Birisiri: China Clay lake

Saturday, 17 December 2011

বিরিশিরির নীল পানির পুকুরটা দেখার অনেক দিনের শখ ছিল… কিন্তু রাস্তার খারাপ অবস্থা, আর সময় সুযোগও হয়ে উঠছিলনা…অনেকদিন আগে একবার বর্ষায় প্ল্যান করেছিলাম যাবার জন্য… কিন্তু বর্ষায় পানি নীল থাকে না… তাই এই শীতকালেই সিদ্ধান্ত নিয়ে নিলাম দেখে ফেলার… আমি যেই ছবিগুলা এইখানে দিলাম, তা দিয়ে কিন্তু লেকটার সৌন্দর্য বুঝানো যাবেনা… আসল রং আমার ক্যামেরাতে আসে নাই… ছবিতে যা, এর থেকেও বেশি সুন্দর জায়গাটা…

The blue water lake of Birisiri(বিরিশিরি) is located at the Kulagora Upazila(কুলাগরা উপজেলা) of Durgapur Thana(দুর্গাপুর থানা) from Netrakona district(নেত্রকোনা জেলা). People call this lake as China Matir Lake, China Clay Lake(চিনা মাটির লেক), Limestone Lake, Neel Pukur(নীল পুকুর), etc. Main attraction of the lake is the water which having blue color in winter.

This is a small lake, you can say this is a pond as well. Normally the water from a pond used to be muddy, or greenish during winter. But this one is having blue color just because the china clay. This blue pond is generated after digging out china clay. According to the local people, the depth of the small pond is somewhere around 60-80 feet.

China clay comprises of lot of chemical compounds. The taste of the water is kind of bitter. May be the lake water has plenty of copper sulphet which can make the water color blue.

Last night I have hired rickshaw to visit the lake. I have fixed the rickshaw puller for 300 taka, and asked him to come at 7:00 at morning. Using his vehicle I have reached at the china clay lake. The GPS coordinate of the blue lake is (25° 9’31.29″N, 90°38’22.21″E).

During your way to the blue lake, you’ll be enthralled by the picturesque view of the village and the beautiful shomeswari river(সমেস্বারী নদী). The ride was so exciting that anyone would love to do that again.

If you are a good swimmer, and confident enough over your ability, you can bring shorts to cool your body from the lake. I am sorry but there is no space for non-swimmer to take chance.

Possibly this is the only clay lake having blue water from Bangladesh(বাংলাদেশ). Mymensingh(ময়মনসিংহ) has one, but that one is not that much beautiful like this one. So don’t make the place messy by dropping your crumbs around(or inside) the lake.

How to go:

1. Using bus from Mohakhali bus stand come to Birishiri(বিরিশিরি).
2. Hire rickshaw from the local area. It will cost around 250-300 based on bargaining. Better book your rickshaw at night, and start riding at very early morning.
3. The rickshaw puller will guide you towards the lake.
4. It will take around 4-5 hours to explore the lake plus riding.
5. If your time is short, you can hire motorbike. This is faster but less fun.

Where to Stay:

There are two guest houses at Birishiri(বিরিশিরি), YWCA and YMCA. You can book any of those by phone before your arrival. Phone number of the YWCA is 01712042916. There are few hotels at Durgapur(দুর্গাপুর থানা), you can use those too.