Sundarban National Park
On Friday, August 13th, I drove to Sundarban National Park in West Bengal with a driver and a representative, Somnath, from a local Kolkata office. This was quite nice of him to accompany me and added much information to the trip. We passed villages with mud houses with straw roofs. The poverty was in such contrast to the beauty of the lush countryside. We passed rice patties, fishing pools and palm, date, mangrove and coconut trees. We passed wonderful markets in each village and of course I had to take photos. The markets were full of delicious looking fresh vegetables many of which we do not have in the US.
It took us 2 hours to drive to Sonakhali jetty to board a boat to Bali Island where I stayed at an eco - lodge called Sunderban Jungle Camp. The ride was about 45 minutes and of course tea and biscuits were offered on the boat. Indians drink black tea for breakfast, mid morning and mid afternoon. This is a British habit that has continued on even after the British have left. I even started drinking black tea for breakfast. The boat ride was amazing seeing all the different types of mango trees. There are 60 species in the park. The village people live on each side of the waterways. They travel by boat taxi to different islands. Sunder means beautiful and ban means forest in Bengali. This park was declared a UNESCO heritage sight in 1993.
We arrived at a primitive dock that was for the lodge and the village. The eco- lodge was basic but very clean. There was a fan but no air conditioning. The electricity was on because of a generator but was not always available. There was no hot water. It was really quite humid and hot, so a cold shower was quite a treat. I can not believe I am saying this. I think the older I am, the more adventuresome I have become and able to get out of the box. The lodge was in a beautiful setting with many local plants and trees. Lunch was served at a communal table. The food was absolutely delicious. We had a local curried chicken with rice, dal (lentils), and ladyfingers or okra. The chefs and all the help were from the local village, 2 minutes away. The cooks make RS 2500/month or about $50 which is a lot of money for someone living in the village. At the table was a young Indian couple in their 30’s from Mumbai. He sells advertising space for The Times of India and she writes about Bollywood stars for the same paper. There was a pilot, steward and stewardess who worked for Lufthansa and had 3 days off. We ended up talking about Kashmir which is a very hot subject in India right now.
After lunch, I had a 2 hr boat ride to see the area. What is nice is that this area is not built up and being off season, it was so calm and peaceful. We did not expect to see any tigers and we did not. We saw a few spotted deer and a baby crocodile. For me it was not about the animals but the beauty of the land with its wonderful trees. When we returned to the island I was staying on, we took a walk to the village which was fascinating. I am always taken by village life. These people are very poor but there is plenty of food and they seem happy. Because they live on the water, they have a high protein diet of fish and shrimp. I guess I am always taken by the closeness between the people in the villages. But this is really not just true in the villages. Indian families have a different closeness than western families. Many Indians live in extended family homes and would not want it any other way. Families really take care of each other in a way we do not in the US or other western countries.
We had time to rest before dinner. In addition to the others, a young Russian woman from Moscow joined us. She is helping to build a local hospital and will be here for a few years. Again, great conversation flowed around the table. During Nationalism which was when Andira Gandhi was Prime Minister, India and Russia were friends. Many Russians came to India from 1985 – 1991. During this time the US supported Pakistan and Russia supported India.
Sleep time was an experience. I have to say it was REALLY HOT AND HUMID. I slept with a mosquito net around the bed. I slept very well which is never usually a problem for me. But again it was HOT. By the way, there is no malaria here because there is no stagnant water. I woke up to a knock on the door with fresh coffee and biscuits and to the sound of rain outside. The land was very magical with rain drops falling. The villagers needed rain and I sat on my porch writing and just taking in the surrounding beauty. I did not get to take a local boat to some of the other villages. But it is important to always leave something for the next visit. I had a delicious Indian breakfast and then sat and read for a few hours. The manager of the lodge, Sambhusinharoy, was a wonderful host. He asked me what I wanted for lunch before I left which was quite nice of him. The chef made a delicious lunch of fish curry, ladyfingers (okra), cauliflower with potatoes, dal (lentils), rice and roti bread. These were all my choices. I realize I talk a lot about food but……it is sooo good and nothing like we have at home.
On the way back to Kolkata, it was market day in the villages. I was so lucky to have the opportunity to see village life in action. The villages were crowded with families and people selling vegetables, fruits, chicken, fish, textiles, clothes, books and more. The meat market even had beef since many Moslems live in this area. I returned to the hustle and bustle of Kolkata around 4. I was very glad I had experienced Sunderban even though it was hot and humid. The weather is not always like this. November to March is the ideal time to visit this area. I had seen another slice of colorful Indian life. To me every part of India is so unique and so different. It really is a colorful country with such diversity and special experiences to be had. I have to say I went back to Aaheli Restaurant in Kolkata for a second time this evening to have eelish fish with the bones in a poppy seed sauce. It was out of this world delicious. I really do enjoy Bengali food.
