By Moutushi Ghoshdeysarkar

A very different landscape awaits, as one embarks on a journey to the Sunderbans. The trees seem like short stout all bones-exposed giants wading through the waters to get you. People are not allowed to land on any of the islands other than the areas specified by the government. The fishermen die in huge numbers every year as the tiger makes a swift meal of them. The tigers here are said to be expert swimmers – we actually saw one swimming effortlessly albeit quite a distance away, agile and almost ghost-like when they make a kill along with being expert manipulators.

A fishing boat was once picking up crabs from the sand banks (which is illegal) and they caught sight of a tiger. The tiger seemed to be uninterested and retreating to the jungle so the men continued. Almost in a jiffy the tiger pounced on one of them and dragged its prey into the jungle. So once you meet the tiger on land or in the waters close by, end of story.

It is a huge delta spread across India (4260 sq km) and Bangladesh (6017 sq km) with a multitude of rivers (Ganga, Padma, Brahmaputra and Meghna), rivulets and creeks flowing through mudflats and islands to finally meet the Bay of Bengal.

A wide range of tour operators have opened shops to give a slice of the Sunderbans experience for a few hundreds to a couple of thousands through the tidal waterways that are the only modes of transport in the delta region for island hoping, varying in depth from a few metres to several kilometres.

My father was instrumental in finding the key person; he got talking to a stranger at a party, well we all know how it goes, from weather to politics, economy to culture and then the inconsequential day to day personal affairs. Many months later I followed up and arranged for a trip; two nights and three days. It cost us around INR 7000/- per person (5 pax).

Sunderbans packages are available from a day trip to a night or two or three or as many as one may want to spend.

The delta area can be approached from both the South 24 parganas and the North 24 Parganas (Districts of West Bengal) though the former is favoured. Jhingakhali beat of the North 24 Parganas has a watch tower and viewing lines just as the others beats belonging to the South 24 Parganas. The jungle is divided in two ranges and further sub divided into beats for better management and security.

The most traversed path is a drive down till the ferry ghat of Gadhkhali (a small harbour to board and deboard from launches and boats), mount your designated motor boat (from the private tour company, a representative will definitely be there to guide) and voila.

The tour starts almost as soon as one is onboard, irrespective of where the stay would be or which tidal creek or rivulet the boat will go through. Sonakhali is the last Indian mainland town. A well maintained motor able bridge connects the island to the mainland which houses the exit points to the Sundarbans, namely Jharkhali and Godhkhali.

Jharkhali has a zoo where the wild animals that get injured or somehow go out of the jungle area are kept and cared for till they can be reintroduced in the wild.

The Gadhkhali ferry ghat is very busy with countless ferries going to and fro to the nearby islands of Gosaba/Baly etc and motor boats embarking and disembarking tourists for or from their respective trips.

We started early morning around 6.30Am on a winter day in January, 2019 from Narendrapur (Kolkata, WB). Around 2 and a half hours later with two breaks, a tea and a nature’s call we reached Gadhkhali. The gentleman Mr. Amit Das (our contact and owner of the resort where we were going to stay at Baly Island), was already there with the rest of our group who would be our companion on this trip.

Since we were self driving and would go back the same way, 2 days later, we left the car at a garage. There are a few available, they seemed trustworthy and unless we are considering vehicles worth a couple of millions, it doesn’t make business sense for them to sell it and shut shop.

Thus we carried our luggage (two bags, mostly cloths and medicines) to the Jetty (ferry ghat) about 200 mts from the garage and then hopped on to the motor boat. We were fortunate enough to have the company of four extremely lovely people.

The motor boat had two stories, lower quarters having a washroom for guests another for the staff, a kitchen and four flat space (sort of bed) to stretch out on if need be and the need did arise on the second day but more on that later, the upper deck had the engine room and viewing area with chairs and also a dining table. This was to be our abode for the next two days while on the waterways of The Sunderbans.

As the introduction to our companions and the manager were underway we were already cruising on our way through the river Bidyadhari, with the island of Gosaba on one side and Baly on the other.

In a while a sumptuous breakfast was laid out and the hungry tourists had a great fill. The breeze still had some chill and the sunshine felt comfortable. After a while we reached Sajnekhali (Every boat has to take permission and a guide from the forest office), it houses a few animals like the crocodiles, monitor lizards, the river terrapin and of course the free willed rhesus macaque, interestingly the monkeys here have short tails unlike their common cousins.

Officially the tour started after we got the permit. Thus we sailed and sailed, sometimes by the side of the island, sometimes through the middle of a wide creek. To an average tourist it gets monotonous after a while, as the vegetation is not widely variegated. But to a nature lover it is pure bliss. We were experiencing low tide and the mud flats were full of activity with mud skippers, the sand pipers (bird) and the egrets going about their business steadily.

It was opportune that among our companions we had an acclaimed Zoologist who could tell the names of every bird and animal as though they were his classmates. Anunitadi (I really loved her name), another companion (an eye doctor by profession) had a keen eye for spotting birds.

We shot like mad, a bird on this bank, another on the other, now on a tree top, next on the sands, a wild boar here, a water monitor (cousin of the great komodo) there, interrupted only by a round of good tea/coffee and then came the pug marks, sign of a fresh crossing!

It instantly reminded me of Kanha (Kanha National Park, Maharashtra) where we did 5 jeep safaris and on the first three we kept on getting excited looking at pug marks, and scats and scratches but nothing could prepare us for our rendezvous with the King, when we finally did come face to face on the 4^th safari.

So we chased the pug marks for a while, the guide looking sharp and we expectant with heightened excitement. Some creeks we passed through were so narrow that if not in the hands of an experienced driver, the boat could get stranded.

Crocodiles were basking in the sun, kingfishers meditating, the wild boars digging the sand ruthlessly and the egrets (small, intermediate and large) dancing around,  giving us ample opportunity to identify them. The scene continued as we closely watched the upturned roots of the mangrove trees looking like spikes sprinkled on the banks and soaked in the salty calm.

The mangrove root system is very intriguing. The trees have to deal with extra salinity as they suffer both the salty high tide coming in from the sea and the residual salt in low tide as the sun evaporates the water. Yet these trees thrive in such inhospitable conditions as they face very less competition on these grounds.

Soon it was lunch time and again a splendid spread was on offer. We cherished it thoroughly and went back to bird watching. We saw and photographed atleast 6 varieties of kingfisher. By now spotting was becoming a tad easier but taking the perfect shot was another ball game yet to be mastered.

Around 4pm we went to Sudhanyakhali watch tower. In Sunderbans the tigers can be seen only if they are voluntarily crossing the rivers / creeks or they are dragging a kill up the bank. Freshwater sources to drink are available in the interiors of the islands. The watch towers constructed by the government are placed next to the fresh water sources in anticipation that the tiger might be allured out of the thicket and the people might get their money’s worth.

A bunch of very noisy Homo sapiens were already present when we alighted the steps of the tower. So we waited for the noisy variety of our species to leave. Thereafter we saw a jungle fowl, a spotted deer family with small kids and kingfishers.

Monkeys are galore and are prone to snatching any packets that simulate food packets. We were not carrying anything of the sort but on a later trip my parents reported that a lady got robbed of her medicines along with the fruits. The monkey tasted every tablet and showed extreme annoyance not having found them to his/her taste.

The sun was setting silently over the waters as we made our way towards the resort where we were to spend the night. The resort by the river side is nicely done up with a rustic look, a few huts and a dining area. We were too tired to look around but could not miss noticing a wide variety of plants in the garden.

After a round of tea, snacks, chitter-chatter and once again a very delicious dinner, the tired souls hit the bed. A very important and surprising fact: There were no mosquitoes in our rooms.

At night Rajib started feeling sick, threw up several times and was in extreme discomfort. We had a long day ahead and I was a bit worried. Amitda (owner), his manager and our companions were very supportive. The eldest gentleman’s concern was really heart warming. A light breakfast was arranged for Rajib. He spent the day at the lower quarters of the boat and skipped all meals.

We experienced high tide as we started the journey and the mud flats that we saw the previous day were all flooded. The trees had marks, we had noticed, even the leaves were of a faded tone till a point, now we knew why.

The boat strolled on and we sat back gazing at the sunbathed mangroves as we approached a wide expanse of water called ‘Panchmukhani’. We went on to ‘Dobanki’ which houses a watch tower and an elevated canopy walk through the jungle. There were lots of ducks and cormorants in the fresh water pond and a kingfisher perched on a branch focused on a prey that had become a delightful but usual sight by then.

Sajnekhali, Sudhanyakhali, Dobnaki and further down Netidhopani watch towers are all on the same island, a few kilometres apart. Almost all tour operators are authorised to take the tourists only till this island. The river Bidyadhari goes on further past the island to meet the Bay of Bengal and possibly faces more volatile currents which could overturn the boats, thus tourists are not allowed beyond a certain point.

After a refreshing drifting around in the tidal waters we were back at the resort a little before sun down. Roddur was given an opportunity to drive the boat towards the end and he felt euphoric. Rajib was feeling better by then and had come up to the viewing deck.

The next morning we were free to meander on land, namely on Baly island and we took the winding road by the river which went passed a village or two. The birds gave us ample shots and Rajib made up for his lost day. We had great fun as Anoushrayan and me and Rajib took turns to go up the climbing nets at the resort.

The river side is filled with small medium and big resorts, even the government is engaged in the construction of rest houses. Development is underway; with a proposed bridge, joining the mainland to Baly, which is expected to make general commute easier, land prices have gone up many folds within the past 5 years in anticipation.

Exotic to vegetable and fruit bearing plants all looked healthy and thriving, albeit care has to be taken. There was a plant in the resort (Cnest Sunderbans) which Anujda (Manager babu) called “All spice”, it really had the smell of a plethora of spices.

After breakfast and fond goodbyes to Anujda (most cooperative and efficient) and his wife Supriya (the wonderful cook), we boarded the motor boat for one last time to be dropped off at the Gadkhali ferry ghat.

Sunderbans is not about tigers, as the popular saying goes, it is a unique habitat with a unique flora and fauna like the ‘Garol’ which is a miniature version of the sheep not found anywhere else on earth.

Our trip was in a word – supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. We saw otters and crocodiles and deer and wild boars and water monitors up and close. We saw numerous birds doing mesmerizing acrobatics and almost everything that Sunderbans has to offer sans the tiger.

But then Roddur said something that caught my fancy. Even if we didn’t see her majesty, who knows may be she has been watching us all this while; now that is an uncanny feeling for sure!