Garpanchkot A Must Visit in 2021 | Epitomizing The Beauty Of Bengal

Garpanchkot: A home away from home with a blend of beauty and an abode of exquisite experience awaits for you at Garpanchkot.

Close to your root, nested in the Purulia district of West Bengal, near to Panchet dam with the beautiful backdrop of Panchet hill. Also, read out my Garpanchkot stay experience.

MISSION GARPANCHKOT

Garpanchkot shall offer some solace to your soul while refreshing your cognition with its scenic beauty. Natural splendor of forest and hills makes this place an ideal weekend destination. When you reach this place you will be greeted with such howling sight that the tiresome journey will seem oblivious to you.

GARPANCHKOT – AN INTRODUCTION

The name of ‘GARPANCHKOT’ – the unforgettable land – emerged from ‘garh’, which means the fort of the king of Kashipur, who built a temple on the Panchkot hill. The height of the Panchkot or Panchet hill is approximately 2100 feet and occupies an area of 18 sq. Km. The Panchet hill is dotted with tropical trees and looks lush green in monsoon and below this hill flows the Damodar River.

A walk through the forest of ‘Sal’, ‘Tamal’, ‘Sonajhuri’, ‘Palas’ will rejuvenate you with the aroma of the flowers and leaves. Kashipur Rajbari (palace) which is a palace located about 50 KM from Garpanchkot which has an architecture inspired by colonial structures built in late 1800 century. This is a marvelous piece of architecture combined with red bricks, stone, concrete, and wood. The region had a rich culture and spiritual past.

THE WEATHER

The tropical weather makes summer and winter feel distinctly in this region. Avoid the months April, May, and June as the mercury shall simply soar too high for you to venture out in the open air and can make you sweat even under a shade. After the scorching heat in summer, the monsoon brings some relieve here in Garpanchkot when all the flora and fauna becomes life and the lush green vegetation carpet the Panchet hill with magnificent beauty.

Though monsoon has its own charm in Garpanchkot, the tourist influx is least. Winter is pretty charming in Garpanchkot with the temperature between 8 degrees to 14-degree Celsius, which is obvious for kind of touring whether you trek the Panchet hill or loiter around the Panchet and Mython but make sure to pre-book resorts well in advance before arrival.

THE SCATTERED TEMPLE RUINS AT GARPANCHKOT

Garpanchkot is a part of the nearly 1500-year-old history of the Singh Deo dynasty. The only remains of this kingdom are the temple ruins on the southern Panchet foothills. There are scattered ruins of various Terakotta form of temples around Garpanchkot.

The temples belong to different architectural styles like ‘Pancharatna, Jor-Bangla, and Pirha. Panchratna Temple ruins is the most celebrated ones here. The lush greenery, scattered ruins, perennial springs, woods, towering Panchet Hill and the expansive Panchet Lake makes this a heavenly abode.

MUST-SEE SIGHTS AND ATTRACTIONS

If this place is on your radar for a long time, never think twice for choosing this quick leisure break to brush away all your tensions in this ambiance. This is a place especially for those who want to lie down on the grass and look at the clear sky at night and gaze the glittering stars and spot few comets like a fairy tale during our childhood days.

Apart from the obvious choice of interesting sightseeing and nearby destinations which include the ruins of fort, snake park, the Birinchinath Temple, Biharinath Temple and the Biharinath Hill overlooking the temple, Baranti Lake nearby, one can also pay a visit to the Baghmundi and Ayodhya hills which are about a 3-4 hours drive from the place.

PANCHET DAM

Panchet Dam is the endmost of the four dams of Damodar Valley Corporation that have been constructed a little above its confluence with the Barakar. While Dhanbad district is on the northern bank of the Panchet reservoir, the Purulia district is on the southern bank. It was inaugurated in 1959. Build across the Damodar River, it has a tallness of 148 ft and a length of 22,235 ft.

It is an earthen dam with a concrete conduit. The reservoir covers an area of 27.92 sq km at dead storage level and 121.81 sq km at maximum conservation level. The two units of 40 MegaWatt has been installed here for power generation.

Due to comparatively poor transportation links, it is less densely populated than Maithon Dam, which is 30 km away. You can walk along the concrete road adjacent to the Panchet dam and enjoy the moist cool breeze hailing from the Damodar River basin. You may even avail the boat ride facility in Panchet dam charging Rs.100 per person.

MYTHON DAM

Mython dam is located at Mython, in the Jharkhand state. It is 15,713 ft in length and 165 ft high. The dam was specially designed for flood control and generates 60,000 Kilo Watt of electric power. The reservoir is constructed on the Barakar river and is spread over 65 square Kms.

JAI CHANDI HILL

It is a popular tourist attraction in Purulia with a mean elevation of 509 ft. and is 3 Kms away from the sub-divisional town called Raghunathpur in Purulia district. It is located in Purulia- Barakar road and a popular tourist spot for rock climbing.

KASHIPUR

Do not forget to taste Darbesh – A sweet made of besan and sugar or jaggery acquirable only in Kashipur. Nature lovers normally visit Kapista Garden, where aforestation is put up by the state government to preserve the endangered and other medicinal trees. Drop there at the water spot just before Kapista, to catch a glimpse of some tortoises roaming in the sand of the Riverbank.

BARANTI

Baranti is a little, reposeful and scenic place. Baranti is in the neighborhood of Ramchandrapur Irrigation Project. You can get a grand view of the reservoir from Baranti which is part of the wonderful ‘Rarh’ countryside and fantastic picnic spot.

HOW TO REACH GARPANCHKOT

The best option is to get down at Kumardubi station before Dhanbad if you are on Howrah – Dhanbad line. You may also call the resort manager to arrange a private car from Kumardubi station. You can alternatively come via Asansol or Barakar. The charge would be around Rs. 500 to Rs.600. It’s approximately one hours journey via Panchet via the National Highway 2.

If you are coming from Asansol, turn left from Asansol and take the road leading to Raghunathpur. After reaching the Satbari stop, your destination is few kilometers away by the village path.

RECOMMENDED GARPANCHKOT STAY

Many hotels and resorts mushroomed at Garpanchkot, however, the West Bengal Forest Development Corporation’s nature resorts and Panchet Residency are worth mentioning. All the resorts are near to the Garhpanchkot hills and come with modern facilities.

1. PANCHET RESIDENCY

Spread over 15 acres of the prime property makes ‘Panchet Residency’ the ultimate ‘Eco-Friendly Resort’. You may do an online booking at PanchetResidency Situated at the foothill of the Panchakot hill, this resort provides all luxury facilities like lush green lawns, car parks along with views of the surrounding hills, air-conditioned rooms, dining hall, and electric generators.

There are luxury cottages called ‘VILLAGE TELKUPI’, ‘BANJARA HUTS’ which is a double bedded family cottage and luxury huts. All cottages are well equipped with attached neat and hygienic western bathrooms with hot water geysers, room heater, refrigerated mini bar, all set of toiletries, comfy beds (extra cots available), LED TVs and separate dressing enclosure and electric generators. The dining hall serves delicious Indian cuisine. Tour guides are also available on request at Rs.600 per day or guided hiking/ trekking at Rs. 2000.

Rate Chart:

1. VILLAGE TELKUPI – Only accommodation – Rs. 3500 – Check-in:12 pm, Check-out:11am.
2. PACKAGE – 1-lunch / 1-snacks / 1-dinner / 1-Breakfast for 1 Night 2 Days – Rs. 5500 per couple
3. Toll Free:  1800 103 9161   Email:panchetresidency@gmail.com

2. WBFDC RESORT

Resort: Garpanchkot Prokriti Bhraman Kendra. They have TV, AC, Intercom and canteen facility

You may do online booking at www.wbfdc.net. Check-in: 12 pm, Check-out: 11am.

They have only AC rooms with different rates and standards

Helpline at the WBFDC Nature Resort: 919434990378 / 08016304709 / 09775324502
WBFDC Head Office: KB19, Sector III, Saltlake, Kolkata- 700106
Phones: 033-23350064 / 91-7604044479 [Timings 10:00 hrs – 17:00 hrs] Email:helpdesk@wbfdc.com
Indicative price: Cottages – Rs. 1,800 – 4500 Conference Room: Rs. 5,000.

WHERE TO EAT?

Hotels only serve simple Bengali cuisine like fish curry (Bengali term is ‘Macher jhol’), rice, potato fry & Dal in lunchtime and Chicken Curry and Roti at Dinner. But the beauty is they only charge Rs. 100 – 120 for that. The staff, majority hailing from nearby villages, is cordial and well mannered.

It is rightly said that “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

SUGGESTED READ:- I explored a few other less known destination but pristine in West Bengal called Jhumli and Mukutmanipur‘, ‘Ramdhura and Lamahatta‘

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