The Kuilapal dam

The Kuilapal river.Pictures by the author.

We made a trip to Kuilapal about eight to 10 years back. Kuilapal is a small, pretty place. We took the road that swerves towards Dalma to reach the forest resthouse.

On our way to the resthouse, we came across a haat, the weekly village bazaar. The haat was teeming with people and there was everything you could think of, from earrings to chicken.

We slowed down. After watching the market from the car for a while, we felt we mustn’t miss this opportunity. All of us got off to check out the haat. And I must say it was a fascinating sight! Each and every item on sale was for everyday use yet very unique.

For instance, there was a shopkeeper who sat with at least five-six shades of vermilion! A bunch of young married women had gathered around the heaps of vermilion, trying out the colours on their forehead. Then there were men who were busy downing hariya, a tribal drink. The bazaar had a festive spirit.

Our resthouse didn’t have electricity but it wasn’t much of a bother. We didn’t do anything on the first day. Our trip had coincided with Kali Puja and so we had packed in some firecrackers. We lit some phuljharis in the resthouse and celebrated Diwali.

On Day Two, we drove to the Kuilapal dam and sat there for some time. It has a breathtaking view. I took pictures of frogs, grasshoppers and salamanders.

In the afternoon, we went to Bandwan. We visited a secluded temple; close by was a riverine lake. It was a very serene and beautiful spot. The waterbody zigzagged around thick shrubs and trees. We sat there for a long time and soaked in the quiet.