I visited Birbhum last year. My brother bought a flat in Bolpur. There was a housewarming ceremony for that flat. My mother accompanied me. And we went to Bolpur on that occasion.
Bhai said to visit the nearby places of interest from Bolpur. That’s why we left for Bolpur two days before the event. Next morning we left for Massanjore after having breakfast. There is a river embankment at Massanjore. Massanjore Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Mayurakshi River located at Massanjore in Dumka district in the Indian state of Jharkhand.
We left for Massanjore for an hour and a half drive, and watched the scenic views along the road. The land of Birbhum is not that fertile, very rough. I saw paddy being cut by a machine in one place. There I saw the paddy cutting machine for the first time.
Beyond Birbhum we entered Jharkhand. Roads in Jharkhand are quite good compared to Birbhum. The land is quite rough, once I saw date palm juice being burnt on the roadside to make molasses. I have diabetes so date juice is not consumed. After a while many small hills were seen. Realized we were getting close to Massanjore. The road ahead is undulating, dips and then rises.
The Mayurakshi river suddenly came to the side of the road. There is no water in the river. Almost dry river bed. Then a bridge over the Mayurakshi river had to be crossed. And after a while Massanjore gate was seen. The dam is located on a hill.
At first we didn’t understand properly and went towards Dumka. Then we came back and parked the car on the opposite side of the dam. The mother was with me, she was over eighty years old. As a result, it was not possible to move around that way. But what I saw was a huge dam far below.
This Massanjore Dam is beautiful. A large reservoir between small hills. So huge, that the other side is not properly visible. The dam reservoir has good facilities for boating. Although we did not board the boat. I saw a motor boat running in the water of the dam reservoir. Looks quite small from above. And on one side there is a huge dam or embankment. The dam is passable. Local people commute by bike.
There is no food stall there. Although there are some accommodations at hotels and resorts nearby. People come for picnics on holidays at a place near the reservoir. We bought tea from a shop. I learned by word of mouth that drinking water is very difficult there. It has to be brought from far away.
There is a school but it is quite far from the locals. The land is not cultivable as such. Most of the people are Bengalis. At first we thought we would have lunch there. But there is no such place so we decided to go back to Bolpur. Then we left for Bolpur with sweet memories.
Massanjore is located near 70km from Bolpur. It takes nearly 2 hrs.
Attractions:
The reservoir or lake is about 67 sq. km, having boating facilities during certain months. A very popular picnic spot, it is extremely crowded during winter weekends. Best time to visit on weekdays, weekends or during September-November and February-March.
Chhinda Falls: A nearby waterfall.
Bhairo Baba Pahari: An ancient temple nearby.
Bhanwar Pahar: Another temple near the dam.
Mini Darjeeling: A local nickname for a hillock with views.
Place to Stay in Massanjore:
Mayurakshi Bhavan, offering the best view of the lake, is under the Irrigation Department, Govt. of West Bengal, and can be booked from Jal Sampad Bhavan, Salt Lake, Kolkata.
For the Jharkhand Govt’s Irrigation Bungalow, which also offers a spectacular view of the lake, write to the Superintendent Engineer, Irrigation Dept, Dumka 814101
There is a youth hostel.
Mayurakshee Resort, Located near Massanjore Dam, on Suri Highway.
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