19 Feb 2018

The Swarup Narayan Temple, Goghat - Near Kamarpukur, Arambag

The Swarup Narayan Temple, Goghat - near Kamarpukur, Arambag

About 9 Km from Arambag lies Goghat, home to a locally reviered and powerfull diety " The Lord Swarup Narayan".  The Highway leading to Goghat crosses numerous rivers and peirces through farmlands cultivated for mustard, paddy and local vegetables. Interspersed here and there within patches of farmlands are small groves of trees. Hidden within these coves are small setlements that are very difficult to tell but for an occational temple spire poking out of the tree tops. Its one of these settlements  that we visit every year to pay our respects at the Swarup Narayan Temple. This temple and its priest is very close to your family. Generations of my family has been visiting the deity and are blessed by his protection.



How to Reach Swarup Narayan Temple, Goghat.





                                                  

Swarup Narayan - Route to Goghat from Kolkata -

We started very early from Kolkata at 6 am. We took the Ahilyabai Holkar road to Arambag. This is the shortest route to Arambag. After Arambag turn left and take the Ramjibanpur-Ketugram-Katwa road toward Ramakrishna Setu across the Dwarkeshwar River. The road again forks into two after the Dwarkeshwar river.  After crossing the river continue with the Ramjibanpur-Ketugram-Katwa road (road left to the Y fork) and proceed towards the Arambag-Kamarpukur Road. Its only 9 Kms or roughly 15 minutes drive to Gogat after this.


Once you cross the Vicdas Power station and enter Goghat, you to need to turn to left just adjacent to the registry office to enter a village dust road that will lead you to the Temple in a few minutes. The Temple is hidden inside a cluster of huts, surrounded by small house ponds. Patches of Mustard and vegetable fields dot the landscape. 


Map:



What is the Lord Swarup Narayan revered for?


This temple is known for its Diety Swarup Narayan who is a protector against evils/ omen.

Very few people might have heard of this temple dedicated to Lord Narayan in turtle avatar. The temple's Idol is a small turtle made out of black stone and is known to lendsa compationate ear to the troubles of pilgrims and provide protection against them.

It is apparent from the worshippers coming to the temple who shed their tears in front of the deity praying for deliverance from thier troubles.

It is said that you do not choose the lord but it is the lord that chooses you and calls to you. You cannot avoid its call or can't help prostrating at his feet, as he is known to bring out devotion in the hearts of the most stubborn non-believers. He will take your devotion and erase your hardships.


The God that loves to bath in brandy:

The Lord Swarup Narayan is also one of the only Hindu deities who demands liquor as the holy offering. The temple deity is famous for its desire for Brandy. It is customary for worshippers to offer brandy with 5 types of fruits and photo (an offering of food to Lord Krishna comprising of rice and 5 types of vegetables).

The Diety is bathed in a mix of sandalwood paste and brandy, patted dry and decorated with sandalwood. The bathwater comprising of this brandy and a single word is offered as holy water to the worshippers who collect it in small containers. This holy water is dabbed to the forehead before embarking on trips is known to protect from any mishap.







Why visit Swarup Narayan Temple?


People come here for many reasons:
  • Protective talismans against calamities, accidents, unhappiness, bad eye
  • Talismans for new-born babies to ward off ill health and the bad eye.
  • For the blessing of a child.
  • For getting rid of chronic ailments.
  • For a better turn of luck.
As powerful as lord of this temple is known for granting wishes to its believers, it is also notorious for bringing testing your patience if you didn't offer him offerings as per his satisfaction. Like making the vehicle malfunction, or losing your wallet on return.

One of the myths of Swaroop Narayan is that it will grant a child to the childless couple but the child thus born withh be dark skinned like the deity.

What to offer to The Lord Swarup Narayan:

So if you are having some problem in personal life and want deliverance or protection, offering prayers to the Swarup Narayan will bring you peace. If you are planning to visit Swarup Narayan don't forget to carry the lords most favorite drink:  a bottle of unopened brandy. The offering essentials must be fruits of 5 different kinds, Sweets, a garland of flowers and a pure and open heart. The poor offer Bhoj (food offering) comprising of rice, lentil, and 5 kinds of vegetables. 

Annual Festival at Swarup Narayan temple:

Although we have heard about it and haven't attended the annual festival, it happens on Jan 15th every year.  On this day, ritualistic prayers and home [ Hindu fire ritual] are performed. Food is cooked in large pit fires and offered to the gathering of worshippers.

During this Brandy is used liberally and the worshippers partake of this as part of ritualistic purification.

Fire Pit and underground Kilms like these are used during featival to make communal food.


Where to Eat at Arambag: 

A Trip to Goghat is incomplete without a Lunch stop at Arambag. 

The best place to break your fast after visiting the temple at Hotel Apurba at Arambag on the way back. This is a regular highway diner offering staple bengali meals or " Jhol Bhat". Arambag is famous for it meat business. There is regular Sunday haat (Animal flee market ) for domestic animals. Arambag's mutton is one of the best and when you visit hotel Apurba I would highly reccomend you order a plate of Rice Meal with:

Kosha Mangsho (Lamb curry).
Peyaj Posto (Onion curry in poppy seed paste) , 
Posto bora (fritter made out of poppp seed paste), 


The Veg meal come is a heaped plate of rice with Dal, a choice of curry. The Posto Bora is the size of a bangle and is to die for. The Mutton is tenderly cooked and as flavor full as a Bengali home cooked kosha mangsho can be.
























20 Dec 2014

CKBS Checklist




Chintamani Kar Bird Sanctuary aka Koyaler Bagan , falls in the outskirts of Kolkata in the Narendrapur locality. Its a hotspot for birds in the city. Every winter reports trickle in of rare winter migrants sighted here. Summer has its own share of rare surprises too. To know more about this fascinating place please visit my post : http://abirdloversjournal.blogspot.com/2014/12/chintamani-kar-bird-santuary-kolkata.html

I have always wanted to make a list of all such birds sighted in CKBS. On insistence of my birding friends, I have undertaken to compile this list from our trips reports, reports from Birding Pals, Birding group updates on facebook and Newspaper reports. Special thanks to Bengal Birds Group for providing reports on rare sightings. Reports of Kolkata's Birding veteran Mr. Shubhankar Patro (sunday watch) have been of immense help.

I hope that I have been successful in including in this list all the known, rare and winter sightings reported so far in CKBS.  I welcome feedbacks of any new sightings that could be included to this list. 


Commonly found (all year round)

  1. Asian Koel  
  2. Asian Openbill
  3. Asian Palm Swift  
  4. Asian Pied Starling  
  5. Black Drongo  
  6. Black Kite   
  7. Black-hooded Oriole  
  8. Black-rumped Flameback  
  9. Blue-throated Barbet  
  10. Bronzed Drongo  
  11. Cattle Egret  
  12. Chestnut-tailed Starling  
  13. Common Hawk Cuckoo  
  14. Common Iora  
  15. Common Kingfisher
  16. Common Myna  
  17. Common Tailorbird  
  18. Coppersmith Barbet  
  19. Eastern Jungle Crow  
  20. Eurasian Collared Dove  
  21. Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker  
  22. Great Tit  
  23. Greater Coucal 
  24. Greater Flameback  
  25. Green Bee-eater  
  26. House Crow  
  27. House Sparrow  
  28. Indian Pond Heron  
  29. Jungle Babbler  
  30. Jungle Myna  
  31. Large-tailed Nightjar,
  32. Lineated Barbet  
  33. Little Cormorant  
  34. Little Swift [ Apus affinis ]  
  35. Oriental Honey-buzzard,
  36. Oriental Magpie Robin  
  37. Plum-headed Parakeet,
  38. Purple Sunbird  
  39. Purple-rumped Sunbird  
  40. Red-vented Bulbul  
  41. Red-whiskered Bulbul  
  42. Rock Pigeon  
  43. Rose-ringed Parakeet  
  44. Rufous Treepie  
  45. Shikra  
  46. Spotted Dove  
  47. Stork-billed Kingfisher  
  48. White-breasted Waterhen  
  49. White-throated Fantail,
  50. White-throated Kingfisher  
  51. Yellow-footed Green Pigeon  

Less common sightings: (Spotted on and off - if you’re lucky /in winter)

  1. Ashy Drongo, winter migrant
  2. Ashy Wood swallow  
  3. Asian Paradise Flycatcher (winter visitor)
  4. Barn Swallow, winter migrant  
  5. Black Napped Monarch
  6. Black-naped Oriole
  7. Black-naped Oriole (winter migrant)
  8. Blue throated Flycatcher (winter visitor)
  9. Blyth’s Reed Warbler (winter migrant)
  10. Bronzed Drongo
  11. Brown Fish Owl
  12. Brown Shrike
  13. Common Hoopoe (winter migrant)
  14. Emerald Dove
  15. Greenish Warbler (winter migrant)
  16. Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher (winter migrant)
  17. Jerdon's Leafbird
  18. Orange-headed Thrush (winter visitor)
  19. Oriental White-eye
  20. Pale-billed Flowerpecker
  21. Plain Prinia
  22. Slaty-legged Crake
  23. Small Minivet
  24. Spangled Drongo (winter migrant)
  25. Taiga Flycatcher (winter migrant)
  26. Verditer Flycatcher (winter visitor)
  27. White Wagtail, leucopsis subspecies, winter migrant
  28. Yellow-browed Warbler, winter migrant

 Rare Sightings:
  1. Violet Cuckoo (By Anirban Pal, 7.12.14, Ref: The Telegraph, Dec 18, 2014)
  2. Chestnut-winged Cuckoo (by Srikumar Bose, April, 2014, ref: Bengal Birds )
  3. Indian Pitta (By Shantanu Mohapatra,April 2012, Ref Bengal Birds, )
  4. Eyebrowed thrush (by Srikumar Bose-18.4.09, ref: Bengal birds, Shubhankar Patro)

CKBS - Chintamani Kar Bird Santuary, Kolkata.


Birding in Kolkata : If you are looking for a birding place in Kolkata that you could cover in one day then CKBS (Chintamani Kar Bird Santuary) is the best bet. CKBS is among the first birding spots we visited when we were new initiates in birding back in 2012. Deb and I had heard of a dense patch of forest a kind of retreat for bird’s right in the middle of South Kolkata. On a chilly Sunday morning in Nov 2012, we set out to this location with nothing but GPS to guide us.


The Santuary is a rectangular patch of land with an area of about 17 hectares (1). Its nestled bang in the middle of Narendrapur locality. Once you've crossed Narendrapur Ramkrishna Mission (which will fall on the left if you're driving towards Sonarpur), look out for Dabur Workshop that falls on the right. Just after that on the right is a narrow lane that will lead you to CKBS. Its not so difficult to spot.

Over the years the government has made an effort to bring this piece of land to better shape which becomes evident form the boundary walls adorned with colourful bird graffiti.

There are a number of shanties up ahead, that offer Tea, snacks and breakfast although the menu is limited to omelets and kachori. We always head into the sanctuary early and mid morning when the it gets a bit crowded, we hop out for breakfast and birding along the canal.


Tickets can be bought from the ticket counter at the entrance.

Visiting Hours 7.00 am to 4.00 pm in winter. The timings slightly differ for summer.

An entry fee is at Rs. 50/- per head.





A word of caution: Rub a good amount of Odomos (mosquito repellent) before you leave the house. Also carry a tube with you. There is no provision for food or drinking water inside, so do carry your own stuff. It is more convenient this way because once you have ventured into the trails, going outside the sanctuary for refreshments is an incumbrance you would rather to avoid.


The board at the entrance points out the dos and dont's: 
  1. Please do not use Flash for photographing birds. 
  2. Do keep your cell phones on silent mode.  
  3. Do not play bird recordings-repeat-do not play bird recordings. 
  4. Do not wear any deodorant or perfume. 
  5. This will act as a red flag for birds from a distance.  
  6. Please don't wear clothes of any colour other than forest colours of green, beige, and brown. Another red flag! 
  7. Do not bring children as it’s not a picnic spot. You can bring them for educational purpose only but please keep them disciplined.
  8. Observe and Photograph nature silently with as little disturbance as possible.

A Paradise for birds and bird watchers






To be fair CKBS has the resemblance of an orchard that has been left to go wild over a few decades. There is a perpetual feel of the forest here. At some places the canopy is so thick that it does not allow the sun to penetrate. The air holds a moist eerie quality and is impregnated with the steady hum of insects. All kinds of birds songs reverberate around you. 

Tamarind, Mango, Jackfruit, Coconut Palm, Banana, Guava, Common fig among other trees forms the main frame of its dense canopy. The undergrowth is dense and consist of shrubs, creepers, ferns, weeds and grasses. 

If not for the quintessential photographer that you come across every now and then tucked behind a tree stump, creeping on the forest floor or chasing a bird or two you'd almost forget that you are in the heart of a busy sub-urban locality.



There are a number of trails that divide the sanctuary. You can pick any of them but do lookout for cobwebs, caterpillars and leeches. The trick is to become one with nature and stay still inspite of the mosquitoes, let the forest sounds settle and then you'll begin to see the birds.
If you take the first trail on the left of the entrance you'll find yourself in a dense bamboo groove. This is where one might catch sight of the common hawk cuckoo. There are a number of dead coconut palms, the hollows which have become the home for Parakeets and Barbets. On any given day these hyperactive parakeets display an industry of nest building, feeding the mother or the young that makes for a riveting study.



                      Lineated Barbet                                                Rose-ringed Parakeet

A colony of houses flank the right and back boundaries of C.K.B.S while its left fringe till 2012 bounded by a canal is now threatened by a new highway development (Kamalgazi-Baruipur extension) that will irreversibly damage its delicate ecosystem and further shrink its size.


Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

There is a lot of beauty to be found here; in clusters of mushrooms springing from rotting logs, in the wild blossoms that stand in stark contrast to the dense green, in bumbling bumble bees rushing in and out of the blooms, in the slanting rays of early morning sun seeping through the canopy, in the diversity of the phyllotaxy, in the necklaces of wines hanging from trees, even the rose like rotting patterns on the leaves on forest floorand the army of ants that colonise the detritus.  As they say nature abounds in beauty if only you can see.



Land Planarian-Hammerhead slug










Over the years we have explored this paradise numerous times sometimes coming back disappointed and sometimes rewarded by lifers. But our very first date with CKBS is a memorable milestone in our birding history mainly because it was a trip marked by many “firsts”. 

Firstly, it was the first time we spotted all four different woodpeckers (Fulvous breasted, Flameback, Rufous, Streak Throated Wood Peckers)  usually seen in this region on the same tree. Secondly because we got plenty of first time sightings (lifers) of many birds one of them being the Large -Tailed Nightjar. Lastly because that was the first time we met Mr. Mihir Pal, an amazing photographer, whom we fondly call as Mihir Kaku. We would be properly acquainted with him 6 months later on another memorable trip to Henry Island in April 2013, and over the next few years we would be sharing many birding memories together. But our very first meeting was on our very first CKBS trip where we shared a mid-morning snack of puffed rice and sweets, sitting amiably on broken tree stump, unbeknownst of our future camaraderie.


We revisited C.K.B.S again in last winter (2013), with him and this time we were hoping to capture the elusive Black-Naped Monarch, which was long overdue. I also befriended a caged monkey and shook hands with him.




On 9.11.14, we again found ourselves within the confines of this tranquil sanctuary. Umpteenth one for us, but very first trip for our birding pals Paromita and Shubho. Every time we visit CKBS it holds some surprise or the other in store. This time we added a Brown Fish owl couple to our lifer list.

Brown Finh Owl (Hutum Pacha)

Blacked-Naped Monarch
Its a little early for winter birds and thought we would not be seeing any winter veterans like the monarch yet...but just as we were about to leave his highness graced us with his magnificent presence.
The Large-tailed Nightjar however, is a different story. The old man is a kind of CKBS landmark, has always been sighted sitting ideally or rather sleeping in  the same place year after year completely indifferent to trigger happy photographers.

CKBS FAUNA:


CKBS is famous for the monitor lizard (Goshap in regional lingo) that nests in burrows and water holes inside the forest and are usually seen basking in the sun in the canal adjacent to it. Among other reptiles garden lizards and Skinks may be spotted by a observant eye. A number of mammals have also been sighted here. Indian Palm Squirrel are found in abundance. Grey Mongoose is another favorite if rare sighting. There have also been reports of Jackal sightings.

Apart from this a variety of Butterflies and Dragonfies have also been recorded in CKBS. A more detailed list may be seen at http://chintamoni-kar-bird-sanctuary.blogspot.in/

For CKBS birds checklist please click link below:

http://abirdloversjournal.blogspot.com/2014/12/ckbs-checklist.html

Internet Resources that offer more info on CKBS:

http://chintamoni-kar-bird-sanctuary.blogspot.in/

I hope you enjoy some of the pics from all trips to CKBS.



Great Tit

Bronze-winged Jacana


Fulvous Breasted Wood Pecker
Rufous Wood Pecker

Stork-billed King Fisher

Streak Throated Wood Pecker Male




21 Mar 2014

The Colors of Duars


Duars...the gateway to north east is also gateway to paradise......The evergreen landscape interspersed with rivulets that cascade down the hills in glorious waterfalls...blue....green... yellow....orange....purple.... 
You can see nature's colors in all its shimmering glory!! You'll can never have enough of Duars.....
The Colors of Duars will always keep beckoning you to return to it time n again....