The Palash Forest Walk

Between late February and mid-March, the Sal and Palash (Butea monosperma) trees that cloak the hillsides and surrounding countryside transform into something extraordinary. Known as the “Flame of the Forest,” the Palash produces vivid orange-red blossoms that coat the landscape in colour, turning the red laterite earth and the flaming canopy into an almost hallucinatory contrast. The flowers are culturally significant, gathered to make natural Kesari dye for Holi celebrations and rare yellow and white Palash trees are prized finds. Walking the lanes around Nanduara village and the approach roads to the hill in this season is among the most beautiful experiences rural West Bengal can offer.