Phuentsholing and Buxa Tiger Reserve

So, here I am again in North Bengal with my group. Yesterday it was a day spent well and today we are looking forward to make it even better. Today we shall be heading to Phuentsholing in Bhutan and on the way back we shall be going to Buxa Tiger Reserve.

We started in the morning and headed straight to Phuentsholing. It was a 2.5 hour journey via National Highway 17 through Hasimara. Then we took NH317A to Jaigaon. After that we Crossed Bhutan Gate to Phuentsholing – Thimphu Highway in Phuentsholing, Bhutan

Unprecedented Rain

By the time we reached the outskirts of Coochbehar it started raining heavily. Our driver tried to skirt through slowly. However, the visibility was so poor that ultimately we had to stall our journey and take refuge near a house under their porch. The rain faded away after a good 40 minutes and we again headed towards our destination.

Changing Landscape

As we moved ahead towards our destination the landscape kept changing. Firstly it was busy town streets with dividers and traffic signals. Then its was like outskirt area with vast farm lands, water bodies, lakes and forest patches.

Once we crossed Chilapata we were traversing through South Barajhar forest. There was a sense of being watched by the eminent wildlife in the vicinity. Although we did not or rather say could not spot any of it. At Kodalbasti there was a patch of pasture land with farm land and signs of human habitation. Nonetheless after crossing Kodalbasti we again entered forest area. This time North Barajhar forest. It continued till Hasimara.

Tea Gardens

Once we left the National Highway 317A at Hasimara and took State Highway 12A, instead of dense forest foliage tea gardens started to appear. And the road elevation started varying gradually. We came across Malangi Tea Garden, Bharnobari Tea Garden, Beech Tea Garden, Dalsingpara Tea Garden and Toorsa Te Garden. Finally we were at Jaigaon the last Indian town bordering Bhutan. From Jaigaon there are two routes. Either through NH 317A or through Indo-Bhutan Road. We took NH 317A as the later bypasses Bhutan Gate to avoid traffic.

Bhutan Gate, Phuentsholing

As we crossed Jaigaon, the Bhutan Gate stood tall in front of us. India/Bhutan border is a soft border. The border between Bhutan and India is the only land access into Bhutan, as the border with China is completely closed. The single entry point for foreign nationals is between Jaigaon and Phuentsholing. The Bhutan Gate is an example of exquisite craftsmanship and beautiful wood painting.

Plains to Mountains

After crossing the Bhutan Gate landscape changed drastically making us realise that we have reached the mountains. The roads changed to spiraling boulevards traversing mountains and valleys providing views to capture in your conscience and cherish forever.

We decided to take a pit stop to allure the serenity surrounding us. Straightening our backs and relaxing our butts was another obvious reason. So, we got out of the vehicle and lived the landscape for a while. By the time our Adrenaline rush was subsided the Ghrelin rush took over us and we started feeling hungry. So we went in the lookout for food.

Phuensum Lam Lower Market, Chhukha, Phuentsholing

Here we are at Lower Market Phuensum Lam. We parked our vehicle and took some pictures around the town.

We came across Penjor Hotel and decided to get in. After going through the menu we decided to order chowmein, momos and beer. We were so hungry that as soon as the order was placed on table we just dug in. After we were done it was time for sightseeing. There is not much to explore around in Phuentsholing. We planned to visit Zangto Pelri Temple, Karbandi Monastery and Amo Chhu Crocodile Zoo.

Zangto Pelri Lhakhang, Phuentsholing

Zangto Pelri Lhakhang means celestial abode of Guru Rinpoche. This sacred place houses 8 life-size idols of all the vivid manifestations of Guru Rinpoche. There is beautiful statue of Amitabha Buddha surrounded by nice lush green parks, huge fountains, small pond and also prayer wheels that outwardly expose the insights of Bhutanese craft and art.

Rinchending Goempa/Karbandi Monastery, Phuentsholing

Rinchending Goempa popularly known as Kharbandi Monastery is a monastery located just below the road on Phuntsholing –Thimphu Highway. It is located on a picturesque hill overlooking the whole Phuntsholing town and beyond Torsa River far into distant till the sight disappears into a mountain. Since it was overcast throughout the day we could not enjoy the scenic beauty.

Since the weather was not in our favour we quit the idea of going to Amo Chhu Crocodile Zoo. We could not take the chance of getting caught in the rain amidst mountains. Instead we headed to Buxa Tiger Reserve

Buxa Tiger Reserve

For Buxa we took the Indo-Bhutan Border Road as we did not need to go to Bhutan Gate again. At Malangi instead of taking NH 317A we continued left on SH 12A/SH16 passing by Hasimara Petrol Pump. After crossing Kaljani River bridge we continued on SH 12A/SH16. After crossing Dima River bridge we entered Raja Bhat Khawa. As the highway takes a hairpin bend we arrived at Buxa Wildlife Sanctuary.

Buxa’s excellent location endows it with many advantages. It is an integral part of a highly biodiverse stretch of forest which extends over several thousand square kilometres along the Indo-Bhutan border. Buxa’s forests are the stronghold of numerous species of birds and mammals. We went into the wilderness and took a feel of the lush green boulevard of majestic trees, the smell of the wet land beneath our feet and the aroma of green grass.

Although there is much to see and do in Buxa Tiger Reserve our visit was mere a touchdown.  After roaming around in the wilderness for a while we had to turn back with a hope in our heart that some day we shall come back to explore the plethora of flora and fauna that this place has on offer.