A scenic view has enough potential to pacify the inner self of every human being. We felt exactly the same during our stopover at the Eco Park of Kolkata.
The entry ticket to the Park is Rs. 30 per person. The counter for purchasing the ticket is closed for the public at 7.30 PM. The opening and closing time of the park varies as per the season, sunday and the public holidays.
The lush greenery of the park invigorated all of us from within. Although, the park has several attractions for its visitors, this account will illuminate all of you about the five things which we came across at the Eco Park of Kolkata which made our visit worthwhile as a family.
Table of Contents
Recharge Yourself at the Lakeside and Strengthen Your Relation with Nature through Multiple Activities
All of us were greeted with a refreshing wind across the picturesque lake and the verdant ambience of the park. The first zone of the park which fascinated included a large lake, extended pathway and the wide range of activities for cheering up the tourists.
Our personal favourites were cycling and the amazing view of the lakeside.
The park provides all its visitors an opportunity to connect with nature with a variety of recreational activities.
We found the following quite appealing-
- Spending time at the wide walkway with a panoramic view of the Lake– The entire pathway has huge coconut trees on its edges which makes it a perfect site for all those who are in search of tranquility.
- Butterfly Release- It is conducted in the butterfly garden wherein newborn butterflies are set free in the ecological sphere. One butterfly release costs Rs.70. You can participate in it near Gate no.6 of the park. You will surely be blessed with a sense of contentment by this act of compassion.
- Cycling- Riding a bicycle admist the green environment is an upbeat experience. Inside the Eco Park, different kinds of options are available. It comprises of Baby Cycling, Junior Cycling, Solo cycling and Duo Cycling.
Duo Cycling is a peculiar leisure activity for all the visitors. All of them have a chance to experience the operation of both the pedals together even if the second person is not adept in the art of cycling. The price is Rs. 150 for two people for a time duration of thirty minutes.The ecological environment in the vicinity is quite gratifying.
- Boating – The large lake at the park gives a chance to indulge in a diverse range of a popular water sport called boating. It is available in the following forms-
◇Boating with a High Speed Boat- The water adventure becomes all the more enjoyable while riding these boats as it makes it a refreshing affair. Eight persons can be accommodated in it. The rate is Rs. 150 per head per round.
◇Floating Pontoon- Pontoons are just like a floating jetty with a flat base. There is also a proper seating arrangement on them so that everyone explores the beauty of the lake peacefully. Each individual is charged Rs.100 for one round of the lake in 25-30 minutes. It can be easily found near Gate no. 2 of the park.
◇ Paddle Boating- It involves riding a small boat that moves in water using pedals. The ticket price for this is Rs. 200 for four people for a time duration of thirty minutes.
◇ Kayaking- A kayak is a canoe like boat which is low to the water. Within this, a double bladed paddle is used for pulling front to back on one side. It is priced at Rs. 150 per head for thirty minutes. You can find kayaks near Gate no. 1.
◇Family Shikara- Shikara is a wooden boat with a covered upper portion. The visitors can collectively sail through the lake on this boat. It costs Rs. 300 for four people for thirty minutes.
◇Santa Monica- Santa Monica is a double decker boat.It is an ideal option for spending your spare time in an exciting water ride. The ticket price is Rs.100 per person for one round of about thirty to forty minutes.
- Water Zorbing- An inflatable ball called a Zorb is used in this activity.It allows the people to move across the water surface while staying inside the Zorb. The charge for this activity is Rs.150 for an individual for ten minutes. The tourists are also given an option of another variant of zorbing which happens on land. Land Zorbing costs Rs 200 per person for two hundred metres of distance.
Engross Yourself in the Placid Vibes of the Japanese Forest
Then, we headed towards the Japanese Forest which is located near Gate no. 2 of the Park. The tourists are not required to pay any entry fee particularly for entering this forest. It is open from 12.00 PM to 7.30 PM.
It highlights upon the importance of nature in the Japanese culture wherein it is considered sacred.
Everyone is welcomed with an unique design of the forest which consists of multiple twists, turns and zig zag paths which captivates their attention towards the natural beauty offered to them.
This zone has been built on the basis of the principles promulgated within Shinto. It is the indigenous religion of Japan which mainly believes in emphasizing over the significance of natural elements and expressing gratitude towards them.
The architecture of the forest has been designed in such a manner that every pathway offers an opportunity of solitude and hopefulness to every tourist of the forest. It has been planned on the Japanese principle of Shakkei. Shakkei is a technique of creating gardens across Asia which was prevalent in the ancient period. It employs the concept of borrowed scenery wherein the surrounding area of the garden completes its composition. The greenery inside the forest along with the beautiful lake encircled through the bamboo chime illustrates this concept.
A monastery is positioned inside this forest in order to provide an exclusive zone for meditation to the visitors. The enchanting sound of the bells of the monastery makes one’s soul jubliant.The Pagoda above it is a universal characteristic of the Buddhist temples.
There is a collection of prayer wheels inside the premises of the monastery. Each wheel contains around thousand prayers which are written on a paper. As per the local community, spinning the wheel once is analogous to the recitation of thousand prayers.
The following features of the Japanese forest were quite special for us-
•Yellow Bamboo Forest- Bamboo is considered a fortunate plant within Japan . The entire forest offers a beautiful sight of pink strips which are fastened upon the leaves of the bamboo trees. These strips include the wishes of all the visitors and the community beleif suggests that by tying them upon the lush green leaves provide them the energy to accomplish their desires.
•Wishing Bowl- A pond has been exclusively developed beneath a waterfall in the forest to ensure constant water circulation. The presence of a Demi-God along with his pet lions augments the sensation of a Forest.
A bowl is also immersed inside that pond that necessitates every traveller to soak a coin within it. Moreover, the distinguishing fact about that wishing bowl is that it allows visitors to retain those coins for fulfilling their wishes after they are blessed through their immersion in the sacred water. It exemplifies an important aspect of the Japanese culture.
•Moon Gate- A gate has been erected within the forest which resembles the shape of a Moon. As per the matrimonial rituals of Japan , it is considered propitious for the newly wedded couples to walk under that gate.
•Torii- They are basically the large gates which consists of red pillars of a cylindrical shape which are attached at the top. They are built to signify wish fulfillment in the affluent families of Japan.
Unwind Your Senses at Pakhi Bitan with the Chirping Birds
We then proceeded to see Pakhi Bitan which provided us a chance to familiarize ourself about various birds residing within their natural habitat. It is a bird sanctuary which has a specifically designated area for bird watching. It is located near Gate no. 3.
If you ask us about the most peaceful area of the entire park which is usually encircled with people who are engaged either in taking photographs or enjoying a picnic with their near and dear ones then Pakhi Bitan would be the first response which would come in our mind.
Out of more than 100 types of birds found in this section, some of the unique species of birds include-
•Yellow Bittern
•Taiga Flycatcher
•Siberian Rubythroat
•Greater Coucal
•Plum Headed Parakeet
•Common Snipe
Some elements of this zone have a fascinating quality and they have a capacity to attract the attention of each traveller.
They comprise of the following-
- A Mudflat has been built which contains bird boxes, floaters and wooden logs in order to let the birds relax in the water.
- A Display Board exhibiting the different types of bird species is present over there in order to help all the visitors in the identification of the birds.
- A Human Sized Cage has been created in this corner in order to symbolize the agony of a bird who gets confined in a cage. It is intended to attract the attention of people towards this aspect. All of them are basically encouraged to liberate birds from the enclosures and let them experience a life full of freedom.
- Bird Nests in the form of a box have also been placed on the trees in order to provide a secure atmosphere to the birds.
- This section also has an Uplifted Pathway specifically dedicated for Birdwatching. An exclusive cabin has also been developed in this zone in order to reinforce the practice of Ornithology (study of birds).
- It also has a Waterbody which fosters the well being of the birds and turtles as well who are the newer inhabitants of this area.
Get ready for an Encounter with the Colourful Creatures at the Charming Butterfly Garden
We had the privilege of catching a sight of the chromatic atmosphere at the Butterfly Garden after seeing the flying birds at the serene environment of Pakhi Bitan.
This garden offers the glimpse of diverse species of butterflies. The most interesting feature of this garden is the presence of a large variety of plants that enable the flourishing growth of the multicolored winged insects inside the dome. The favorable atmosphere of the dome ensures the cohabitation of both the plants and the butterflies.
The total area of the garden is around 3 acres. It is situated near Gate no. 6. It is a home to three to four hundred butterflies which can be classified into twenty categories.
There is a specific laboratory set up inside this area. It is referred to as the Butterfly Convention Center wherein all the tourists can visually observe the conversion of a Caterpillar into a Butterfly.
This zone serves as an excellent section for undertaking nature photography and examining the distinct elements of biodiversity.
The closing time of this zone is 5 PM in order to provide precise sleeping duration to the vivid creatures.
Acquaint Yourself about the Seven Glorious Monuments of the World
We reached the ‘Seven Wonders of the World’ Park at last. After reaching that section, we realized why it is cited as an extraordinary experience by everyone who has visited it.
The nearest point from this park is Gate no. 4. It has a separate entry fees of Rs.30. The opening time of this park is 12.00 PM-7.30 PM.
The first point of attraction at that zone was the Eastern Island Statues of Chile. They covered an area of about 700 Square Meter.
The next thing which fascinated us was the grand model of Petra Jordan which is spread across an area of 640 Square Meter area which includes three mountains of 13 metre height each.
As we moved forward, we caught a site of the exquisite replicas of –
•The Indian monument which epitomizes the everlasting story of love– The Majestic Taj Mahal. The planning of this section was marvellous as the illustration of the Yamuna river with the support of two wooden bridges made it all the more lively.
•The magnificently constructed structure of the Colosseum of Rome is truly a visual treat. The efforts of the popular artist- Ruchand Kundu behind that masterpiece are appreciable.
•The most amazing element of this park was the impressive statue of Jesus Christ– the Redeemer which is originally situated at Rio de Janerio in Brazil. It was positioned at a height of 17.7 meter on a pedestal of about 2.7 meter.
•All of us were pleasantly surprised with the massive replica of the Great Wall of China. Moreover, reaching its topmost point was an arduous task indeed.
•A separate segment was allocated to the Pyramids and Sphinx of Egypt in the park. As per our observation, it was the second most preferred location of all the visitors for clicking photographs after Taj Mahal.
As a matter of fact, this trip gave us an exposure to a verdurous ecosystem along with a cherished travel experience. If you ever wish to unite yourself with the natural beauty in entirety, you should pay a visit to this centre point of greenery at Kolkata.
