• Distance from Kolkata- 240 kms- Approx driving time – 4 – 5 hours
• Distance from Jamshedpur– 45 Kms- Approx driving time- 1 hour
• Distance from Durgapur– 176 Kms- Approx driving time – 4 – 5 hours
• Thus if you are located at any of these cities or nearby you can surely have a great weekend trip to Ghatshila

Ghatshila is a sleepy town located in the State of Jharkhand. It found its prominence due to the outstanding film “Pather Panchali” directed by the world renowned Director “Satyajit Ray” and produced by the Govt of West Bengal. This film was based on the novel by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay. I have drawn inspiration from both these legend and have taken the creative liberty of translating the name of this novel in English and using it as the Title of my Blog.

The town is also known for the Subarnarekha River. The river has been an inspiration of many renowned personalities including the Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. If I translate the Bengali word “Subarnarekha” it means “Streak of Gold” ! In the distant past Gold was mined at the source of the river at a tiny hamlet called Piska near Ranchi. Unfortunately the El Dorado have dried out but you can still go to the bank of the river and try to net some gold. Who knows you can just get lucky! The best time to visit is during sunset as the Golden hue of the sun creates magic as it reflects on the ripples of water

Just once I had been to Ghatshila and that too at a very young age. I have dim recollection of visiting the banks of Subarnarekha river and trekking through the green mountains. I was so moved by the beauty of this town that I always wanted to come back and carve a memory in my mind and heart. Unfortunately, in spite of my Uncle and Aunt residing here the wish remained unfulfilled. Finally in Nov 2019 my aunt called to inform that my cousin is getting married in Dec’2019 and the opportunity to fulfill my wish came alive. Immediately I planned out a trip but could not stay beyond 2 days. Thus, it was in my interest to plan meticulously so that I could fulfill the responsibilities of the marriage function as well as my long due desire to experience Ghatshila to the fullest.

Where to stay in Ghatshila?

• Hotel Meridian– Circus Maidan, Dahigora, Ghatshila, Jharkhand- 832103
• There are other hotels which you can check online but I prefered to stay here as this on “Apur path”. Does it Ring a bell?
• The question was for my Bengali readers who have watched “Pather Panchali” or have read the work of Bibhutibhushan.

Weather:

• Welcome to the Tropics! The summers are very hot and the winters very cold. Thus the best time is October to February

Day 1:

On arriving in Ghatshila I headed straight to meet my cousin and my relatives and friends who have gathered for the occasion.The entire house had a festive mood and in no time I became an active participant of the festivities of an Indian wedding. Naturally I got so engrossed that I lost sense of time till I saw dinner being served. At that point I realised that I have lost a whole day and somehow have to find a way to tour Ghatshila the next day amidst the ceremony! Please continue reading to learn how I managed it?

What is special about Apur Path?

I mentioned earlier that I prefer to stay on Apur Path- ( Street of Apu). For my non- Bengali reader let me try and put this in perspective. The legendary Indian “Satyajit Ray” created the brilliant masterpiece “Pather Panchali” as his debut film in the year 1955. It won 11 International awards including the Human Document Award at Cannes Film festival. Ray even went ahead and won an honorary Oscar in 1992. In fact in 2013 the Academy of Motion pictures screened all the 3 sequels of Pather Panchali. The plot of the film has two siblings Apu ( brother) and his sister Durga who who despite their enormous poverty and struggle were emotionally connected to the core. There is a scene from the movie which is eternally etched in our memories. Apu and Durga runs towards the main road through a village road as they hear the whistle of a train approaching in the distance. The scene was not shot on Apur Path in Ghatshila.But the authorities drawing parallel from the film decided to name the road in the honour of the writer as well as the protagonist of the film. At one end of Apur Path is a railway track and on the other end is the house of the writer( Bibhutibhushan). Trust you can now visualise the similarity?

Day 2:

The next morning I woke up at 6 AM and walked on the Apur Path all by myself from the railway track upto “Gowri Kunj”. But alas it was closed ! Thus I went again after breakfast.

Gowri Kunj- Abode of Bibhutibhushan

• The house has been converted to a Museum
• Museum timings: 9 AM- 1 PM & 3PM- 530 PM
• The museum campus also has a Primary school

First of all I should thank the Government of Jharkhand for taking this initiative and converting the house as a museum. The works of Bandopadhyay is a testimony of his excellence in the pages of history. Nevertheless, this initiatives do act as an inspiration for budding writers and reinforces the belief that local legends will not be forgotten

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I revisited at 10 AM to find a lot of children basking in the winter sun and diligently studying in the open. I was pleasantly surprised that the concept of Pathshala is alive in Modern India. I grabbed the opportunity and striked a conversation with a small group who welcomed me with unadulterated cheerfulness and innocence! No wonder I am so proud of my country as they produce such lovely citizens

I had to leave the children as their next period started. I spent about 30 minutes inside the 2 room museum in going through the various artefacts displayed. This pilgrimage made me experience overjoy after a long time. I am presenting a few pictures and I hope this will provide a sense of the simplicity yet the deep impact of Bibhutibhushan on the Bengali literature

Ramakrishna Math

The temple is located on the parallel road of Apur Path and takes about 5 mins on foot from Gowri Kunj. I am not religious but I find this place spiritually enlightening. Its inexplicable but may be the silence, the small garden around the boundary wall with blooming Hibiscus makes me feel at home. I had a stroll, checked the well being of the inmates and moved ahead to my next destination. However, I would recommend please visit during “Sandhya Aarti”( evening) which transforms the entire area to a new dimension and it is an experience in itself

Burudi Dam

My next destination was the beautiful Burudi Dam. This is the location where the Burudi lake meets the mountain in the horizon. This is an artificial dam located about 7-8 Kms from the city centre. The meandering road through lush green vegetation is a treat to drive. The road directions are invisible and google map will vanish due to poor signal. Therefore, please do not shy away asking the locals for direction. Use the rule of two. Please ask two person and if both shows the same direction you know the direction is right 🙂

As i reached the dam to relive the bygone days I was utterly disturbed by hordes of picnickers who were playing loud music and disturbing the tranquility of the lake.Thus, I walked as far as possible from the commotion to catch a glimpse of the beautiful lake which was surrounded by lush green mountains. The memories of the childhood slowly flowed in and I basked in the memories for a long time. I also took the opportunity to click on a lot of pictures

Important notes

• No entry fees for entry to the dam
• Boating is allowed in the lake with a nominal fees
• One of the shopkeeper told me that every year there is a fair called “Binda Mela”. I missed it by about 10 days
• The tribal of the area do come in and sell various artefacts, goods and sing their fables too. So if you are planning to visit during the Indian winters, you should be here in January

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Other Attractions

After spending time at the dam I had to head back to the marriage hall. However if you visit here do visit Phuldungri Hills. I highly recommend this for trekking enthusiasts. There are series of hillocks you will have to endure and trek so that you can win an unobstructed and magnificent view of Ghatshila from the top

There are other places like Panch Pandav, Galudih dam, Narwah forest, Dharagiri falls. I suggest please hire an Auto and go around the whole day if you want to see all the places.

This blog of mine is a tribute to all writers who expresses them through their writing and leave a deep mark on our culture and history without thinking much about money or appreciation.

Path Harabo bolei ebar Pathe nemechi

Soja Pather dhandae ami anek dhandechi

Path Harabo bolei ebar Pathe nemechi

Salil Chowdhury– A song in Bengali