TEA TOURISM IN THE EAST HIMALAYA

The cultivation and brewing of tea in India has a long history. India is quite famous for its tea plantations especially in Assam, Darjeeling, Dooars, Cachar, Sylet Hills, Khangra, Kerala, Nilgiri, Terai and Travencore. Among these places Darjeeling, Assam and Dooars gain global popularity for the quality of tea they offer and also because of its beautiful scent. Commercial production of tea in India did not begin until the arrival of the British East India Company, at which point large tracts of land were converted for mass tea production. Today, India is one of the largest tea producers in the world, though over 70% of the tea is consumed within India itself. The culture still continues, and especially the Darjeeling, Assam and Dooars tea has immense popularity worldwide even today.
The world of tea has hardly changed in the past century in the Darjeeling, Assam and Dooars region. The culture surrounding the huge tea plantations is a unique phenomenon and is a lifetime experience.
Tea-tourism is a fast growing travel concept in the Eastern Himalayas, mainly in the Darjeeling hills and Dooars foothills. A retreat in tea gardens set amidst serene landscape is perhaps the most exotic and innovative way to enjoy nature. On the whole it is the lifetime experience to have a leisure walk through these tea plantations and experience its uniqueness.

In Tea Tour traveler can enjoy the various flavors depending on the places and on your requirement. Some ideas are given as under :-

• Accommodation in Tea Bungalow (well-preserved old colonial structures) with garden fresh bio-organic food.

• Tea Garden Walk .

• Tea Processing observation.

• Tea Testing.

• Picnic day out with Birding or fishing.

• Interaction with the Garden workers .

• Ethnic cultural program with bon fire.

• Nature tours, forest safaris and excursions.

• Hill toy train ride (Darjeeling Himalayan Railways).

We offer the finest guided and unguided Tea Tours covering the best Tea Plantation areas to :-

• Selim Hill Tea Estate, Kurseong, Darjeeling.

• Makaibari Tea Estate, Kurseong, Darjeeling.

• Glenburn Tea Estate, Darjeeling.

• Damdim Tea Estate, Western Dooars.

• Phaskowa Tea Estate, Alipurduar.

• Lankapara Tea Estate, Eastern Dooars.

Our tours, hand-picked by our expert Guide and field guides, promise an experience which is difficult to match elsewhere. For book a tour, please contact us at ecotrails.kolkata@gmail.com or guha.tuhin86@ yahoo.com

SHANTINIKETAN

Santiniketan is a small town near Bolpur in the Birbhum district of West Bengal, India, approximately 180 kilometres north of Kolkata. It was made by famous  Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, whose vision became what is now a university town that attracts thousands of visitors each year. An International University founded by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore where the cultures of the East & the West could meet and mingle. Named Vishva-Bharati, the University represents Indian traditions while incorporating the best of other cultures. Santiniketan is also a tourist attraction because Rabindranath wrote many of his literary classics here, and his house is a place of historical importance. Santiniketan was previously called Bhubandanga (named after Bhuban Sinha). This area was gifted from the Sinha family (family of Lord SP Sinha) to the Tagore family. Rabindranath's father, Maharshi Debendranath Tagore, found it very peaceful and renamed it Santiniketan, which means abode (niketan) of peace (shanti). It was here that Rabindranath Tagore started Patha Bhavana, the school of his ideals, whose central premise was that learning in a natural environment would be more enjoyable and fruitful. After he received the Nobel Prize (1913), the school was expanded into a university in 1921. By 1951, it had become one of India's central universities. Many world famous teachers came to be associated with it, including C.F. Andrews and Alex Aronson. Some of its illustrious students are Gayatri Devi, Indira Gandhi, Satyajit Ray, Abdul Ghani Khan and Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen. Kala Bhavana, the art college of Santiniketan, is still considered one of the best art colleges in the world. 

Interesting to See at Santiniketan :
Upasana Griha : A prayer hall, made of several colored Belgium glasses with marble steps on all the four sides by the poet's father in 1863. During evening service, candle is lit around the prayer hall, and it wears a magnificent look in flickering light. Prayers are held on Wednesday.
Dehali : Rabindranath used to live with his wife Mrinalini Devi in this two storied building.
China Bhavana : A centre for Chinese studies. Natir Puja, a dance drama of Tagore is painted on its wall under the guidance of Nandalal Bose, pioneering Indian artist.
Black House : A mud building known for its relief works done by stalwarts like Ram Kinkar and Prabhas Sen. Usually the final year student of Visva Bharati stay here.
Santiniketan Griha : The oldest building of Santiniketan.
Kala Bhavan : The College of Fine Arts & Crafts has a museum exhibiting sculptures, frescoes & murals and a library of art books.

Hindi Bhavana : the Hindi study centre .

Nippon Bhavana : for Indo-Japanese studies.

Patha Bhavana  : now a secondary school, is of particular interest, being an example of the traditional Brahmacharya Ashram. In 1901 Rabindranath started this Patha Bhavan with 5 student.

Uttarayan Complex : The poet lived and worked in the Northern Complex consisting of several buildings as : Udayana, Konarka, Shyamali, Punascha and Udichi. The Bichitra ( or, Rabindra Bhavan ) designed by the poet's son Rathindranath Tagore.
Bichitra : Also called Rabindra Bhavan, a Research Centre and Museum where the poet's personal belongings, paintings & various editions of his works are exhibited.
Amar Kutir : The place where all types of hadicrafts like cloth/leather batiks, handlooms etc. are available.
Sangeet Bhavan : College of Dance and Music. The University is replete with works on Art, Music and the Humanities.
Chhatimtala : Here Maharshi Devendranath, the father of Rabindranath Tagore, used to meditate. Prayers are held usually at Convocation time. Successful graduates of the Vishwa Bharati University are presented a branch of five leaves each from the Saptaparni trees which abound in the area.
Kankalitala: On the bank of the river Kopai is Knankalitala, one of the sacred Satipithas. A temple there.
Deer Park : Near Sriniketan, 3 km from Shantiniketan. Originally, the area was a fast eroding `Khowai'. It is now a large wooded area with herds of deer and makes a natural bird sanctuary.

Shantiniketan Shopping : Grameen (Bolpur), Sarvodaya Ashram (Bolpur), (Handicrafts & handlooms) Vishwa Bharati Shilpa Sadan (Shantiniketan), Shantiniketan Cooperative Stores (Shantiniketan).

How to Reach :
Airport : The nearest airport is Kolkata. 212 km away from Santiniketan.   
Rail : The nearest railhead is Bolpur, 2 km away. Trains connecting Bolpur with Howrah/Sealdah (Kolkata) are Howrah-Bolpur Shantiniketan Exp,  Sealdah-Mughalsarai Exp, Howrah-Jamalpur Exp, Kanchenjunga Exp, Shantiniketan Exp etc.

Road : Santiniketan is connected with Kolkata by an excellent road. From Santiniketan is 212 km from Kolkata by road. From Kolkata drive towards  to Dankuni and take the Durgapur Expressway NH 2.

Accommodation : “Eco Trails” deals with some of the best Hotel and Resort in Shantiniketan. Shantiniketan provides a delightful alternative in the form of its numerous tourist resorts and hotels. Depending on your budget you can chose Deluxe, Super Deluxe and Standard Hotel. Many budget hotels are also have available offer in suites, deluxe/ semi-deluxe/ budget rooms and make you enjoy a reasonable and comfortable stay.

Food : You can choose your own Food Plan in your trip to Shantiniketan. There are 04 optioned are available – i) European Plan ( EP ) – Room Only Basis. ii) Continental Plan ( CP ) - Room including with Breakfast only basis. iii) Modified American Plan ( MAP ) – Room including with breakfast and either lunch or dinner. iv) American Plan ( AP ) - Room including Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. 

Activities : Heritage Walk, Heritage building visit, Experienced Local Culture, Museum Visit, Rickshaw Ride, Shopping Experience.

Attraction : Visva Bharati University, Upasana Griha, Dehali, China Bhavana, Black House, Santiniketan Griha, Kala Bhavan, Hindi Bhavana, Nippon Bhavana, Patha Bhavana, Uttarayan Complex, Bichitra, Amar Kutir, Sangeet Bhavan, Chhatimtala, Musem, Heritage Walk, Heritage Building Visit, Cycle Rickshaw Ride, Local Culture, Folk Music, Shopping.

 

HERITAGE WALK IN KOLKATA

Closes to the Book – The College Street : The College Street walk involves a walk down Kolkata's most academic street - with historical institutions like Presidency College, Calcutta Medical College, Bethune College, Scottish Church College, the University of Calcutta and India Coffee House. The sidewalks are overrun with pedestrians, and the streets with vehicles, but the ambiance of the street comes from literally hundreds of used book stores on either side of the street selling a potpourri of literature and textbooks.

Walking with Memories –  The Chowringhee Road : The Chowringhee Avenue walk between Elgin Road and B.B.D. Bagh takes one past the St. Paul's Cathedral,  Biship House, Birla Planetarium, Kolkata's prominent eyesore oof a highrise Chatterjee International, Tata Centre, the Indian Museum, Asiatic Society, the Maidan, the Esplanade, Grand Hotel, and the historic Metro Theater, once the first point of release in the Eastern Hemisphere for Metro Goldwyn Mayer films. Fine dining at the Grand Hotel, the home of the essentially Kolkata snack - the " Kati Roll" - Nizam's, the authentic sherbet shop Paragon and New Market are all a stone's throw away.

Recalling the History - Dalhousie Square : Dalhousie Square, presently known as B.B.D Bagh, named after three brothers Binoy, Badal, and Dinesh who laid siege to the Writers' Building and were consequently killed during the struggle for independence.  The walk around Dalhousie Square features the British seat of administration in India - within a few blocks lie the Writers' Building, Raj Bhavan, Calcutta High Court, the General Post Office and B. B. D. Bagh. The express street side lunch providers make for a delicious, cheap, unbelievably quick and dubiously hygienic meal which has to be eaten to be believed. In the course of our walk we will introduce you to these heritage buildings erected in this the then European territory.

Walking with The Holy Ganges – The Stand Road : The Strand Road is close to the River Ganges. The riverside walk past the "ghats" or piers, the palatial State Bank of India  headquarters, the Kolkata Maritime Museum and the promenade in Millennium Park. The Hoogli River makes for excellent riverboat where tourist can take a country boat ride and also can watching people & their culture to the Mother Ganges.. A look up and down the river shows the famous Howrah Bridge and Vidyasagar Setu. In morning tourist can also enjoy to see the beautiful flower market under the howrah bridge.

When The Goddess are into the Earth – Kumartuli : Kumartuli is the traditional potter’s quarter which gains real importance just before Durga Puja as thousands of idols are being made here in a competitive mood. Nevertheless the artisans of Kumartuli remain busy throughout the year to meet the demands of their clients. Durga Puja is integral to the very identity of West Bengal. These are days of devotion, revelry, and vital cultural and economic activity. Except Durga Puja Those artisans are also busy in the religious festivals like Kalipuja, Saraswati Puja, Jagaddhatri Puja and the list just seems to have no end. Kumartulli is known for its internationally renowned artisans who craft the most beautiful idols from straw and clay.  Do visit this place as it truly depicts the skills of these artisans, the source of the material they use, and how they excel in their art in spite of living not in a very favorable condition.

Where night never Come – Park Street : Park Street, probably the most prestigious thoroughfare of the city. Park Street can be said the heart of the city- ever full of life. No one can escape from its vibrant mood. The Park Street walk goes down Kolkata's foremost dining district with noted restaurants and eateries like Shiraz, Flury's, Trinca's and Hot Kati Roll and many countless restaurant. Kolkata's nightlife revolves around Park Street's nightclubs, pubs and coffee houses. Park Street has famous buildings like the Asiatic Society, St. Xavier's College, the Church of the Seventh Day Adventists, and the South Park Street Cemetery, inaugurated in 1767, Park Street cemetery restored the yard at St John’s Church in the wrecks of the Old Fort, in which Job Charnock, the supposed founder of Calcutta, is buried. There lies a sharp contrast between present day Park Street and the Park Street Cemetery that bears rich history of the past. One end of Park Street links up to Chowringhee Avenue and the Maidan while the other end goes to Park Circus.

The Royal Touch – Sovabazar : Sovabazar is the ever-crucial hub of Bengali culture and tradition is surely not to be missed out. The cosmopolitan blend and the incongruous architectural forms (from Islamic to Baroque, from Victorian to Bengali) of the area fascinate the tourists. Take the authentic flavor of Sovabazar Rajbari (Palace); get absorbed in true Bengali flavor with mouthwatering street food and traditional dishes. You can no way miss this out in your walk. The Heritage Hand pull Rickshaw ride give you an extra feeling of the Bengali tradition.

SUNDERBANS NATIONAL PARK

The Sunderbans is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world. The name Sunderban can be literally translated as "beautiful jungle" or "beautiful forest" in the Bengali language. The forest lies in the vast delta on the Bay of Bengal formed by the super confluence of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers across Saiyan southern Bangladesh and West Bengal, India. The forest covers 10,000 sq.km. of which about 6,000 are in Bangladesh. The present Sunderbans National Park was declared as the core area of Sunderbans Tiger Reserve in 1973 and a wildlife sanctuary in 1977. On May 4, 1984 it was declared a National Park. It became inscribed as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1997. The interconnected network of waterways makes almost every corner of the forest accessible by boat. The area is known for the eponymous Royal Bengal Tiger, as well as numerous fauna including species of Birds, Spotted Deer, Estuarine Crocodiles and Snakes. A unique ecosystem forms a delicate balance with the huge human population there, who are completely dependent on this mangrove forest for their livelihood. Sunderbans have also been enlisted amongst the finalist in the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

Flora :

The Sundarbans flora is characterized by the abundance of Heritiera fomes, Excoecaria agallocha, Ceriops decandra and Sonneratia apetala. A total 245 genera and 334 plant species were recorded by an independent individual in 1903. Since then several more floras have been discovered while some of the experts still think that more are required to explore. The mangroves of Bangladesh are dominated by the Sterculiaceae and Euphorbiaceae specis. Sundari and Gewa occur prominently throughout the area with discontinuous distribution of Dhundul (Xylocarpus granatum) and Kankra. Among grasses and Palms, Poresia coaractata, Myriostachya Wightiana, Imperata cylindrica, Phragmites Karka, Nypa fruticans, brackish and freshwater marshes, intertidal mudflats, sand flats, sand dunes and plenty more are well distributed.

 Fauna :

The Sundarbans provide a unique ecosystem and a rich wildlife habitat. Sundarban is considered the single largest home of the Royal Bengal Tiger. There is much more wildlife here than just the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger. Sundarbans support diverse biological resources including at least 120 species of commercially important fishes, 270 species of birds, 42 species of mammals, 35 reptiles and eight amphibian species. Sundarban is also an abode of a large number of rare and globally endangered animals along with Estuarine Crocodile ( Crocodilus porosus ), Fishing Cat ( Felis viverrina ), Common otter ( Lutra lutra ), Water Monitor lizard ( Varanus salvator ), Gangetic Dolphin ( Platinista gangetica ), Snubfin dolphin ( Orcella brevirostris ), River Terrapin (Batagur baska ), marine turtles like Olive Ridley ( Lepidochelys olivacea ), Green Sea Turtle ( Chelonia mydas ), Hawksbill Turtle ( Eritmochelys imbricata ). Six different species of Shark and Ray.

Other mammals include Wild boars, Spotted deer, Porcupines and Rhesus macaque. Among the reptiles, the King cobra, the common cobra, Banded krait, Russells Viper comprise the community of venomous reptiles, while the Python, Chequered Kil-Back, Dhaman , Green Whip Snake and several other species constitute the non-venomous snakes.

There are about 248 bird species found in Sunderban national park including a large number of migratory birds from higher latitudes that visits the park in winter months Herons, Egrets, Cormorants, Storks, Green Pigeons, Sand Pipers, Large and Small Spoonbills, Darters, Seagulls, Teal, Partridges, great variety of Wild Geese and Ducks. This National Park has the endemic Brown-winged Kingfishers (Pelargopsis amauroptera) and the globally threatened Lesser Adjutants (Leptoptilos javanicus) and Masked Finfoots (Heliopais personata) and birds of prey such as the ospreys (Pandion haliaetus), White-bellied Sea Eagles (Haliaeetus leucogaster) and Grey-headed Fish-eagles (Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus).

Some of the more popular birds found in this region are Open Billed Storks, White Ibis, Water hens, Coots, Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, Pariah Jites, Brahminy Kites, Marsh Harriers, Swamp Partridges, Red Jungle Fowls, Spotted Doves, Common Mynahs, Jungle Crow, Jungle Babblers, Cotton Teals, Herrings Gulls, Caspin Terns, Gray Heron, Brahminy Dicks, Spot-billed Pelicans, Great Egrets, Night Herons, Common Snipes, Wood Sandpipers, Green Pigeon, Rose Ringed Parakeets, Paradise Flycatcher, Cormorants, Fishing Eagles, White-bellied Sea Eagles, Seagulls, Common Kingfisher, Brown-Winged Kingfisher, White-throated Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Green Bee Eater,Peregrine falcons, Woodpeckers, Whimprels, Black-tailed Godwits, Little Stints, Eastern Knots, Curlews, Golden Plovers, Pintails, White Eyed Pochards and Whistling Teals.

Apart from viewing the wildlife from the boat safaris, you can also visit the following places in Sundarbans which are Sajankhali Bird Sanctuary, Sudhanyakali Watchtower, Dobanki Watch Tower, Netidhopani Watchtower, Bhagatpur Crocodile Project which is a crocodile breeding farm (access from Namkhana), Sagar Island,  Burirdabri Tiger Project. 

How to reach :

Airport : Nearest Airport is Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Airport( Kolkata)166kms away from Sunderbans National Park.
Rail : The nearest railhead is at Canning 48 kms away from Sunderbans National Park.
Road : Sundarbans is accessed from Kolkata ( Calcutta) by traveling either towards the South East or the South West. The South Eastern route is more popular. You drive 110 kms  from Kolkata through wetlands and agricultural land to reach Gadkhali. From there Boat is the only medium for transport. The interiors of Sunderbans Tiger Reserve are accessible only through waterways.

Accommodation : In Sunderbans, Eco Jungle Camp is the best option to stay. In the camp all cottages  are ethnic in style that respect local rural architecture and constructed with local materials. Spotless rooms with modern bath. Large dining. A fishing deck. Surrounded by lush green village gardens, trees, pond -over looking the sanctuary on the bank of river Gumdi. Powered by pollution-free solar energy with powerful generator back up ( Camera battery can be charged).

Food : We serve local dishes specially and tastefully cooked for you by our trained local chef. Much variety is not possible owing to the remoteness of the area; yet best possible food is provided under strict hygienic supervision. Vegetables come from the organic gardens of the village, fresh fish, prawn and crab from the rivers and ponds, chicken from the village farms and fresh honey from the

honey collectors' houses.

Attraction : Bird Watching, Wildlife Watching, Royal Bengal Tiger, National Park Visit, Boat Ride, Flora and Fauna Exploration, Wildlife watching from Watch Tower, Mangrove Interpretation Centre, Local Cultural Experience, Local Cultural Show- Bonbibi Yatra, Village Walk.

Activities : Bird Watching,  Wildlife Watching, National Park Visit, Boat Ride, Flora and Fauna Exploration, Wildlife watching from Watch Tower, Local Cultural Experience, Village Walk, Ethnic Food.