Gopgarh, Paschim Medinipur, Tourist Information

Gopgarh is a park on the high mounds created for eco-tourism just on the fringe of Midnapore town. The place owes its name from old fort of the Gop kings. They created this ‘garh’ or fort on high ground, made of stones, on the bank of the river Kansai strategically to defend their kingdom. The ruins are still there and are in a precarious condition.

People who want to spend a weekend with or without family in a remote jungle can look on it as an ideal place. There are two cottages to stay in and one cottage (of course, with all modern amenities) costs Rs. 500 per day.

The park is huge enough to make you tired if you want to cover it in one walk. First of all, there is a pond, where you indulge in boating.The jungle, recreated by the Forest Department, is big enough for picnic.

The huge lawn with small gardens, including a rose garden, and basic recreational instalments for children can satisfy everybody.

But on top of all these, there is a watch-tower from where you can view the sunrise or sunset or the natural beauty of the vegetation along the bank of Kansai.

There are few stalls for refreshment and a restaurant for the visitors.

Numerous birds flock to the trees and you can enjoy the silence save the chirpings of the bird undisturbed. People become very calm and cool at the place.

So plan a trip, contact the Forest Department of Midnapore and go for night stay.

Pictures of Forest Life of Chandabila

Recently I visited Chandabila, a place in the midst of forest in the district of Paschim Medinipur. The jungle is situated in the Baligheria region, just on the border of West Bengal and Orissa. This forest is typical of the ones that covered the red soil regions of Jhargram, Bankura and Purulia. Once these forest were full of animals, but unfortunately now animals are hardly visible. Chandabila is famous for elephants. But the people, tired of elephants’ intrusions set the weeds in different parts of the jungle on fire and thus is destroyed their food. I went deep into the forest and took some pictures.

Besides visiting the jungle, I also went to see Tapoban, where Sita, the local people strongly believe, lived in the ashram of the sage Balmiki. The place is wonderful and can easily be a tourist destination. After visiting this place I went to an ancient temple, Rameshwar, built in an imitation of the temples of Orissa, on the high bank of the river Subarnarekha.