WHEELS hit the road at around 8 am, heading for Vidyasagar Setu to enter the Kona Expressway and connect to NH-19 (NH-2). Within a short span, after passing through Dankuni, we drove onto the 6-lane Durgapur Expressway (NH-19).
After a halt for breakfast, we resumed our journey and passed through Bardhaman, followed by Durgapur and Asansol – following the NH-19 (NH-2), by the newly-constructed Panagarh Flyover and the elevated roads over Durgapur town. Reaching Salanpur Morh at Asansol, we took the left to proceed towards Raghunathpur by the SH-5. From Char Sarak Morh just after Raghunathpur, we took right onto the Purulia Bypass and proceeded towards Jhalda Town followed by Tulin.
As we entered Purulia, we noticed a dramatic change in the topography. The natural vegetation primarily comprises thorny trees and shrubs. The terrain is rough and arid with expansive barren lands. However, the yellow-orange hues of the foliage coupled with the red bloom of simul and palash in patches create a lasting impression. Rocky hills loom in the distance boasting the signature style that is Purulia.

Tulin
A small nondescript place, Tulin is the last town in Purulia bordering Jharkhand. The numerous rocky hills surrounding it and the cool river Subarnarekha flowing by lazily, give Tulin its character. While the foothills are ideal sites for campers, the rocky hills provide the perfect ground for rock climbing to adventure seekers. The riverside on the other hand makes for an idyllic hideout.
For people visiting Tulin, the Tulin Heritage Bungalow is the only accommodation available. So a prior booking is recommended.

 

Tulin Heritage Bungalow
From the main road, we rolled through the driveway past a large fenced garden abounding in tall trees with a distinctive woody appeal – an ideal place for a bonfire. We found ourselves facing the enchanting facade of the Heritage Home by 3:30 in the afternoon.
The rose garden in front of the heritage property and the tall trees beyond instantly had a calming effect on our jaded souls. We were greeted warmly by our host, the manager of Tulin Heritage Bungalow. After a rigorous sanitisation process that included fumigation of luggage, we were ushered into our rooms by the manager.
 As the name suggests, Tulin Heritage Bungalow is a unique two-storeyed boutique resort with a homely feel. The tall trees canopying the bungalow are a sight to behold. It has a large verandah that connects the guestrooms on the ground floor. Going past the broad verandah, as we checked into our rooms, childhood memories of our own joint families living in similar houses in various parts of West Bengal, came rushing in.

 The three varieties of guestrooms namely Premium, Superior and Standard (based on the size), have an amazing old world charm. This is especially due to the red flooring and the vintage style wooden doors and windows. Interestingly, all the rooms are equipped with the much needed modern amenities. The guestrooms on the first floor adjoining the terrace is a beautiful place for an evening adda. Food is served at the dining area which has been built in a typical side-open rural style.
 The two beautiful long sit-outs at the two corners of the house are ideal for spending a lazy afternoon in over tea. The staff is friendly and service prompt. They offer a decent variety of food from Indian, Chinese to a dash of Continental. However, we recommend you stick to the traditional Bengali cuisine.

After a quick wash, we headed for the dining area where a mouth-watering spread awaited us. An authentic Bengali menu was served which aptly complemented the decor of the heritage home. Like gluttons we pounced on the rice, dal, posto, alubhaja, fish curry, salad, papad, chutney and rosogolla.
 After the admittedly more-than filling lunch, we badly wanted to laze off for a while. And nothing could be more beckoning than the rocky river bed of the Subarnarekha close by. So off we went to the banks of the river Subarnarekha to soak in its tranquility.

Subarnarekha
The river traces its origin to a village named Piska near Ranchi. Legend has it that traces of gold were found in the river bed. Hence the name Subarnarekha, meaning streak of gold. Even today, people look for traces of gold particles in its sandy beds.
 We took the left from the Tulin Heritage Bungalow and drove straight for 1.5 km and then took the right from the Y-fork at the Hanuman Temple. Negotiating the narrow undulating roads of the town at Namopara, as we reached the banks of the river, we were captivated by its beauty. It was sunset. The dainty river flowing over the rocky beds, the temples on the banks of the river against the backdrop of the setting sun made the atmosphere almost surreal.

 There are about 6 temples on the river bank – Surya, Shiva, Mahalakshmi, Dharmaraj, Sheetala and Gayatri. As we moved about the place, we came upon the priest, Hemanta Pandit, who was offering the sandhyarti at one of the temples. According to him, the temples are not too old – barring the Smashan Kali Temple which is more than 150 years old. The temples were built so that the devotees can offer their prayers to their respective deities after the ritual bath. During Kartik Sankranti, bhajans and kirtans are organised in the temple premises.

 Hemant Pandit further told us that the trickling river gets infuriated during the monsoons, overflows its banks and sometimes submerges the temples. We went around the temples and offered prayers and headed towards the Bengal-Jharkhand border followed by the new bridge which provided a fantastic view of the Subarnarekha river in the backdrop of old pillars of a broken bridge supposed to have been built during the British rule.
 Once back in our abode, we had a chat with the manager over coffee, who told us interesting anecdotes about the bungalow. These were quaint enough to arouse our curiosity and we listened to him with rapt attention.

History
The Tulin Heritage Bungalow was built in the 1930s as an outhouse in a remote village of Purulia known as Tulin by the late Mahim Chandra Dey Sarkar, a renowned businessman from Kolkata. The family boasted a legacy of more than 300 years of living in Khidderpore. The late Mahim Chandra Dey Sarkar was the grandson of the late Shyama Charan Dey Sarkar, District Collector of Kolkata, in the early 19th century.

 This bungalow was built to be a getaway from the pollution and problems of city living. Earlier the bungalow used to have an area of almost 14 acres of land. Outside the bungalow premises, there were 20 acres of farmland for cultivation meant to provide basic food supplies and vegetables to anyone visiting the place. Various renowned persons including authors like Bimal Mitra, Bibhutibhusan Bandopadhyay, the Prince of Mahisadal, the King of Jhalda have visited this place in the past. There were exciting forays into the nearby forest from this bungalow when hunting was still in vogue. One may find relics of the time in hunting trophies showcased in the veranda of the bungalow.  

 Mahim Chandra Dey Sarkar was a philanthropist whose acts of benevolence are still lauded by the villagers. Amongst other things, he donated land to build roads. To date, many elderly people in Tulin remember him for his social contributions to the Tulin area.
 Later on, in the early 21st century, some of the descendants of the late Mahim Chandra Dey Sarkar sold major areas of this bungalow. The rest of the  descendants decided to carry the legacy forward and in the year 2020, the old bungalow has been renovated into a heritage boutique resort. Currently, it is spread across 2.5 acres of land.
 A barbeque was set up at the adjoining wood in the evening. Charpoys were laid out and we braved the chill of the night to savour the succulent meat served right from the fire, washed down with generous amounts of spirit. ‘Our cup of bliss runneth over’ that magical evening.

Later, dinner was ordered in our rooms. It was a Chinese affair from soup to dessert. Post dinner we literally dropped dead in our beds to be woken up by the cooing of the cuckoo early next morning. And to our surprise, we heard ourselves saying in unison, “Basanta eshe gechhe…(the Spring has arrived)”
 Ensconced in the striking red seats of the veranda and holding steaming cups of tea we basked in the winter sun luxuriously. Conversation flowed as laughing and chatting, singing and eating, we watched the sun climb higher and yet higher up in the sky. Breakfast that comprised toast, chicken sausages, eggs, mashed potatoes, coffee and jalebi, was served on the lavish terrace.
By around 10 in the morning we had decided to explore new areas instead of visiting popular destinations such as the Murguma Dam and the Ajodhya Pahar and set out.
 

 

 

 

 

 

Sewati Pahar and Juraban
Treading the road less travelled, we decided to explore the Sewati Hills, about 20 km from our boarding. Perhaps there is not much particularly breathtaking about the hills but the drive through the meadows travelling past several hills such as the Bansa, Kamara and Burudi and a sal forest stretch called the Juraban and the crossing of several tribal villages along narrow winding roads was very enjoyable. As we navigated through the village Mahatomara, we realised how peaceful rural life is in contrast to our urban cacophony.

 Driving along the butter smooth highways, munching on some of the sweets bought at Bonolata, Joypur forest and still lost in thoughts of Tulin, we reached Kolkata. It was as if we had gone on a vacation to our own home, as if no matter how much time we had spent at the Tulin Heritage Bungalow, it never would be enough and so we vouched to return there some time again, very soon.


Places around Tulin
Murguma Dam        :     25 km
Hudru Falls        :    30 km
Baghmundi Village    :    35 km
Jonah Falls        :     42 km
Ajodhya Hills        :      46 km
Khairabera Dam    :     52 km
Patratu            :    96 km