I first came to know about Saranda from an adventure novella written by a popular Bengali writer Late Suchitra Bhattacharya. The names of the places Kiriburu, Meghataburu and Tholkobad got embossed in my memory since then. The novella was named ‘Sarandar Shoytan’ (Rogue of Saranda). Mitin Mashi and her neice (Sorry, I forgot her name, maybe Tupur) traversed acrossed entire Saranda to catch hold of the rogue and teach him a good lesson. I was young then. The world of mystery and adventures had completely encapsulated my mind by then. In the garb of the mystery thriller, I had acquired the knowledge about the meaning behind the name ‘Saranda’ as well as the topography of the place.

Well, ‘Saranda’ means ‘A Land of Seven Hundred Hills’ consisting of three key places – Kiriburu, Meghatuburu and Tholkobad. Mainly its an iron mining area with a stunning landscape of Sal forests and red soil. Its a place with blue hills, red mines, vibrant flowers, green trees and azure skies – quite a colourful treat indeed! You can go and lose yourself in the colours or steep yourself into nostalgia if you belong from places encompassing Chotanagpur Plateau. I belong from Durgapur, skirting the Chotanagpur Plateau but the Sal trees was a familiar sight, specially during this time of the year, – the spring. The Sal leaves rustled through and fell, as if carrying letters from my childhood Sundays, cycling through the Sal leaves laden path from my painting class.

On a Friday morning, I got up with groggy eyes and rushed to the Howrah Station with my family – Avik and Tekka. My anxiety disorder gets better of me every time I travel and I have a nightmare that I might be left behind by the train. In the station, I met my other travel companions – my usual ones (my tribe) and two other new friends (should I say ‘friends’ or ‘guardians’ as they were like guardian angels overseeing our tour and inspired us in many ways). We reached Barbil by the time I tried to sleep twice! I tied my mask once more before alighting the train. I was too sleepy to understand where I was until Indrani asked me to remove my mask and take in the fresh air blowing from the Sal trees. With the mask I opened my half closed eyes a bit more and took in the leafy sights with the breeze they brought in.

We entered a sprawling emerald lawn bejeweled with bright flowers. The humble rooms were promoted to premium ones because of the emerald lawn by us at once! After a simple lunch we took some rest and then boarded the cabs once again for ‘sight-seeing’. I was feeling ‘sleep-deprived’ clearly and lost interest in everything – ahh! my mind palace needs a rejig, soon! We were shown the Bolani mines – the red contours laid over the yellow ochres and a speckled greens all over the place. It was just an open cast mine – but the landscape appeared beautiful with the additional geographical features around it. Maybe this is how we try to glorify slow destroys to the nature around us. The next stop was a Sunset Point. The Sun was so busy playing that I thought it had almost forgot to rest back to its western bedroom. Ok! I was still sleepy…..Then it started…to set. The blue hills looked like an amphitheater observing as the Sun turned reddish gold slowly, mesmerizing us with each passing second. Soon after it was dark. A moment before I was pestered about the ‘delay’ in Sunset, and now, a moment after, I wanted to stay back, enjoying the darkness. Finally, after we reached our resthouse back, I slept while others enjoyed conversations….poor me! My sleep schedule deprives my from all these joys! Alas!

The next day, we had a grand plan of wandering around the forests for the entire day. There were tiny stops at a waterfall (or should I say a rivulet) and another iron mine but the grand attraction was the forest all around – giving way to green and only green! After lunch at Tholkobad Rest House, we visited a Bhalu Guha (Bear Cave). I (pretty tired by then) was reluctant to see it but then I pushed myself towards the cave. The moist cold inside the cave was a good welcome break from the sunny embrace outside. The evening saw our party, once again, on the verandah, with the conversations…..I didn’t want to miss it this time. It would remain one of my treasured moments. Our guardian angels Gautam Da and Lopa Di enriched us with their stories of adventures and vivid experiences. It was indeed a learning experience, for us, too! Moments with them taught me the real essence of patience, resilience, respect, love and understanding.

The day after was the journey back home. We stopped at the ‘Jhikira Falls’, experienced the drizzling waters and tiny hiking through the place. It was a refreshing change, indeed. The returning train was a reluctant one, it seemed to me as it dragged through stopping every now and then. I had a good time dozing off, though! At last, it responsibly dropped us in Howrah,so good of it…..otherwise we would have got stranded amidst the palash trees – not bad, though, isn’t it!