Grass to Grace

By empowering village women, increasing their mobility and helping them to be independent and occupying the youth – a wave of innovation is slowly sweeping over the districts.

Bounteous Jungles

THE GRASS GROWS IN ABUNDANCE IN THE FOREST FRINGE AREAS OF 4 DISTRICTS OF WEST BENGAL – PURULIA, BANKURA, JHARGARM AND PASCHIM MEDINIPUR. THESE DISTRICTS HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN DEPRIVED; THERE IS WATER SCARCITY, SCATTERED AGRICULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES AND EXTREME POVERTY. LIVELIHOOD OPPORTUNITIES ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN AND THE THICK FOREST COVER HAS EFFECTIVELY PRECLUDED ANY SUSTAINED FORM OF INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY

PURULIA
Rajagram is a tiny hamlet nestled within Kuchiya Gram Panchayat, in Purulia’s Bandwan block. The village has Dhadka in the North, Jhatijharna of Ghatshila (East Singbhum) in the South, Amlashol on the East and the beautiful landscape of Duarsini in the West. Mrigichami is a tiny village that lies right in the middle of a dense forest in Purulia district and is bordered by Golhuda in the North, Budijhor in the South, Barud in the East and Lukapani in the West. Paysagoda and Goyalapara are the other 2 villages under the Gram Panchayat of Barajagoda, Manbajar-II Block now a familiar name in the field of handicrafts.

BANKURA
In 2 small villages – Jalahari and Nadupara, in Gorabari Gram Panchayat of Khatra-II Block, the lives of the villagers has improved substantially during the past year, owing to the training and market linkage.

Mahishamura, a small settlement in Bankura district, is also known as the ‘Sabai Village’. It lies in the interiors of Ranibandh Block of the District. Nature has generously adorned these villages with trees, rivulets, water-bodies, rich forests, hills, Mango and Cashew plantations. A repertoire of alluring craft, festivals, folklore, myths and places of tourist interest blended into one, a visit to the Sabai Village -Mahishamura is worth an effort.

JHARGRAM
It is a recently carved district of West Bengal, lies between the River Subarnarekha and the state of Odisha and on its West is Jharkhand. It is part of the Chhotanagpur Plateau and lies beyond the Gangetic plains, close to the western borders of the state. The district is a Garden of Eden for nature lovers with its bountiful forests and its substantial wildlife. The area, also known as Jangal Mahal is rich in wildlife.

Chandabila, Narda, Raishol and Purnapani under the Gram Panchayat of Chandabila of Nayagram is surrounded by dense forests, these villages used to be regularly attacked by massive herds of marauding elephants. Mednipur has some ancient temples made of incredible Terracotta designs. Tapoban temple attracts a lot of tourists for their ornate beauty. Rameshwar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is also in this area and the local belief is that it was built in a night, using colossal chunks of stone.