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Shining through the Baranti Reservoir, Purulia

WordPress The Daily Post this week brought a very good Photo Challenge and there were so many to choose from. But a Shine which was once there, then gone…..quite a challenge to meet up to, with everyone posting such excellent pictures. Then I remembered this.

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Last year, after the university exams, we went on a short trip with another neighbour’s family to Purulia, the extreme west of our state, West Bengal. It was winter, time was quite apt, and the landscape was so different from what we were used to seeing much nearer. There were three full days of itinerary, but Baranti Dam and Reservoir takes the crown. Yeah, maybe we were living at Akaashmoni Resort right on its bank because of which this judgement may be biased, but come on, Susunia and Biharinath Hills apart, nothing else were much soothing to the eyes. The days were still very hot, the scenery almost barren, rough but no doubt beautiful. However at the end of each day, Baranti Reservoir, pulsing into the area’s life force with whatever little water from Baranti River was available (the rivers there have adequate water only during the monsoon), welcomed us with breath-taking views, cool breeze and the sight of local people rowing on plastic drums and an oar.

This was one instant of the water reflecting the yellow and orange sunset. The water was constantly creating ripples which accentuated the light in bright hues. One minute it was there, when our eyes could finally adjust to the shine, and 15 minutes later, it was gone.

This reservoir is quite near the Muradi Railway Station in Purulia. The resort had sent a car to pick the eight of us up from the station. En route, I admit the place wasn’t much of a looker, but that evening with the amazing Sunset changed my misconception, along with everyone else’s. Nearby at walking distances are Baranti Wildlife and Nature Study Hut and Palashbari Ecological Resort, which revelled in unparallel rural beauty. Yes, we read about the ideal rural villages in Rabindranath Tagore’s stories, but to experience it first-hand, at least every Bong must come here. Though it’s a place everyone should visit too!

Cattle consisting of sheep and cows were hoarded behind us along the red dusty gravel road as we sat there at the edge, promptly admiring the scenery while at the same time avoiding to get hit by a cow which strayed off from its path towards us sometimes.

The last evening at the resort, we had barbecue on the bank. It was a different feeling for which words are not enough. Here are some snippets from our trip, raw and unedited:

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Can be considered a second entry to “Shine”
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Baranti Reservoir at sunset

Mama hen and chick in our backyard

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Gravel road surrounding the Reservoir with irrigation fields on the opposite side. Farming is done solely depending on the water from across.
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The jet in the sky left a funny tail behind
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The sky is the canvas
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The Barbecue fire in the late evening. Yes we ate chicken. No we didn’t kill mama hen, if that’s what you think 😛 . It was sold to the resort staff at the market.
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Kind of a control post of the dam within the Baranti reservoir. Beautiful point!
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The iconic Gar Panchkot ruins
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A lizard, just there on its wall, waiting for me to go click!
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Intricate carvings on the 1500 year old sentry outpost protecting Gar Panchkot temple
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Gar Panchkot captured in Panorama
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The time we went boating in the famous Maithon dam. It’s just stunning.
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Panchet was a class in its own. It was ‘Dam’ high! (Get it? 😛 ) No seriously, acrophobic people should avoid this place.
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From left: best friend Sohini Basu, my sister Prapti Roy, and then me. In front of the resort cottages, and the flower garden with Baranti as our background.
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Ending with “Shine” 3rd entry. Picture Courtesy to my mom! Amazing eye for photography she has. Ciao, my fellow bloggers!

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