The lure of the land of the Bengal Tiger is enigmatic, if not altogether mysterious. For those visiting the Sunderbans, Bongheri Homestays offers a perfect riverside stay for nature lovers. Located in Kaikhali, just 100 metres from the Matla river, this homestay is cradled by green below and a bright blue canopy above. Simple and comfortable, outfitted with all creature comforts, it is an ideal stop to explore the mangrove forest.
Four small cottages line a pond within the green premises, where lush trees sway in the breeze — including date palms that produce sap for gur in the winter. With the rippling river only a few steps away, and a calming cover of green all around, the environment soothes the mind, body and soul.
Speaking to My Kolkata about his homestay, owner Neelanjan Chakraverty mentioned how he first thought of the property as a haven for himself. “I was an avid trekker and used to visit the remotest areas in the Himalayas. So, I tried to make a homestay for my own sake. I wanted it to be in a remote area. When people visit the Sunderbans, everyone goes to the Sajnekhali or Majkhali. Kaikhali is slightly remote and not everyone knows about it,” he said.
The cosy cottages are well appointed with all the basic comforts Bonheri Homestay/Facebook
Chakraverty took an early retirement from his government job to open Bongheri on February 23, 2018. Now, over the last five years, the homestay has been welcoming a number of visitors to the Sunderbans, including “a lot of writers, big doctors and table tennis players like Arjuna Awardees Soumyajit Roy and Poulomi Ghatak,” said Chakraverty. In fact, the doctors have served the villages in and around the area. With about 30 bookings every month, and packed weekends as people look to get away from the hustle-bustle of the cities and envelop themselves in the lap of nature, the homestay has been doing well.
With so many homestay options in the Sunderbans now, what is it that sets Bongheri apart? Chakraverty believes the location definitely plays a big part. “The village close to the resort, Kaikhali, is very remote, and a two-minute walk from the homestay. And right opposite the stay, across the Matla river is the Sunderbans forest.”
The Matla river which runs right through the core of the Sunderbans forest is only a short walk away Bonheri Homestay/Facebook
Being able to plan a relaxing trip where you can also have activities like a boat safari — which Bonheri organise — during which you have the thrill of seeing the areas close to the core area of the forest also helps. Bongheri is also great for just taking some time off to relax. “Apart from the activities, you can explore the Kaikhali village and bathe in the Matla river,” added Chakraverty.
With the river flowing through its backyard, fresh catch features in the meals at Bongheri. The river is also a fishermen’s haven. If you are brave enough to go on a fishing expedition, you will return with nets full of prawns, crabs and fish, which the kitchen staff are delighted to cook up for your next meal. The meals are a hearty, traditional affair here. Breakfast usually include roti-sabzi or paratha-alu torkari. Lunch and dinner features home-style Bengali dishes, with fish and seafood and farm-fresh vegetables. Lunch is a full thali with saag, dal, bhaja, maachh and papad and chutney. Dinner usually has roti or rice with a sabzi and chicken curry. There is unlimited tea and coffee on request through the day, while evening snacks are usually muri and telebhaja.
Meals at Bongheri feature freshly caught fish and seafood Courtesy Rayomand Engineer
In a bid to do their bit for sustainable tourism, the kitchen staff has big and small practices they follow. Most of the produce is grown in their own organic kitchen garden, while the rest comes every day from the local market. The fish and seafood is caught from the river, according to need. Little things like using the kitchen water to water the garden and the use of cloth and jute bags for daily activities also help.
Bongheri have also planted about 500 trees and plants in and around their premises and all their staff are people from the local community, of which 80 per cent are women — a staff of eight local women form the core of the hospitality staff that takes care of guests during their stay. Sightseeing activities like tours of the village, nature walks, boat rides and fishing are also done by hiring the services of locals.
While being in the Sunderbans adds to the charm of Bongheri, it is also the experiences that attract Kolkatans here. “Bongheri Homestays is very close to Kolkata, yet very remote. You can experience real village life — stay within nature, eat the fresh catch of the day and fresh produce,” Stay within nature and consume fresh catch from the river” signed off Chakravarty.
Bongheri Homestay, enveloped in green Courtesy Rayomand Engineer
Travel Details
Stay: Bongheri homestay has four cottages that can accommodate 12-15 people in total. Cottages cost Rs 2,150 per head per day, including food. You can book online from their website: www.bongherihomestay.com
Getting there: The homestay is about 30km by road from Jaynagar station. There are regular trains from Sealdah to Jaynagar, and they provide a pick-up and drip by auto from the station.
Best time to visit: According to Chakraverty, since getting the UNESCO World Heritage Tag, Sunderbans receives visitors year round. However, “Sundarbans being a low-lying mangrove forest, the best time to visit is the winter months,” he recommends.
