Monchasa - the perfect weekend destination from Kolkata was waiting for us. Our weekend trip from Kolkata was no more a dream. It was finally happening! And the time for it had already arrived. We were on our way!
The car took the right turn from Kalinagar Bus Stop on the Contai-Nandakumar Road in the Purba Medinipur district. There was another right turn after about 5 kilometers on our route. And then we entered the magical grounds of Monchasa - a resort developed as a part of a rural ecotourism initiative in the district of Purba Medinipur in West Bengal. It's a resort full of greenery - something that people need to spend time in and always look for too. However, these are hard to find in the cities of India.
While planning our West Bengal travel from Kolkata for the weekend, we were looking for a quick retreat close to nature. And it's not easy to find a weekend destination from Kolkata that's really alluring and something that quenches your thirst for travel close to a river and in the lap of nature.
This is when we came across this place with a beautiful name - Monchasa. In Bengali, the name is an amalgamation of two parts - Mon, which means the soul or the heart, and 'Chasha', which translates to Farmer. So, this retreat that lies close to nature is created is a place where you can visit to cultivate things that are close to your soul and spend some quality time close to a village with a flowing river.
The Journey from Kolkata
We started at around 8 in the morning for Monchasa from the southern fringes of Kolkata and started moving ahead. We took the route toward the Vidyasagar Setu, also called the Second Hoogly Bridge.
After crossing Vidyasagar Setu, we crossed Uluberia and Bagnan. We took a short break for our breakfast at Kolaghat and continued toward Nandakumar. From Nandakumar, we took a right turn toward Digha and continued on Contai-Nandakumar Road and then on the Digha Road. After reaching Kalinagar us Stop, we took a right turn. After a while, we had to cross a bridge, the Pausi Desapran Setu, and drive along the small and narrow roads of a small but beautiful village that has a sweet name - Pausi.
The road ran along the banks of the local river named Bagda. Soon we reached the gate of Monchasa.
The First Impression of Monchasa
We parked our car just inside the main gate of Monchasa Resort and walked the stretch to the reception area. Our luggage was left behind at the gates. Soon the bags we had bought with us were was carried in a hand-drawn cart. These cart are common in rural India, but can't usually be seen in hotels or resorts.
The narrow, unpaved road that takes you inside Monchasa has a couple of medium-sized ponds on both sides. If you're planning your travel to Monchasa, you can enjoy angling or swimming in those ponds. The fishing rods are available in the resort. You can also take a stroll and watch the birds at Monchasa.
A Warm Welcome at Monchasa
Once we reached the main area, on our right was a large, earthen-floored reception area. As we entered it, we were welcomed with cool and fresh lime water - much needed after our long drive from Kolkata.
Soon we were allotted a couple of rooms on both sides of a single cottage with a pristine appearances.
The Enchanting Bamboo Cottages
At Monchasa, you get to stay in bamboo cottages with thatched roofs. The stairs from the grounds of Monchasa led to the sitting area outside the rooms. A couple of sofas made from cane are placed here to relax. Just beyond the sitting area, the Bagda River ran relentlessly. A sweet breeze came from the side of the river. It brought to us an immediate feeling that we would be enjoying the peace and comfort at Monchasa Resort that we look for but hardly find during our busy daily life in the crowd of the city.
On both sides of the sitting area were the two rooms. The floors of the rooms are made from mud and are covered with carpets. The walls are made from bamboo. Each room has an attached washroom and a balcony facing the Badga river, which flows right behind the thatched bamboo cottages of Monchasa.
Exploring Monchasa
After refreshing, we headed out of our rooms and started exploring the amazing space of Mon Chasa. Rightly dubbed by the owners as a 'responsible ecotourism initiative', this eco-resort is green in the true sense of the term. A large number of trees have been planted around the area. They provide the required shade and keep Mon Chasa cool. The shades, along with the sweet breeze from Bagda river, ensure that there's no need of any air conditioner in Mon Chasa, as they keep the ambiance really cozy.
There's a large area made from mud floor and thatched roof. It has one verandah and a couple of rooms. On one side of this area is the reception and the dining area. There are several games, such as carrom, in this area. Besides, you can find a canvas and a few tools, which you can use to draw pictures. Besides, there are a few handicraft items on the walls of every room of Monchasa. Most of these handicrafts are created by local artisans in Monchasa. If you want, you can purchase a few handicraft items as souvenir.
As you move ahead, there's a sitting area with a small bed at one end of the verandah. There's a waterbody right where the verandah ends and beyond that, you can see acres of paddy fields.
The sitting are has a couple of small cots made from bamboo, a couple of tea tables, and a few chairs. This surely is the perfect area to lie down and spend a lazy afternoon, while enjoying the greenery.
Along with the cottages, there's also a small hut in Monchasa that displays the essentials of rural life. These include ploughs, spinning wheels, a weaving machine, a potter's wheel, and a few earthen and wooden decorative items made by the local artisans from the village of Pausi who come here.
A gate toward the rear side of the resort takes you to the banks of River Bagda. You can enjoy walk on the banks or go for a a boating experience on the river whenever you want to spend time closer to nature.
The area outside the reception is well managed with several flowering plants and large trees. A small waterbody has been created artificially to grow lotus plants. A few colorful fishes swim this little pond.
Delicious Lunch at Monchasa
The sumptuous lunch at Monchasa oozed the flavors of rural Bengal. The menu comprised:
- Rice
- Fried bitter gourd or ucche bhaja
- Locally prepared ghee
- Dal
- Fried potato or alubhaja
- Mixed vegetable or sabji
- Two types of fish curries or maacher jhol
- Chatni
- Sweets
All the items that were served in Monchasa were quite fresh. Their preparations were also quite great.
They were cooked with special care and were extremely delicious. Besides, the staff at Monchasa served the food in such a caring way that we felt really welcome at this serene resort in Purba Medinipur.
The Evening at Monchasa
After taking a walk across the grounds, we felt tired as an effect of the heavy lunch. So, we decided to go for a short afternoon nap. After the siesta, we experienced the beautiful sunset sitting on the cozy couches made from cane at the cottage's common area while enjoying the draft of air from the river.
As the darkness rolled in, Monchasa changed its appearance immediately. The lights that were switched on were dim. So, the magic of the night was not wiped away completely with any vibrant lighting system. While relaxing on the cane bench on the balcony of our cottage in Monchasa, we enjoyed the soothing evening breeze that was coming from the side of River Bagda that shimmered in the darkness.
A bit later, we were served our evening snacks - muri and telebhaja. These are puffed rice, along with a few deep-fried accompaniments, such as peyaji and alur chop that were really awesome to have.
Soon after, we were sitting on the sofa and looking at the magical, moonlit landscape across river Bagda.
It's Dinner Time at Mochasa
Before it was too late, we were informed that our dinner was ready. So, we headed toward the dining area. It was now lit in a not-so-artificial manner. The low power of the light helped to keep the ambiance of the evening at the rural settings of Monchasa true to the natural surroundings.
The dining table was filled with the best dishes from the local cuisines. These included both rice and chapatis or roti, along with different types of accompaniments, such as dal, vegetables, and chicken.
We were planning to stroll through Monchasa after dinner. However, the darkness and the idea of coming across snakes (this is why winter is the best time to visit Monchasa) made us rethink it. We stood outside our cottages for a while, looking at the star studded sky, which is not visible from the cities due to pollution. After spending some time staring at the pitch-black darkness across Bagda River and enjoying the look of the sky full of shining stars, we retired for the day inside our cottages.
The next morning, most of the staffs were ready even before we woke up. So, we got enchanting cups of bed tea. After getting refreshed, we strolled the area and found that the beautiful morning light had actually augmented the beauty of the place. After sometime, we went to have the delicious breakfast.
The breakfast menu at Monchasa was quite delectable to say the least. The enticing menu comprised:
- Fruits
- Luchi or deep-fried flatbread
- Sada aloor torkari or accompaniment made of potato
- Pickle
- Sweets
After completing our breakfast, we spent a bit of time fishing in a pond of Monchasa. Then we bathed in another pond inside the area of Monchasa. Soon, we were ready to leave the magical world of Monchasa.
On the way, we had our lunch at Sandeepa Restaurant at Kolaghat and reached home before sunset.
0 Comments