Chilapata National Park

The Journey to Chilapata Begins

Travelling to Chilapata National Park was an impulsive decision. Nevertheless, I will always be thankful for all such impulses that lead me into wondrous worlds which I would have otherwise been oblivious to.

We boarded the 8.20 pm KanchanKanya Express hopeful of energising ourselves and rising from the urban stupor that was fast enclosing us in its deathly grip. We desperately wanted to be thrown into lush greenery and spend 3 days in serene bliss. However, what we got was more than the ordinary ‘bliss’ that we are accustomed to.

My Chilapata chapter meanders through the clear waters of the Bania, making me marvel at ruins buried under dense foliage, being stared at by a Bison and getting miraculously kissed by a butterfly.

Charmed by Chilapata Hospitality

We reached our accomodation, the Chilapata Jungle Camp, a cosy peaceful abode. A friendly and helpful gentleman, Ganesh Kr.Sah, who preferred to be known as ‘Buada’, owns and maintains the property. The place provides basic but ample provisions. The rooms are neat and well maintained. Every room has an attached toilet equipped with all modern facilities. Overall, though called the Chilapata Jungle Camp, it will provide you with all your urban requirements. After a hearty lunch we started off for our first safari in an open jeep.

Gist about the Chilapata Jungle

Before I start getting ecstatic let me give you a brief on this unique place that is slowly gathering recognition in tourist maps. Located in Jalpaiguri district ( approximately 20 km from the Alipurduar town),Chilapata is nestled midway between the Jaldapara National Park and the Buxa Tiger Reserve. The beautiful and stoic Bania River, a tributary of the River Torsha, flows lazily through its entire stretch.

Read my other blogs on idyllic wilderness resorts in North Bengal.

Thus sandwiched between two larger national parks, Chilapata serves as the perfect elephant corridor through which the pachyderms comfortably plod from one forest to the other. The frequency of such amblings is quite regular as we found trains slowing down on reaching Hamiltonganj (the last halt before Alipurduar). Moreover, all through the brilliantly smooth national highway that took us to Chilapata, we came across bright yellow boards declaring in bold black type “Elephant Crossing zone”. Unfortunately, we just managed to see the boards and not the subject under discussion. Well, we still had hope because we had just arrived and the story was yet to begin.

The park charges 100 INR per person as part of entry fees and 300INR for vehicle charges. The guide charges are ofcourse in addition to all these. Do not forget to carry your ID proofs as you will need to provide those in order to enter. We completed all formalities and settled down for the journey to begin.

The Chilapata Park Parable

Our jeep soon turned into the Chilapata range and a hushed silence descended on us as we realised the forests suddenly seemed to come closer. We revelled in this welcoming embrace. That is where, I feel lies the uniqueness of this place. In all the other forests that I have visited we had to stretch out our arms wide (metaphorically though)to feel its elusive presence. In Chilapata, the feeling is of an intimacy that you can hardly avoid. The trees tend to caress your skin and tousle your hair as you move beneath its drooping boughs.The over arching canopy is omnipresent and you tend to walk beneath its verdant shade all through your time within its mesmerising preccints. Chilapata truly has a magic of its own.

As our jeep trundled through the narrow strip of road snaking out in front of us, the trees we felt, displayed serious PDA all around us. Climbers wrapped every branch lovingly in a tight embrace. The flaky barks of the Sal trees were encrusted with leafy orchids. There was a dead stillness that percolated through its thick foliage and seeped into our skin. Chilapata, it seemed, wove a completely new tapestry of love for us to admire.

We craned our necks to look at the tall Sal and Jarul trees as they reached up to kiss the sky and its leaves took on a gilded facade blessed and cosseted by the golden glow of the dying sunlight. The huge Chalta trees dressed in sheaths of myriad creepers that cascaded down in voluminous folds watched our progress into their midst. Silent and serene, the jungle had already won our hearts.

Footprints from the Past

We stopped at the Nalrajar Garh, the 5^th Century ruins belonging to the Gupta dynasty. The ‘fort’ just a weak shadow of its glorious past is actually a rubble of mud and stones draped in foliage that hardly allows you to step in or rather step out. Yes. When I enquired if I could enter the fort, the guide looked at me and said “ You are already in. We are all standing within the fort ramparts. What you see beyond the walls is its outer area”.

While renowned as belonging to the Nal Kings and hence the name, the locals however have a different story. The fort they believe was built by Chila Ray, the ace warrior and commander-in-chief of the kings of the Narayan dynasty belonging to Cooch Behar. His brave assaults on the traditional enemy of the Cooch behar kings, the Bhutias, is revered even today. It is from this gallant warrior that Chilapata draws its name from. He had built the fort as a safeguard against all possible attacks from the Bhutias. Its geographical location, being at an equal distance from Cooch Behar and Bhutan, support this theory.

My guide soon pointed at a tree located next to the fort.
“That is the RamGuia trees” he said.
Having done my research I nodded my head intelligently. “Yes, I said the bleeding tree.”

“They are not trees, Madam but loyalty and chivalry personified” he told me quietly. I was stunned as he regaled me with the second legend.

The Chilapata Legend

The fort it is said had been destroyed by a huge earthquake which caused it to sink into the earth. Even now the few remaining portions seen above the ground are fast sinking further down. However, the brave and loyal royal guards refused to leave the fort unprotected. They sank along with the fort having pledged to protect their Lord and his land until death. These loyal guards, it is said have been reborn as trees and still stand tall around the fort fiercely fulfilling their duty.

Legends are what really makes up the uniqueness of a place. That is what I feel makes India so special. Every corner of my land of contrasts has a story to tell. However, insignificant and faded over time but it is still there breathing life into a place which would otherwise have vanished from human memory. Just like the “Nalrajar garh” ruins.

Our jeep took a sudden turn deeper into the wilderness. The guide had noticed a movement and was sure it was a Bison. We got our cameras ready only to be disappointed as the Bison was in no mood to be clicked. However, just as we were surreptitiously making our way out it peered at us from behind the foliage obviously not appreciating this sudden intrusion during his evening snack time.

The Chilapata People

A beautiful performance by lovely Rabha ladies ended the Safari. Several tribal groups inhabit the chilapata regions and the Rabhas are one of them. They are mainly concentrated in the districts of Jalpaiguri and Coochbehar.
The dancers were decked in their traditional costumes. The dance was a demonstration of their regular lifestyle and beautifully depicted  how they went about their chores like fishing and farming. It was totally enthralling.
I chatted with their leader, a pretty girl called Chitramanorama. She smiled shyly as she told me her name explaining that her parents were passionate about movies and hence had named her after one.

The Goodbye Kiss

As we were driving back , I stood up in the jeep lost in my thoughts.The sun was almost fading and light had grown faint. All of a sudden I felt something hard hit me on the mouth. I instinctively, brushed my hand against it only to find a butterfly flying away into the wilderness.
A goodbye kiss no doubt but one of the best I could have got. As I sit back today reliving that beautiful evening, I can still feel that caress urging me to answer to its call.
Some day I will, because some stories leave you wanting for more.