About this Blog: Singee, located about 135 km from Kolkata is a quintessential Bengal village. You can see here acres and acres of paddy fields meeting the blue sky at the horizon, winding and muddy village roads and the languorous movement of the bullock carts. In short, Singee is quite a pleasurable weekend getaway from Kolkata if you want to spend some lazy times in rural Bengal. In this blog, we have chronicled our visit to Singee, a wonderful reunion and the usual information about the place, how to reach, where to stay and others.

Sometimes it is the sheer serenity of a place that attracts us and makes us fall in love with the place. After a much busy festive season (Durga Puja), we simply wanted to a place of quiet and away from all the city noise. We had heard about Singee from the old and reliable Facebook and this place seemed to fit the bill perfectly.

And while we were looking for Singee, a reunion of old friends was also being planned. Agni’s school friends were all meeting up again after 14 long years! The selection of place for the reunion was given to us because of obvious reasons. Both Agni and I, thus, wanted a place where we could relax as well as enjoy the reunion with friends and family. Singee was finally decided as the place. What can be better than visiting a beautiful place and meeting old friends!

Singee, the Quintessential Bengal Village

Silence has its own beauty and perhaps this is one of the best things about Singee. There is no rush, no unwanted noise, no honking of cars. There is endless greenery as far as your eyes can see. The green paddy fields blends with the endless blue sky in the horizon. At a distance, we could also see the Brahmani River flowing at her own pace. 

We enjoyed the solitude of Singee to our hearts content. The place was perfect for the reunion. All of us exchanged stories and reminisced their school days. And though I was not a part of the school gang, it was good to hear about Agni’s shenanigans in school.

And when we had talked enough, we went out for a walk in the afternoon. We walked along the paddy fields and went near the river. We explored the garden and the farmlands. Singee homestay itself has a small patch of land where they grow vegetables. There is also a pond inside the boundary where we could do some fishing.

We have always believed that a place can never be fully ‘seen’ unless you talk to the local people. The villagers here are quite friendly and it is very easy to strike a conversation with them. They are usually quite happy when they see people visiting their quaint village.

They readily told us about their daily lives and how the rains create a problem for them. The roads sometimes get submerged in water during the rains. Yes, the last stretch of roads towards Singi was in a pathetic condition full of huge potholes. We had a roller coaster ride for the last few kilometres! Nevertheless, we had a wonderful time talking to the villagers. It is just the perfect place for experiencing rural Bengal.

We watched the sunset from the fields and walked back to the homestay as it started to get dark. The entire day was full of fun.

Things to do at Singee

The local attractions

Singee also happens to be the birthplace of Kashiram Das, who composed the Hindu epic Mahabharata in Bengali. Your sightseeing can start with a visit to the house of the renowned poet.

From there visit the temple at Buro Shibtala. This Navratna styled temple represents the typical temple architecture style of eighteenth century Bengal.

There is another interesting place in Singee – a wish fulfilling tree. This ancient banyan tree is revered by the villagers and is believed to fulfill your wishes. What would you wish for here?

Apart from these attractions, you can explore the paddy fields, village orchards and even go for a bullock cart ride. You can simply enjoy a typical rural Bengal experience.

Visit the Terracotta Temples in Mooti village

For those interested in history and arts, a trip to the nearby village to visit the terracotta temple complex of the Chandra family is must. The temples are just located a few kilometers away from the Singee. The architecture of these terracotta temples resembles that of the temple architecture of Orissa.

In winters, visit Purbasthali

Purbasthali is well known bird watching spot of West Bengal. It is located only 22 km from Singee. If you happen to visit Singee during the winters, you can plan a trip to the ox-bow lake of Purbasthali for bird watching.

Khirgram is also another place to visit known for Jogadya Temple, a form of Goddess Durga.

Where to stay at Singee? Shanitiniketan Homestay

There is only one accommodation option here – Shantiniketan Homestay. The word ‘Shantiniketan’ literally means the abode of peace. The place is actually so! Standing just beside the main road overlooking a vast expanse of green fields, the place is soothing to the eyes.

It is a three-storeyed building having 5 guest rooms and a terrace where you can simply sit and gaze at the greenery beyond. Samrat Da is at the helm of things here and he along with his wife is a great host. We really felt at home here.

How is the food at Shantiniketan Homestay, Singee?

I have to mention the food served at Shantiniketan Homestay in Singee. Because it is one of the best I ever had in any homestays. Samrat Da is a foodie and he loves to treat people with delicious dishes. Authentic Bengali cuisine is served in the homestay with traditional dishes like Alu posto, Shukto (both are traditional Bengali dishes), Kochi Pathar Jhol (mutton curry), Chutney and more.

Breakfast is a grand affair here with Luchi, Chholar Dal, Alur Dom and what not. And lunch is even grander with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian fares. I remember Samrat Da saying that good food brings people together and it is his endeavour to serve his guests the best of Bengali cuisines. There were almost 20 of us and we were never short of food there. The hosts catered to almost all our foodie demands!

How to reach Singee?

The nearest railway station is Patuli. Singi is about 7 km from Patuli. You will get regular local trains from Howrah to Patuli. From Patuli station, you can take an e-rickshaw (Toto or tuk-tuk) to Singi.

Singee is about 135 km from Kolkata via Memari. If you are travelling by your own car, there are two routes that you can take to reach Singee.

Shyambazar-Dunlop-Dankuni- Memari-Satgachia-Manteswar- Singi.

There is another route via Kalna.

Shyambazar-Barackpur-Kalyani- Kalna-Nabadwip-Purbastholi–Singi.

The distance in this route is 148 km.

What is the best time to visit Singee?

You can visit Singee at any time of the year. Whenever, you want to take a break from your busy schedule, you may head towards Singi for a relaxing holiday.

Singee is a wonderful weekend getaway from Kolkata. The village itself is very beautiful. You can spend hours walking along the green paddy fields and around the village. While enjoying the pollution free environment, you can take a bullock-cart ride as well. While at Singee, simply relax, enjoy nature and satiate your taste buds with authentic Bengali cuisine prepared by the hosts. Yes, even after such a sumptuous lunch and dinner, Samrat Da says that he was not quite satisfied with the food he served us!

Did you like this post? What do you think of Singee? Let us know in comments below.

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