Durgadoani & Saptamukhi, Two Sundarbans Rivers Meet and Create Wonders!

Binoy Majumder
May 5, 2016
5 min read

Durgadoani River meets Saptamukhi near Dakshin Chandanpiri village. Durgadoani is a small river, while Saptamukhi is larger and grander. At the meeting point of these two rivers, nature has bestowed their banks with splendors. On its north, there is Dakshin Chandanpiri village; and on its South, the Haripur village. A small ferry service is available for the commuters. Get on board ferry, and you will see the massive stage of the grand beauty for these two rivers’ meet point.

My dear wife and I were in that area during last March for a socioeconomic field work. We took our chance of walking through the length of that island and leisurely devour the ecstatic beauty of the Sundarbans’ Nature. Our objective was to meet many people, to talk with them, learn their plights caused by Ayla Cyclone in 2009; and to study the reasons behind young people leaving their beautiful villages in search of work and migrating to unknown regions, congested cities; leaving behind their families. And on that occasion we got a chance to witness the intoxicating beauty of Lady Nature in her maddening sport in Sundarbans.

Durgadoani is not a big river, and at that time it was low tide. The river receded and exposed a muddy river bed. Strange looking fishes were making tracks on the soft mud. We asked ferry-boy the name of that fish. He told us that they call it gang mola. It was strange; rather than swimming in water, those fishes were walking on mud.

Gang Mola fishs walking on muddy riverbed.

We took the ferry. Fare was damn cheap! Only 1 INR per person! All the commuters were local inhabitants and they were so welcoming, their attitude so friendly. It was truly a jocund company. As the boat floated into the mid river, beauty of that place pranced over us like a sweet assault to our ocular sense. Opening of the Durgadoani River into the Saptamukhi was bright, sparkling, and bordered by deep green growth of mangroves.

Ferry boy ferrying us across Durgadoani river.

Colour of Durgadoani River is green, whole colour of Saptamukhi is murky gray. We could see these two distinctive colours side by side as the ferry-boy waded through it leisurely. As we were nearing the opposite bank, my wife suddenly screamed in wonder – “Look, jellyfish!” OMG! Really, bloom of jellyfishes were swimming through the murky water. They looked like moonshine sailing through cloudy sky. It was such a wonderful sight! Ferry-boy wanted to show us the jelly fishes. As the boat touched the opposite ground, all commuters started to go their way. Ferry-boy dipped his hands into the river and fished out a jelly fish. It was alive and pulsating! It was the first time we saw a jelly fish in real. However, there was a large and colourful boat moored near the jetty, and the people were fishing jellyfishes for some purpose. We asked them what they intended do with those fishes. They splurted out some undecipherable answer. They were collecting jelly fishes in water buckets, and they showed us some of it. After that we bade farewell to that group, and started walking though the village. Our aim was to reach the embankment side of Haripur village; meanwhile meet and talk with as many people as possible. And our mortal sprite and strength were rapidly waning away as the sun was increasing the display his own.

Jelly Fish swimming through the river like the moon sailing through a cloudy sky.

The heat was scorching, the road was lengthy; but everything was superbly beautified by Lady Nature. People of that locality have a liking towards plantation of jaba phool (hibiscus) around their houses. Different varieties of jaba phool were lurking and smiling from every directions. Pink, red, velvety, white, yellow! It was like having a tour with butterflies. At every step we were greeted by people. Old people. Young people have left these villages. They are living far off, somewhere in pent up cities, and toiling from dawn to dusk to remit some money back to their families here. It looked, as if a devastating war has claimed every able bodied people away from these villages. You could sense the overwhelming emptiness of that village. Nature is rested there as a lamenting sweetheart.

After a long, interrupted, knowledge rich, and most of all a tiresome journey on foot, we ultimately reached the embankment. In 2009, Ayla cyclone broke the embankment at this very place, and flooded the whole area in a very short time. People shudder when they talk about that calamity.

But now, Saptamukhi river is calm, though truly large and in her prime here. We could see the opposite bank as a thin grayish-blue line. We learned that it is the reserve forest on that side. And royal Bengal tigers prowl there. The river was shimmering, full, sparkling and singing in her joy of meeting the Bay of Bengal. If you walk along the border, you will ultimately reach the Bakkhali sea beach.

Standing on the high embankment, we could see the village and the cultivable land. It was like a picture. A long stretch of velvety green meadow meets the smiling sunflower field; and on the backdrop there lay a beautiful village.

There were small water bodies in that green field. Little cormorants were waiting patiently for their prey, and their reflection made the scene mirror like. Some ponds were covered by extravagant growth of water lilies. Innumerable small white lilies sparkled like twinkling stars on backdrop of deep green leaves.

On the opposite side of the embankment, there were the Saptamukhi with her grandeur. Large boats were moored on her bank. Their bright colours were in deep contrast against the blue sky and murky water.

Fishing boat moored on back of Saptamukhi River

And, creating a clamorous movement there were the colonies of seagulls! They were floating in large groups and danced along with the incessant waves of the river. They took flight in groups and circled over the towering coconut plantation, green meadows, and mirror like water bodies. Strong wind from the opening of the sea was coming and their colonies were pushed further. They squawked, quarrelled with one another, took flight, circled like roundabouts. Crows join the fight and flight. It was like a smooth dynamic pattern. And the strong wind created strong waves. Waves broke on the hard embankment.

It was simply wonderful to be there, to be into that dynamic picture; to feel the salty wind on our necks; to hear the loud squawks of playful birds. It was balmy to rest our eyes on that vast green meadow with sky-reflecting water bodies, and to sweeten our ears with continuous sound of waves hitting the hard embankment and turning it into thick spray of water. And alas! We had to turn our backs on that beautiful scene too soon, as work was awaiting to be done; and we had to come back to our mundane senses, and we walked back into the village again.