CHAUTARE, the storytellers from East Himalaya

Netaji Cabin

2012-01-23T01:31:00.000-08:00

For those who live in Siliguri or those who have lived in Siliguri or even those who have some affinity to this ethnicity Siliguri, would have certainly shared a cup of tea with friends at Netaji Cabin. A very indistinct food joint, to be specific lounge in the one of the bylanes in Bidhan Market, at the heart of Siliguri sells toasts, country eggs to choice and tea-coffee-milk (whichever preferred). The tea here is very special, an extra toasted bitter flavour and taste makes a kind of addiction for the regular patrons. Many youth dreams originated here and ended here as an old man, many have left this city with dreams to come true, but are more than nostalgic about Netaji Cabin. This news is for them.

Netaji or Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, whom the people of East and Northeast India still see as the Father of Indian Freedom from the British Empire, and worship as God in several households, irrespective of language, class, creed and religion, is the name behind this Netaji Cabin. Hence, it could be understood that a lot of idealistic intellectuality bred here in the past. Today, with the changing time this is a lounge where starting from ‘morning walkers’ to ‘evening adda’, a meeting place for all age groups belonging to different communities and professions.

The 2^nd generation owner, continuing from father did not forget to honour Netaji in his photo hung on the wall. This 365 days busy shop does not forget this day, and even everyone is busy reading newspapers, gossiping or eating a breakfast, the owner silently cleans the photo and garlands the photo of Netaji with fresh flowers. He does not forget to put some colourful marigold flower chains in front to remind his patrons that today is Netaji’s birthday.

Every year I am usually at a function with VIPs garlanding a big Netaji statue, with lectures, songs and dance, but this year with this event at Netaji Cabin, this silent honour saw a drop of tear roll down my cheeks, which luckily and immediately hid in my beard. We in India, even today have not realized that, if India has to go ahead, she will have to open her borders with South and Southeast Asia, India has to look EAST. Netaji had hoisted the flag of Independent India at Manipur much before the actual Independence of the actual peninsular India. We as Indians still fail to recognize the same. We need to nurture our relations with Myanmar (Burma), Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and other countries which Netaji has cultured during his time.

Netaji’s Birthday is being celebrated with much enthusiasm all over Siliguri, with blood donation camps, free blanket distribution to the poor and several other ways of social and cultural origin. Not to forget the sports events, which takes place throughout North Bengal. Most of India, mainly the Defence forces used to celebrate Netaji’s Birthday in a big way, I suppose they still continue. Let India get together to live HIS dreams.

Note: For those who have not visited Siliguri for a long time, please be informed that the legendary Kalpana Pice Hotel, which was opposite to the Netaji Cabin is no more. Kalpana Pice Hotel was famous for its 'Chital Machher Peti and Bhat'.

Gangasagar, yesterday’s legends and today’s truth

2012-01-20T22:57:00.000-08:00

Partha Pratim Roy, an active young historian from Coochbehar, who nurtures a profession in tourism and journalism, has made a effort to explore one of the oldest festival on the Ganga, just when she meets the Bay of Bengal. Next time you are in West Bengal, India in mid January, do not miss this festival. As per Partha’s report, after visit to the festival, things seems to be improving.

Makar Sankranti is a major harvest festival celebrated in various parts of India. According to the lunar calendar, when the sun moves from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn or from Dakshinayana to Uttarayana, in the month of Poush in mid-January, it commemorates the beginning of the harvest season and cessation of the northeast monsoon in South India. The movement of the earth from one zodiac sign into another is called Sankranti and as the Sun moves into the Capricorn zodiac known as Makar in Hindi, this occasion is named as Makar Sankranti in the Indian context. It is one of the few Hindu Indian festivals which are celebrated on a fixed date i.e. 14th January every year. Main essence of Gangasagar Mela belongs to religious belief of Hindus, who believe that through Gangasnan (dip in the Ganga) one can achieve their MOKSHA (Salvation).

Decades by decades Holy Places are major meeting points for Indian pilgrims. Every year more than 08 Lakhs of Pilgrimags pay their homage to Gangasagar from various part of our country.. Government has taken all necessary steps for hassle free visit. They have provided good drinking water facility, 08 Mobile water treatment plants, 60 Ambulance with 60 Doctors, 6000 Police personals. Several Non Government Organisations also provided free medical camps, accommodation facility free foods for pilgrims. Since post independence this is the first time Government .has introduced huge scale of electricity on 24hrs basis. For easier movement prepaid taxi services also have introduced for the first time.

Sankaracharya of Puri visited the Mela. During press conference he has shown his gratitude to Ms. Mamata Banerjee for withdrawing of Pilgrim Tax. He has also requested to Ms. Mamata Banerjee to look into the matter of cleanliness of Ganga and also requested her to protect Ganga in West Bengal. As per his concern he is so scared about the future of Ganga because in Northern part of India, Ganga is obstructed by several Dams or hydroelectric projects. He has demanded and appealed to State or Central Government Bodies to Protect the Ganga on top priority basis.

pix: On the road to salvation (As you can see in this picture, for a Hindu to be at the Gangasagar once in a lifetime means a lot and even helping others to reach there means much more).

Guru Gyandas, main Mahonto of Ayodhya also showed his gratitude towards to the present Government for withdrawl of Pilgrim Tax. He has also raised his demand to declare the mela as NATIONAL MELA like Kumbha Mela. Dignatries like Jasawant Singh and Uma Bharati also took the holy dip.

Shri Subrata Mukherjee, public Health Engineering Minister for the state of West Bengal giving his speech during Press Conference promised that the Gangasagar Mela 2013 will be more colourful and govt would have taken various steps in this regard. He has told the Press about withdrawn of pilgrim tax; introduce health insurance, 24hrs electricity, disaster management team, free water pouch (approx 8lakh) as their success.

2012, I hope you will not keep me waiting

2011-12-31T04:49:00.000-08:00

Through years you have taken over my habitat, my home. Today, I live in a house which has been built with things thrown away by you. You do not take notice of me any more as you have stopped looking at nature. Your houses and malls make holes in our ozone layer which we were supposed to share together. You consume most of everything on this earth more aggressively than the dinosaurs, calling for your own ends.

I have not changed much of my lifestyle, except what you forced me to. I still wait for you to think about all of who have been born to share this earth with you.

2012, I hope you will not keep me waiting and share some space with me.

SWAN's Ecotourism Initiative in Baglung District of Nepal

2011-12-27T04:18:00.000-08:00

During Visit Nepal Year 2011, the Government and the Tourism Industry has put more emphasis on rural tourism as a development tool. An NGO, SWAN has worked for the promotion of eco tourism in its project areas of Baglung district. The ecotourism program aims to develop a model village tourism and eco trekking route to conserve the cultural and natural heritage and uplift the socio‐economic status of the rural community people. In the long run this eco‐tourism program is expected to bring attitudinal changes in the minds of local community people as well as international visitors whereby both of them will become aware of the fragile cultural and natural environments for sustainable use.
The main concept of Ecotourism is also to make tourism a tool for development. Wherever possible, we employ the villagers, buy local products, and offer village ‘home stay’ ccommodation, which makes visitors experience unique, as well as maximizes the benefits from tourism for the host communities.

A VDC level tourism development committees are formed in 4 vdcs and they are in Narayansthan, Paiyupata, Amalachour and Bhakunde. The main tasks of these committees are to create conducive environment for the promotion of eco tourism. These committees also coordinate with concerned district and central officials to develop infrastructure for tourism and declare Balewa as Alternative Tourism Destination in Baglung.
Workshop
A one‐day workshop program was organized by SWAN with the funding and technical support of travel‐tonature Asia Pvt and Eco Trip Nepal Treks & Expedition. This workshop was conducted in Narayansthan VDC organized to create awareness on Eco‐Tourism in Narayansthan, Paiyunpata, Amalachaur and Bhakunde of Balewa area.
The workshop program targeted to introduce these VDCS as tourism destination. In the workshop under the topic “Balewa Area Tourism Prospects and Challenges” an interaction and discussion was made in the floor. The workshop has participation of local leaders of four VDCS representatives of hotels located in Baglung and Parbat districts, teachers, women group representatives and representatives of 4 VDCs.

For details contact the President of SWAN, Krishna Karki at email: karkikrishna1966@hotmail.com.

China, India, and Myanmar design collaboration for sustainable development in the Brahmaputra-Salween landscape

2011-12-27T00:59:00.000-08:00

Representatives from China, India, and Myanmar gathered in Myanmar from 21 to 23 December to plan the transboundary management of a biologically rich Himalayan ecosystem shared by the three countries. The programme framework for a regional Brahmaputra-Salween landscape initiative was formulated at an expert consultation held in Nay Pyi Taw, organised jointly by the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry, Government of the Republic of Myanmar, and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).

The Brahmaputra-Salween landscape comprises several remote but key protected areas in the eastern Himalayas, including Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve in China, Namdapha National Park in India (also a tiger reserve), and Hkakaborazi National Park in Myanmar. The area is important not only from the national perspectives of the participating countries, but also globally; it is home to a number of wildlife species of global importance such as takin, red panda, snub nosed monkey, hollock gibbon, and Namdapha flying squirrel, as well as many endemic flowering plants. These globally important species are distributed widely across the landscape, irrespective of the national boundaries. Therefore, noted Dr David Molden, Director General of ICIMOD, “a regional approach is required to manage this mountain landscape, to enhance the livelihoods of the people living there, and to conserve its natural resources and ecosystem services for future generations”.

Sunderbans from MCCS Vijay

2011-12-26T00:07:00.000-08:00

A BRIEF INTRO ON SUNDARBANS!!!

Sunderbans is situated on the lower end of the Gangetic West Bengal. Sunderbans is a vast tract of swamp forest and saltwater

forming the lower part of the Ganges Delta, extending about 160 miles (260 km) along the Bay of Bengal from the Hooghly River Estuary (India) to the Meghna River Estuary in Bangladesh. Sunderbans human habitat spreads over 54 islands.

Our excursion to The Sunderbans

We are the studnets of Modella Caretaker Centre and School, Fulbari. We were the students 48 in number, with 7 teachers. We started our journey from New Jalpaiguri on 3rd November,2011.

Reached sealdah the next day morning by 6:10. We took a small halt for sumtime and then boarded a bus and started a journey for a place called Gwat khali, it tuk us almost 3 and half hours to reach there, then we boarded a launc and rechaed a gabited island called bali island. There we resided in a resort. The very day we went to the sajnekhali for taking different permissions and tuk a look over the island.

The next day that is 5th November we set out early in the morning to visit all the different places of the Sunderbans.we a deer reserve, then all te different species of plants, most of them were mangroves,we saw the meeting of the river and sea, saw different animals like crocodiles,deers,monkeys,fowls,and birds of different species. At night we saw a special play performed by the local people based on The Banobibi( the goddesses of the forest who believed to have protect them). The villagers performed them with great true souls which was very pleasure watching watching it.

On 6th we visited the bali village, talked to different people. Asked them of the problem they face. Still they have not received the electric supply, they depend on the solar energy or the electric generators, they are dependent on agriculture,fishing, and honey collection for their livelihood. We helped them by giving them some torches, some eatable materials etc. Finally after returning from there we sat out for Sealdah and boarded the train back to New Jalpaiguri.

Conclusion

The visit to The Sunderban was an evergreen journey, it would remain evergreen in my memory. But felt helpless for the villagers, many of them were attacked by the tigers, they did not receive a proper help from the government, they problems during the monsoon season,they lived a poor life, let us all come together and appeal for the help to them to the government. Inspite, of this they spent a happy and enjoyable life here. The unity among the local people is very strong.

The place was just fantastic, would surely visit again if i ever get a chance again.

Sunderbans from MCCS Priscilla

2011-12-08T10:33:00.000-08:00

TRIP TO THE LAND OF THE

TIGERS!!!

DAY 1 (3^rd November, 2011) : Our trip, organized by Modella Caretaker Centre & School, started from Siliguri by boarding the Darjeeling Mail at 8:05 PM. We were all together a team of 58, 48 students and 10 teachers. We had great fun sharing dinner brought from our own homes. We slept by 10 PM.

DAY 2 (4^TH November, 2011) : We arrived at Sealdah (Kolkata) at 6:15 AM. After a 30 minutes Coffee Break, we boarded the bus at 7:oo am sharp. At 7:30 AM we had our breakfast of “Puri, Aloo Sabji and Lady Canny” , food was good. After a tiring 4 and a half hour journey we finally set our foot upon Basanti. From there we boarded our boat ( “MAA GOLAPI” ). Our boat had 17 girls and 3 teachers, the rest of the 2 boats ( “BABA SUSHIL” & “JAI MAA KAALI” ) had the rest of the boys and the teachers. Our destination : BALI JUNGLE CAMP, SUNDARBANS, arrived 2 hours later. It was a beautiful resort we were given to stay in. after getting fresh we dragged our tired bodies for lunch at 1:30 PM. At 2:30 PM we boarded the boat and set out for SAJNEKHALI TIGER RESERVE CAMP. We reached there after 2 and a half hours. There we visited The Mangrove Interpretation Centre, to know about verities of Sundarban mangroves. We returned back at 5.30 PM to the resort . At 6.30 PM we had a skit enacted by the locals about “ Bonodebi” ( The Goddess of the forest ) , it was a beautiful skit which ended at around 8.00 PM . After refreshing up our dinner was served at 8.30 PM , then after having a little fun at our respective rooms , we finally slept at 10.00 PM .

DAY 3 ( 5^TH November , 2011 ) : We wake up at around 4.00 AM and by 4.30 AM we got ready for our yoga class . It started at 5.00 AM and ended at 5.30 AM . We had oue breakfast after that and at 6.30 AM we set out in our launch for SHUDHANYAKHALI and DOBANKI camp . It was a tiring journey of nearly 4 hours we reached the place . There we saw different types of plants .We had a 496 meters canopy walk at Dobanki , that day we had our launch at boat . We returned to the resort by 5.30 PM . After watching documentary movies we went for dinner and went to sleep by 10 PM.

DAY 4 ( 6^th November 2011 ) : We woke up at 4.00 AM and got ready for our yoga class by 4.30 AM which again started at 5.00 AM and ended at 5.30 AM . We had our breakfast and then at around 7.30 AM we went to the nearby village to look around the lines of SUNDARBANS , we tried to find out by asking people out there how they live . We distributed small gifts to the peoples and have fun watching them having smile on their face , which is really very satisfying . We were in our respective groups all through and discussing within ourselves . We returned back at 11.00 AM and had our launch at 1.00 PM . After having a little fun with our friends our boats was ready to take us to Basanti where our buses were ready . We board on the bus at 3.30 PM . Our jouney back to Kolkata started and we reached at Sealdah station at around 7.30 PM . We had dinner at railway station itself . Our train to New Jalpaiguri station was at 10.05 PM and it left at right time .After having a fun with our friends we slept at 10.30 PM .

DAY 5 ( 7^th November 2011 ) : We reached at New Jalpaiguri station at 8.00 AM .As we headed towards our home with our parents comes to the end of our a really unforgettable and memorable journey that we all remember always .

Sunderbans from MCCS Manisha

2011-12-04T05:58:00.000-08:00

Manisha dedicates her Sunderbans trip to her school >>
This year,in the early November I, a student of class 12 of M.C.C.S went for an educational tour to the exotic SUNDERBANS (3rd November-7th November) which saw in it a participation of our Secretary Mam , teachers, staff members and about 48 students.

On the very first day we got an opportunity to visit the Sajnekhali Mangrove Interpretation Centre well known for its mangroves. The next day we went to Sudhanyakhali Tiger Reserve and the Dobanki camp which is mainly the habitat for the deer in Sunderbans.

The third day we visited the Bali village which gave us a platform to interact with the villagers. This enabled us to know about their lifestyle, source of living and the problems they undergo very often. On the whole it was a great experience for all of us.It was with a heavy heart that we began our journey home next morning bidding farewell to the vast streches of rivers, seas and beautiful trees.

However, making a solemn promise to return one day for a longer stay in the lap of nature.

Sunderbans from MCCS Diksha

2011-12-04T05:50:00.000-08:00

The journey to SUNDERBAN was really thrilling and enjoyable.The trip was organised by our school in collaboration with the organisation ie the Help Tourism Pvt. Ltd. We the students of MCCS was accompanied by our honourable secretary mam,teachers an staff members. Our journey had started off from New Jalpaiguri Station on 3rd of November.As it was my first time experience there was an unknown that glowed in the dark corners of my heart.But percentage of amusement was much more than the fear , so the fear got suppressed by it.On the very first day we got an oppurtunity to visit the SAJNEKHALI MAGROVE INTERPRETATION CENTER well known for its mangrove.The next day we went to SUDHANYAKHALI TIGER RESERVE and the Dobanki Camp which is mainly the habitat of the deers of Sunderbans.The third day we visited the Bali Village that gave us a platform to interactwith the villagers.This enabled us to know about their lifestyle, source of living and the problems they undergo very often. On the whole it was a great experience for all of us.

Sunderbans from MCCS Nadim

2011-12-04T04:59:00.000-08:00

EXCURSION TO SUNDERBANS

INTRODUCTION TO SUNDERBANS

Sunderban is unique largest mangrove ecosystem in the world and has the honour being a world heritage site &biosphere reserve among all.

Our experience in sundarban greatly influenced our knowledge and attached us to its habitat, we had enjoyed the different variation of scenic beauty of nature in sundarban which had been greatly influenced to the environment .It starts with the streamer ride between the channels of ganges river which lies in extreme south of west Bengal.It has been said that “The Sunderban” Is one Wonders of the world’s Part by the delegates of the world .

Its our experience that for Three days in the beauty of sundarban had a great luxury of cuisines of meal offered by its culture, we enjoyed a lot there. It is our honour of being a part of Excursion to be indulged in the activities of school curriculum as its is a part of education system which creates the students mind to develop cognitively in the different fields of studies.

REPORT ON EDUCATIONAL TOUR TO SUNDARBANS

Siliguri,4^th Dec. 2011.We are the students of Modella Caretaker Centre and School was to set out for an Education Tour to Sunderbans through Help Tourism, We were 48 in number, with 7 teachers. We started our journey from New Jalpaiguri Station on 3^rd November,2011and we reached Sealdah station the next morning by 6:10a.m. We took a small halt for some time and then boarded our bus which was already waiting for us and started an exhaustive journey of around 4 hrs, on our way we were offered our breakfast also. The bus finally stopped at a place called Gadkhali and then we boarded a launch and reached a habitat island called Bali island where was our resort already booked by Help Tourism.

Then we unpacked our luggage and had a refresh and finally had our lunch and then we set out for Sajnekhali for taking permissions to visit the place and visited a museum offering us amazing knowledge about the place “SUNDERBANS” .

The next day (i.e. 5th November) after having a small yoga class and our lunch, we set out early in the morning to visit all the different places of Sunderban.

We visited a deer reserve, where we not only found deer but various species of plants, of Mangrove trees were the most abundant and of which Sunderban was famous along with the Royal Bengal Tigers.

We saw different animals like crocodiles, deer, monkeys, forest fowls (van murgi),and birds of different species. At night we saw a special play performed by the local people based on The Bannobibi ( the goddesses of the forest who is believed to protect them from various monsters(man-eater tigers ,crocodiles, etc.). The villagers performed it with great a true soul which was a very pleasurable moment for us.

On 6^th Nov. We visited the bali village, had conversation with the locals. We came to know their way of living, the problem faced by them. Still they don’t have the electricity supply so they were offered Solar cells at very low prices which in market will be unaffordable to buy; they are also dependent on electric generators for electricity.

For their livelihood, they are dependent on agriculture (on small areas around their houses), fishing, apiculture, tourism. We helped them financially also and offered them few commodities.

Our resort was also very nice and used all types of eco-friendly good & commodities wherever possible.

Finally after returning from there we set out for Sealdah and boarded the train back to New Jalpaiguri.

BY : MD. NADIM SAHBAZ

CLASS – XII (SCIENCE)

SUNDARBAN EXCURSION(BATCH 2011-12)

Sunderbans from MCCS Aman

2011-12-04T04:45:00.000-08:00

EXCURSION TO THE SUNDERBANS

SHORT INTRODUCTION ON SUNDERBANS

Sunderbans is situated on the lower end of the Gangetic West Bengal, 22.00° N – 89.00° E, at an altitude 0-10 m above sea level and just south of Kolkata. Sunderban covers an area of 4262 sq. kms., where 70 percent is under saline water. Sunderbans is a vast tract of forest and saltwater swamp forming the lower part of the Ganges Delta, extending about 160 miles (260 km) along the Bay of Bengal from the Hooghly River Estuary (India) to the Meghna River Estuary in Bangladesh. Sunderbans spreads over 54 islands and two countries (West Bengal and Bangladesh) and is part of the world's largest delta region.
The Sunderbans are a part of the world's largest delta formed by the rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna. The whole tract reaches inland for 60-80 miles (100-130 km). A network of estuaries, tidal rivers, and creeks intersected by numerous channels, it encloses flat, marshy islands covered with dense forests.

Flora and fauna

True mangrove species-26

True mangrove associates-29

Back mangrove species-29

Families- 40

Genera-60

Species- 84

Royal Bengal tigers: 271 (9december 2001 census)

Others mammal; wild bears, spotted deer, porcupines, otters, monkeys etc.

Reptiles: crocodiles, marines, turtles, snakes, lizards, monitors.

Birds; around 170 species

Fishes; estimated 58 specis

Invertebrates including crabs, molluscs of different kinds.

Inhabited

At present 108 islands 54 are inhabited, the population is about 4.1 millions. A unique religious harmony is observed here among Hindu and Muslims.

Tourism

West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation has set up tourist lodges in Sajnekhali. In Pakhirala there are some private lodges.the most exepensive and luxurious accommodation in The Sunderbans is at the Sunderbans tiger camp at Dayapur.

Our excursion to The Sunderbans

We are the students of Modella Caretaker Centre and School, Fulbari. We were the students 48 in number, with 7 teachers. We started our journey from New Jalpaiguri on 3^rd November, 2011.

Reached sealdah the next day morning by 06:10. We took a small halt for sumtime and then boarded a bus and started a journey for a place called Gadkhali, it took us almost 3 and half hours to reach there, and then we boarded a launch and reached an inhabited island called Bali island. There we resided in a resort, Sunderbans Jungle Camp. The very day we went to the Sajnekhali for taking different permissions and took a look over the island.

The next day that is 5^th November we set out early in the morning to visit all the different places of the Sunderbans. we a deer reserve, then all tge different species of plants, most of them were mangroves, we saw the meeting of the river and sea, saw different animals like crocodiles, deer, monkeys, fowls, and birds of different species. At night we saw a special play performed by the local people based on The Banobibi ( the goddesses of the forest who believed to have protect them). The villagers performed them with great true souls which was very pleasure watching it.

On 6^th we visited the Bali village, talked to different people. Asked them of the problem they face. Still they have not received the electric supply, they depend on the solar energy or the electric generators, and they are dependent on agriculture, fishing, and honey collection for their livelihood. We helped them by giving them some torches, some eatable materials etc. Finally after returning from there we sat out for Sealdah and boarded the train back to New Jalpaiguri.

Conclusion

The visit to The Sunderban was an evergreen journey; it would remain evergreen in my memory. But felt helpless for the villagers, many of them were attacked by the tigers, they did not receive a proper help from the government, they problems during the monsoon season, they lived a poor life, let us all come together and appeal for the help to them to the government. Inspite of this they spent a happy and enjoyable life here. The unity among the local people is very strong.

The place was just fantastic, would surely visit again if i ever get a chance again.

Aman Bindal

Class-12

Modella caretaker centre and school, Fulbari, siliguri. West Bengal.

Sunderbans from MCCS Jyoti

2011-12-04T04:31:00.000-08:00

Sunderbans from MCCS Sulagna

2011-12-01T01:27:00.000-08:00

World Heritage Site Exchange Program

2011-12-01T01:09:00.000-08:00

For the past 02 decades, Help Tourism has been working on several heritage sites in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. 02 World Heritage Sites have been in core focus, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway area and the Sunderbans Tiger Reserve, because of being under 01 state administration, West Bengal, but extreme in their landscape, alpine in the East Himalaya and the estuarine in the Bay of Bengal sea. This has made the livelihood of the people also extreme in their own way, but most people here live below the poverty line and dependent on the local natural resources. At both places Help Tourism work to create a sense of ownership and pride about their World Heritage Site among the local people.

There is a unique program which has been implemented by Help Tourism and the network organizations. The ‘Exchange Program’, which has been carried out for 05 years now between the people of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway area and Sunderbans Tiger Reserve area has shown better understanding for their own sites. The program was started with the Nepali Girls School, one of the oldest schools in Darjeeling run by missionaries for girls from the remote tea garden and forest villages of Darjeeling Hills to have their educational tour to the Sunderbans and interact with the children there, this was followed by the visit of school teachers of various schools from the Sunderbans Tiger Reserve area. Also, a team from the Bali Wildlife and Nature Conservation Society and the Sunderbans Jungle Camp visited the DHR area. The other was the visit of the administrative teachers of Modella Caretaker Centre & School from the DHR area of Siliguri, who also run a DHR Heritage club in school. From their visit, they decided to send their senior students of the school for educational tour to Sunderbans.

MCC School visits Sunderbans WHS for environment study and community understanding

48 students, Class 12 boys and girls, their last few months left in school. After this they will be preparing for a more career based life at graduation level. The school decided on an innovative educational tour, where every student in this tour is connected to the most isolated islands of West Bengal. The 102 islands of Indian Sunderbans, 54 home for humans and 48 territories for the tigers. The legendary islands are now part of the Sunderbans Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site, where both man and tigers live every single day.

This is not an easy task. 47 of the 48 students have no clue of the great network of the Indian Postal Service, though there would be about 10 odd head post office, post offices and sub-post offices around the area they stay in Siliguri or Jalpaiguri. This is probably because of the reason that there is no way that the post offices have any relevance to their day to day life. They have been given the responsibility to connect one child or youth each from the Bali island of Sunderbans, who has no clue of emails or courier, but about 30,000 islanders sharing a post office, the only communication for them with the outside world. This is probably the reason why the celebrity film director from Bengal, Aparna Sen based her film ‘Japanese Wife’ on this island, a story based on pen friends. The whole crew probably spent about 80 days at the Sunderbans Jungle Camp at Bali.

The short excursion of 04 nights ex-Siliguri was focussed on connecting the students to the natural wonders of Sunderbans in the first part and to the people in the second part. The students were a mixture from different subjects, which included Geography, Commerce and Bio-Science. This article will be followed by posts from students of Modella Caretaker Centre and School (MCCS), Siliguri, Class 12 students who had gone on this tour.

So keep following this blog to know more about Sunderbans.