TAKI, HASNABAD: A perfect day on the banks of Ichhamati

If you are a Bengali, then you will definitely know the thriving small village of Taki, Hasnabad from the southwestern part of West Bengal. It’s not because of the village but due to one of the most romantic rivers of Bengal named Ichhamati. Ichhamati is now playing a very important role in the modern world. On one hand, it carries the legacy of human history for hundreds of years and on the other hand, it is now one of the most important international borders between India – Bangladesh.

Taki, Hasnabad is a small cozy retreat near Kolkata. It is just 75 Km from the city and only two and a half hours drive away. It is also known as the gateway of Sundarbans. If you are planning a weekend trip to Taki after the pandemic, then this blog is the place to be.

Best time to visit Taki

Taki, Hasnabad can be visited at any time of the year. However, the most suitable time to visit is during the winter season. The immersion of Durga Idols on the water Ichhamati river following the Durga Pujas is another memorable experience.

Place of interest

Ichhamati River

Ichhamati River is the most prominent and important attraction of Taki. It is a trans-boundary river which flows through India and Bangladesh forming the international border.  Be it the sunrise or sunset a boat ride is always relaxing and refreshing. There are boats available to hire from the ghats. You can take a closer look at the international border and see the adjoining villages of Satkhira, a district across the border in Bangladesh.

Machranga (Deep) Island

Situated at the confluence of the Ichhamati and Vasa River, Machranga (Deep) Island is an uninhabited island. You can hop on a boat and visit the island for a short while. For bird watchers, it could be an interesting spot. But, due to the security reasons, the island remains closed for travellers. Please gather information before your visit.

Golpatar Jungle

Golpatar Jungle is one of the most beautiful places in Taki, Hasnabad. As the name suggests, the Golpatar Jungle is filled with the Golpata Trees. One of the famous Sundari Trees of this region, after which the Sundarbans is named. The newly made walking trails under the Golpata trees leads to the opening on the bank of the river. This is the point where the river being very narrow brings the two countries closest in this region. You can clearly see the people of Sreepur village of Bangladesh on the opposite bank of the river. There is no fencing to mark the international border, people of both sides are free to use the river. Remember to carry your Identity card, you may need to deposit it at the BSF check-post located on the way to the jungle.

Roychowdhury Zamindar House

One of the famous zamindar houses is the Roychowdhury Zamindar House. This is the ancestral house of former army general Shankar Roychowdhury. The first zamindar was Shri. Krishna Das Raychowdhury, he was a descendent of Shri. Birat Guha. Shri. Guha is one of the first five Kayasthas who came to Bengal from Kanauj. Like most of the Zamindar Houses, the Roychowdhury house also has a beautiful Natmandir.

Apart from the Roychowdhury Zamindar House, there are ruins of zamindar houses existing even from the Mughal Period.

If you still have some more time, then you can visit the Ramkrishna Missions, Kuleshwari Kali Temple, 300 years old JoraShib Mandir or the ChotoHujurerDarga.

Visarjan of Durga Idols

Taki emerges itself into the celebration of Durga Puja like its counterpart Satkhira, a district across the border in Bangladesh. The Ichhamati river, which acts as the border between India and Bangladesh becomes the hotspot of human interaction and tradition on the day of Visarjan of Durga Idols. Boats of all shapes and sizes can be seen on the river, each of them flying the flag of its respective country. The boats come to immerse their idols on the water of Ichhamati and wave to each other, exchange chocolates and people could even disembark from their boats on the other side. But recently restriction has been imposed to put an end to this beautiful practice.

I was lucky to witness this part of history once, in the year of 2009 I visited Taki on the day of visarjan. If you are interested to know about my experience of this tradition, then please read this: “TAKI, HASNABAD: The story shall be called Ichhamati”.

How to reach

By Train:

From Sealdah Station take Hasnabad Local train to reach Taki, Hasnabad. From Hasnabad station take an electric-powered vehicle, locally known as Toto to roam around the nearby places.

By Road:

If you want to avail Bus then you can get it from Esplanade (No. 252).

If you are traveling on a car then you can avail the Basanti Road via Ghatakpukur. You can also take the Taki Road from Barasat – Chapandali crossing. Taki is about 75 km from Science City and takes around two hours to reach.

Where to stay

Public Health Guest House 

For Booking contact New Secretariat Building, 07th Floor, IKS Roy Road, Kolkata 700-001, Ph: 033-22624792, Email: phed_bungalow@wbphed.gov.in.

Eco Tourisam Gust House

Known as Eco Park, approx. 3 Km away from the riverfront into village settings away from any locality where some residential facilities have been created. Municipal Office: 03217 233 324 / 234 481; BidhanSaikat-II: +91 96357 06066; Email: cmoftm@gmail.com.

Bisram Baganbari

Booking can be done from 20/1/1C, Ballygunge Station Road, 1st Floor, Kolkata-700019; Ph : +91 90070 12271, +91 90070 12275, www.bisrambaganbari.com.

Hotel Sonar Bangla

Mansingha Rd, Taki, West Bengal 743429, Ph: 98362 66680, www.hotelsonarbangla.com.