Mukutmanipur a weekend destination

Mukutmanipur a rustic escape~

"If your mind is still you can sense the peace that emanates from the earth".

As a travel enthusiasts and a youtuber exploring new places is my hobby. I love to capture the places both in my camera and writings.
If you want to see it in a cinematic way then please visit and SUBSCRIBE my Youtube channel "Saikat's Cameragraphy".
           FOLLOW this blog for travel related informations, tour planning and my experiences.
           Now I am going to tell you about a place where you can sense the peace of the earth. If you are seeking to escape chaotic city life and rejuvenate in the lap of nature, this place is the ideal dest. It is 55 km from Bankura, West Bengal and is situated near the confluence of rivers Kangsabati and Kumari. It has the second biggest earthen(man-made, mud-banked) dam in India. Yes the place is Mukutmanipur. Mukutmanipur is a quaint little destination in Bankura district of West Bengal, and is a perfect weekend getaway from Kolkata.

My experience:

I was searching for a perfect weekend destination then I came to know about the place Mukutmanipur. I called some of my friends and told them about the place. They agreed to join with me. So what to wait, on a saturday in September I with my friends started our journey. We can choose December or January but I love to explore the place in monsoon because this is the best time to visit a riverside area.

You can watch the cloudscapes. You can feel the air, the fresh green vegetation, the magical sunset-- everything. When I reached there I became speechless. Rock faces, riverbeds, parrots screeching in the woodlands, foothills with paddy fields extending into the horizon, solitary and rocky sand beds by the lake are the riches that Mukutmanipur offers.

You can watch the video on Youtube and follow my posts on Facebook and Instagram. More pictures and videos are there.

PLACES TO VISIT and THINGS TO DO:

Kangsabati Dam: 

The dam on the confluence of the Kangsabati and Kumari flooded the valley when it was built. Just a few hill-tops remained and these formed natural islands, their flora and fauna intact and beyond the reach of further destruction.

Bonpukuria  deer park :

 Deer park located on an  island in the middle of the Mukutmanipur dam called Bonpukuria Mrigadhaba . It was 30 min boat ride. From there you can reach the park by walking and enjoy mini forest walking. Motorvans are also available but I like walk because it gives me the chance to shoot and film the spot well.

Mohona : 

From this island you can see the mohona of  Kangsabati and Kumari . It was 10 min boating to reach near mohona . From here we saw a wonderful sunset.

Best time to visit:

You can acess the place at any time but please avoid summer due to excessive heat. Monsoon and winter is the best time to visit. Winter is little crowdy because it is a popular picnic spot. My favourite is monsoon. It is the time when one can explore the place best. I have also visited the place in monsoon. If you watch my video on YOUTUBE  you can see how beautiful was the nature and how peaceful it was.

FOOD:

Try having food in your hotel or lodge itself. You’ll also find a very few small eateries beside the lake. Some vendors may hike more price than usual as it’a a purely tourist spot, and you won’t find many options around.

HOTELS:

There are many hotels. None of the hotel’s number and charges are veified by me.
Hotel Amrapali, ☎ +91 3243 253208, +91-9434224674.
Rs. 800-6,000.
Hotel Aparajita, ☎ +91-9434224674-+91-3243-253355, +91 9434480632, 9434108611, 9433447466
Non-AC rooms:Rs. 800, AC rooms:Rs. 1200-1800, Deluxe rooms: Rs. 3,000 - 6,000.
Peerless Resort, ☎ +91 9932787993, 9434052430, 9748401084 (Accounts dept), peerlessresort@yahoo.com.
Double bedded room Rs. 2600, Triple bedded room Rs. 2800, Four bedded room Rs. 3,000

How to reach Mukutmanipur:

 There are no direct trains or buses available between Mukutmanipur and Kolkata. Hence, you need to take a train to Bankura railway station, which is located at a distance of around 52 km from Mukutmanipur. Once you have reached Bankura, you can hire a cab or catch a bus to Mukutmanipur. Regular buses are available from Bankura to Mukutmanipur - distance 55 km.
  by rail:
    » Kolkata (Howrah) - Rupashi Bangla Express leaves the Howrah station (new platform) at 6:00 a.m. and reaches Bankura at 10:20 a.m.
   » Satabdi Express (Dep time - 6:05 a.m) or Black Diamond Express(Dep time- 6:15 a.m) from Howrah to Durgapur and take a bus to Mukutmanipur.
   » Aranyak express from Santragachi(Kolkata) at 7:45 am and reach Bankura by 11:35 am .
by bus:
SBSTC bus service is available between Kolkata to Bankura. Ac and Non Ac deluxe both are available from Esplanade, Kolkata or Karunamoyee, Kolkata. These buses take 5-5:30 hrs to reach Bankura.
From Bankura Private Taxi or cab to Mukutmanipur( fare Rs 1000-1200) one and a half hour journey.TATA SUMO will take 300 - 350 rupees extra.
Bus services are available from Machantala bus stop (at Bankura) from 5 in the morning.
by air:
Dumdum or Netaji Subhas International Airport is the most nearest airport. From there you have to come to Howrah station for train and Esplanade or Karunamoyee for bus.
I will suggest you to drive a car or a bike, it is the easiest and joyful option.

If you like my blogs please click the link FOLLOW. You will get all travels informations and can access my photos on Facebook page and videos on Youtube about many places.
                    Hope you enjoy.

Khecheopalri the wishing lake || mystic lake || journey in hd #saikat's ...

Khecheopalri is a sacred lake, set about 28 km away from Pelling, Sikkim. Colorful prayer flags flutter near the lake.

The best view of the lake though is seen from a vantage point about a half-an-hour climb from the lake. The Khecheopalri lake originally was known as Kha-Chot-Palri means heaven of Padmasambhava. It is considered sacred for both Hindus and Buddhists. This lake is also identified as the footprints of goddess Tara, as from a high vantage point the contours of the lake appear like a footprint. Another belief is that the footprints are of Hindu God Lord Shiva.

On its way the hillside journey will give an unforgettable experience with spectacular hillside view. One can explore here different types of birds, plants and flowers. If you feel lonely or alone throughout this journey Mt. Kanchenjungha will peep to your frame and says he is with you.

Gangtok on Ropeway

Ropeway in Gangtok

Gangtok Ropeway in Sikkim is one of the most popular tourist attraction.It offers breathtaking views of the city.
https://youtu.be/50teDzbVV4I
The majestic views of Mt Kanchenjunga snow peaks open for travellers of the ropeway.

Each cable car can carry up to 24 passengers. There are three stations in this 1 km long ride (up and down is 2 km). The lowest station, boarding point is at Deorali near Institute of Tibetology. The next station is Namnang and the top most station is in Tashiling next to the Secretariat. You can get off at any point, but it is best to take 2-way ride. The ticket price includes two-way ride and you get to enjoy the beautiful scenery both ways. One way ride takes about 10 minutes.