RUINS OF GARH PANCHKOT.

"HISTORY IS WHO WE ARE AND WHY WE ARE THE WAY WE ARE"- David McCullough.
                        

GARH PANCHKOT is a ruined fort located in the eastern part of India at the foothills of Panchet Hill in the district of Purulia,West Bengal.The ruins of the Panchkot Palace are a silent testimony to the Bargi attack during the 18th centuary.

                   The place holds a tragic historic background and the ruins of the fort signifies the injustice from the then Maratha people.

HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE: From a historical perspective Alivardi Khan had become the Nawab of Bengal in April 1740, having defeated and killed Sarfiraz Khan. Rustam Jung, Sarfiraz's brother-in law,challenged Alivardi Khan but failed in his endeavours which prompted him to seek the help of the Maratha Rulers of Nagpur, Raghoji Bhosle who entered Bengal through Panchet and started looting along the countryside.These Maratha men came to be known as the" Bargis".For about 10 years they looted and plundered Bengal. It ended in the year 1751 after settlement was reached between the Nawab of Bengal and the Maratha King.

                             During one of these encounters GARH PANCHKOT Was attacked by the "BARGI" and having defeated the Kings guards, they destroyed it after looting and plundering the Palace.It is believed that all  the 17 wives of the king committed suicide in a nearby well during such brutal attack. Garh Panchkot laid in ruin ever since.

                                          

                                                        

The tragic story that lay hidden behind the ruins of the place is a perfect example of "where story meets History". To reach GARH PANCHKOT  it takes almost 1 hour 30 mins from Purulia Railway Station .The average distance between the two place is about 72 kms. On a visit to Panchkot it will help you to depict about the deadly attacks that plundered Bengal in the past and called for its ruins.Here you can take a walk to visit the ruins of the fort , with a nostalgic feeling like every ruined part will whisper a different part of the story of such a brutal attack.The uncanny smell of the jungle,the calmness of the place will definitely trigger your mind to recall about such a deadly attack that dragged the fort and its civilians to ruins.

RURAL EDGES

RAMBHA,ODISHA.

   

One of the flourishing tourist destination located on the vicinity of Lake Chilka is Rambha,a small town and a notified area in Ganjam district in the state of Odisha. Rambha with its minimum population potrays a perfect landscape along with the Chilka Lake surrounded by islands of different elevation. 

               Lake Chilka encircling the town Rambha is a brackish water lagoon covering Puri,Khurda and the Ganjam districts of Odisha on the east coast of India.It is the largest coastal lagoon in India and the second largest coastal lagoon in the world.The river is the largest wintering ground for the migratory birds and a home to a number of threatened species of floras and faunas.The river ecosystem with its magnificant fishery resources is a major earning media for the folks from the villages situated adjacent to the river areas. 

               The major tourist destination in Rambha includes

• BREAKFAST ISLAND:

It is a small structure made in between the Chilka Lake (from the Rambha side) at approximately 5-10 minuites of travel distance by speedboat. No breakfast is eventually served here only the name is as such after British Governor visited the place before breakfast. But people visiting there can take there packed breakfast and lunch and have it in the middle of the water.

• BIRDS ISLAND: This is a must watch place amidst the river specially during the winter season when the island becomes a paradise for migratory birds : Grey herons , Egrets, Storks,Spoonbills, white ibis, Pochards, Asiatic Dowitchers, Marsh harriers, Brahminy Kites and many more. 
• SANAKUDA ISLAND: It is a man made island situated at a distance of 7km form Rambha , travelling through boat takes   1 hour and one will find here some wild buffaloes and migratory birds.                                                                                                                                                        Personally I would suggest Rambha to be one of the emerging tourist destination from Odisha .One can cherish the sunrise and sunset amidst the lake by taking boats that will help you to feel the calmness and eternity of the place.  The best time to visit the place will be in the winter months as the place is  enriched with various migratory species visible during the months of winter or early spring.