It was my cousin sister's wedding in Feb. I flew down to Bagdogra from Pune, after a night's Darjeeling trip visited my hometown, Malbazar and then headed towards the wedding at Jalpaiguri. Yes, it was quite a hectic schedule indulging a lot of travelling. But the traveler in me always keeps asking for "more" :).
My entire family was at the wedding. I was having a great time with my battle of cousins. Lots of gossips and fun, wedding rituals, getting ready to look pretty every now and then, wearing a different ethnic wear for every ritual... I was enjoying all of them. The wedding happened, the bride left for her new home. And soon after that I was bored of makeup, jewellery, sarees. I needed a break and my cousin brother acted to that and booked a car for Samsing trip.
So the next day, my brother and his wife and the 2 of us, started for the trip around 8 am. Samsing was my maternal uncle's home. I have been to this place n number of times. My childhood memories of visiting the tea factory of Samsing, traveling in a Bajaj scooter with my uncle to the hills and hiking the hills to reach Rocky Island, which was a newly discovered spot in 90s, were still fresh.
Soon we entered the Lataguri forest area. We started enjoying the drive through the empty silky smooth national highway with tall trees on both sides. We had breakfast somewhere and kept moving towards the hills. We took a break at a spot just before entering upper Samsing area. It was just the four of us standing at the end of the hill with nature's music and sound of the river flowing down.
NH31 surrounded by Lataguri forest
Our first stop by the hill
We kept moving again to reach the Rocky Island. In early 90s I remember no car would go there. Hiking was the only option. Even now the road is not a proper pitch road, but still cars can be driven through it. After a bumpy ride we reached the Rocky Island. It was again very much empty. The gushing river's melody was all around. Some new homestays came up there and interestingly one or two cute little shops selling alcohol :) . It was a new development at this place. We crossed the bridge, got down into the river which had less water since it was February. It was so much peaceful. We spent an amazing time together.
Rocky Island
We were then looking for a short hike somewhere nearby. We asked the locals and they suggested us to go to the old Hanging bridge. I was so excited, I shouted, yes this is the bridge I used to go with my uncle. The hanging bridge is not a popular tourist spot. The bridge is a very old one connecting 2 hills, constructed during the British rule in India. We started hiking through the beautiful hills surrounded by trees, butterflies, birds, insects. No music in earphones, but just the melody of chirping birds. We reached the old hanging bridge. Some of the wooden plates of the bridge were broken. The bridge was shaking when we were on it and we were enjoying the thrill. We hiked back to the rocky island and were hungry by then. We entered a small restaurant by the side of the river. We ordered momos and beer. The restaurant was playing slowly old Kumar Sanu songs and the music was mingling with the melody of the gushing river. I have been to this place so many times. But sitting here with the best company, having hot steamy momos and looking through the window towards the beautiful nature was an experience one of a kind. I wished to spend the night at the homestay, right upstairs, facing the river. But we had to leave for our next stop, Santalikhola.
Hiking towards the Hanging Bridge
The river just below the Hanging Bridge
The old Hanging Bridge
Window opening towards the river, where we had lunch at Rocky Island
We reached Santalikhola. A new development here. One cannot take his own car beyond a spot and has to hire a jeep to reach the end. I was very much familiar to this place and I knew its less than 2 kms from that spot. So who needs a jeep when you have your own healthy legs to walk, cherishing the nature. We started hiking again. At the end there is a resort and a very small hanging bridge. Soon we took a short cut through the shrubs and trees and climbed down the hill to reach the end which also has a river. It had no water at all because of winter. We came back to the place where our car was parked, had our evening tea sitting at the rooftop of a little restaurant, facing the hills. The host, an old man, was very friendly to us and told us his stories.
Walking through this road to reach Santalikhola
Another Hanging bridge at Santalikhola, a new and small one
We started moving back towards Jalpaiguri. We took a little diversion towards the Garumara forest and reached the Murti River. On the way we spotted some bison far away crossing the road. When we reached Murti it was quite dark. Our other stop was the Mahakal temple inside the forest. It is just a group of Shivlinga shaped rocks, which locals worship.
The river Murti in early evening
It was time to get back. On my way back, I was thinking how I am getting back again to the crowded concrete boring world from a world of emptiness, but full of nature.
My entire family was at the wedding. I was having a great time with my battle of cousins. Lots of gossips and fun, wedding rituals, getting ready to look pretty every now and then, wearing a different ethnic wear for every ritual... I was enjoying all of them. The wedding happened, the bride left for her new home. And soon after that I was bored of makeup, jewellery, sarees. I needed a break and my cousin brother acted to that and booked a car for Samsing trip.
So the next day, my brother and his wife and the 2 of us, started for the trip around 8 am. Samsing was my maternal uncle's home. I have been to this place n number of times. My childhood memories of visiting the tea factory of Samsing, traveling in a Bajaj scooter with my uncle to the hills and hiking the hills to reach Rocky Island, which was a newly discovered spot in 90s, were still fresh.
Soon we entered the Lataguri forest area. We started enjoying the drive through the empty silky smooth national highway with tall trees on both sides. We had breakfast somewhere and kept moving towards the hills. We took a break at a spot just before entering upper Samsing area. It was just the four of us standing at the end of the hill with nature's music and sound of the river flowing down.
NH31 surrounded by Lataguri forest
We kept moving again to reach the Rocky Island. In early 90s I remember no car would go there. Hiking was the only option. Even now the road is not a proper pitch road, but still cars can be driven through it. After a bumpy ride we reached the Rocky Island. It was again very much empty. The gushing river's melody was all around. Some new homestays came up there and interestingly one or two cute little shops selling alcohol :) . It was a new development at this place. We crossed the bridge, got down into the river which had less water since it was February. It was so much peaceful. We spent an amazing time together.
Rocky Island
We were then looking for a short hike somewhere nearby. We asked the locals and they suggested us to go to the old Hanging bridge. I was so excited, I shouted, yes this is the bridge I used to go with my uncle. The hanging bridge is not a popular tourist spot. The bridge is a very old one connecting 2 hills, constructed during the British rule in India. We started hiking through the beautiful hills surrounded by trees, butterflies, birds, insects. No music in earphones, but just the melody of chirping birds. We reached the old hanging bridge. Some of the wooden plates of the bridge were broken. The bridge was shaking when we were on it and we were enjoying the thrill. We hiked back to the rocky island and were hungry by then. We entered a small restaurant by the side of the river. We ordered momos and beer. The restaurant was playing slowly old Kumar Sanu songs and the music was mingling with the melody of the gushing river. I have been to this place so many times. But sitting here with the best company, having hot steamy momos and looking through the window towards the beautiful nature was an experience one of a kind. I wished to spend the night at the homestay, right upstairs, facing the river. But we had to leave for our next stop, Santalikhola.
Hiking towards the Hanging Bridge
The river just below the Hanging Bridge
The old Hanging Bridge
Window opening towards the river, where we had lunch at Rocky Island
We reached Santalikhola. A new development here. One cannot take his own car beyond a spot and has to hire a jeep to reach the end. I was very much familiar to this place and I knew its less than 2 kms from that spot. So who needs a jeep when you have your own healthy legs to walk, cherishing the nature. We started hiking again. At the end there is a resort and a very small hanging bridge. Soon we took a short cut through the shrubs and trees and climbed down the hill to reach the end which also has a river. It had no water at all because of winter. We came back to the place where our car was parked, had our evening tea sitting at the rooftop of a little restaurant, facing the hills. The host, an old man, was very friendly to us and told us his stories.
Walking through this road to reach Santalikhola
Another Hanging bridge at Santalikhola, a new and small one
Evening snacks and tea at the rooftop of a restaurant with the cute old host
We started moving back towards Jalpaiguri. We took a little diversion towards the Garumara forest and reached the Murti River. On the way we spotted some bison far away crossing the road. When we reached Murti it was quite dark. Our other stop was the Mahakal temple inside the forest. It is just a group of Shivlinga shaped rocks, which locals worship.
The river Murti in early evening
Mahakal Temple in the forest
It was time to get back. On my way back, I was thinking how I am getting back again to the crowded concrete boring world from a world of emptiness, but full of nature.
Wow !!!! Incredible India !
ReplyDeleteThis place is postcard perfect.. thanks for sharing !
-N
Thanks :)
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