The Sundarbans is undoubtedly one of the great wonders of the natural world. It is the largest mangrove forest on earth, covering a mindboggling 140,000 hectors of landmass; situated on the delta formed by rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna.
Its deep canals, waterways and yet to be explored depths are what folklores are made of. The flora is unique, and the fauna is one of the most diverse on the planet. And the crown jewel of this complex natural wonder is the Royal Bengal Tiger, the undisputed king of this beautiful yet unforgiving terrain.
One of the many canals of Sundarbans
Millions upon millions of tourists, researchers, wildlife photographers and adventure junkies throng these waterways on a regular basis. In fact, tourism is one of the major sources of economy for the region.
The Sundarbans are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a protected ecosystem, which is hanging on the cusp of extinction due to human exploitation. The expansion of urbanisation and illegal logging has greatly reduced the size and density of some parts of this natural marvel.
But steps are being taken to mitigate such damages and it is still a fantastically engaging place to visit. The waterways and the habitable islands are open to tourists for most of the year. But I will strongly recommend avoiding the monsoon season, as the Sundarbans face some of the most powerful cyclones from the Bay of Bengal.
I visited the place during the winter months, and it is safe to say the weather was very welcoming. It gets quite cold during the night and during the day, while you are on your houseboat or steamer, the wind chill keeps the heat from the winter sun at bay.
The interconnected rivers and tributary system are like highways connecting various islands of Sundarbans. Most of the intricate and shallow canals are out of bounds for tourists, as the landscape is too wild and getting stranded in the middle of a dense mangrove forest is not a pleasant experience.
Accommodation here can either be a hotel or a resort on an island or, if you feel more adventurous, you can spend the night in the houseboat itself. Tourists usually spend the entire day, exploring island to island and wind down the night at the resorts.
It takes a lot of luck to spot any wildlife in these treacherous terrains. The murky waters, slushy banks and thick overhanging mangroves offer the perfect camouflage to all things moving. What you think is a harmless piece of floating log can easily be the scaly back of a saltwater crocodile.
I stayed at the Pakhiralay island, one of the few settlements that act as the launching pad for most Sundarbans safaris and expeditions. A moderately dense settlement, teaming with life and hotels. You can stay the night here and spend the day exploring the accessible canals of the Sundarbans from here.
Our tour was a relatively short one, but our tour guide was able to cover quite a few spots within a span of couple of days. Jharkhali island was the first one on the list and can usually be reached within a few hours of sailing, depending on the weather.
While on our way to Pakhiralay island, we stopped over at the famous bungalow of Sir Daniel Hamilton. A wooden structure that was originally established by the Scotsman who made Bengal and the region of Gosaba his home in India. His works on rural development and upliftment has led to his legacy being cemented in the minds of the people in this region.
Bungalow of Sir Daniel Hamilton
But personally, I found the travel between the destinations more exiting than the actual locations themselves. The deafening quite of the forest and the excitement of seeing anything move between the waves or branches, made time stand still.
The boatmen here usually have a tendency of playing music while they traverse the waters. So, often you are lost in your own thoughts, scanning the habitat with your camera or binoculars; you might be startled by the voice of Kumar Shanu blasting from within the depths of some adjacent tree or canal.
Apart from Jhorkhaki, there is the Dobaki watch tower, which is notoriously famous for tiger sightings. In fact, there had been a sighting the day before we visited the watch tower. But getting a glimpse of the Royal Bengal is a truly rare phenomenon. And I might just have to go back again and again to get a glimpse of this elusive legend.
Our trip was finished by a visit to the zoological park at the Sojnekhali Island, which is situated on the adjacent banks of the Pakhiralay. It is a relatively forested landmass, divided into enclosures that shelters species of crocodiles, deer, monkeys, and a host of other animals.
There are a lot more places that I have not seen and will need a few more trips to cover a respectable portion of this natural frontier. To whoever who is going to pay this place a visit, I can wholeheartedly say it will be a standalone experience.
The landscape, the animals, the people, and culture are all at a constant struggle for survival in this wild territory. Yet there is a harmony between all the elements that has facilitated a certain volatile stability in the Sundarbans. Now whether we can sustain this harmony is completely upon us.
So, like always, I recommend you book a trip to this ancient river delta, immediately. Until next time, keep exploring !
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