Parmadan Forest, also popularly known as Bibhutibhushan Wildlife Sanctuary, is located in Naldungri region of North 24-Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. This wildlife sanctuary is positioned at about 80 Kms from Kolkata it is a haven to the nature lovers.
The place can be reached both by train and by car. People travelling by train need to get down at Ranaghat and take a bus to reach Naldungri. And for tourists travelling by car, need to drive along Highway No. 34 and reach Naldungri via Duttafulia. From Naldungri, one can reach Parmadan Forest either by walking or by availing a van rickshaw. The place is tourists delight during winter season, and it is advisable to avoid the same during rainy season.
Parmadan Wildlife Sanctuary is not only a popular as a picnic spot but is also considered a beautiful place for spending a fun-filled weekend trip. The beautiful Ichamati River flows through this 92-hectare sanctuary in North 24-Parganas. Parmadan Wildlife Sanctuary is a safe haven for a healthy population of nearly 250 deer. The 68sqkm forest is filled with Shishu, Bamboo, Minjiri, Tut, Arjuna, Shimul, and Shirish trees. Besides wild animal like the Deer, Macaque Monkey, Peacock and Rabbit, it is a habitat of large number of birds such as Shankacheel, Neelkanth, Phooltushi, etc.
Once in the forest you can walk in the woods (which apart from the deer also house myriad birds and a large number of langurs), visit the nearby villages, take a boat ride down Ichhamati or take a trip to Chuyatiya (the international border between India and Bangladesh).
A cluster of the hamlets around the park is worth visiting as it will give you a truly enriching experience, especially in the early mornings when the men are busy bringing down earthen pots full of date palm juice which they are not averse to allowing thirsty visitors a sip or two from. Most of the rest is used for making jaggery while some of it is fermented to make toddy, the official drink during their evening adda sessions.
Apart from the attractions of Parmadan Wildlife Sanctuary, palace of Rakhaldash Bandopadhyay at Naodanga, house of Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay, Temple of Gopalbhar at Belegram, Godrapur globe nursery, Charak fair at the time of Chaitra Sankranti, Kalitala, Hari temple of Hari Chand Tagore, are places worth visiting.
