Destination Garhpanchkot

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There are times when I feel very tired and exhausted. The only thoughts that come to my mind are at what time do I have to board the train? Whom do I have to meet with? When is the deadline? I have been thinking all these things for the last seven days, yesterday was another such day. It is becoming very monotonous. When I go to bed, I sometimes ponder on the fact that I haven’t had seen the sky that day. I just tired of the monotony. It’s about to have a little bit of an escapade in my life. I want to break the routine of waking up daily in the morning, going to office with a runny nose and again returning home from office and again preparing for the next day.

Sometimes we got to flee our self of our social identity, from the boring, dull and familiar street corners. I really want to go to a place where I can be myself, not chained by the shackles of daily life routine and social conventions. I want to escape to a place where time is not as important, a place where I am completely unknown to the people around me. I want to run off to a place where even I wouldn’t be able to recognize myself. Is there any such place in the world map? In fact, it is not a daydream, this instant separation is very important.

There is a door in our minds, which if opened can seclude our own minds, it’s high time I break the chain! So let’s go!
The place we are going to visit is called Garhpanchkot, it is in Purulia. There is a lot of history surrounding that place but not enough that would make heads of many travellers turn. There is somethimg about the green hills which lies quietly with indifference. There are many good places to visit in this place such as Joychandi, a nearby hill, Maithon Lake, Panchet Dam. There is a Palash forest where shawl, tamal and mahua trees welcome you with arms wide open. The ruins of the great forts of the Malla Kings is yet another spectacle, it smells of the history that has long been forgotten.

This place is well known for another thing, which is not usually taught in schools. This is the place where Gupi and Bagha clap hands, reach the diamond kingdom, Udayan Pandit comes out of the dark cover of the cave from the bottom of the hill and the king’s footsteps chase, that hill, that river and that cave. All of it takes place in this beautiful place of Garhpanchkot. So for a few days I’ll be bidding goodbye to my relationship with civilisation and dive into the magnificence of this place.

“Kokha ghumalo, para juralo, bargi elo deshe”, in our childhood we often heard this lullaby sung by our mothers whenever they tried to put us to sleep but who actually are these Bargis have you ever wondered?These Bargis were actually oppressors that lived in the remote area of Telkupi in Purulia you can still find traces of the oppression of these people.

Bargis were actually a group of Maratha soldiers in the language of the common people of this country, attacked the Jingalmahal of King Singdeo of Kashipur in Purulia, Garhpanchkot! Pancharatna temple, Lakshi temple, Manasamahal, the king’s palace, the palace porch were all looted! The Bargis also captured the seven queens of the king. In order to protect their honor, the seven queens jumped into the darkness of the night inside the palace porch! In this place mixed with bushes and snakes, the newly renovated Pancharatna temple, although it seemed inappropriate, it is necessary to hold on to history in this way, otherwise time will not forgive anyone! Don’t know too much. He also listened to everything. But when it comes to Garhpanchkot, this history will show you the story of the untold story scattered near the hand, the thrill of looking back at the unseen past! The accompanying pictures are the last of the helpless past of that togbag.

Later, he flooded and installed Krishna in the pure Vishnupuri style in the ultimate Vaishnava ideology, which resulted in the terracotta temples here!

The reference to Panchkotgiri is not of todays. Even in Skandapura you will find that Tilakamp or Telkupi was Telkupi was the trading capital. Surrounding the Panchet Dam and the adjoining hills, it is the main trading centre of the region. This Garhpanchkot was the capital of the kings of Sindh at the foot of the Deccan hills. Historically, the temples of this region are of Atchala nature of Bishnupur. In these strange terracotta style ‘Jor Bangla’ style temples, the deity was placed in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. The Pancharatna temple was also a Vishnu temple. Lakshi Mandir, Manasa Mandir, Shiva Mandir and Chhinnamasta Kali Mandir were built on the northwest and south of the center. Today all that is long forgotten history. The king himself was very powerful. His deity was Mahakali Kalyaneshwari. So the temples of his ink were carved out of stone, but he was in the spirit of Chaitanyadev.

You would be surprised to know that the world famous poet, Michael Madhusudan Dutt was appointed as the manager of this Singdeo estate in 1872. Although that period is short; yet these five quotes exist in a number of poems written by Michael.
Questions can be raised in the face of history. The lion door is the gossip or a fairy tale. But when it comes to the average five coats, he is a lion

You can see the door with your own eyes. It is said that Maharaja Singdeo’s palace was surrounded by a dense forest of bamboo trees and impenetrable moats within an area of about 20,000 square feet. Beyond that moat was this gateway with two huge arches of lions carved in stone on either side. He walked 7 km beyond the lion gate, but the key to enter the main palace of Milat. Today there is neither lion nor the doors. The architecture of the two arches tilted on both sides!

Another attraction of Joychandi hill is the temple of Chandi Matar and Hunuman Temple. About 512 stairs have to be climbed to reach the top of this hill. And from there the picture of the whole Purulia district, which is very eye-catching. The shadow of the clouds and the lurking of the sun over the whole city! Everything below seems like tiny dots, moments are scattered like pictures! When you come to such a place you start thinking yourself as some GOD.

Tell me, when was the last time you saw the sun rise or set from the city? In the gap of working face to face on the PC of the office, you can see the sun gently sitting on the jute far above the sky line of Kolkata, like a beautiful red egg yolk? No, where is the time to see the busy schedule of thousands of work in the city! So here we see the sunset scene only on the computer wallpaper! However, the removal of the red soil, the view of the sunset is almost miraculously beautiful! While sitting on your computer for hours and hours you sometimes get a glimpse of the sun setting gently above the skyline of Kolkata like beautiful red egg yolk. The thing is that you don’t get time in your busy schedule to witness the sun set. The only proper sunset that you get to see in the picture of sunset which is your computer’s wallpaper. The view of the sunset is almost miraculously beautiful! Be it on Panchet Dam or in front of Murandi Lake! Wherever your two eyes go

Have you heard the name of Telkupi village before? I have not heard and I have never seen such a successful village. In all these villages of Purulia, electricity has not come to many places yet. So the only hope is the oil cup in the evening darkness! Nowadays, solar lights have been introduced, but he is no longer at home! I was talking to Bishwanath Bask for fourteen years! The goat just came up. The bright black eyes of the boy with the pure black face were telling about his innumerable dreams. He is in class nine in the local school. I asked him what he wants to be when he grows up. He said he wants to go to work in the city! What work? Who knows? Any work that will give money. They are in dire need of money!

As soon as you start the car, you will hear the squeaking of the roar, the squeaking of the roar, the chirping of Moyna bird from the mountain or the sudden sound of a swarm of tear flapping wings. There are so many cacophonies in the night; if it weren’t for the jungle we wouldn’t know it at all! There is not much space to stay in the average Panchkot. Two or three more than the forest bungalow! However, this West Bengal government’s forest department bungalow is in a great place. In the jungle surrounded by nets on both sides of the main road, the road is covered with red and yellow dry leaves, standing in front of the huge gate of the bungalow and honking twice, khaki like black.

The watchman’s boy wearing shorts would get up in a hurry and salute and open the gate. What else? Hang a cigarette on the tip of your lip and say, ‘Who is going to get the room for this?’ Kamra has come from Kolkata after booking. Who gets you now? As soon as you enter the house, leave your belongings, break your arm and stand in the open space outside! As far as the eye can see, there is a carbon blue sky and a huge green mountain leaning on the sky. Or go, four friends on the way to the forest? Right now, go?

A huge Arjuna tree. The base of the tree is beautifully paved with white stone. There is a terracotta statue of Parasurama just under the tree. Flowers and leaves fall from the tree at the feet of the idol, every day. I don’t know if it is Parashuram, otherwise it will be a forest god. However, he is a good fit in that place. The officials of this forest department have to appreciate the aesthetic sense but! Just like,

How neatly they have placed a character from the leaves of the forest of Bibhutibhushan.
The main attraction of the place is its solitude. You can see that white bench, you can feel it when you sit there silently with your feet on it for a while, you are sitting right in the middle of the lazy time of the trees. The dry leaves are falling with a rustling sound. The cunning squirrel is coming down from the tree and peeking at his secret dormitory at the base of the tree and taking his companion away in the habitual busyness. Two doyels have been whistling on Magdalen for a long time! As soon as we get down in the evening, the light will shine in the rooms of the bungalow. The sky will be dark in the sunset sky of the mountain in front. And one by one they will bloom like the jasmine flowers of the tree in front! How can all this be caught? Video recording on mobile? Or, just take a picture! There is all that, but he took the help of big technology! Better a poor horse than no horse at all.

There is also a paper pen. Please draw! I also painted, in a couple of lines, the place was booked like forever. Do memories have a separate neighborhood? I just sat in this place! Under the Arjuna tree, the night was drunk with fragrant air! Probably around 11 o’clock at night. Why did I say probably? It’s because I had lost the perception of time in the evening.

From that day onwards I was intoxicated with the environment. No, not just alcohol, but a little bit of drinking and a little bit of singing. The wind was blowing. The lightning was also hiding in the clouds like a pain in the chinchilla, giving the impression of occasional flashing.

When did Rabindranath Tagore come to mind? I started singing with my eyes closed, I put many songs to life! I sang many songs; the sound was broken by the sound of someone else sitting on the bench. The gentleman was silently recording my nonsense song on his mobile phone! After opening my eyes he said I have done this heinous act without your permission. The last five songs you sang are now mine.

I busted out laughing. I met a another guest from the Bungalow, he is a very gentleman, his name is also very strange, his name is Sanjak. On the request of his mother and wife I had to sing a few more songs. I sang without any music. The person was very very nice, I remember one of his words, he was saying that day .. “This is what you are singing, there is no music here, there is no accompaniment, but what is there is the nature of this earth. This music was a connection to God.

I don’t have the quality to be even close to God. I am a simple human being, but in order to connect with people, I have to go out in this way. I have to leave the familiar path and cross the unfamiliar path.
-Kushal Bhattacharya

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