Simultala

If you want to spend some time close to nature, Simultala can be one of the best choices. You will find the place in colours if you visit it during spring, which is the flowering season. Enjoying walks down the dusty roads on a lonely winter afternoon can also be enjoyable. It can also be the best place if you want to stare at a sky full of stars away from the pollution of the cities and towns. There's a lot of greenery and the view of the hills and mountains in the horizon will add pleasure to your eyes.

Marvel rock

In Bihar’s Jamui district there is Jhajha block where in lies a small kasba by the name of Simultala with an area of a few hundred sq. kms and a population of about 10000. Lying in nature’s lap is Simultala surrounded by the scenic beauty of the surrounding mountains. Adding to the beauty of this setting is a stream that flows by. Away from the din of the cities, is this small pollution free heavenly location where many Zamindars from Bengal had bought huge pieces of land and built bungalows. They used to visit these bungalows during favorable climate or to recuperate. Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, Sharadchandra and many such eminent writers of those times have enjoyed the nature’s bounty at Simultala. A legend of his times, the owner of the film company “New Theaters”, Calcutta, Shri B.N. Sarkar’s bungalow at Simultala is a living testimony of its glorious past.

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Simultala is a small station on the Delhi-Patna-Howrah Raliway route around 19 kms from Jhajha, 25 kms from Jasidih and 30 kms from Devghar. Simultala is also connected by roadways to Patna and Devghar. The journey from Patna to Simultala is an eye treat in itself what with the beautiful landscape, deep valleys, serpent like roads and the plush greenery.click for train schedule.

There are quite a few attractions in Simultala.

Lodge for stay

Patna lodge (looks like a fort), Palace of Naldanga, and lawn tennis court are the other coveted attractions of Simultala.

You can also go to the queen’s palace located on the outskirts of Simultala. Being located on the Chota Nagpur Plateau, the place is full of undulating lands and hillocks.

The Lattupahar is a popular one. You can go there and climb to the top of Lattupahar, to get a view of the village from that height. Lattupahar, about one and half km away from the Simultala railway station, at an elevation of 1000 feet, is the most imperative attraction of Simultala. The spectacle of sunset from Lattupahar is breathtaking. The shooting of the Satyajit Roy’s movie called “Surja Doba” (Sunset) was done here in Lattupahar.

Fort

Enjoy the scenic beauty around while visiting Haldi Falls, about 6 km away from the rail line. It is believed that the water of the falls have a curative power. The wilderness of the Leelabaran falls, situated at a distance of 2 km from the railway station, is worth seeing. The Siketia Ashram definitely deserves a visit. Another very popular falls here in Simultala is Dhirhara falls, situated in Bhoyenrogunj. The falls is 2 km away from Telba River and Telba River is 17 km away from Siketia Ashram.

Besides, you can also spend a day on a trip to the Dharara, which is basically a river basin. Though it remains dry through most parts of the year, if you are visiting the place in the rainy seasons, you are going to get it filled with water.

Lattu pahar

Hired a vehicle and went to the place. The road was clean and black and the weather was pollution free, so it is a pleasure to make the journey. You can be sited at the roof of the vehicle, to enjoy the wind. You can also climb up some highland at river basin. One side of the river basin is covers with "Palash" flower, it’s also known as (Flame of the Forest).

Daharara river bank

If you are looking for some luxurious hotels for staying in Simultala, you are likely to be disappointed. There is hardly any so-called hotel in this hamlet. Yet, you need to have an idea about where to stay in Simultala before you visit the place. Simultala was one of the most popular places among the Bengalis in the earlier times. Simultala was regarded as one of the most popular health resorts. Rich Bengali people used to come to this place to spend their holidays or for retrieving their health. Many of them had even constructed bungalows in Simultala. Many of these are provided on rent now-a-days. You can book any of these before going to this beautiful village in Bihar.

You may border at railway guest house which has a little 2 bedroom building. It is mostly hired to charge electronic gadgets. There have electricity so you enjoy fan and light.

If you feel the loneliness of this area, board at guest house at walking distance from station. It is a big house like palace but there have no electricity.

Useful informations

Electricity: There is no electricity even in these days in Simultala. Some of the guest houses in Simultala offer generator services. However, it is always advisable to carry candles with you while going there. You will also have to face pitch-black darkness if you plan to go outside after sundown. Hence, you should carry a torch and if possible, extra batteries.

Food: Cooking yourself while in these bungalows in Simultala can be a good option. You can also ask the caretaker to help you with this process. You can also go for the roadside restaurants that offer local dishes. Besides, this place is quite well known for different types of sweets, such as chaana-murki, gulab jamun and others. You will also get the Indian snacks, such as samosas in the small shops of Simultala.

Savor the taste of the sweetmeat called “Langcha” from the shop of Gupta. The taste of this Bengali delicacy is wonderful.

Safety: You should also stay safe, as there had been reports of Naxalite activities in the area in the past. Try not to walk into lonely forests. Staying out during the evening should also be avoided.

                                                   Sorry for take your valuable time & thanks for take a look

Machail Mata ki chadar trek

Machail Mata ki jai !

Mata shrine

The Machail Mata temple is Goddess Durga's shrine located in Village Machail, Kishtwar District of Jammu. The temple is a place of religious importance and worth visiting for the religious experience that it offers. Thousands of people visit the shrine every year though the pilgrimage takes place in the month of August only. A lot of supernatural happenings have been reported by the pilgrims.

The shrine was visited in 1981 by Thakur Kulveer Singh of Bhaderwah, Jammu region. From 1987 onwards, Thakur Kulveer Singh started 'Chhadi Yatra' that happens every year and thousands of people visit the shrine during this time of the year. Since then every year in the month of August, thousands of pilgrims all across the country and especially from Jammu, Udhampur, Ramnagar, Bhaderwah, participate in the religious journey and visit the shrine.

Mata temple

Gulabgarh located 290 km away from North-East of Jammu city, is the base camp. One can easily reach Gulabgarh either by taxi or buses which take approximately 10 hours. The foot journey which is around 32 kms starts from Gulabgarh and takes around 2 days to reach the shrine. They generally do the night stay in the villages Massu or Chasoti that come across where government as well as local people have made sufficient arrangements. Many villagers also organise roadside 'langers' in God faith. The Holy Yatra will start from Mata Chandi Temple Chanote Bhaderwah at 8.30 AM on  August 18 via Pasri Adda, Seri Bazar, Udrana, Domail towards Pul Doda- Kishtwar and will reach Kishtwar at around 6.00 PM. The Annual Machhail Yatra to the famous shrine of Chandi Mata is a two-day journey from Atholi via Gulabgarh with a night halt at Chashoti. The famous Machhail Yatra starts from Bhaderwah Doda and ends at Machhail where the famous shrine of Chandi Mata is located. So, “Holy Chhadi”, takes 3 days to reach Machel as it is accompanied with a lot of zeal and enthusiasm. Also the helicopter facility is available from Gulabgarh and the helipad is hardly 100 mts from the holy shrine.

Important points:

• Postal address: “Machel Mata Shrine;PO Gulabgarh;Distt. Kishtwar;Jammu & Kashmir (India)”
• The base camp Gulabgarh can be reached by road 290 KMs from Jammu. From Gulabgrah one has to trek for 32 KMs to reach the Maa Chandi Shrine in Machel. The journey is taken 2 days.
•  From Gulabgarh to Machel village pilgrims trek during daytime only. One may get lost if trekking in night.Better to hire a pithu (kulli) for your luggae and small children. He will act as a guide as well.
• If one is trekking with children, women and older person the jouney may take around 20 hours. Then break the journey at Massu or Chasoti VIllage in evening. Request the villagers for shelter and they will happily provide you with very nominal charge. Stay for the night and then start again next day. 
• Helicopter service is available in the month of August only from Gulabgarh (base camp) to Machel Helipad.One can also avail helicopetr service from Jammu, but that will be costly, also one will miss many natural landcapes. 
• The district administration has started necessary arrangements to make available  drinking water, Electricity, Medicare, Transport, Roads, Security, accommodation reroute the holy shrine. In this regard all the concerned departments have been asked to make available all arrangements well in advance.
• It is also advised not to trek in the month of December, January and February due to incessant snowfall. One may get lost or trapped on the way.                     

                                    Sorry for take your valuable time & thanks for take a look

Meghataburu Kiriburu

Being Bengali I write down my personal experience in Bengali but who don’t understand the language not to wary. All information’s about this travelling location are noted in English at the end of my personal experience. So, please read it, you got your every quarry about it. If any farther information needed, go to my “contact us” page.

লোহার পাহাড় : মেঘাতাবুরু

Sun set point

২০০৩ এর ৩১শে ডিসেম্বর হাওড়া স্টেশন থেকে ট্রেন ধরে যাত্রা শুরু মেঘাতাবুরুর উদ্দেশে । ১২০২১ হাওড়া বারবিল জনশতাব্দি এক্সপ্রেস, তখন ৬.০৫টার ছাড়লেও বর্তমানে সকাল ৬.২০ মিনিটে ছেড়ে বেলা ১২.১৭ নাগাদ বারাজামদা পৌঁছায় । ট্রেন পথটি টাটানগর হয়ে চাইবাসা পর্যন্ত যাবার পর, সিঙ্গেল লাইন ধরে বারাজামদা যায় । চাইবাসা থেকে বারাজামদা ট্রেন পথটি বেশ সুন্দর দুইপাশে শালের জঙ্গল আর মালভূমির মত ঢেউ খেলানো ভূপ্রকিতি। বারাজামদা স্টেশন লাগোয়া বাস স্ট্যান্ড থেকে বাস বা কোনো প্রাইভেট ট্যাক্সি ধরে চলে আসতে পারেন মেঘাতাবুরু । চিন্তার কোনো কারণ নেই ট্রেনের সময় অনুসারে বাসের সময় নির্দিষ্ট করা আছে, বাসের জন্য অপ্পেখার প্রয়োজন হবে না । । বাসে সময় লাগে প্রায় ১ ঘন্টা, ভাড়া জন প্রতি ৫০ টাকা । এখন SAIL এর অকেন বাস যাতাযাত করে । এ ছাড়াও, টাটা নগর থেকে বাস ধরে প্রথমে চাইবাসা গিয়ে সেখান থেকে মেঘাতাবুরুর বাস ধরতে পারেন, তবে প্রথমত এই সমস্ত বাসে প্রচন্ড ভিড় হয় দিতীয়ত এতে সময়ও লাগে বেশি ।

SAIL guest house

বারাজামদা থেকে রাস্তাটি সারান্ডা ফরেস্টের মধ্য দিয়ে মেঘাতাবুরু যায়, যা প্রায় ২৫০০ ফুট উঁচুতে অবস্থিত। রাস্তাটির প্রাকিতিক শোভা খুবই মনোরম । বামদিকে গভীর খাদ  আর ছোটনাগপুর মালভূমির সুব্রিস্তিত পর্বত মালা দেখতে দেখতে এগিয়ে চলা । আগেই বলে রাখি মেঘাতাবুরু কথার অর্থ হল রেইন ফরেস্ট । “মেঘা” অর্থাৎ মেঘ বা বৃষ্টি “বুরু” অর্থাৎ জঙ্গল । মেঘাতাবুরুর আগে পড়বে কিরিবুরু এর অর্থ হাতিদের জঙ্গল, “কিরি” অর্থাৎ হাতি । তবে বুঝতেই পারছেন জংলি হাতি দেখার একটা সম্ভাবনা থেকেই যায় । পুরো জায়গাটি SAIL দ্বারা নির্মিত, তাই বেশ সাজানো গোছানো সহর । সহর দুটি ঝারখন্ডের পশ্চিম সিংভূম জেলার অন্তর্গত আর সর্বোচ্চ পয়েন্টটি ওরিসার কেওন্ঝর জেলার অন্তর গত ।

Way to water fall

আমরা বিকাল ৩ টে নাগাদ পৌঁছাবার পর মেঘা গেস্ট হাউসে উঠালাম । এটি সহরের এক প্রান্তে মেঘা রিক্রিয়েশন ক্লাবের পাসে অবস্থিত ।  অনেকে এটাকে গুপ্তা লজ বলেও চেনেন । এ ছাড়াও আছে সারান্ডা রেস্ট হাউস, সেলের দুটি গেস্ট হাউস । বর্তমান ঘর প্রতি ভাড়া ৪০০ টাকা । একটি থ্রীষ্টার হোটেলও আছে সানসেট পয়েন্ট লাগোয়া । গুপ্তাজী, লজের মালিক আমাদের জন্য একটি কুক জোগার করে দিয়েছিল নাম ঘনশ্যাম । খাবার জন্য রেস্টুরেন্টেও আছে সিটি সেন্টারে । সমস্ত প্রয়জনীয় সামগ্রী আপনারা ওখানেই পেয়ে যাবেন, ATM কাউন্টারও আছে ।

কিকি দেখবেন একটু জেনেনিন ।

SAIl mine

এই দুটি যায়গায় দুটি লোহার খনি আছে MIOM আর KIOM । যদি সম্ভব হয় এখান কার SAIL এর অফিসে গিয়ে permission করিয়ে খনিটা দেখে নিতে পারেন, ভাগ্য ভালো থাকলে permission পাবেন, আমরা পাই নি ।

যদি সারান্ডা জঙ্গলের কোর এরিয়া ঘুরতে চান অগ্রিম দেখা করুন রেঞ্জার অফিসারের সঙ্গে । রেঞ্জার অফিসটি সহরে ঢোকার মুখেই পড়বে । যদি আগের দিনেই permission করাতে পারেন একটি প্রাইভেট কার ভাড়া করতে হবে জঙ্গলে যাবার জন্য । ভাগ্য ভালো থাকলে ফরেস্ট পেত্রলিং পার্টি বা রেঞ্জার অফিসার তাদের গাড়ি করে ঘুরিয়ে আনতে পারে । কারণ তাদের মাঝে মাঝেই জঙ্গল পরিদর্শনে যেতে হয় । আমরা এই প্রস্তাব পেয়ে ছিলাম কিন্তু হাতে সময় ছিলনা বলে যেতে পারিনি । এই এডভেঞ্চারটায় বেরোলে হাতে সারাদিন নিয়ে বেরোতে হবে ।

View point

এছাড়া যদি পায়ে হেঁটে সহরের ডান দিক দিয়ে জঙ্গলের মধ্যে যেতে পারেন, ঘন্টা খানেকের মধ্যেই সেগুন গাছের জঙ্গলটা ঘুরে নিতে পারেন । তবে লোকাল গাইড ছাড়া পথ হারানোর সম্ভাবনা আছে । এই যাত্রা তেই দেখতে পাবেন মৌমাছির চাক... একটা পাহাড়ের উপের থেকে নিচে পর্যন্ত পুরোটা জুড়ে একটাই চাক ।

বিকালে যান সানসেট পয়েন্ট । বড়ই মনোরম এই জায়গাটি, দিগন্ত বিস্তৃত ঢেউ খেলানো শুধু পর্বতের সারি । তারই মাথার ওপর লাল বর্ণের সূর্যটি অস্তমিত হবে ।

আর ভুলবেননা দু একটা ছোটো পাথর কুড়িয়ে আনতে । কারণ পুরো পাহাড়টাই লোহার...লৌহ আকরিক । এখানে কেনার কিছুই নেই, তাই স্মৃতি হিসাবে দু একটা লৌহ আকরিকের টুকরো মন্দ নয় ।
Watch my videos of this tour

Important points about this travelling location:

• Chose a train up to BARAJAMDA station from your location or travel to TATA station from where caught the train 12021 HOWRAH-BARABIL Janosatbdi express up to BARAJAMDA.
• For Meghataburu, Chose a private car or bus from Barajamda bus stand. It charges only Rs 50 per person.
• There are several rest house at Meghataburu i.e. Saranda rest house, Megha rest house, SAIL’s rest house. Tariff is Rs 400 per day. A three stared hotel located at “Sun set view point”.
• Visit MIOM & KIOM iron ore mines. For this visit you have to collect permission from SAIL’s office. If you want to explore Tholkobad, the core areas of forest then visit “Ranger office” at entrance of the city. They will manage all for you. You may visit forest by walking, caught up the right side trail with a local guide. It takes less than two hours. At evening visit’s sun set view point.                          

                                     Sorry for take your valuable time & thanks for take a look

New Trekking rout in West Bengal

forest of salamahuyara

New trekking routes opened in West Bengal before 2014 Durga puja. Bhulabheda to Kankarajhara from Belapahari total distance is 15 kilometres. The trail is of the famous "Tenida" movie shooting location. The unimaginable beauty, Red rocky path, forest of salamahuyara, magnificent mountains, we love the environment, which attracts all the people. After the mine blast of 2008 this area of West Midnapore belapahari had been virtually cut off. Now the forest department again is going to be equipped for Belpahari connecting road and trying to connect with the public. To convey the news to the people I started writing.