Pakhi Pahar Of Purulia – There Are A Lot Of Birds Carved In The Mountains
- Distance From IIT Kharagpur Is Approx. 181Km Via SH-5.
- Distance From Kolkata Is Approx. 280km Via NH116-B
- Google Map: Pakhi Pahar
The Bird’s Hill or ‘Pakhi Pahar‘ draws rock-climbing enthusiasts. The hill has been painstakingly sculpted by a group of artists to create about 65 birds and is worth a visit. One can also witness the scenic beauty of Pardi Dam which is about 12 km from Charida.
History Of Pakhi Pahar
In 1991, The Academy of Fine Arts in Kolkata faced an unusual situation: a sheet-metal sculpture of a bird with a wingspan of 22 feet could not pass through the doors of the art gallery. The artist, Chitta Dey had to cut off the wings before finally leaving.
The bird’s proportions prompted one art critic to comment on its inconsistency within a gallery space—the bird was supposed to be smaller, he said. Dey says, “That comment angered me. I told him I had a certain vision for my creation and that it wasn’t my problem that the city lacked enough space for a gallery.”
In 1996, Dey found a place that was much bigger. That year, the West Bengal government offered him an 800 feet high hill at Baghmundi in the Purulia district. Pakhi Pahar, as it is known locally and in tourist brochures, Dey is just a canvas of sorts, which now at the age of 58, needs to realize its “dream”, a term that has been used by the Government College of Art in Kolkata, Graduates from End Craft often use.
Read More: Where To Go On A Drive-In West Bengal During The Monsoon Season
The smallest bird carved on the hill has a wingspan of 55 feet and the largest 120 feet. About 65 birds have been painstakingly painted on the face of the rock and some are under sculptural work. The plan is to cover the hill with about a hundred birds. Dey says that about 40% of the work has been completed.
Dey tells us that Bird Hill has become a matter of “life and death” for him. A rock sculpture project involving a local tribal community in a Maoist stronghold.
In 2015, he opened an arts center, named Aina, near the Pakhi Pahar with an investment of around Rs 15 lakh to train local youngsters in art.
Apart from the rock sculptures, he also works with prisoners across Bengal and neighboring States, teaching them painting. He has trained over 200 prisoners since 2007.
His message to the young generation: Pursue your dreams with passion and dedication, and remember life is all about struggles.
As they say, faith can move mountains.
