Exploring Mungpoo - Burnt Surel Bungalow

#northbengal, #mungpoo , #kalimpong , #darjeeling , #sudurerpiyasi, #rider
This burnt Surel Bungalow in Mungpoo just entered into out exploration-list last night, but we arrived here somewhat unknowingly. Today was our second day in Mungpoo Himalaya Homestay. We planned a whole lot of things, but all our plans got cancelled due to the heavy shower since early morning. We were simply spending a lazy day just enjoying the rains in the mountains and the warm tasty food of the homestay. But in the afternoon when rain stopped, I got bored and started to walk along the roads uphill without any fixed destination. After around 2kms walk I found an old temple beside the main road just adjacent to a Buddhist shrine. The surroundings became more intriguing with the continuous Buddhist chanting. The temple was dedicated to Kaali Mata and the name was 'Surel Temple'. A narrow but clear road went upward just beside the temple. As I curiously followed the road I found an abandoned structure of a building in a clearing. Suddenly the picture seen in our homestay clicked in my mind and I was sure that this is nothing but that "Burnt Surel Bungalow". If you ask me what is there to see... nothing really. But you have to feel its presence and the former glory. This bungalow was built by the British under the cinchona plantations and was locally called "Surel Kothi". The name 'surel' comes from the word 'serial' as the Britishers built many similar bungalows, which necessitated assigning serial numbers to them. As per the information available, Rabindranath Tagore, while living in Mungpoo, came here and wrote his famous poem 'Camelia', sitting under a camellia tree in the bungalow premises. But unfortunately during the Gorkhaland agitation in 1988 the bungalow was completely burnt and no renovation ever since. At the four corners of this Bungalow premises there are four age-old rare pine like trees. These are some exceptionally special trees from the Jurassic period. Their scientific name is Araucaria Bidwillii, commonly know as Bunya Bunya (Bunya Pine) or Monkey Puzzle tree. Internet claims that there are some species of this tree left only in New Caledonia island of Australia and somewhere in South America. It is assumed that the herbivorous dinosaurs of Sauropod category evolved their long necks while eating the leaves of this kind of trees. After this small adventure we came back to our homestay and spent a quiet serene night in the warmth of the great hospitality of our homestay. Next day we will be heading towards Kalimpong, exploring some new places. So please stay with us and enjoy the journey in our channel "Sudurer Piyasi".