5 Fun Facts About India’s Sundarbans National Park

Sundarbans, literally the beautiful forest, is a mythical land that is not just a UNESCO World Heritage Site but also a famous its tiger conservation under the Tiger project. While this is a must-visit place for every tiger lover, there is more to this beautiful land. While many legends of Bon Bibi, Shah Jongoli are famous in this region, there is so much more than we as Indians do not know. Well, it’s a good time to start anyway.

Fascinating Facts About Sundarbans-

Here are some interesting facts about Sunderbans, so you can satiate your curiosity about this gorgeous expansive national park.

1. Sundarbans is 10 Times the Size of Venice

Sundarbans is 10 times bigger than the city of Venice. It comprises of 4000 sq. km, with 102 islands, out of which 54 are inhabited and the rest are covered with forest. Sundarbans has the world’s largest coastal mangrove forest, around 10,000 km2 shared between India and Bangladesh. Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve is considered to be India’s Largest Fishery Board because of its brackish water fish production and marine fisheries.

2. Sundarbans Derives Its Name From Sundari

Sundarban Jungle has been named after the large mangrove trees Sundari (Heritiera littoralis). There is an amazing fact related to this. Did you know how this national park got its name Sundarbans? Well, looking at the flora and fauna, no one can deny the fact that the park is beautiful and bountiful thanks to the abundant flora and fauna.

3. Unique Tidal Phenomenon Of Sundarbans

Sundarban has a unique Tidal Phenomenon occurring twice a day. There are high tides are formed when the water level rises around 6-10 feet and low tides when the huge mud land area lying flat. Visiting Sunderbans during the high tides will give you the opportunity to explore the forest and the wild animals by boat.

4. Books Have Been Written on Sundarbans

Several novels have been written in the setting of Sundarbans which include The Mystery of the Black Jungle by Emilio Salgari, Sundarbane Arjan Sardar by Shib Sankar Mitra and Padma Nadir Majhi, by Manik Bandopadhyay. Also, the Booker Prize-winning novel, Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie’s and The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh.

5. Gosaba The Biggest Inhabited Island On Sundarbans

Gosaba is the biggest and last inhabited island on Sundarbans, located on the Indian side. It comprises of 40% of the total area of Sunderbans. After this island, the area for a huge dense forest starts. This island has its own hospitals, government offices, schools and panchayats.

Sundarbans is home to over 400 majestic and fiery Royal Bengal Tigers. Imagine the awe-inspiring tigers swimming and relaxing in the brackish water of Sundarbans, you witness them afar and marvel at their beauty and majesty. You turn your head and see an enclosure of thick mangrove forest and huge saline mudflats, a sight unlike ever before. What Sundarban offers is not just an experience, she resembles a mother who, when respected showers her beauty and also hides the dangers away.