Often a times, the biggest surprises of life come in small packages. The little village of Baghmundi might sound like just an ordinary village but once you visit the place, your perception is bound to change. Located at the foot of Ayodhya Hills, the village acts as a charming hideaway for tourists from the stress and anxiety of modern life. A rendezvous with the peaceful serenity, uneven topography, cascading waterfalls, trickling rivers, and diverse flora and fauna of the place will leave you awe struck. Bamni Falls is one of the major attractions of the place. This perennial waterfalls is flanked by charming landscape and vivid greenery. Another tourist spot near Baghmundi is Khairabera, a beautiful lake in the midst of mild slopes and thick woods. You can also visit the Tarpania Lake. This blue lake settled in a desolate landscape is a must visit for those who wish to experience serenity and solitude. Art lovers should make it a point to visit Charida, a village famous for the making of Chau masks. Chau is an acrobatic martial art based tribal dance of the region which involves wearing handcrafted, colourful masks while dancing. You can witness the entire process of making a mask and even collect a few as a souvenir.
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| Baghmundi |
Sightseeing
Bamni FallsBamni Falls is one of the major attractions of the place. This perennial waterfalls is flanked by charming landscape and vivid greenery. Every year, a large number of tourists from Baghmundi, Ajodhya Hills and Murguma visit this place. A 20-minutes downward trek from the main road along a rocky and lightly-forested trail will take you to the front of the beautiful Bamni Falls. The cascading water falls over the rocks and form a small lake down below. You can even indulge in some shopping as there are many stalls near the road selling a variety of handicraft items and other stuff.
Turga FallsLocated close to Bamni Falls, this waterfalls also attracts a lot of tourists. From the main road, you can catch glimpses of the gushing white waters through chinks in the forest cover. Away from busy city life, the charming songs of colorful birds and chattering noise of squirrels make the environment a pleasant place to be in.
Khairabera LakeAnother tourist spot near Baghmundi is Khairabera, a beautiful lake in the midst of mild slopes and thick woods. The beauty of the place is its serenity, uneven terrain, falls, streams, thick vegetation. During the spring, the Palash trees enhance the scenic beauty of the area with their orange-red flowers. The ample scenic beauty of nature at Khairabera makes it a prime tourist spot.
Pakhi PaharThis 800 ft high hill called Pakhi Pahar is a canvas for the artist, Chitta Dey, who along with his team, has sculpted nearly 65 images of birds on the sheer rock face. The hill has now become a hotspot for tourists who visit this place, only to be left speechless by the single-minded dedication and passion of the veteran artist. Encompassed by verdant forest, Pakhi Pahar is also a great spot for bird watching.
Upper Dam & Lower DamBoth the upper and lower dams are part of the Purulia Pumped Storage Project (PPSP). These huge reservoirs are engineering marvels. Water from these reservoirs are used for hydroelectric power generation. The Lower Dam, especially, looks spectacular when viewed from the roadside viewpoint situated between the Upper Dam and Lower Dam.
Charida VillageArt lovers should make it a point to visit Charida, a village famous for the making of Chau masks. Chau is an acrobatic martial art based tribal dance of the region which involves wearing handcrafted, colourful masks while dancing. You can witness the entire process of making a mask and even collect a few as a souvenir.
Marble LakeYou can also visit the Marble Lake situated near Ajodhya Hill Top. This blue lake settled in a desolate landscape is a must visit for those who wish to experience serenity and solitude. Once you reach the place, you will be mesmerized by the charming beauty of the place. This man-made lake was formed when the rocks here were quarried for stone to build irrigation dams. The Marble Lake is surrounded by towering walls of scraggy boulders overhanging the clear, azure waters. There are two points from where you can enjoy the lake's beauty - one is from the top, and the other one is from the side of the lake.
How to Reach
Trains are running from Howrah to Barabhum. Baghmundi is 19 km from Barabhum. Buses and cars are available from Barabhum to reach Baghmundi. Alternatively, you can reach Purulia by train from Howrah, Santragachi or Shalimar. Baghmundi is 59 km from Purulia town.
Accommodation
Chhowburu Guest House
Tariff: Rs. 800-1000/- per person with breakfast, lunch and dinner
Tel: 9732294515
Aranyak Lodge
Tariff: Rs. 500-800/- per room
Tel: 9732394115
For more places to visit near Baghmundi,
buy the Weekend Destinations travel guidebook.
