Slithering Powerhouses @ Sunderbans

I was lucky to get a glimpse of these magnificient reptiles at Sunderbans. They just blend in with the banks and branches. Even after spotting a few (3 in total), by the time we reached near them, they made a quick splashing retreat to the waters. 

In the first picture, this is a very young crocodile basking in the morning winter sun. Look at the top of the picture, and you will see many small fishes. They are called mud-skippers, and they literally live on the land.. just to escape inside holes or water in case of any bird approaches.

In the second picture, I just got lucky to capture one croc as it dissappears under the water..

Molten gold, Sunrise @ Sunderban

Waiting for the catch @ Sunderban

Sunset @ Sunderbans

Glimpse of the Mangrove @ Sunderbans

Sunderbans is one of the largest mangrove forests in the world. It has over 50 varieties of mangroves, out of the total of over 60 species.
Near the shores, it's always a sequence of low-tide and high-tides. During low-tides, the complex system of the roots is visible. These roots move out of the grounds, appearing as thousands of spikes, to breathe (due to the highly saline water and the soil, these roots have evolved to breathe from the air itself)

Hitch-hiking to the Sunderbans

Before landing in Kolkata, Sunderbans was on my mind. Finally, the idea materialised into a trip last weekend (24th Oct). Thought of having some fun in the travel, so showing the finger to packaged tours, I went hitch-hiking :)... The road took me first on a local train, then across a river on a flat rickshaw, to the next stop on a "auto" and then to the final destination (Pakhirala) on a "van". 

These are the flat rickshaws which carry "affluent" passengers across the river in low-tide conditions. Every-day commuters do not use these but just wade across the thigh-deep mud and river. Tried it too, but two early slips convinced me to take the "affluent" carrier service.

These are called "autos" - sturdy old cruiser bike-fronts and engines fitted to flat rickshaws. Apart from these improvised carriers, I did not see any cruiser bike there. Do not laugh, but these are called "vans". I tried a lot to understand the reason, but the origin of this term was lost. I just know that the ride was one of the most enjoyable I have had.