Everything You Need to Know About Baghrol Basa, A Homestay Establishing Ecotourism Through Protection of Endangered Species
How It All Started?
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The Ghosh Bari |
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The all-clay affair of the annex building |
On the way to Baghrol Basa we came across several ponds. Children having their fill of merrymaking in the waters. Some sailing on a “Donga”, a boat hewn from the trunk of a palm tree. I have heard similar stories of my mother getting along with my cousin-brother on donga on our (maternal) own pond. But what fascinated me more was sneakily observing the Komodo Dragon lurking from beneath the pond scums.
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How to Reach Baghrol Basa
One can reach Amta station by train from Howrah station.
Buses are available from Howrah to Narit and Jhikira. One can get down at Gajipur Bazar and walk through the paved roads.
Why Baghrol Basa? Because of Its Connection to the State Animal- An Approach to Conservation of an Endangered Species
“Baghrol” meaning fishing cat in Bengali and “Basa” means nest or house. As the name suggests, Baghrol Basa is thus home to the endangered fishing cats.
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Whether to call it lucky or not, one may get a sight of Spectacled Cobra, Monocled Cobra, Common Krait, Russells Viper, Green Vine Snake, Ornate Flying Snake, Yellow-spectacled wolf snake, Buff-striped keelback etc.
The neighborhood is a paradise for ornithologists too. Over 300 species of birds are found here and some of these are, Chestnut-capped babbler, striated babbler, Siberian ruby throat, blue throat, Indian Pitta, Large-tailed nightjar, Slaty-legged crake, Stork-billed Kingfisher, rufous woodpecker, Fulvous-breasted woodpecker, streaked-throated woodpecker, crested-Serpent Eagle, Oriental Honey Buzzard and many more. So if you are one, you could go bird watching here, although these are very common birds.
Why Baghrol Basa? Because of Architectonics Defined in Simplicity
Stepping into the inside of the house one would wonder at the sheer excellence in its very simplicity. It would represent the meager living in a village mud house with a touch of sophistication.
As in the night crawls in, the chirps of the birds are overcome by the songs of crickets and cicadas; often punctuated by the croaks of the toads in the monsoons. This Nature's lullaby is somewhat guided by a theatrical luminescent light-dance of the fireflies. One might choose to spot the Baghrol over the CCTV and continue to snuggle on a couch. Or to quietly wait for the perfect timing, in a bamboo-straw made watchtower by the primary fishpond, to capture (in your lens) the Baghrol preying, in the dark hours of the night.
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The bamboo-straw made watchtower |
The Interior
The Exterior
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This exhibits the survival against the odds of nature, as a witness to the history of the place itself. The flood of 1978 swept away all the clay houses of the area. The region recovered from the flood and came a long way since then. Not in the recent past, the Damodar river (which flows through the heart of Amta) generally overflowed during the monsoon. This turned the surrounding areas into wetlands which flourished the survival of faunas such as the fishing cat and monitor lizards.
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The iconic Baghrol Basa |
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The Clay walls are filled with the artistry of the local painters |
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The typical mud house roofed with straw sheds |
The Garden
The garden is frequented with sheds, to offer an overall eco-friendly stay. The local transport is also going eco-friendly with the availability of e-vehicles. Cycles (local) are also available for pedaling out on the village roads.
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A wood motif depicting the Baghrol hunting the fish paves the way to the primary fishpond |
9 comments
That looks like a pretty crazy place to stay, but definitely worth the experience.
ReplyDeleteI always try to give value to the eco friendly vacation even if it is too out of my confort zone. What I often don't understand is that they are too expensive compared to the service they give and this makes me many times to go for a normal hotel option.
ReplyDeleteLooks amazing place to visit and I love at the end how you have done the best time to visit, nearby places to visit, how to reach and contacts - as it gives more of an overview of the whole destination rather than a singular area
ReplyDeleteI'm quite aware of the Zamindari system that existed in Bengal for centuries but I have never heard of this place before. I believe there are many beautiful mansions of Zamindar even now that narrate the grand life the Zamindars lived.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't come across the Baghrol or fishing cat before but good to hear they are now protected. Being able to stay somewhere and contribute to conservation aims is an excellent model for travel. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteBaghrol Basa looks like an amazing place to visit. There are so many interesting places all around rural Bengal that can become great tourism destinations. I loved the way how you narrated your childhood stories with your travel stories. Would love to visit this place someday!
ReplyDeleteOh My goodness!! Yoi are right! It was a step back in time. Thank you so much for affording me the opportunity to live vicariously through your travels because I don't know if I would be able to navigate to that location. As a disabled traveler, some places i have to visit through others. Your pictures are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a wonderful experience, made all the more special by your family connection. I have never heard of Fishing Cats and am so glad they are now protected! (All cats are such amazing creatures, in my opinion.) I particularly like the artwork that appears throughout the homestay. What a unique place to visit. I think I would really like it!
ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful home stay and a place that I did not know off. Well detailed.
ReplyDeleteHi there! Leave your valuable suggestions here.