Duarsini in Purulia is located on the foothills of a nearby mound. River Satgurang flows right next to this ethnic tourist destination. In fact it is said that one can spend hours on the end sitting right next to the river bank. Its location near forests and hills makes it an ideal destination for people looking for a break from regular lives. In short it can be termed as a fantastic destination where one can spend a weekend. The forest is full of trees such as shal, shimul, piyal and palash.
During the night tourists may also hear the drum beats that come from the tribal village, which is located a short distance away. In local language this form of music is referred to as Madol. One of the major draws at Duarsini is spending a moonlit night that is accompanied by the drumbeats thus creating an enchanting experience. It is also worth to see how suddenly daylight fades and evening starts here in the lap of nature. It is said that with the exception of the rainy season one can visit Duarsini at any time.
How to get to Duarsini
Duarsini is located at a distance of 13 km from Burdwan, which is a town situated 65 km from Sadar Purulia. It is also 20 km from Ghatshila. This effectively means that the tourist spot is located at the border of West Bengal and Jharkhand. The closest railway stations to Duarsini are Purulia and Ghatsila. The trains to this destination are operated by Southeastern Railways.
One can also avail the Ispat Express that leaves the Howrah Station at 6:55 in the morning and get down at either Galudi or Ghatshila. The only advantage that Galudi has over Ghatshila in terms of getting to Duarsini is that it is only 13 km away from the tourist spot.
The distance between Kolkata and Duarsini is 178 km by road. So it is advisable to avail a car on rent from Ghatshila. The expenses should be somewhere around INR 500 to 600.
What to do at Duarsini
Duarsini offers interested tourists the chance to watch birds or study the culture and traditions of the local tribal people. The local folks observe a number of festivals across the year and this means that any time may be a good time to visit Duarsini. This region is home to a number of tribes such as Santhal, Shabaradh, Munda and Kheriya. One can visit their homes but they should be accompanied by a local person.
It also provides the opportunity to indulge in some trekking. At the nearby jungle one can see wild animals such as the following:
- Bear
- Hyena
- Wild pig
- Wolf
- Elephants
- Varieties of birds
Where to stay at Duarsini
The West Bengal Forest Development Corporation Limited has a bungalow at Duarsini and that is perhaps the only place where one can stay in Duarsini. The bungalow resembles a tribal cottage. The WBFDC employs local villagers in order to attend to the food and other requirements of the visitors.
In order to make a booking at the bungalow one can use the following contact details:
6A, Raja Subodh Mullick Square, 7th Floor, Kolkata – 700013
Telephone: 033-2237-0060/2225-8549/2237-0061
Otherwise you can go to Kuilapal through bus from Bandwan and take rest at forest bungalow. There are only two rooms available. For booking:
DFO: Kangsabati Soil conservation, Divn – 2, PO & Dist – Purulia
Telephone: 03252 222604
Somjit Banerjee says:
How much does it cost to hire a taxi from galudi railway station to duarshini ?