Among the hills in the Purulia district of West Bengal, the ruins of Garh Panchkot (গড় পঞ্চকোট Gaṛ Pañcakoṭ) are a silent testimony to the Bargi attack during the 18th century. The ruins sit on the slopes of Panchet Hill and adjacent to Panchet Lake, is a scenic hilly forested area, with a tinge of history.
Garh Panchkot was a fortified area owned by the Rajas of Panchkot, the Singh Deo dynasty. Their antiquity and history are still to be ascertained properly. The family is reputed to have been established in 90 CE. They were possibly linked with the Tilkampa dynasty. The ruins of Telkupi, an ancient Jain centre, were submerged when Panchet Dam was built. It is said that the Singh Deos lost out to Bir Hambir of Bishnupur Raj around 1600, albeit for a short period. The Maratha raiders, locally known as Bargis, ransacked the place in the 18th century. The Singh Deo family, ultimately, moved out to Kashipur, in present-day Purulia district.
Get in
[edit]By train
[edit]- 1 Muradi SER .
By plane
[edit]Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport (RDP IATA) in Durgapur is about 75 km (47 mi) from Garh Panchkot.
By car
[edit]Garh Panchkot is about 250 km from Kolkata by road. The drive is of 5-6 hours. It is about 56 km from Dhanbad, Jharkhand.
Get around
[edit]
Since the public transport around the area is almost non-existent, you may have to take have your own vehicle instead.
See
[edit]- 1 Adi Kalyaneswari temple.
- 2 Garh Panchkot. Ruins of a fort of the Rajas of Panchkot.
- 3 Panchet Hill. This hill is about 2,100 ft (640 m) high and occupies an area of 18 km2 (6.9 sq mi). It is thickly forested. The area is located on the lowest step of the Chota Nagpur Plateau. The hilltop offers picturesque and panoramic view of the command area of the Panchet Dam on Damodar river and its reservoir.
- 4 Pancharatna temple.
- Sundar Roy temple.
Do
[edit]Buy
[edit]The nearest urban shopping centres are at Barakar, 12 km away or Raghunathpur, 15 km away.
Eat
[edit]Eat at your place of stay.
Drink
[edit]It is preferable to carry your own requirement. You may get something locally or at Barakar or Raghunathpur.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Garh Panchkot Prakriti Bhraman Kendra, at the foothill of Panchet Hill, ☏ +91 9434246516 (helpline - for booking contact WBFDC - see below or website). Check-in: 11AM, check-out: 11AM. It is property of West Bengal Forest Development Corporation. Cottages - Non-AC: ₹1,000 -1,200, AC: ₹1,000 – 2,000, Conference Room: ₹8,000.
- Garpanchkot Eco Resort, Garpanchkot Forest, ☏ +91 9830011715.
Connect
[edit]Go next
[edit]- Baranti -18 km
- Biharinath – 37 km
- Maithon - 30 km
- Dhanbad - 56 km
- Parasnath Hills - 100 km