A Quick Guide to Manoharpur- Getway to a Unique World of Nature
Oftentimes,
our wanderlust searches for places where we can get detached from the world,
for a day or so. And the most reckoned way-outs are, no doubt, Nature
getaways. Jharkhand is one such realm, where nature is raw and abundant. In
the uplands and woods, Nature seems to have bracketed her ancestry here in an
exotic way. Besides the famous mines, Jharkhand also boasts of Saranda Forest.
It is Asia's largest Sal Forest, and home to the endangered flying lizard.
And Manoharpur is the gateway to Saranda (another entrance being Barbil). Even
so, Manoharpur is more easy on the eyes, as it witnesses the confluence of
rivers Koel, Karo, and Koyena. Away from the usual routes, Manoharpur of West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, is a hidden gem surely a catch for the Nature lovers.
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| The falls are not that flowy but never fail to add to the charm of the place. |
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To escape our daily blues, we headed out to experience the
Jharkhand blues at our own pace.
***
How to Reach Manoharpur
Manoharpur
in the state of Jharkhand, is well connected by trains on the Howrah- Rourkela
route of the Indian Railways. And it is a six hours journey from Howrah
Junction. So here is another offbeat
weekend destination from West Bengal! The most convenient timing is that of
the “Ispat” express- from Howrah in the morning. That ensures reaching
Manoharpur before noon.
Where to Stay at Manoharpur: Santoor Guest House
The Jharkhand Tourism is entertained by a sole resort at Manoharpur welcoming the guests. Santoor Guest House offers a
comfy home-like environment amidst very well maintained and well-manicured
lawns. The stay in itself is a wonderful experience. The homely warmth of the
hosts will definitely make an impression on anyone staying at the guest house.
The pleasing countryside in and around approves the therapeutic break you were
so looking for.
It
has a number of cottages that can be very
easily booked, either over the phone or website. The guest house is at a stone's
throw distance from the station; hence reaching the same is without any hassles
whatsoever.
If
you are entering through Barbil, one may stay at the Saranda Safari Resort.
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| No
matter how good they are though, I would vote for Santoor Guest House. |
Conveyance
The
guest house arranges a pick-up facility from the station. And there's the advantage! Also, it will provide SUVs for
traveling and safari. Small cars are not quite the best option for a safari
ride. They cannot move at some places and SUV is a must. For the trip a group
of six is ideal. That being the optimized number for a safari (in SUV) would
cut down your expenses.
What to See?
Saranda Forest
Saranda, Asia's best Sal forests and Jharkhand's pride, is the home to the endangered Flying Lizard. The forest is rich in flora and fauna. It is known for its majestic Sal trees. It is also a golden catch for wild-life lovers.
The Confluence of the Rivers
Manoharpur
is located at the confluence of Koyel and Koyena River. One can visit the
confluence during sunset and enjoy the beauty of nature at the banks of the
rivers.
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| How often do you get to see such a terra firma in a candid way? |
Sameej Ashram
This
Ashram of Sankaracharya is located at the confluence of Koel and Karo. The quietude
of this place is sure to be a magnet for the nature enthusiast.
The Bolani Iron Mines
One
of the largest and oldest iron mines of Jharkhand and the only means of living
to scores of locals is about 30 km from the guest house. It is huge and
excavates tones of iron ore every day. A word of caution here, people
with breathing issues might want to avoid visiting this place. We had a red
tint on our clothes and shoes, as we left.
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| One of the oldest mines of Jharkhand. |
Jhingri Falls
The water falls over a rocky plateau from creeks and flows downstream. The
waterfall is completely out of sight from the foothills and one has to climb
up to a raised area to get a view. So if you are up for a hike, this is your
take to rough it up. Trek to the falls, a nature walk through the jungle and
its sounds. And if you are lucky enough, you can also jolt at the spectrum of
rainbow colors here, as the light often gets diffracted by the mist at the falls.
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| We were lucky enough to get a glimpse of the rainbow. Can you spot it? Enough is as good as a feast here. Feel the adventure in hiking through the mists of the jungle to reach the falls. |
Pacheri falls
A
kilometer walks from the spot the car can most take us. Through the flat hills,
the road takes you to the falls. This place is the dwelling of kinds of
butterflies. This is where butterflies and gaiety join hands and jingles. This
fall is higher and approachable. The rocks bear the footprints of the
ecological accord in their own candid way. The natural step-like structure of the
rocks makes climbing easy; many tourists prefer taking a bath here.
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The abode of the butterflies.
Kiriburu and Meghahatuburu Mountain Sunset Point
As
the name indicates the locals call it the land of 700 hills. The
sunset point is at the SAIL township area and is a popular place for couples. The
township has its own bus service which runs weekly from Kolkata.
Karo River Bed
Karo
runs through the valley and appears to be garlanding the surrounding hills and
hillocks. Sometimes elephant herds run around during the season of harvest,
from the adjacent jungles.
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| This is where the raw beauty of Nature is personified! |
***
An interesting experience I would
like to share here. The locals collect gold particles here by filtering sand
from the river bed and sell them at a very low price in the local markets.
Sometimes they earn 250-300 bucks per day. These people are mainly local
tribes. There are some days that they get nothing at all and this is their only
source of income.
***
Local Church
A
protestant church stands on a hillock, not very far from the guest house. Locals gather around here every Sunday morning for
prayers. Interestingly, it is also the assembling place for the local Panchayat
for the weekly announcements. The view of the railway lines from the elevation
of the hillock is a must-see in the early morning.
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The local church
Tribal villages
Though
Nature is in bounty here, the villagers try hard to get two square meals a day.
The land being very barren, the tribal of this region has to plow the sands
to earn the minimum wage. Humble huts, crop fields, small shops are common.
What to Eat?
Santoor
guest house offers a full package of food, lodging, and site-seeing and so there
is not much to plan about. From morning tea to dinner, everything is taken care
of. And they leave you satisfied with every dish and delicacies. I would settle
any day for their food than binging anywhere else.
Your
Weekend Itinerary to Manoharpur: From My Experience
Day 1:
Our
trip from Dankuni to Manoharpur was an amazing experience. We took a cab to
Howrah Station and boarded Ispat Express to reach Manoharpur at noon. We were
received at the platform itself by Santoor guest house. We had our lunch and
headed towards Sameej Asram in the late afternoon and later to the confluence
of Koel and Karo River. It was a beautiful sight where the river bed is encircled
by Chotanagpur hills all along its path.
Day 2:
We
went to the Bolani mines, as arranged by the guest house along with a guide. On
our way, there was a temple that had drums (Chota and Bara Nagara) instead of an
idol. Locals offer prayers to the Nagaras and some of them also claim it to be
a Buddhist temple. We reached Bolani to find the largest iron mine of the
region. Manoharpur also sees the union of industry and the untapped beauty of nature.
We
reached the Jhingri falls to find a distinct rainbow waiting for us. The short
hike was, by all means, exciting. We had
our lunch in the forest, by the waterfalls. The Bengali word "Bon Bhojon" is the perfect term to
explain the fun. And we made sure that we did not ruin the natural balance here
by littering it. The drive back of 40km added to the thrill and excitement. The
seat next to the driver is highly recommended! Do not forget to do the time-lapse
on the go.
Day 3:
Day
three started with a trip to Pacheri falls and SAIL township sunset point. To
reach Pacheri falls, we strolled for around twenty minutes across the forest.
The stream accompanied us all through our path. The flow leads to the falls and
I must say it is worth visiting. The SAIL Township is well planned and kept very
clean. The sunset point is a primary tourist attraction and is well decorated
and maintained. Seasonal flowers are reared which adds to the beauty.
Day 4:
There
are so many points where Koel, Koyena and Karo river beds can be explored. At
one such place, volcanic rocks can be found. Located by an extinct volcano, the
Koel River eventually cooled off the once erupted out lava. The lava turned
rocks resemble fossil fishes in a peculiar formation. I was amazed by the calmness
of the place. The only sound that resonated was of the flowing river, tracking
its way down the rocks. Life in this part of the globe is serenity personified.
It was truly an out of the world experience- a nook unstained by folk and time.
So, Why Visit Mahoharpur?
Early
morning walks through the village is bliss here with titillating beauty of
hills and rivers. Previously a Maoist area but no such disturbance has been
noted for the last 10 years. Local schools colleges and government offices have
developed since then. Manoharpur is a combination of wilderness and
development. Here you come across histories in the form of inscribed rocks
dating back to the era of Mughals. The tribe
considers the rock to be lucky and is kept at the leader's abode. You get to
tell the tale of an isolated place where tigers are treated and nursed. Known
as "Bagh Guha", a small cave provides the natural condition where tigers
can breed or rest when injured.
The
hospitality of Mrs Manjusha Ganguly of Santoor guest house was a cherry on the
cake. It’s not a place for shopping; one will hardly get anything to buy. So
shopping is off the checklist. But one can obviously enjoy the delicious
jalebis and Gulab Jamun of the area. The evening adda session at Santoor guest
house along with hot pakodas (served by the guest house) is another enjoyable
mention. It was a compact tour of 4 days with so much to take back, refreshed
and energized until the next outing.
So,
the next time you want to take a break and lose yourself in the mystical
landscape of Nature, think of Manoharpur. The place will surely not make you
disappointed. It would provide all the wholesome and fulsome refreshment for
the body and the soul alike.
Pocket Pinch
Rs
1800/- per head per day which includes stay and food
SUV
(6 seaters) - Rs 2500/- to 3000/- per day (2 days)
Train fare- Howrah to Manoharpur
300/- per head.
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15 comments
Can't wait to visit. Loved the blog !
ReplyDeleteBeautifully captured in pictures and words.
ReplyDeleteAbundance of natural beauti.Enjoyed thoroughly .
ReplyDeleteThis place!!! OMG!!! No words!!! I would love to go there asap, so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteoh wow! this place looks so gorgeous!! i would love to go there
ReplyDeletewow, so beautiful place to visit. The nature looks breath taking, thank you for sharing x
ReplyDeleteLaura
https://beautywithlalagoz.blogspot.com/
Absolutely breathtaking photos! I hope to visit one day. Thank you for sharing your trip!
ReplyDeleteWow. This place is breathtaking! Experiencing the beauty of nature is such a surreal experience.
ReplyDeleteAshram of Sankaracharya looks like a serene place to meditate and enjoy peace and quiet. I can feel the cold water already.
ReplyDeleteThe place is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteActually its breath taking. Loved the post.
It is absolutely stunning! I would love morning strolls through Manoharpur to see the waterfalls and gorgeous glimpses of nature.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a great place to visit and the view looks absolutely beautiful! Looks like you guys had a wonderful time during your visit there.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI have never been there but it sounds like a nice destination getaway during this Holidays.
Oh wow! I’m not sure I could ever leave that place. it is absolutely one of the most gorgeous place I’ve ever seen.
ReplyDeleteLooks wonderful... Bengal has so u h to explore...
ReplyDeleteHi there! Leave your valuable suggestions here.