Weekend Gataway Bishnupur & Mukutmanipur

This was the first trip after covid had hit the world, my first "masked up" trip. Hence, keeping the computer and meetings aside, we headed for a weekend gataway to Bishnupur & Mukutmanipur. Bishnupur is around 140Km from Kolkata, capital of West Bengal. However, it takes a good 4 hours to reach. Our place of accomodation, Banalata Resort was 12Km before Bishnupur. Good place, good food, though few items felt slightly costly but they were giving livelihood to all localites working there, so ok. We did visit the West Bengal tourism guest house too and that is a good and budget friendly option over Banalata Resort.

Day 1: (Rashmancha, Jorebangla, Shyamrai Temple, Mrinmayee Mata Temple)

You can get tickets at Rashmancha which will be valid for Rashmancha, JoreBangla & Shyamrai Temple. Take a local guide, he'll explain the historic events & places as well as guide you to all the 4-5 places to visit within the area. Bishnupur is famous for "Baluchuri" Sarees, you may opt to visit few shops for the same.

Day 2: Panchmura village, Mukutmanipur

Wake up early morning, to watch the beautiful sun rays over the lovely garden of "Banalata Resort". Banalata Resort is a self-sufficient resort, they grow their vegetations within the campus. After a long morning walk inside the resort, enjoy a hearty breakfast. After this, pack up and head towards Mukutmanipur. But on the way, you can take a diversion to visit "Panchmura" village. Panchmura village is known for terracotta handicrafts. The whole village is full of artists creating earthen teracotta handicrafts which are then send out to different parts of Bengal as well as India. Please remember, the village is in interiors and the route we took (Bishnupur to Panchmura) while reaching the village had a 10Km of bad and narrow stretches of road. However, it seemed the road from Phulbani to Panchmura is a broader road. Will try that road next time!!

How teracotta handicrafts are created -

First clay, soil and small amount of sand (to add texture) is properly mixed. Then they are moulded into different shapes and left in shade for drying for few days. Once dried, they are burnt in huge earthern burners. Then they are polished by hand and painted if needed.

From there head towards Mukutmanipur, where we stayed in Peerless Resort Mukutmanipur. The ambience of the resort was cool and silent. In evening, you can watch the sunset from their observation tower. Head towards the mall road, which is within a kilometer from Peerless Resort. It was beautifully decorated with lights with very few shops selling souvenirs.

Very Important Tip: There is a ticket counter at the starting of the dam where passes are given for 4 wheelers till 5pm (confirm the timing). Collect it a day prior. Also, it remains closed on weekends (Sat-Sun), that's what we were told

Day 3: Mukutmanipur Dam

Mukutmanipur dam is a 11Km long and is the second largest earthern dam in India. You will get toto rickshaws which will take you through a secondary route to the middle of the dam, in the adverse case that you don't have a pass to take your 4 wheeler. You also can go on a boat ride in the dam. There were one or two natural islands too. The toto driver showed 2 more temples on our way back which was build over the dam. After this, we headed back to the resort & after checking out, headed back home.

How to reach: