The Bichanakandi

Bangladesh has always been a darling child of nature. Everywhere, especially the north-eastern district of Bangladesh is gifted with the numerous picturesque sceneries. It has green tea gardens, magnificent subtropical hills and numerous rivers and wetlands. Some of the most popular tourist destinations of Bangladesh are scattered in or around Sylhet. Bichanakandi a great gifts of nature is one of them. It’s a beautiful village located in the Goainghat Upazilla of Sylhet just near the Indian border. During the holidays, people from all over the country come to indulge themselves with fascinating natural beauties of Bichanakandi.

A stream coming from a waterfall located in India comes down rushing through the mountains and it kisses the Goain River gently, at a narrow stretch which is adorned with stones of different sizes and shapes. This gorgeous meeting point has become known as Bichanakandi. This is where many layers of the Khasi Mountain meet at a single point from both sides. Flowing from above a high fall adding to its charm is dark clouds hugging the mountain in the rainy season. And flowing underneath towards Bholaganj is a branch of the Piyain. Along the stream flowing from high up in the mountain come huge boulders that are deposited and mined in Bisnakandi.

The road to Bichanakandi itself is a treat. The path is like a snake. From Sylhet city to Bichanakandi there are a lot of beautiful fields, agricultural landscape, a stretch of highlands are mind blowing. In the way of Bisnakandi tourist have to pass through one curve after the other. Each curve on the path offer the splendid beauty of classical Bangladeshi landscape with cows and oxen grazing in idyllic emerald green fields, with an uncanny backdrop of mountains of massive scales.

People were made up for by the never-ending stretch of green hills punctuated with multiple waterfalls on that side of the border towards the right. Although it seemed within a walking distance, the mountains were indeed much further away. It Curse the Brits under our breaths for leaving the beautiful mountains off the map of Bangladesh. They will get so engrossed with the surrounding sceneries. They will find it rather short-lived before there step your foot on the white rocks of Bichanakandi. The water was cool and clean as we meandered our way through. Every curve, every turn was a scenic beauty. What are bound to impress anybody are the enormous mountains. It’s like a giant, intricate painting with the minutest of details.

Rocks narrow the flow of water and there were quiet and few fellow tourists splash water and take pictures. It led to shallow water, where one can sit and even lie down; it was like a bathtub of rocks. The border was just a hundred yards or so away. A wooden bridge connects this lowland to an elevated ground on the other side of the stream that thankfully was within the

Bangladeshi border, and was used as grazing land for cattle. During heavy rains the water level reaches the higher land. This place redefined the word serenity.

The rainy season the perfect time to visit the beautiful Bisnakandi that coalesce the charms of high mountains, sinuous rivers, graceful falls and dancing clouds. The boat ride, which takes a little over an hour, on the sinuous river with lush green mountains on both sides, is an unforgettable experience for visitors. Breathing in the cool breeze, lungs will be full of fresh mountain air and eyes nourished with captivating beauty of massive green mountains just within touching distance. Here one can enjoy the green-to- blue transitions of nature. Layers of mountains lay one after another, slowly changing their colors from darker shades of green to lighter shades of blue. Those layers from both side converging and at the place where they meet, there’s a lovely little waterfall, the waterfall that feeds the stream that runs through Bichanakandi. It’s an ethereal setting, sure to take your breath away. You’ll be delighted to discover that nature has more shades of colors to offer than the pastel-color box of your childhood!

Bichanakandi has only very recently become a tourist attraction. Massive mountains from the Bichanakandi welcome tourist from all around as they proceed further into the hidden depths of Sylhet. These mountains are the footsteps of the Mighty Himalayas that stretch across more than half of the continent. They seem to be beckoning, but always staying just a little further evasively. It is becoming more Tourist Attraction place day by day. As we explore these natural jewels of our country, we have to take necessary step immediately.