Garhbeta

Garbeta/Garhbeta is a small town in the district of Midnapore in West Bengal, India. It is on the bank of Shilaboti river. A brief history is there behind the name of this small village town. Gar in Bengali mean's a nullah. as boundary of the earlier town is surrounded by a small nullah thus the place is called Garbeta/Garhbeta.Sabmangala Temple at Garhbeta: A old temple of god durga is placed here. This temple is situated inside the populated place inside the Sing para. The temple is surrounded by a number of ponds. Abononed airstrip near garbeta : During the Second World War, a contingent of the American Army came to this part of West Bengal and set up few bases nearby. One such location is this place near Garbeta in West Midnapore. It is about 30 km from the campus on the Raniganj Road. You have to go past Midnapore, then Chandrakona and towards Garbeta. The entry to the base is through an obscure village off the highway. Asking the local people (around here the place is called military 'chatal' - meaning courtyard) will lead you to the place. This is a huge facility, covering an area of about 25 sq km but now completely abandoned. It is a good idea to take one of the locals with you or be very careful about directions _ like your point of entry and which way you are going. The inside is a maze of interconnected runways and after a few turns you will have absolutely no inkling of where you are or which way you came from. In the horizon you will only see a cluster of trees that look identical in all directions. Identifying your point of entry is, therefore, a good idea. Not a soul in sight, your mobiles do not work and you feel cut off from the rest of civilization! It is very easy to get lost and lose your bearings if you are not careful. Winter afternoons are short and you must to be out of this crisscross of runways before sundown. On your way back you could stop at a dhaba (1 km from the crossing with the road to Midnapore, on your left) for the best pakoras around here and some piping hot tea. You come back from this unusual getaway completely rejuvenated - truly an experience to remember for a long time.