INDIA: SUNDERBANS III

Posted November 7, 2008 by Rahul Aggarwal

Had to make an early start today for the trip to the Sunderbans. We set off by minibus to the small village of Sonakhali and then it was a 3 hour boat ride to the Tiger Camp where I would be staying. The boat journey was excellent with tea and coffee served as we cruised our way along the delta. I already felt a million miles from the chaos of Kolkata. Our guide, Mr. Raptan had been leading tours for the past 20 years and gave us a brief introduction to the Sunderbans. The reserve is actually split between India and Bangladesh with 40% lying on the Indian side. After almost 3 hours relaxing on the river we finally arrived at our camp which will be home for the next 2 nights.

The camp is set on the riverfront and everything run in a very eco-friendly manner, from the use of solar panels to the sustainable use of water and raw materials. The camp has a range of accommodation ranging from tents and huts to fully equipped AC cottages. I had opted for the non-AC hut which was fine for this time of year.

After a lavish buffet lunch we set off for our first cruise amongst the mysterious mangroves. We were all on the lookout for one thing – the infamous man-eating tigers of the Sunderbans...

Tigers have been known to swim across the river and venture into villages killing and eating many humans every year. Fisherman and honey-collectors who venture deeper into the mangroves have come up with a simple yet effective way of warding away this predator. Tigers are not known to attack from the front (such cowards!), so people wear masks on the back of their heads in the hope they won’t be attacked. Apparently it works… to some extent!

The river and the mangroves seemed endless and we caught occasional glimpses of fisherman hurling nets into the water, scooping up plenty of fish. The weather was fantastic albeit a little humid.

We cruised along spotting numerous kingfishers and other birds, as well as the odd monitor lizard but no tiger sighting. The encouraging news was that tiger numbers have steadily increased in the region totalling some 270. Although we knew the chances of spotting one in an area of 2500 sq kn were going to be remote.

After we got back to the camp, some locals performed folk dance and music after which we proceeded to the outdoor dining area. I like this buffet style of dining, and naturally ate to bursting point… my favourite were the delicious kofteh, these were balls made of raw banana which were fried and cooked in mustard-based gravy.

Afterwards I got chatting to the manager and staff who were all extremely friendly, before retiring to the comfort of my hut… tomorrow is an early start.

This blog is part of an Off-The-Beaten-Track Travel Diary. Click on the links below to navigate through this journey.