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At Duarshini
Situated right beside the Dalma range, Duarshini is a very beautiful
place. There is a rivulet meandering merrily through dense shrubbery. The
place is perfect for a nature walk. You can sense nature through the eye
as well as the ear, but fortunately not through the nose. I hope you
understand what I mean...with natural source of water at hand, the trees
providing natural shelter, it was only likely that the local people would
utilise this place to respond to nature's calls. But somehow it was not
so. The river sides were quite clean. Possibly there was some strictly
enforced regulation against natural impulses.
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The rivulet, Satgurum, seen through the shrubbery
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There is a trail leading from here right down to the waterside. The river
has a very mild steady current, so mild that sometimes the water seems
stagnant.
Later Sanjit and I went to Duarshini again on two bicycles that were given
to us at Bhalopahar (no rent, just free to use for the day!). It was great
cycling down that road. The government eco-tourism cottages are very
beautiful (at least judging by their outer appearance). According to
Sanjit, they cost the same as the Bhalopahar guest house. The location of
the lodge, I must say, is better than Bhalophar. A new tourist lodge is
being built at the entrance of Duarshini. Here is how Dalma range looks
from its verandah.
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Dalma range at Duarshini
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And that's the last photo that I have. The digital memory of my camera is
now full, so you have to rely on the analogue memory of my brain for the
rest.
There is a "haat" (small temporary market) at Durashini every Saturday.
On every day of the week there is a "haat", held at different places. The
haat was a pretty uninteresting one, moth-eaten vegetables, cheap products
of the local breweries, and sundry stalls selling cosmetic goods. A
blaring microphone was announcing the virtues of some wonderful medicines
for stomach problems and skin diseases. A bevy of local women were selling
some white objects of the size of soya nuggets. I asked them what it
was. The question sent a peal of half-stifled laughters through the
sellers, one of whom answered with a shy face that they were "medicines."
Sanjit told me that they were a root used for fermenting wine.
We started back Sunday afternoon. The journey back to Bandoan was
quite enjoyable, we sat on the roof of an over-crowded trekker. With
only six people on the roof, there was certainly enough leg space. Bandoan
to
Jhargram and Jhargram to Howrah (via Kharagpur) were uneventful, except
that we missed a connecting local train. But anyway we arrived safe and
sound!
I would heartily recommend a weekend trip to this place. You have to
be physically fit to arrive at the place, but once there it is quite
relaxing. And you will certainly need the relaxation, because you have
to go through another fitness session to get back!
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