Bagdogra Gets A New Picture-Perfect Paradise
Bagdogra gets a blooming makeover as a former dumping ground turns into a selfie zone and mini garden, thanks to the heartfelt efforts of youth Chandan Sitoula from Israel.
Once upon a time, in the not-so-distant past, there existed a corner of Bagdogra best avoided by the faint-hearted and the strong-nosed alike. A veritable eyesore where rubbish reigned supreme and open defecation was, let’s just say, par for the course. But fast forward to today, and you’ll find the same patch of land preening like a peacock in spring—complete with a selfie zone, garden benches, and the sort of greenery that would make even the strongest critic raise an eyebrow.
All credit goes to a rather dashing chap named Chandan Sitoula, who, despite being thousands of miles away in Israel, decided to give his hometown a glow-up. And not just a lick of paint and a polite pruning, mind you—Chandan put his money where his heart is, investing a cool Rs. 5 lakh to turn this neglected nook into a picture-perfect paradise.
The transformation was unveiled with the usual pomp and ceremony. Additional DFO Rahul Dev Mukherjee, Bagdogra Traffic Guard OC Swapan Roy, Guru Parmananda of Pranami Mandir (Naxalbari), and the ever-cheerful Laxman Sitoula did the honours, ribbon and all. Frankly, it was the sort of event where you wouldn’t have been surprised to see a peacock strutting about or a Bollywood number breaking out spontaneously.
Adding to the spirit of community, ST Waiba from Jaigaon generously chipped in with eight garden chairs—a boon for the local elders who can now sit and watch the world go by with the sort of dignity they’d previously had to forego, dodging plastic bags and the occasional wayward cow.
The whole caboodle will be looked after by the Upper Bagdogra Gram Panchayat, with Pradhan Sanjib Sinha and UpaPradhan Sanjeet Mahato promising to light up the place—quite literally—with new streetlights and added illumination, so the garden doesn’t disappear into a dark abyss post-sunset.
Even the local opposition leader, Lakhi Sinha, was spotted at the inauguration, smiling in what one could only assume was genuine civic pride (or perhaps just really pleased with the selfie she snapped).
In a phone call from Israel, Chandan Sitoula was all humility, dedicating the project to the people of Bagdogra and urging everyone to pitch in to keep the space spick and span. “It’s your garden now,” he said. “Don’t let it go back to the dogs.”
And so, from pong to posh, Bagdogra now boasts a mini Eden of its own. Proof, if ever it were needed, that with a bit of vision, a smidgen of investment, and a whole lot of heart, even the most unlovely of places can be transformed into a blooming lovely spot.
So next time you’re in Bagdogra, pop over for a pic. Just mind the flower beds—and try not to photobomb Granny while she’s having her evening sit-down.
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