Pujo Vacation 2024: To Cooch Behar and Buxa

After owning the car for the first month, we embarked on the first long trip. This vacation, taken during the Durga Puja, saw us visit Cooch Behar and a short excursion to Buxa and Jayanti. Whereas the main purpose to visit Jayanti i.e. crossing over the river bed and drive towards the Mahakal temple in the hills did not materialize, but it did definitely server as an ice breaker. 

On the way to the Jayanti River Bed

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Calcutta to Cooch Behar, 11-Oct-24

On Ashtami morning, we rolled out from our Calcutta apartment at 0800 HRS. Our destination being my hometown, Cooch Behar.After the rough and extremely heavy traffic experience of the Mukumanipur trip, driving the ScorpioN on the (mostly) 6 lane Kalyani expressway with the October morning sun peeping through the sunroof with music for company and the 'Pujo' feel in the mind was a revelation.

We had packed some breakfast from home because we were not sure of breakfast joints along this 'new route' and were thinking of having the breakfast when we rejoin NH-34. But as we started to cruise on NH34 we found a BP Ghar at Birohi - and found a number of vehicles parked. So we entered the restaurant, which was teeming with travellers and had aloo paratha and tea - of decent quality. During the Durga pujas, the truck traffic is regulated resulting in almost empty highways. We had a forgettable lunch at a dhaba - that amongst its other quirks had a grape tree growing in its confines.

On the way to Cooch Behar: Lunch break at Malda

Darkness fell near Kishanganj and and when the headlights were lit up, I could see the long throw of the projector lamps. My eyes, hitherto accustomed to the poor throw of the halogen headlights of the Swift could relate to the stark difference. Added onto the darkness is the battered road quality of the Dalkhola - Islampur stretch - but we were able to brush aside most of the potholes with ease. We reached Dhupguri around 8.30 PM with Cooch Behar another 60 kms away. But due to numerous Puja pandals, blocked roads - the last 60 kms took a good 3 hours.

The food!

An Excursion to the Jayanti river bed:

The reason of going to Buxa ,as old timers will know is the Jayanti river bed. A couple of year ago, I had taken my Swift to a short distance to the river bed - but did not try and experiment with the stream/river crossings. The ScorpioN, however, is an ideal vehicle to cross over the Jayanti river bed to the other side.

Jayanti is a short 60 kms drive from our Cooch Behar home and takes 1.5 hours. The lush green forests and blue hills on the horizon as one crosses Alipurduar has an effortless charm around it. We got the entry permits done at the forest check post and proceeded through even deeper vegetation. This stretch is very narrow with the leaves and branches brushing against the car. It was on this stretch that many years back we saw a single, wild elephant cross the road.

Jayanti

The Return to Calcutta:

The return to Calcutta was one of the smoothest in recent memory. A rapid drive ensured that we were at BP Ghoshpukur at 1030 HRS where we had tea and a packed breakfast from home. Lunch was at Pardesi Dhaba. Finally we reached home at 2030 HRS. This was one of the smoothest journeys in recent memory.

Formations off the highway at Behrampur byepass.

The trip meter at the end of the journey