Chatakpur

Every year we hear the call of the mountains. It's as distinct as the tick-tok of the clock at the middle of the night. It just cannot be ignored. Chatakpur was this year's selection. It is a village situated at the edge of the Senchal Wildlife Sanctuary in Darjeeling. The nearest town is Sonada, which is just 30 kilometers from Darjeeling.

 

As we were travelling with an infant, we took a flight to Bagdogra and then hired a car from the airport. We will be travelling by a different route this year. Instead of Sevoke, we will be entering the mountains through Rohini, a developing tourist spot Rohini lies in the road connecting Siliguri with Kurseong.

 

Reaching Chatakpur  turned out to be quiet an adventure as we lost our way in the jungle. This turned out to be a bonus later on. A ride in the shadowy forest in the middle of the afternoon was simple out of this world. We saw two deer ambling ahead of us, not a care in the world. Alarmed by the approaching car, the jumped off before we could get a snap. We ourselves were pretty alarmed as we pushed deeper into the jungle with the road narrowing down to a path. Luckily for us, the mobile network was still working and a steady stream of instruction issued from the resort caretaker to guide us safety to the main road.  Soon we reached Chatakpur.

 

 

Inside a Forest                                         Copyright@ 2012 Indranil Banerjee

 Chatakpur is part of the eco-tourism initiative of the forest department to make villages bordering wildlife sanctuaries self-sufficient by encouraging tourism. The forest department has built four bungalows near the forest, which are maintained by the villagers. In return a percentage of the profit goes to the villagers. The village is inhabited by 100 odd inhabitants and fewer life stock. It has a one-room school with three pupil and one teacher. Most of the thing needed by the villagers are grown in the village itself.

 



Chatakpur Cottages                                   Copyright@ 2012 Indranil Banerjee

 It is easy to see how many have described this place as a dream destination. Surrounded by a wall of trees, it is like a bowl carved out on the face of the mountain. A narrow path leads into the forests and leads you under a rocky cliff. From there the path breaks into numerous footpaths that are used by the villagers while collecting firewood and water.

However, we soon realised that this was not a place to bring a baby. It is not easy to carry a baby with you in the forest. Our parents also had a difficult time trekking up and down the mountain. So, unless you like the total isolation of a forest, this is not a place for you. However, we enjoyed ourselves immensely. The very first evening, as dusk was falling, we saw two rabbits, and a number of jungle fowls ambling about aimlessly in the forest. The forest ground is easy to navigate and visibility is very good, as the overhanging branches of the giant pine rise high above the ground. The only problem is light. The gigantic tress form a green canopy, through which only the tallest light beams reach the forest bed. Still there was enough light to see around us.

After dinner, the night became very silent as the villagers retreated to their mountains and we were left to our own devices. Now we missed TV a lot. However, the mobile network was still available and after the long journey we were totally worn out. We were up before dawn break next morning. The watch point is located at the very top of the hill. The path leads through the village into the higher cultivation ground to the top to the view point which commands an extensive view of the surrounding countryside.





From the Top of the Hill Copyright@ 2012 Indranil Banerjee

Unfortunately for us, the sky was overcast. This is usually the case in March or April. However, if you come in Autumn, the chances of a good view are good indeed. We consoled ourselves by watching the birds that started to bid-good morning to each other. We saw an eagle fighting with another big bird, who was valiantly trying to protect its young. Oblivious to this scene, a group of tiny yellow birds, with orange bands around their necks, were chirping happily in a nearby bush. In the cultivation land below, we could see three long-tailed birds pecking on the ground. Undoubtedly this is a bird-watchers paradise.



 






Fields in Chatakpur                                  Copyright@ 2012 Indranil Banerjee 

The sleepy village itself looked like a picture. Each house has a shed behind it, housing cows or hens.

The village has not water-supply. The women walk down the hill to fetch all the water they need. After water, they make another trip down the mountain to gather firewood. Later that day, Karishma, a village girl, guided us to a small Pokhri beside the village. On the way we spotted a cliff under which the vegetation constituted only of small bushes. This spot later on proved to be a perfect spot to catch the birds.


Bird Seen Under the Cliff                          Copyright@ 2012 Indranil Banerjee

We had our breakfast, lunch and dinner in the dinning hut adjoining the kitchen. We had full access to the kitchen, where I cooked dal and rice for my little one. The kitchen girls also helped in minding the babe. The food is cooked by families in turn. Most of the materials come from the cultivation lands and are completely organic. However, if you wish to have bread or Maggi, you will have to bring it with you, as the nearest shop is near Sonada. But I can have all the parathas or puri you can give me, so we did not miss bread or any other things that we have every day in the city.



Chatakpur                                                   Copyright@ 2012 Indranil Banerjee

That evening we went for our usual walk inside the jungle. We got a few shots of the birds and on our way back heard someone coughing.  A few steps more, we saw a heard of barking deer disappearing in the forest below. We ran to get a good shot, but the deer were in their element. Perfectly camouflaged, they wasted no time in getting out of our range. We also spotted a few jungle fowls and rabbits in the fast-fading light. Later on we were told that in monsoon, when the cottages are closed, bears are seen roaming near the cottages. Wish we could be there then.

Chatakpur is a easy distance from both Darjeeling and Kurseong. So, it will not be difficult to come again. This time we will come in October, for a clear sky and with a fixed lens camera, for the birds.