Dooars - lap of Himalaya

Dooars is the gateway of Himalaya from West Bengal. It is a densely forested and rich in Biodiversity both flora and fauna. Dooars can be approached by several entry points. We entered through New Mal Junction station.

Camping inside Gorumara National park core area was just a dream for me. The camp site was Kalipur Eco Village. It is well protected by electric fencing and forest guards. Our main motto was bird watching though we spotted mammals too. The added gift was One Horned Rhino sighting within 10 feet. It was a Rhino couple having their breakfast inside electric fence. I saw for the first time Barking Deer so close to us, was munching grass peacefully. The call of Barking Deer is so significant just like a dog.

We made a check list of Birds spotted in Gorumara National Park. Here it is –

1. Indian peafowl
2. Rudy shell duck (Migratory)
3. River Lapwing
4. Black Stork
5. Grey headed pygmy woodpecker
6. Lineated barbet
7. Blue throated barbet
8. Common hawk cuckoo
9. Indian Roller
10. Chestnut tailed starling
11. Spangled drongo
12. Red- Vented Bulbul
13. Jungle mayna
14. Common Pied mayna
15. Red whiskered bulbul
16. Alexandrine Parakeet
17. Bay backed shrike
18. Oriental pied Hornbill
19. Black kite
20. Oriental Magpie robin
21. Rufous Treepie
22. Verditar flycatcher
23. Black drongo
24. Racket tailed drongo
25. Golden fronted leafbird
26. Fulvous Breasted woodpecker
27. Spotted dove
28. Blue rock thrush
29. Scarlet minivet
30. Black ibis
31. Crimson sunbird
32. Black hooded oriole
33. Rose ringed parakeet
34. Red breasted parakeet
35. Grey headed parakeet
36. Creasted serpent eagle
37. Yellow footed green pigeon
38. Hill mayna
39. Black headed yellow bulbul
40. Canary flycatcher
41. Common merganser
42. Lesser cormorant
43. Purple heron
44. Common krestel etc.

There are four routes to trek into the core area forest – Chukchuki, Jaldhaka, Medla High forest and Murti Riverside trail. Among these Jaldhaka trail is most adventurous through my eyes. We crossed River Murti and Jaldhaka six times bare feet. The icy cold water, smooth pebbles, gurgling sound of river, sandy bank and never ending grasslands gives us a feel of Savana in Africa.

The last day morning trek to Medla tower gifted us a view of snow clad mountains which was completely unexpected. The flowing Murti River, stretching grasslands, hill upland, high forest, grazing land, salt pit, chirping birds – totally a refreshing package for us.

Altogether Dooars is a place of never ending exploration. Our voyage continues..... Coming up Blogs on Dooars - " Dreamland " and "Buxa - where meets Nature with Culture"