Have you seen a river with a beach and dunes, I asked my friend Sajal over the rattle of the local train as it raced towards Palla Road, half an hour by road from Burdwan town. “Have you seen the cow jump over the moon?” he snapped back, before turning his attention once again to the lampposts and farmlands whizzing past.

Like me, when I first heard about the spot, Sajal found it hard to draw a mental picture of a place that looked like a desert and felt like the sea, but was neither.

Just before the onset of the rain is the best time to visit Palla Road because the Damodar, which runs through it, is not at its highest. Bars and ribs of sand that rise like humps and the vast expanse of the beach of golden sand etched with a thousand patterns drawn by the winds, which carry bhatiali songs with it, are just some of the sights and sounds that Palla Road promises.

It was around 10 am when the train finally pulled into Palla Road station. We were the only ones who got down there. The platform was deserted and the only semblance of shade was provided by two massive trees. The stationmaster’s cabin was under one of them.

We ordered a cup of tea to boost our spirits and thumbed down a passing cow-carriage. The man agreed to take us to the irrigation bungalow, 3 km away, for Rs 30. What takes 15 minutes on rickshaw and an hour if you prefer to walk, takes exactly half the time — 30 minutes — on cow-carriage.

The speed, or the lack of it, set the mood for things to come. The scenery changed dramatically after we left the bazaar, a stone’s throw from the station. A single road of red earth, flanked by paddy fields, wound its way and melted into a brick-laid road in the distance. Up ahead we could see the irrigation bungalow, a sprawling cottage sitting pretty in the middle of a manicured garden.

We did not have bookings, but from past experience, knew that the caretaker would gladly welcome us. We were right. Dumping our bags in a room, we left for the river.

Rejuvenated from the bath we returned just as the caretaker finished preparing lunch. After a hearty meal, we decided to rest till late afternoon. When we woke up, it was 5 pm. We set out towards the river once more and sat there till late into the night listening silently to the haunting melody of some fisherman’s song and watching the moon bathe the river in a silver glow.

“So,” I asked Sajal, “when will you show me the cow jumping over the moon?”

How to get there

Burdwan locals from Howrah station, via chord line

Where to stay

The irrigation bungalow

Survival kit

Towels & toiletries; torch; mosquito repellent (preferably cream); watch out for the boulders and the Damodar’s undercurrent if you’re getting into the water