Gongoni in Midnapore District of West Bengal is canyon in West Bengal. It is an unexplored spot in West Bengal. It is devoid of any tourist destination. But the silence of this place is the USP. One can stand on the hilly terrain and watch the scenic beauty of Shilabati River.
It is the most unusual place in India. There lies a full-fledged gorge which at first look resembles a miniature version of Grand Canyon of Arizona, United States of America.
Gongoni in Midnapore District is located in the small town of Garbeta in Midnapore District. This fascinating wide gorge of red soil stands on the banks of Silabati River. This wide gorge is locally known as "Gongoni Danga" or Gongoni Khola". The gorge is formed through years of soil erosion coupled with some assistance from the Shilabati River. The water body flows through the gorge during the monsoon times.
The plain land of West Bengal covers the plain terrain. But such scenery is rare and extraordinary. That is why this gorge is often referred to as Grand Canyon of West Bengal.
Gangoni carries the mythological and historical significances. There is a local folklore that one of the Pandava princes named Bheem slaughtered the demon Bakasura who lived in this Canyon of West Bengal, Gangoni, during the exile of the Pandavas in the Indian epic Mahabharata. However, this mythological story is debatable. According to the Indian Hindu epic Mahabharata, Pandavas stayed at a place called Ekachakrapura during this incident. The demon Bakasura lived in a nearby hill. There is a place called Ekachakra near Rampurhat which is believed to be the Ekachakrapura of Mahabaharata. It even has a pond surrounded by trees named as Panadav Tala, where Pandavas were supposed to have stayed during their exile in Bengal.
This narcissist, crimson land blushes with every dawn and dusk looking, as local residents say, at its beauty mirrored in the Silabati River that threads its way through the canyon floor. On the far bank of the Silabati River stands Bhimnagar, a cluster of rural settlements named after the legendary hero of Indian Epic, Mahabharata. The visitors can wade across in the dry season or have a boat ferry them during the monsoon times.
Gangoni is easily accessible through the railways and roadways. From Howrah station Rupashi Bangla Express leaves Howrah every day and reaches Garbeta. There one needs to take a bus or trekker to Gongoni from the station. The cycle vans are available at the station, which is the common way of transportation to the Gorge. The station is located at Amlagora area.
