Murti is the name of a river that originates high in the mountains of the Neora Valley National Park area. The river originates close to Bengal - Sikkim - Bhutan border tri-junction and soon comes down from the hills into the Dooars through the Samsing area. In Dooars the Eastern Side of the river is mostly forested by Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary whereas on its Western Side are some of the best and most picturesque tea gardens of Dooars. In the Dhupjora area of Gorumara, it divides the forest, thus an otherwise continuous stretch of a forest is separated into Chapramari Wild Life Sanctuary (East and North) and Gorumara National Park (South and West). Soon after crossing the forest, the river emerges near Ramsai where it meets Jaldhaka, another river of Dooars that originates in Bhutan. The journey of the Murti river ends here as it becomes a tributary to the larger river Jaldhaka.
The river Murti is one of the most beautiful in Dooars. The river is not glacier-fed and does not have much water except for the rainy season. However, the natural beauty of the river remains unhindered even during the dry months when it can easily be crossed on foot. Many of the watchtowers of Gorumara and Chapramari forests are built on the banks of river Murti.
Murti the destination
A particular place on the bank of river Murti has also assumed the name of the river. For most tourists visiting Dooars, Murti means the riverside of the North Dhupjhora area. Even during the late 20th century, the area was heavily forested and infested with wildlife and decoits. Few people would cross the forest after dark. And the road from Murti crossing over Chapramari forests reaches National Highway at a junction that is still called “Khunia” crossing. Over the years the wildlife population saw an increasing trend whereas the miscreants slowly withered away. Today the area is one of the most peaceful and arguably one of the best places to soak in the natural exuberance.
Activity for Tourists at Murti riverfront
Tourists visit Murti to spend some time amidst nature in the river and the adjoining forest. Most of the year the water level is safe for people to get down into the river or cross it on foot. The water is also very clean and transparent and you can see all the rocks and boulders under the water. People spend hours seating on the river and listening to the birds chirping all around. During winter months and weekends, the place may get a bit crowded as it is also a popular picnic spot, and groups of revellers from Siliguri and other parts of North Bengal travel here regularly.
Accommodation at Murti
The surrounding area of Murti is the Gorumara forest which has the largest concentration of tourist accommodation in Dooars. So finding a resort within half an hour's drive will not be difficult. Murti itself has also become one of the hubs with dozens of resorts that have mushroomed in the nearby area. The oldest among them is the forest development corporation managed by “Banani”, a hundred meters away from “Banani” is the Murti tourist lodge managed by West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation. On the other side of the road is the Gorumara tent which is managed by the forest department. Apart from these the rest of the properties are all privately owned. Within a distance of 500 meters from the river, you will come across about two dozen resorts of all budgets and tests. You may contact us by filling out the form below for booking many other accommodations.
Places around Murti
Some of the tourist places nearby include the Bindu-Jhalong area and the Samsing-Suntalekhola area. The Bindu Jhalong area is besides river Jaldhaka in its upstream which borders Bhutan here. The Bindu river dam is a popular tourist attraction here. The Samsing Suntalekhola area is popular for forests, hills, rivers, and meandering tea gardens. Typically tourist itinerary includes a visit to Murti along with these two places. There are forest safaris available some of which are quite close to Murti. Both safaris in Chapramari forest and Gorumara forest can be done from here. A word of caution is that tourists should avoid going inside the forest across the river on foot. Especially during the evening or nighttime, such a venture can be quite dangerous as the forest has a good number of wildlife including large animals such as elephants and gaur.
Weather and Best time to visit
Murti can be visited throughout the year with each season offering a different attraction. Winter is the most preferred time to visit Dooars, most tourists visit Dooars post-monsoon between October and March. April and May are relatively mid-season as tourists prefer to visit colder hill stations nearby. However, the Murti area temperature rarely goes above 30 degrees celsius even during the summer months. The rainy season between June and September is also a low season for tourists, but probably the best time to visit Murti for a nature lover. This is the time when the forest wears all shades of green that one could imagine. The youthful abundance of Dooars forest can be enjoyed at its best during the monsoon months at Murti. However please bear in mind that the forests of Dooars remain closed for tourists between 15th June and 15th September, hence you will not be able to go inside the forest during this period or undertake a touristic jungle safari.
