Nomad Saikat
Plain, steep, rocky or mountainous, how fascinating the landscapes can be, right? The naturally formed landscapes are something that attracts even more of our attraction, what say? In Birbhum you can find one such place where big boulders or spherical rocks balance on each other therefore giving an illusion of rocky mountains or caves. One moment you will mistake them as rocks and the other moment they will look like a cave or a mountain. But till the end the illusion will stay with you for sure. This location is the Mama Bhagne Pahar.
The Mama Bhagne Pahar in Birbhum is one such astonishing location which is a popular tourist spot. Everything from the landscape to the name of the location and the legends or stories associated with it makes it one of the most intriguing spots for the visitors. So if you’re ever visiting Birbhum you can surely keep this location as a part of your itinerary, I am sure you will be amazed at this wonderous formation created. If you are interested in knowing everything that you need to know about the Mama Bhagne Pahar then keep on reading this article. I am sure this article will be a helpful read for you if you are planning a trip there.
Mama Bhagne Pahar
Location of Mama Bhagne Pahar: Dubrajpur town, Birbhum district, West Bengal
How to reach
From Kolkata the Mama Bhagne Pahar is about 203 km away and it would take around 4 hours and 50 minutes to drive through NH 19 to reach there. From Siuri the Mama Bhagne Pahar is only 24 km and you can reach there in 46 minutes. Also a lot of people visit here from Shantiniketan which is about 44 km away. You can easily drive from there to reach Mama Bhagne Pahar in 1 hour 14 minutes. Tarapith to Mama Bhagne Pahar is 68. 5km away this is also another popular tourist spot that a lot of tourists cover on the way.
Overview
Mama Bhagne Pahar in Birbhum district is regarded as one of the geological wonders. From a far it almost looks like two rocks balancing on top of each other. The Mama Bhagne Pahar height is around 105 meters with an elevation of the land. In Bengali Mama means maternal uncle and Bhagne means nephew. There is no exact reason why the hill is referred to as that. Furthermore the hill literally means the hill of Maternal Uncle and Nephew. Here you will be able to see small rock boulders balancing on other rock boulders. In its appearance in itself it looks extremely wonderful and thrilling.
Furthermore the stony landscape gives an illusion of rocky mountains and caves. In reality they are granite rocks of all sizes. There are various stories and legends related to the Mama Bhagne Pahar as well because of its outrageously weird landscape. Of course nobody could directly justify how these rocks came here into a plain land. However the Mama Bhagne Pahar is also referred to as the extension of Chotanagpur plateau as well.
This granite hill creates a picturesque backdrop and is made of glassy quartz, black mica and pink and grey feldspar. This became one of the most popular tourist spots in Birbhum because of the fact that everyone is intrigued to see how two rocks can uncannily balance on each other. Furthermore this wondrous rock formation can give a lot of mysterious feelings as well. Suddenly in the middle of nowhere alongside agricultural fields these huge boulders do create quite a stir in the minds of the visitors. With greenery around and sparse population of the area it is a serene landscape perfect for a day tour.
What’s more?
This is also one of the popular places because the famous film director Satyajit Ray have shot his film Abhijan and also used the boulder sand rocks here as a theme in his film. One Feluda story Robertstoner Ruby is also based on the backdrop of this hill. Even a Bengali film starring Prasenjit Chatterjee and Ananaya Chatterjee has been named Mama Bhagne taken from this hill.
Legends of Mama Bhagne Pahar
A strange rock formation like the Mama Bhagne Pahar is bound to have its own share of mythological tales attached to it. According to one popular legend it is believed that once Lord Rama was trying to make a bridge to reach Lanka. For that purpose what he needed was some stones and boulders. To do so he was travelling in his aerial chariot from the Himalayas along with the stones and boulders. Furthermore when he reached this particular area in Dubrajpur for some reason the horses suddenly got frightened. With that the chariot tilted to one side and some of the boulders and stones fell from the chariot and settled on the ground.
It is even observed that the area has a slight depression on the ground which justifies the Drop from the Sky feel. Also it is believed that that is the reason why these rocks are found in a plain land like this out of nowhere.
Furthermore there is another legend associated with the Mama Bhagne Pahar. It is believed that once Viswakarma the Builder God was assigned the task of building another Kashi near the same area in Dubrajpur. It was told that he needs to complete the given task in just one night. But within that period all he could do was simply gather all the rocks and boulders. It is for that reason that we can see the rocks present here.
Geological arguments for Mama Bhagne Pahar
However these are just legends and popular myths attached to the Mama Bhagne Pahar. But even the Geologists have some justification for this weird rock formation here. They are of the opinion that the Mama Bhagne Pahar is an extension of the easternmost side of Chota Nagpur Plateau. This area in Dubrajpur is disconnected from the main plateau by the flat plain. Therefore that justifies the presence of the Mama Bhagne Pahar which is like a rocky island surrounded by plain land and lush greenery.
Another justification is by far the most valid one and acceptable too. This justification also states that the Mama Bhagne Pahar is an extended part of the Chota Nagpur Plateau. It is believed that the land lowers here due the natural erosion process of the soil that takes place here. But the rocks remain less affected and therefore remain in their erected position. Also studies suggest that there were volcanic activities in the same area and later when the lava cooled down these rocks settled down as big boulders. Also the presence of a hot spring just near this location also justifies this study to some extent.
Tourist attractions in Mama Bhagne Pahar
Pahareshwar Temple
At the foothill of the Mama Bhagne Pahar lies a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva which is known as the Pahareshwar Temple that literally means the God of the Mountains. It is a tall pyramidal temple which is completely white in colour. Furthermore there are intricate carvings and designs made on the walls of the temple that look splendid. On the side of the gate of the temple there are two bell-like designs. Alongside there is a design of small lamp and together these symbolizes the third eye of Lord Shiva.
Furthermore, just above that Lord Ganesha is placed in the Temple. As Lord Ganesha has an elephant face on him the walls of the temple are beautifully carved with elephant faces in between hanging bell carvings. Another interesting thing to notice here is the dome of the temple that starts with petals of lotus flower and encircles the whole temple. Above that there is a stone carving of Lord Shiva. On the Sikhhara of the tomb Damru of Lord Shiva, his trishool and a flag is placed. The intricate carvings and the detailing of the temple make it even more alluring. Even the inside of the dome is one of the most beautiful sights here. Inside the temple there are two stones that are worshipped as Lord Pahareshwar.
Bhawani temple
This temple is located near the big rock of the Mama Bhagne Pahar. The presiding deity here is Goddess Bhawani. It is a small temple but people here believe in the power of the Goddess.
Places to visit
- Kankalitala Kali Temple
- Chatim Tala
- Visva Bharati University
- Nalateswari Kali Temple
- Tarapith
- Shantiniketan
- Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary
- Bakreshwar
- Hetampur Rajbari
- Amar Kutir Eco Tourism Park
Wrapping Up!
A lot of us have seen mountains and plains and higher land elevations. But a location like Mama Bhagne Pahar is unique in its formation and promises some thrill as well. This is one such location that is fed by mythological connection, geological justification along with the beauty of nature which cannot be ignored. It is almost like a slice of island surrounded by greenery and the atmosphere that it offers deserves some special attention.
So if you are ever travelling to Birbhum or anywhere near you need to add the Mama Bhagne Pahar in your itinerary. You will be amazed at the amazement that nature can offer. Furthermore it is one of the most popular tourist spots in Birbhum and you cannot afford to miss this for sure. Do let me know if this particular article was helpful for you in planning a trip to the Mama Bhagne Pahar in Birbhum.
