An exam trip to Varanasi

Varanasi or Benaras, situauted on the bank of the Ganges is considered to be one of the oldest inhabited cities on Earth. The first time I had set foot on this holy land was in August 2017 when my train decided to change it's route on way to Delhi. I had to get down here and continue my journey to Allahabad on bus. However it was not long when I got my second opportunity to visit this famed city. CSIR NET December 2017. As I was staying in Allahabad, Varanasi was the closest exam centre. Though I was on tight schedule I managed to visit a few spots within the approx. 24 hours I was in the city. So this is my encounter with the holy city.

Golpatar jungle: A day out from Kolkata

A bit unknown to the people in the city, unmarked in the Google maps, this place around 80kms away is an ideal weekend gate away to the people in the city of joy, Kolkata.

As the name suggests, the Golpatar jungle is filled with the Golpatar trees. The famous Sundari trees after which the Sunderban is named can also be found here in abundance and may be it is for this reason that the Golpatar jungle is regarded as the gateway to Sunderban.

In order to reach the Golpatar jungle, one can board the local train from Sealdah till Taki Road station. From there the journey can be continued by motor vans or rickshaws. One can also drive down Taki road from Barasat which lies along NH-34. Being quite close to the border, it is advisable to carry identity card and may need to be deposited at the BSF checkpoint located on way to the forest from Taki.