Dooars trip - 2025 [Howrah station]
Dooars visit 2025 - part1
The first major discussion was about which train to take—should we go by the night train or the day train? One group (me included) voted for the day train, eager to experience the thrill of riding the Vande Bharat Express at over 100 km/h, especially during the monsoon. The thought of zipping through lush greenery under a heavy downpour was irresistible. Besides, sleeping in a packed compartment with ten of us didn’t sound very restful!
The other group leaned towards the night train, hoping to reach fresh and well-rested in the morning. After much debate, the day train won, and Pijush promptly booked the tickets a month in advance.
Mandirtala: June 10th was the big day. Our train was scheduled to depart at 5:50 AM, so Debanu arranged a 16-seater van to pick us up from Mandirtala at 5:15 AM sharp. We knew any delay could mean missing the train—and having missed it once before, Debanu was especially anxious. Thankfully, Sudipta came to the rescue by arranging a Toto rickshaw to ferry a few of us to Mandirtala by 4:30 AM.
What made the morning even more special was a sweet twist of fate. The Toto driver, Shambhu, turned out to be an old friend—we had studied in the same year at the same school! Life has its own way of reconnecting paths. Chatting with him, I learned he was doing well—his daughter is married and settled, and he seemed content with where life had brought him.
After reaching Mandirtala, there was a bit of apprehension—our habitual latecomer, Sumit, was expected to be behind schedule as always. But thanks to Debanu’s planning, he made sure Sumit was up and ready on time. With everyone aboard, our vehicle rolled through the quiet, early morning streets toward Howrah station.
Train to NJP: We reached Howrah station well before 5:30 AM and parked on the cab road. The train was already waiting on the platform. With a little time to spare, I considered grabbing a coffee, but a visibly tense Debanu hurried us along, and I ended up boarding right after him.
Our group of ten was split between two coaches—C5 and C8—but that didn’t stop us from moving back and forth, chatting, laughing, and thoroughly enjoying the ride. Among us were a few smokers, and while the rest of us enjoyed the clean, air-conditioned coach, their growing restlessness was hard to miss. The moment the train made its first stop at Bolpur, Sudipta, Sumit, and Kinsuk jumped off in search of a secluded corner for a few quick puffs.
Before they left, they jokingly asked us to pull the chain if they didn’t make it back in time! Fortunately, the train had arrived 15 minutes ahead of schedule, giving them enough time to reboard without any drama.
We reached NJP right on time. Every time I arrive here, I can’t help but be amazed at the chaotic and disorganized state of the station. As the largest junction in North Bengal—often referred to as the gateway to North India—you’d expect better. Thousands of tourists pass through NJP daily, heading toward Darjeeling, Sikkim, Bhutan, Nepal, Cooch Behar, or the Dooars. Yet, the experience here is far from welcoming.
The long walk from the platform to the taxi stand is dusty, broken, and completely without shade. The escalators don’t work, and persistent touts make the experience even more unpleasant. Thankfully, our cab to Dooars had been pre-booked, and the driver was already waiting for us. But even then, it took some time to find him amidst the general chaos.
The car rolled on toward our destination—Northern Woods Homestay in Chilapata. The heat was relentless, and the humidity was just as punishing. To make matters worse, the car’s AC wasn’t functioning properly. After enduring the discomfort for a while, we finally insisted that the driver stop at a service station to get it fixed. What was supposed to be a three-hour journey ended up taking almost five, but eventually, we reached our homestay—tired, a bit sticky, but still excited.
[Chilapate Northern Woods Homestay] [The group in one frame]
[to continue]
Comments
Post a Comment