North Bengal is a crazy place to be in. It is simultaneously a reflection of the neighbourhood of Bangladesh as well as an independent identity of Bengal. The flora and fauna of this area are characteristic of the localities although languages and values among the society hail from different communities and histories. Documenting North Bengal is next to impossible if not done in detail. The central characteristic of Bengal that is diversity is so prevalent that one may be lost if visiting for the first time.
In the previous part, the part I covered was the foresty part of the area, majorly in the Alipurduar district. But, this time I am going to write about a remote place in the district of south Dinajpur. I am calling it remote but it used to be and still is one of the major towns in the entire district as well the whole of North Bengal. The name of the town is Balurghat.
Situated at the banks of Atrai River Balurghat offers a perfect blend of city life and rural Bengal. Hence, it makes a traveller go through not only the sweet greeneries and maddening cold wind from the mountains but also the characteristic flora and Fauna of the rural Bengal is solely survives on the happy and peaceful huts. People living in these huts carry the heritage knowledge about how to preserve nature which has given so much to us.
The town is divided into two parts. The first part is the ancient Balurghat which is still as rural as it was a hundred years ago. You might come across cows crossing with you on the road, the cocks calling at every hour and mothers from each hut cooking delicious meals fresh fish and vegetables. Needless to say, the fish is directly sourced from the Atrayee River each morning by the local fishermen. This part is filled with ancient branches of beetle, mango, jackfruit, sal, Segun and many other small and big trees that shadow the households from the heat of summer and the rain in monsoons.
The other part is a vibrant town that breathes the eccentricity of this India-Bangladesh border town as well as aspires to be one of the important cities of Bengal. Balurghat happens to be a central municipal town that connects the villages in the city for school, college and other cultural activities. The town has also been popular for leaving a permanent mark in revolutionary spotlights such as Tebhaga, the 1947 India-Pakistan migration and the Bangladesh war of 1971. The constant battle political turmoil and the floods of river Atreyee have made the sons and daughters of this place hardy and simultaneously very much poetic as they have had the opportunity to be cushioned by the beautiful flora and fauna of the locality.
The Atreyee River dares to bleed through Bengal and Bangladesh. She used to be the major channel to carry the bulky water of the great Teesta. Later, as the track changed the river lies down as if reminding the next generations of its heydays.
Balurghat does not have many tourist attractions if compared to the foresty areas of north Bengal like Jaldapara sanctuary but it has the same serene and peaceful presence that is almost like the quiet yet enigmatic presence of our mothers.
I happen to have my maternal grandfather's house here which has drawn me to this place over and over again. I learned the necessity of life, greenery and love in our lives by staying here. Growing up here and being pampered here has been a blessing. Balurghat will not demotivate the tourist looking for some fun either. There is a high court hailing the British architecture, cinema and traditional culinary as well as tribal community culture to adorn. However, if you are looking for a budget stay for a longer period of time in a surreal, deadly yet beautiful riverbed then this is the place you should be looking for. Balurghat is accessible from Calcutta in one overnight train journey. Soon, other metro cities like Bangalore would also be connected. There is also an airport in the building connecting Guwahati and Kolkata.
