Flash Visit to BUXA-Jayanti

Recenty we visited the beautiful BUXA forest.
We boarded KanchanKanya from Sealdah at 8:30 PM and arrived Alipurduar at 2:30 PM next day. The journey was superb specially after New Jalpaiguri as the train goes through the jungle, crossing lots of river and two long tunnels giving a breathtaking views.From Alipurduar we went for a day visit to BUXA-Jayanti and Mahakaal Cave.

Buxa National Park, in the subdivision of Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri district, was set up in the year of 1982-83 at the north eastern corner of West Bengal bordering Bhutan and Assam. It is declared a National Park in January 1992. The name "Buxa Tiger" has been derived from Buxa Fort - a fort at an altitude of 867 meters on the Sinchula Range guarding the most important of the eleven routes into Bhutan, which once was used for detainees during freedom movement of India. With an area of 759sq km this picturesque reserve with its prodigious Terai, Bhabar as well as Hilly landscape, crisscrossed by numerous rivers and their tributaries, presents a breathtaking landscape.
It covered the forest area of Rajabhatkhawa, Nimati, Barobisha, Rydak, Raimatang Jainti, Buxaduar and Bhutanghat. The main rivers are Sankosh, Raidak, Jayanti, Churnia, Turturi, Phashkhawa, Dima and Nonani. In 1986, some part of Buxa Tiger Reserve becomes Buxa Wildlife Sanctuary. In 1992 it was declared as National Park.
Buxa Tiger Reserve Forests has a rich variety of flora and fauna. Due to the heavy rainfall, you can see tropical rainforests and savannah forests. It is the home to a varied species of animals and unique plants. You can identify more than 1500 types of plants, out of them 300 species of trees like sal, Champ, Gamar, Simul, Chikrasi and 150 species of ferns.
In the Reserve 390 species of birds, 73 species of mammals, 76 species of snakes, 5 species of amphibians have been identified so far. Apart from Bengal Tiger the flagship species, there are plenty of Leopard, Fishing Cat, Leopard Cat, Jungle Cat, Indian Civet, Palm Civet, Wild Dogs, Malayan Gaint Squirrels, Mangooses, Asian Elephant, Gaur, Small Clawless Otter, Chital, Sambar, Barking Deer, Hog Deer, Wild Buffalo, 3 varieties of Pythons, Monitor Lizard and a host of land tortoises. Many of the animals are endangered species while some are endemic to the region.


To Reach BUXA we have the following options -
By Road :
National Highway No.31C roughly runs along its southern boundary. One can hire a car from Alipurduar to enter the Buxa Tiger Reserve Forest. Alipurduar is well connected by road with Darjeeling, Siliguri, Alipurduar and other towns of North Bengal.

By Rail :
Nearest railway station is Alipurduar Junction / New Alipurduar. It is 17 Km. away. But all train is not arrived here. New Jalpaiguri Railway Station is the main railway station in this area. You can change train from New Jalpaiguri or can follow the road journey from New Jalpaiguri to Alipurduar.

By Air :
Nearest airport is Bagdogra. It is a domestic airport under Indian Army. All major air services are available from all over India. Distance between Bagdogra and Siliguri is 13 km. You can find out various vehicles to come in Siliguri, and then follow the above road route.

Sharing some clicks with you all -

Village captured from train


Solitaire New Mal Jn


Crossing the Murti river


Murti river in a very innocent mood


Bridge over the rive Kalijai


The gate of BUXA Forest. Permission is required to enter the reserve forest which is arround Rs170, for still and movie camera you have to tank some more


Another dangerous river – BALA now without a single drop of water


Forest lines


Core area of the forest though we had a glimpse of only flying peacock and monkeys !

Deep into the jungle


Diffrent shades of jungle


Wild Flower


This is the beauty of Jayanti - Mountains, Jungle and a wide river bed.


Old british bridge at jayanti. The bridge is now submerged in the river bed.Once opon a time people used this bridge to cross the Jayanti river.

Reaching near Mahakaal Cave


Diffrent look of the river Jayanti


Jayanti as a mountain stream


Another landscape of Jayanti


This is chota Mahakaal near Mahakaal Cave which is about 1-2 hours stiff treak from here and we decided to drop the plan for now as we had some elder members and also my 2 and half year old son...

Red ants on the way to Pokhori lake near Jayanti


Big fishes in the Pokhori lake


Returning from Pokhori lake with my 2 and 1/2 year old son. We had to trek about 1+ KM to reach the lake. The trek is mostly moderate but have some stiff parts


Magnificent sunset over the jungle, actualy the jungle will come alive now...


He enjoyed the trip and still tries to narrate with big eyes

[QUOTE=[B]shuvamoy[/B];1377077]
Nearest railway station is Alipurduar Junction / New Alipurduar. It is 17 Km. away. But all train is not arrived here. New Jalpaiguri Railway Station is the main railway station in this area. You can change train from New Jalpaiguri or can follow the road journey from New Jalpaiguri to Alipurduar.

As far as my knowledge goes, the nearest Rly. Station to Buxa is Rajabhatkhaowa. A nice Forest lodge owned by WBFDC is located here. This place can be considered as gateway to Buxa Tiger Reserve. It seemed from your report that you had stayed at Alipurduar and had a day-trip to Jayanti, Mahakal Cave (Choto Mahakal?), Pukhri, etc. It really is a Flash Trip, literally!
I must say that although it was very brief trip, you have captured the mood of Dooars/Buxa very nicely! Excellent Photographs.

Thank you Asishda for pointing out my wrong info.
You are right. The nearest railway station is Rajabhatkhaowa which is the gateway of BUXA. But most of the exp train do not have a stop there.

Nice photography sir. Thank you for sharing.

dear all,

so which train from sealdah shd be taken to reach rajabhatkwa and which station to alight ?

No train from Howrah/Sealdah/Kolkata Station stops at Raja Bhat Khawa Stn. RBK station is a very small station, almost all the mail/express trains skip past this station. The nearest major rail station is NEW ALIPURDUAR(NOQ) , which is appox. 10/12 KM from RBK.

Folowing is the list of trains from Howrah/Sealdah/Kolkata Station, which stop at NOQ:


15657
KANCHANJANGA EX

12509
GUWAHATI EXP

12513
SC GHY EXP

12515
GUWAHATI EXP

13141
TESTA TORSA EXP

12507
GUWAHATI EXP

12345
SARAIGHAT EXP

15959
KAMRUP EXPRESS

12517
GHY GARIB RATH

Hi shuvamoy,

Very nice pictures. I became nostalgic with our memories of Bada Mahakaal trek. It's really hard for children and elderly but the route was really enjoyable amidst jungle and river and loneliness.

Jayanti is one of my favorite destinations.

Thanks Duronto Jajabar,aliulazim.
Yes jayanti is also my very favorite destination.
Long ago most probably during 1992 I visited for the first time to BUXA covering - Bhutan ghat,Ropang Vally, Boxa Fort, Mahakal Cave...and the never forgot the flavour of BUXA for a single day! This time found lots of changes but felt the same vibration.
Truly speaking I found BUXA is live version of "Chander pahar" by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay

Hi sudeeptanusree,
New Alipurduar (NOQ) is the station to reach Rajabhatkhawa from Kolkata.
Thanks Ashishda for detailed informations

where are these two pictures taken - "deep into the jungle" & "different shades of jungle" ???
magnificent captures by the way
the foliage really throws different shades to the forest with the changing seasons....

@Duronto Jajabar
Next October I go to jayanti & want to trek to Bada Mahakal.
My question is -
How much time taken to complete the bothside trek (Jayanti-Bada Mahakal-Jayanti)?
Is starting at 5 am possible?

Thanks in Advance.

AKDAS,

One half for Bada-mahakal is enough. 5am will be very good.

We had a good guide named Mohon, but I don't have his number. You can find him at Jayanti.