Our Maruti Omni took a sharp left from the Khunia crossing to proceed along the metal road that lay straight as an arrow. Almost immediately, the dense jungle of Chapramari had engulfed us.

It seemed that the trees were lunging towards the vehicle to stop it ? we were certainly intruders here. A couple of kilometres ahead, a mud track branched off and vanished into the forest. We followed it to the Chapramari forest rest house.

Our car roared past jungle tracts that could have sprung a surprise at any moment ? in the form of a loitering bull elephant or a gaur.

On the edge of our seats, we scanned the forest for a glimpse of wildlife.

The vehicle soon started the climb towards Gouribas, a tiny hamlet on a hilltop. En route, we passed a few clusters of three to four houses. They were perched about 10 ft above the ground on teak logs, to ward off wild animals. All the houses had hanging flowerpots on the porch.

Near Gouribas, we had our first bird?s-eye view of Jhalong. Ahead lay a huge log blocking the road. It was the forest checkpost. We were allowed to advance only after the registration number of our car was taken down.

At Jhalong, we headed straight for the two-storeyed bungalow of West Bengal Forest Development Corporation. Built on concrete pillars, the bungalow is ideally located on the bank of Jhalongjhora, a rivulet that dances down a slope through huge boulders.

Its crystal clear sea green water makes a pool in front of the bungalow before flowing down to the Jaldhaka river, which is about a kilometre from Jhalong.

Rows of tall, dark sal and segun trees on the mountain slope behind the bungalow provide the perfect backdrop.

In the afternoon, as a sweet breeze wafted across, we sat on the cosy lawn decked up with flowerbeds and listened to the song of Jhalongjhora till darkness fell and lights in the houses on the distant mountains were switched on one by one.

Due to the Jaldhaka hydroelectricity generation plant, Jhalong is small but busy, full of houses and shops. It even boasts a police station. But blissfully, the bungalow is situated in a quiet corner.

Gaur and elephants can occasionally be seen in the forest around the rest house. But you are more likely to sight peacocks and birds in this nook.

The road that passes in front of the bungalow bifurcates a few yards ahead. One leads to Jaldhaka river and the other, over a bridge on the Jhalongjhora, to Bindu ? the last village on this side of the border with Bhutan.

The twitter of birds woke me up in the morning. I came out of my room and stood on the balcony to have a look at Jhalongjhora, on whose bank I had spent the previous evening, mesmerised.

It was early in the morning, but a group of children had started swimming in the emerald pool bordered by grey and brown boulders. They were having a whale of a time, diving and squealing in delight.

Just then the sun came out over the mountains and the pool was awash in the soft morning light. I was rooted to the spot.

And then, I ran for the camera.

Going

Jhalong is 103 km from Siliguri. There is one direct bus from the Mittal bus stand of Siliguri, but it is irregular. It is best to go to Chalsa and then hire a jeep to Jhalong

Staying

Besides the West Bengal Forest Development Corporation lodge, there are a couple of no-frills hotels. To book the bungalow, contact: West Bengal Forest Development Corporation

Arya Mansion (7th floor),
6A, Raja Subodh Mullick Square,
Calcutta 700 013
Ph: 22370060/61
Website: www.wbfdc.com

You can also contact Shrabani Chakrabarty at 9832068303 for reservations at Paruhang Tourist Centre