Garhpanchkot: Peace and Quiet

Nestled among the forests of Purulia, nurtured by the waters of Barakur and guarded by the Panchet Hills, Garhpanchkot offers the perfect weekend getaway.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO

A typical day out at Panchet Hills starts with the ruined, yet beautiful remnants of Raja Singh Deo’s fort and temple. Learn how Panchet Dam connects Purulia in West Bengal to Dhanbad in Jharkhand. After lunch, a little fun at the Muradih Lake can be followed up by visiting Kalyaneshwari and Brinjnath temples. Finally, take a break with a ride on the boat across River Barakur and eat unlimited chaat at Maithon.

Raja’s Fort

About 7 km up Panchet Hill stands Garhpanchkot, which gives the town its name. The fort keeps a lonely vigil over the world beneath. It dates as far back as 90 CE to the reign of Raja Damodar Sekhar.

Pancharatna Temple, Garhpanchkot

Nilayan Dutta

The Pancharatna Temple, as it is called, still carries some exquisite terracotta work on its sandstone arches and pillars. The staircase inside the temple is dilapidated, but with a little effort, you can climb up to get a great view of the valley beneath. Ditto with the ruined watchtower on its right.

TIP Get off the hill by late afternoon as it is deserted and unsafe after sunset

Muradih Lake

A 15-km drive away, across a rustic setting, lies Muradih. This lake is home to numerous fish. The fish bring in the birds, and the birds attract tourists. Between August and November, when bird migration is at its peak, hornbills and cormorants occupy the entire lake. When the birds have gone, local anglers try their hand at catching the jal pushp, or water flowers. Sunrise and sunset are the best time to come to the lake.

Visitors enjoying a boat ride on Muradih Lake

Nilayan Dutta

Panchet Dam

The flagship tourist spot lies about 5 km upstream at the confluence of the Barakar and Damodar rivers. How ever, for security reasons, you can not stop here midway if you’re driving, but only on reaching the other end. The only place where you can get down is near the steps that leads to the Nehru Children’s Park.

WHERE TO STAY AND EAT

WBFDC’s Garhpanchkot Prakriti Bhraman Kendra (Kolkata Tel: 033-22258549; Tariff: ₹ 1,200-4,000) at the foot of Panchet Hill, is the only option. Book at least a month in advance, and from Kolkata itself, as they are in demand throughout the season. The food and service at the restaurant are average. Order food an hour in advance.

When to go From October to March Location At the confluence of Damodar and Barakur rivers, in the hills of North Purulia District Air Nearest airport: Kolkata Rail Nearest rail: Asansol, Adra