Samatat Start their work camp at Noagaon of Chandpur district of Bangladesh

We took a month long preparation for the camp. We collect glass for eclipse observe, made pinhole camera, made shirt for camp and made badge for the camp. We also collect all necessary information for our camp place. Our rover Hasan help tremendously for preparing the plan.

Previous Day of the Camp

20 July, 2009

On the 20 July 2009 we started our journey to Dinajpur by train. We reached at the Kamalapur train station (Dhaka) at 6:30 pm. All the member were report at the station at the time except one. Our Leader Kamrul vai failed to make it we were really get worried about it but at last he make it. He joined with us from the next station. It was a nice journey specially when train went over the bridge of Jamuna. It was really a nice view.

At very early of the morning we reached at Dinajpur city we took our breakfast and get ready to starting our adventure.

Day -1

21 July 2009

We took a bus and go to the Rampur from there we go to the Kantagir Temple by a local transport called (Tomtom).

Our leader Kamrul vai on Tom Tom

which is about 12 miles north of Dinajpur town, and about a mile west of Dinajpur-Tetulia highway across the Dhepa river. It was one of the beautiful anchient arictectural view of Bangladesh. We have some photo session there.

[ Kantaji Temple at Dinajpur established in 1704 by Raja Prannath where we arrived on 13 August. Although the nine ornate towers collapsed in 1897, it is still called the 'Nava-Ratna'. The terracotta of the temple was really fascinating that describes the mythological stories and battles of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.]

In front of you Kantaji Temple

For more information about Kantaji Temple click here

Next we went to Noyabad Mosque which is also a place with historical value. We took our bath there and some of our

Noyabab Mosque

member took part in the prayer in the mosque. After that we got back to the Rampur and waiting for bus to go Panchagar. Meanwhile we got all our camera battery recharged….

The bus came, we got into the bus and it started its journey. It was a long journey. It took around 2 hour to reach Panchagar. After reaching to our destiny we went to the main program venue Panchagar stadium. There we temporary setup our tent and I with our leader kamrul vai went to Panchagar District Councilor Office for reporting. They were very friendly and help us by arranging a place in Madhupara village from where we can observe maximum eclipse. It was a tea state. After that we hired three local transport called “VAN” for going to madhupara. It was situated at Harivasha union and almost 12 kilo meter northeast from panchagar city. It took around one and half hour for reach at the Tea state. The tea state is just beside the Bangladesh India border. It was really a nice place. But due to solar eclipse it’s become too crowded. We make our self fresh some of our member were sent to local market for charged all the electronic equipment, our senior member and our leader going to find out the suitable place for camping.

At evening we make a small party then we went into the tea garden. It was a nice experience. It is just beside the border. India use light in its border. A nice lighting spread all over the garden. In the garden we got a hut. We sit into it and pass our time. After that we got back to our camp and take our meal. After the meal we make a little meeting about our next day program and then we went to sleep.

Day -2

22 July 2009

We wake up from the bed at 5 am when it was covered with dark and sun was not appeared in the sky. We prepare all the equipment and shift to the suitable place for observing the eclipse which had selected last night by our senior. It was just besides a very big field. We set our tent area and make a our camp area. Besides that we distribute leaflet on safety precaution on observing solar eclipse among the local people. We set two video cameras for capturing the eclipse. We prepare our self for observing the eclipse.

waiting for the eclipse

But Alas!!!

Where is the sun!!

no sign of eclipse!!!

All the sky had covered with heavy cloud. There was no sign of sun. The time passed. It was 7 but we can’t see the sun most of the member of us became very depressed.

Suddenly at 7:43 we saw the sun….the eclipse already started. We shouted with joy. At 7:50 sky had become clear we can now saw the sun which was just like a new moon.

Suddenly whole environment became dark just like night.

We become rumble. It was an unbelievable experience.

THE ECLIPSE!!!

Eclipse through solr filter

After few seconds or minutes suddenly a slide of sun came out behind from the moon and then we saw the “Diamond Ring”. It was really an amusing memory. Some of our member become just crazy, they sing, they shout, they dance.

observing the eclipse

busy for capture the momment

capture the momment with camera

Others were busy to capture the moment with camera.

With all our celebration at last the eclipse end!!

After the eclipse we set a camp post office operated by scouts. Participant of the camp write their feeling and send it to their parents and friends. Some interested guest also sent some latter using this mail service. A special patch and canceller used for the field post office. After collecting all the latter two rover were sent to Panchagar District Post Office to delivered the mail. There again a commemorative canceller used to cancel the stamp.

click here to see the full collection of postal cover

Meanwhile, another team of the rovers were going for tree plantation. We decided to planted some tree in commemoration of the eclipse as we have to wait another 105 years to watch the next total solar eclipse from Bangladesh. But we face some problem for doing that. As it was very remote area there is no nursery available from where we can collect the tree for planting. A local scout helps us for solving this problem. he collect some plant early in the morning from another village. We select the local school premises for planting the trees.

planting the "ECLIPSE TREE"

We gave the name of the tree “THE ECLIPSE TREE”After complete the planting program we packed our camp and went back to panchagar.

At noon we started our journey from Panchagar to Tatulia by bus. We take our sit on the top of the bus. I will never forget this journey. It was one of my memorable journey.

over the bus top

The bus reached at tatulia within one hour. We took some rickshaw van and go to the Tatulia Dak Banglo. We setup our camp just besides the Dak Banglo.

tent arena

It was a nice place we saw the pike of the mount Kanchajonggha from there. Then we go to the River Mohanonda which is just besides our camp. It has very sandy bed with a very low level of  water. But water was too hot. We all took our bath there.

race.....!!! in MOHANONDA River

When we finished our bath some of our member sent to local market for buying material for barbeque. Another team prepares the camp arena. At night we arrange a barbeque night. We use chicken and some fish as barbeque item. Our senior brother and leader mainly arrange the program but all other member helped them.

the Barbeque night

After Finishing the barbeque party we arrange a little cleaning campaign around our camp and party area. We stop the fire carefully and our leader check it. Before going to sleep we make a small evolution meeting.

evalution meeting

Where we identify some mistake which should be avoid in next time.

Day -3

23 July 2009

We  break our tradition at the last day of the camp. We named the day relaxed day. We wake up from the bed at 8:00 am. As we see that Mohanonda river then have a good current we go to the river . That day the water was colder then the previous day and we enjoy our bathing. After complete our bath we took our breakfast and then we packed our camp. When complete our packing we got a invitation from one of our rover Raj uncles’ house. So we go there and pass some of our time. From there we got our self on a bus top.

again on the bus top

And again we started the adventure. The both side of the road is pretty nice.

beauty of the nature

All of our member enjoy the bus trip. We reached at the Banglabandha almost 45 minutes later. It is the northest part of Bangladesh. We feel very excited. We reached at the Zero point of Banglabandha within another 15 minutes by Rickshaw van.

at the Zero point

We had some photo session then we went to “Pathar query” from where many people collect stone and sand from the river. After finishing the visit we came back to the bus station and started our journey from Banglabandha to Tetulia. From Tetulia we took another bus for Panchagar. We became very tiered by doing this journey. At evening we reached at Panchagar. Almost all the site we decided visited by us except one. That was the rock museum. So I with one of our member Hasan went to the Rock museum for getting information. It was evening the museum had closed. But we requested the museum guard to open the museum he agree and we call our other member.

at the rock museum

This rock museum is established by the principle of the Panchagar Girls College. It have nice collection of different types of rocks. But most impotents things that we found there, that there were two ancient boat that was found into the river bed of Mohanonda.

in front of the boat

After visiting the Museum we get back to a restaurant meanwhile again we get another invitation from Raj uncles house. We go there and make us fresh and prepared for back to Dhaka. At 7:45 PM we went to the Bus stand there we took part in some photo session. After that we get into the bus. At 9:45 the bus started its Journey and we shouted loudly GOOD BYE PANCHAGAR!!!!

Tags: field post office, Mail Carried by Scouts, Mail Carrying Unit, Samatat Open Scout Group, scout philately, Solar Eclipse, Solar Eclipse Camp, tree pantation campaign