Jhalong: In the lap of Nature
The path showed by a bright purple colored dragonfly, as I sink while descending in the valley surrounded by hills. The sound of the fast flowing river Jaldhaka and the vigil of the magpie over a lanky almost barren tree (as if the protector of nature) welcomes me to Jhalong’s ‘Green Island’.
Jhalong, a place 92 km from Siliguri gives us the chance of rediscovering ourselves in undisturbed peace and harmony. Through intricate twist and turns of hill-roads, and proceeding with literally seesaw effect, I am traveling. The only 20-minute stop in Chalsa 61 km from Siliguri gives me the signal of approaching Jhalong. The panorama change almost suddenly as I started having the feeling of getting engulfed by the thick exhibition of fauna superiority both sides of our road as it pierces through its heart. Rare artificiality, rare presence of civilization, it is wild!!
It took exactly 3 hours from Siliguri (I boarded the bus 7.10 a.m.) to reach Jhalong Bazaar where I dropped myself from the West Bengal State Transport vehicle as instructed by Sampad-da, the owner of the only resort there ‘Green Island’. A one-kilometer trekking downhill from bazaar across a small conglomerate of dwellings of those curious innocent faces of some last resident of Indian soil, took me to my destination.
As I cross the local inhabits I faced Bhutan peak, standing tall as the boundary for Bhutan. And I am in the middle- middle of almost a hidden piece of lowland surrounded by hill (the name of the resort – ‘Green Island’ perhaps gets justified). The hilly khola (as they call the river in their local language) separate us from Bhutan, another country as determined by few human beings by drawing lines across the maps of political atlas. But the river allows us to cross it easily across some places of ankle-deep water. It feels that one should not get deceived by her placid look as it often changes into a torrent in each turn and assisted by strong cool wind gushing out through the valley. Typically nature, wild yet beautiful!
There is the sound of the roaring river, the angry flowing wind, the chirping of some unseen birds, the cricket sound …… and nothing else. A spider I noticed weaving web among the blades of the grasses considering the place most secured and thus personifying the tranquility. The most natural orchestra plucks the strings of joy in my mind and I vociferously accompanied by the fluttering leaves of the trees encompassing me. The seeds of tamarind droop over my head as I am sitting on a rock. The tamarind tree is trying to generate new life or blessing my impossible effort of penning down the most inexplicable experiences of a human being.
The only life apart from me is the owner of ‘Green Island’ Mr. Sampad Agarwal (previously referred as Sampad-da), Sarda Madam the manager cum cook (one of the finest of her kind), and Lalit the assistant boy along with the most beautiful flora and fauna of that little heaven. They all symbolize hospitality as they maintain the wooden cottages Tiger, Rhino, Tusker-I with great skill and cordial effort.
And there is peace. Confrontation with myself is healing several wounds, clearing the deposited trash and giving new reasons to move forward.
I believe that if you visit this place with true heart and enough courage to face yourself, Jhalong will welcome you with the same Eternal orchestra.
Experienced By:
Abhishek Bagchi
01.06.07
