Balpakram,   (Meghalaya) :

    The Balpakram National Park is located to the extreme South Garo Hills, Meghalaya at a distance of 90 kms. from Baghmara, the district headquarters of South Garo Hills. This pocket of pristine beauty named Balpakram National Park is also close to the international boundary of Bangladesh.

    If “Balpakram” is translated to English, it means “The land of Eternal Wind”. Originally only the plateau was known as Balpakram and the Garo considered this place to be sacred. Literally, Balpakram means a place of perpetual wind and according to Garo mythology; it is also above of the Dead spirits. According to legends this was the place where the spirit of the dead first rested with the spirit of a sacrificed bull, before going on to complete their journey to the heavens. There are many legends attached to stones, ponds and mountains in this plateau, which, combined with the barrenness and solitude, creates a space of tranquility. The Balpakram National Park is shrouded in mystery, soaked with charms, breathtaking scenery, amazing variety of wildlife, magnificent and charming tribal lore, legends, beliefs and sentiments. Simply put, it is a Travellers Paradise.

    Balpakram has its own importance for the Garos and Hindus alike. Garos believe that when a person has discarded his earthly vestures the spirit journeys to the Land of Balpakram where it dwells temporarily until its final journey. It is also believed by Hindus that Hanuman the Monkey God while looking for the herb Sanjeevani to cure Laxman injured in the battle with Ravana found it in Balpakram and took the top of the hill from Balpakram leaving a plateau or flat land in its place, what is today known to the Garos as Chutmang Peak, the highest point in South Garo Hills.

    This park with its vast elevational variation supports a profile of varied types of floral and faunal compositions. There are perhaps very few places in the whole world where such a unique concentration of immense numbers of flora and fauna occur in such a small area. Elephants and Tigers are the flagship of the park. Hullock Gibbons, the only ape species found in India can be seen here. Other animals found in the park are Deer, Great Indian Hornbill, Pheasant, Wildcats, Wildcows, Wild buffalo, Leopards etc. Among the plants very rare species like Pitcher Plants (Nepenthes Khasiana), Orchids and Drosera flourish abundantly which often attracts wildlife biologists, researchers, nature-lovers and conservationists. Agar (Aquillaria Agallocha) is another endemic plant which enriches the flora diversity of the park.

    Today this plateau is part of the Balpakram National Park, covering an area of about 220 Sq. kms. with anumber of wild animals in it. The chief of it being the Royal Bengal tiger (19 tigers – 1991 census), the elephant, bison, black bear, leopards, sambar, deer, and many other species. The western side of the Park touches the Siju Bird Sanctuary which in turn is separated from the Siju village by the Simsang River. Siju, with the Simsang is an idyllic destination for a short pleasant holiday. Treks can be arranged to Rongsu village and onward to Chitmang (a small table top mountain), which offers a panoramic view of the Simsang river meandering through the lower hills.   

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