When travelling all things is new, we see only the beauties in them. If you travel to a “kind of godforsaken” place, and find there a mystical river with blue water with the background of snow-like ceramic hills, you’ll obviously have a feeling that you’re not in the real world.
Bangladesh is a small country, but there are a lot of places to travel with family and friends, and many of them are still unknown to city dwellers. Birishiri is one of them. It is located around 200 km north of Dhaka in Netrakona district; a district situated close to the border of India and Bangladesh. If you love nature, if you want to have adventure, then Birishiri is the place for you. The main attraction of Birishiri is the ceramic hill of Durgapur and the picturesque landscape along the Shomeshwari River
Sites to see:
The spectacular Durgapur ceramic hills are in the background, and the river Someshwari is the centre of this place of natural beauty. You will be delighted to see the changing colours of the river through the duration of the day. Boat ride on the crystal clear water will be a memory to remember.
Places to visit:
Birishiri has many places with cultural diversities.
- The palace of the Susang King,
- The Dasha Busha temple,
- Ramakrishna temple near Kula Para, and
- Loknath Baba temple
There is also an ethnic museum at Birishiri, which offers insight into the history, traditions, languages, and culture of the various tribes in the area.
The Orange forest and Spice Garden with its cinnamon and bay leaf trees provide a feast for the senses and a walk along the sandy banks of the Shomeshwari River is sure to be a relaxing and rejuvenating experience.
Culture & Ethnicity:
In addition to the natural beauty of Birishiri, you will find the rich fascinating cultural diversity. A lot of ethnic groups are found in Netrakona district, of which Birishiri is a part, including the Banai tribe who speak their own dialect called Banai, Buna tribe who speak Bangla, the Garo tribe who speak Achik or Garo and follow the Christian religion, and the Hajong tribe who speak Hajong.
How to go there:
To go to Birishiri, you have to take the route of Durgapur, Netrakona.
By Bus:
If you’re going by bus, then they are available from the Mohakhali bus terminal. There are buses which will take you directly to Birishiri. It will cost you 300-350 taka per person.
If these buses are not available, then you’ll have to take buses to Netrakona which will cost you 250-300 taka. From there, you’ll find auto-rickshaws or tempos which will take you to Birishiri. It will take 5 hours to get there and last half an hour may get bumpy as the last 30 km road is not well constructed.
By Car:
If you’re taking your own car, then it’s easier. You can find detailed maps online. You can plan your trip there.
In Birishiri:
Once you are there you can go around the town by rickshaws. In fact, it is advised to visit the tourist spot in rickshaws as the pullers know all the places very well.
Auto-rickshaws will cost you 50-60 taka per person. If you want to cross the river, then you’ll find boats on the banks. The local boatmen always try to earn a little more from the tourists, so if you bargain, you’ll save a lot of money.
You cannot visit the whole place in one day. If you want to make it a one-day trip, then you should start your journey very early in the morning so that you can finish visiting the place before sunset.
If you’re taking your kids with you, you should take some dry foods and mineral water as well as a first aid box with you.
Food:
You won’t have to worry even a little about foods if you travel there. Netrakona is famous for several kinds of sweets. There are a lot of restaurants where you’ll find delicious foods and they won’t cost you much.
Don’t Miss:
Netrakona is famous for several kinds of sweets. There is a special kind of sweet named “Balishmishti” which can be found only in Netrakona. “Balish” means “Pillow” and “Mishti” means “Sweet”; as the shape of the sweet is like a pillow, it is named after that.
Living Arrangements:
You’ll find guest houses in Netrakona to stay which will cost you 800-1000 taka per night. As the place is not developed yet, it may not be fully suitable to travel with family and children. But, if you’re travelling with a group of friends who loves to travel, then you can have my words that you won’t be disappointed.
Kids Friendly Place:
Moderate
Last Words:
Journey to Birishiri is tiring, so being prepared for that and if you take kids be well prepared.