Deep forest, dense rows of trees all around. The morning sun spreads a blanket over the Sundarbans. The trawler is moving along the Shakbaria River in the forest towards the Bajbaja patrol outpost of the Forest Department. Forest guard Mofizul Islam boarded the trawler from there to provide security. The destination is to see the mangrove garden on the banks of the Shibsa River in the Sundarbans. Although hundreds of species of trees including Sundari, Gewa, and Goran are commonly seen in this mangrove forest, it is surprising to see a mangrove garden in the deep forest.
The Forest Department has started issuing permits to tourists from Khulna’s Sundarbans-adjacent Koyra Upazila on February 14. This reporter accompanied the group of tourists who paid the revenue on the inaugural day by following the proper rules. Here is a different experience of visiting the Gaba tree garden in the Sundarbans.
The trawler meandered through the turbulent and turbulent Shibsa River in the forest and entered the Shibsa River in the deep forest. The trawler continued along the calm Shibsa River. If you sit in the trawler and pay a little attention, you can see the inside of the forest. There is less shrubbery below the Keora forest. Looking inside the forest, you saw groups of deer and wild boars roaming around. A herd of monkeys was running around. While talking in the trawler, the accompanying forest guard Mofizul Islam said, “Nowadays, the scene of deer moving in groups along the canal or river is often seen.”
Gaba tree garden on the banks of the Shibsa RiverPhoto: Prothom Alo
After walking for a couple of hours, a somewhat unusual forest suddenly caught my eye on the banks of the Shibsa River. From a distance, I could see an old brick pile standing tall in the forest. There were numerous gab trees around it. As I got closer, I saw that several gab trees, both small and large, had been uprooted by the tide and were lying on the riverbank. And new leaves had appeared on the branches of the huge garden of gab trees surrounding the brick pile.
Getting off the trawler and looking around, you can see that there are countless bricks scattered throughout the Gabgach garden. There were once ancient structures here. Now they have been destroyed and turned into just piles of bricks. There is still evidence of the thick brick walls that once stood there. The ancient structures and some parts of the Gabgach garden have disappeared due to river erosion. The surrounding bricks are constantly being washed away by the tide. Fresh tiger footprints were seen around the Gabgach garden.
Forest ranger Mofizul Islam said that there were many gab trees here in the past. He said that the gab trees are still alive because this area is much higher than other areas of the Sundarbans. Tigers roam a lot in this gab tree garden. There was a fort of kings here a few hundred years ago. The scattered bricks are the ruins of that ancient structure.
The ruins of the Gaba tree garden and ancient structures on the banks of the Shibsa River are believed to date back to the Baro Bhuiyan or Mughal period.
AZM Hasanur Rahman, Divisional Forest Officer, Sundarbans West Forest Division
Professor M.A. Aziz, of the Department of Zoology at Jahangirnagar University, writes in his book ‘Natural History of the Sundarbans’ that the ruins currently visible along the Sibsa River may have been established at least 400 years ago.
On the east bank of the Shibsa River, after passing through a gab garden, a little further south, lies Sheikher Tek. The middle of the canal is known as Sheikher Tek. A temple stands there, witnessing the medieval history of Bengal, inside the Sundarbans. Although the temple was hidden from public view for many years, the Forest Department has now opened it to tourists. The Sheikher Tek Ecotourism Center has been built around the temple built during the Mughal period.
Tourists are fascinated by the Gaba tree garden on the banks of the Shibsa River. Taken on February 14 from the east bank of the Shibsa River in Khulna’s Sundarbans-adjacent Koyra Upazila.Photo: Prothom Alo
Manoranjan Mondal, a forest fisherman from Koyra area adjacent to the Sundarbans, said that a lot of fish can be caught by netting in the Shibsa River in front of Gabbagan in the Sundarbans. They have also used the sap from the tree to repair the net. When the sap is crushed and used in the net, the net becomes stronger. However, due to the high presence of tigers, it is scary to walk on the brick piles of Gabbagan. Tigers rest on the high brick piles. Occasionally, they have seen tigers with cubs roaming around.
Sundarbans West Forest Division Divisional Forest Officer AZM Hasanur Rahman said, the Gaba garden and ruins of ancient structures on the banks of the Shibsa River are believed to be from the Baro Bhuiyan or Mughal era. Since that area is slightly higher than other parts of the forest, tigers are more numerous. A few years ago, there was a large brick boundary wall surrounding the Gaba garden. It has been lost due to river erosion. However, river erosion is natural.
Source: Prothom Alo
