Forest week or 'Aranya Saptaha' is being celebrated in West Bengal. It is also called 'Van Mahotsab'. During this week, various social activities are use to observe throughout the state in which, plantation of saplings or tree is the most important part. By this way, the practice of tree plantation is being encouraged. The great poet Rabindranath Tagore too wrote several poems in this context. He vowed the mother Nature by writing poems and songs in praise of trees, flowers and plants. Here is a poem named 'Brikkho Bandana (বৃক্ষবন্দনা), which is recited for your pleasure by me.
It says that Nimai Sri Chaitannya Deb once came to district Hooghly for the pilgrimage of Tarakeswar. So he bathed in river Ganga on the bathing ghat of Baidyabati. Then had started his journey to Tarakeswar on foot. It took about 12 hours to reach Tarakeswar. Later, the bathing ghat was named on him and now known to all as Nimai Tirtha Ghat. So, the ghat is about 500 year's old. Kabikankan Mukundaram mentioned this ghat in his mangal kabya, about 400 years ago. Raja Harishchandra of Seoraphuly constructed Nistarini Mandir and Bhadrakali Mandir in the year 1827 beside NimaiTirtha Ghat. then, lakhs of pilgrims take bath on river Ganga from this ghat and take holy water, visit Ma Nistarini and Debi Bhadrakali near, then use to go for Tarakeswar on foot to pour that Gangajal on the shiblinga of Baba Taraknath. The pilgrims use to go to Tarakeswar on the month of Shraban (July-August). Pic 1) The gate of Nimai Tirtha Ghat; Pic 2) The pilgrims are taking bath at the said gha
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