A weekend trip to Bhalki Machan, first family outing since Covid 19

A weekend trip to Bhalki Machan

First family outing since Covid 19 outbreak

The Covid 19 outbreak have changed the way we live and after spending over 10 months confined at home we finally decided to hit the road. We are lucky to travel just before the lockdown started in March 2020.

On the way to Bhalki Machan, breakfast stop at Azad Hind Dhaba

Our last family weekend tour involved the visit consisted a visit to a fortified temple complex, an excavated Buddhist Vihar, a canyon not as grand as the Grand Canyon and finally a village of brick built temples (Also see: Weekend Family tour of West Midnapore)

Great Trigonometrical Survey (GTS) Towers

A compilation of GTS Towers of West Bengal

The Great Trigonometrical Survey (GTS), started in 1800 and continued over half a century. It is often hailed as one of the most stupendous work in the history of science. The Great Arc (78⁰ E Longitude) was the backbone of the survey and the 1600 miles of inch perfect survey was the longest measurement of earth surface ever to have been attempted.

Collage of GTS Towers
Left – right: Paikpara, Akanpur, Bhalki, Bhola and Sukchar

Willam Lambton, an endearing genius, conceived the idea; George Everest, an impossible martinet, took it forward. The half a century long project involved equations more complex than any in the pre – computer age. It was also the most perilous project of its time, killing more men than any contemporary wars. Malaria wiped out whole survey parties, tiger and scorpions took their toll.