Continuation from Day-2
Friday, 29 April 2011
At our five days of Pukur Para(পুকুর পারা) trekking, today is like an “Eid day” for us. No long hard trekking is available. Our main objective is to observe the PukurPara(পুকুর পারা) Waterfall, some people say this is Raikhong(রাইখং) Waterfall. It’s just an hour distance from our hut. After enjoying the beauty of the waterfall, we will come back to the base, and stay for another night.
So most of us waked up at around 7:00 at morning. Me and some lazy fellows stayed on the bed for another hour more. There was nothing to hurry. From my bed, I was hearing our mates were processing fish for our breakfast. They have bought those Telapia(তেলাপিয়া) fish from the lake, it was 125 Taka for 4 kg. They have already prepared our breakfast using those fishes before we refreshed ourselves at morning.
After everything, we were taking preparation for the exploration. We didn’t need to carry any bags on our back, which was another good news. Only problem was, Hassan(হাসান). He had a severe cramp during the trekking of last day. He was confused to make his decision about today’s task. But finally he made his mind to join us. It would have been unwise to stay at hut after coming so near to the beauty.
After starting our mini trekking, we have reached the Raikhong(রাইখং) Lake within few minutes. The lake was an amazing one under the bright sun on sky, and bunch of buoyant clouds at the sky. Crackling sound of the forest creeps were making their natural music without their own lyrics. These were such an atmosphere that I can not express at my blog with my poor writing.
There was another Tripura(ত্রিপুরা) village at the Eastern side of the lake, on our way. This side was a bit lower than other side. Lots of curious eyes through the small window were observing the different looking people like us. Unleashed dogs were barking from the yard of their owners. Women were sitting on their yard relaxingly, didn’t expect strangers like us on such a warm day. I must say, we have embarrassed them with our presence.
There was a small mango tree on our way. Green mangoes were hanging on that. One of our trekker, Milon(মিলন) made a hideous thing by plucking mangoes from that tree without those tribal’s permission, and in front of them. I was feeling like a plunder just happened. I didn’t like that attitude at all.
After that village, our path was beside the lake. From the pinnacle of that small mountain, left side was the Raikhong(রাইখং) Lake, and right side was tiny Raikhong(রাইখং) Canal that was looking like a small snake. You can see this from Google Earth(Position 22’01″43.85N, 92’33″16.88). Also the lake was beautiful at those portion of the mountain.
At the end of that lake, there was a small Jhiri(ঝিরি) generated from the lake(or people just cut that one to balance the lake water). Few of us took a rest there for drinking water. Hassan(হাসান) took a pain killer tablet from me, I used to keep those with me for my back-pain.
So far the path was smooth. From now it will be a bit rough one. Too narrow and covered with dry leafs from trees. Having enormous slope, sometimes hard to stand over the slope using my poor sandals. Hassan(হাসান) was having problem to vanquish those slopes. So he invented a method from the situation. He was going down on reverse way, facing towards us. According to him, his body will think he is actually climbing upwards, so his cramp will not get any signal to bother him. From the attached video, you can see those actions.
After an hour of our starting, we have reached at the Raikhong Khal(রাইখং খাল). It was having the large boulders and fresh water flowing between those stones. All of us took a rest there and started drinking water from there. One thing always amazed me, it was the cold water around the stones. No matter how hot the day is and the sun, but those water around the stones used to be cold always. Just like a natural refrigerator. I have heard that the stone used to keep the heat. It used to be cold or hot too quickly. Anyway, that’s another topic.
From this point, our target is to reach at the bottom of the Raikhong(রাইখং) Waterfall, and from the there, we will start to climb the waterfall and will reach at the top of that. We will do this slowly so that we can be around the waterfall for longer period. Remember once again, we are not in a hurry.
Once again, we are heading forward together. Some of us were jumping from one stone to another to skip the water. I didn’t have that problem for using sandal. Both side of the canal was having 90 degree wall like bank. It was an amazing beauty. I was enjoying those beauties, and in the meantime was making my steps very carefully.
I was walking slowly compare to my other mates. At one place, I didn’t see anyone in front of me. But on the path, it was large boulders of stones, and the canal was having a bit deeper at that portion. Another option was to walk at the edge of the canal, that was covered with millions of dead leafs. So I have picked that one.
Unfortunately, after few steps of walking I found a deadly snake just left his place for me, which was camouflaged around the leafs. But that was too much for me to handle. No matter who scared first, the snake or me. I just jumped down from that place and instantly positioned myself 10 ft back. I was sitting over a large stone, and waiting for the two fellow who were behind me. Lucky escape, thanks to the all mighty.
After 15 minutes we have reached at the bottom of the Waterfall stream. It was like a pond at that place. All the water from the waterfall gathered there. Not sure about the depth, but 6-10 ft possibly. At the left side of the canal had a tiny cave. It was filled with water, so initially you have to swim to enter, after that the water level is 4-5 ft. No one from us didn’t show any interest to enter that cave, because that was the house of leeches and snakes!
We have passed that small pond like lake portion carefully. We have used the edge of the pond, so it was 2-3 ft of water around. After that it was a tough slope(looks like, but not hard), and we have to climb that one. I was walking over the slope with the help of others while my camera was capturing the video.
At that portion, it was a valley of stones. Massive streams of water was coming down from the uphill. You might have visited the Saila Propat(শৈল প্রপাত) from Bandarban town. This place is hundred times longer than that Saila Propat(শৈল প্রপাত), and the beauty was unlimited times. White fresh water was slipping down, and passing beside us with the speed of a tracer bullet.
After walking 20/30 minutes beside this mysterious place we have reached at a flatland. I thought that it just finished, and it was time to get back to hut. But surprisingly, after 2/3 minutes of walking, another similar kind of stream was visible. Everyone of us got excited by that one. We didn’t expect to get this one.
Hassan(হাসান) was really exuberant to pose for the camera. He was sitting over the heavy flow of one stream, and during the photo session, unfortunately he just slided over the slope. But luckily he somehow managed to catch a stone to stop him, otherwise he would have killed himself that day. Again thanks to the all mighty.
We were moving upwards very slowly and observing the pristine water from the waterfall stream. The shapes, turns, speed, and thickness were varying over the streams. After those beauties, we have finally reached to the main waterfall. It was possibly 60-70 meter wide, but 4-5 ft tall. At Bangladesh, this is the widest waterfall available. It was such a beauty that is ineffable to write here. Go yourself there please.
We were sitting under the waterfall for relaxation and a shower. It was too cold even at that summer. You won’t believe it. I have captured few clips of our refreshing under the waterfall. You can check that from the attached video clip, it was at the end of the video.
I don’t know what happened to three of our trekkers, Hasnat(হাসনাত), Muntasir(মুনতাসির), and Milon(মিলন). They have left the place, and was standing at far side, under a tree. They were always in a hurry to leave the place, and wanted to reach at the hut ASAP. It must be an imprudent decision by them. Cause it is not a place like TSC or something that you can come whenever you wish. So why don’t you get the maximum when you have chances?
Now we were only six of us around the water fall(those three left). After the shower, we were wearing only underwear and gamchha(গামছা), cause we have set our dresses over the stone to dry up. By that period we were lying over the stone, and enjoying the beauty of the waterfall along with it’s lyrical(murmuring) sound of water dropping. It was prolonged for an hour I think, and non of us wanted to get back from there.
We didn’t have any watch with us, but possibly it was 3:00 at afternoon. So we decided to return back to the hut. This time we are at the top of the waterfall, and we will use another path to return back. Most of the travelers use this path to come at the waterfall’s top, and after enjoying the beauty, used to return back using the same path. So they used to miss the beauty of the waterfall’s stream over the slopes.
After 40 minutes of climbing, we have reached at the bank of the Raikhong(রাইখং) Lake once again. Now it’s time to swim at the lake. But it was only me who was excited about swimming, others were not. Tushar(তুষার) and Mithu(মিঠু) don’t know swimming. But my team decided to stay at there for me until I finish my swimming. So I have jumped inside the water, and started to floating over the water without any body movement. Hassan(হাসান) was excited by my activities, and later he has joined with me.
After 20-30 minutes of swimming, I have decided it was enough, and decided to get back. This time, three of us were moving faster, and three of us were moving slowly. When I have reached at the other side of the lake, it was only few of the daylights were available. So we were doing hurry to reach at the hut. We didn’t have any torch, so didn’t want to take risk. But trust me, I didn’t want to leave the lake, cause I know tomorrow we will leave the Pukur Para(পুকুর পারা), and not going to come back here to see for the last time.
Since we didn’t have any lunch today, we have prepared Muri(মুড়ি) for us with Chanachur(চানাচুর) after the sunset. The night was too dark as it was around the Null Moon. But the sky was having myriad number of stars instead. That was another beauty. Under a star full of sky and having crackling sound from the night creeps was really something.
After dinner, we went to the bed so early, forcefully. Why we did that is at Day-4 trekking.
Pictures are very good