There are several Khasia villages (called punji) , Monipuri villages (called para ) and Tripura villages scattered among the tea plantations in the Srimangal area. Khasia villages are often on hilltops surrounded by betel-nut trees, which is their cash crop. When visiting a Khasia village you should first call in on the local chief, as the community will not extend full hospitality without his permission. The easiest way of visiting one of the Khasia communities is to ask one of the guides at Lowacherra National Park to lead you to one of the villages situated around the park fringes.
The closest Monipuri village to Srimangal is Ramnagar . Local tours will usually include a trip here, but you can walk here yourself. Of all the ethnic groups of this region, the Monipuri are the most integrated into mainstream Bangladeshi society, making villages like this one relatively accessible. Villagers have even opened shops here so tourists can buy the beautiful fabrics that you’ll see being woven on handlooms in back yards. Those not involved in weaving tend to work in agriculture so you’ll also see fruit trees galore (mango, lemon, jackfruit, banana) as well as the small rice paddies on the edge of the village. Most Monipuri are Hindu, and small temples and shrines dot the village. You may also notice the flame-like Hindu-temple symbol of the Monipuri, which is often woven into the fabrics they sell.
The best known Tripura village near Srimangal is Dolubari . It’s a half-hour cycle from town, through some gorgeous countryside, and you’ll find villagers are friendly and welcoming, even though they speak little English. Dolubari predates Srimangal itself and is set among some beautiful fruit-tree orchards; lemons and pineapples are the order of the day. The village has a much more rural feel to it than Ramnagar, with most villagers – there are around 600 – managing small plots of land beside their mud-hut homes, where they keep farmyard animals and grow vegetables. Tripura are also mostly Hindu, although a handful of families are Christian, hence the small church on the approach into the village.
It’s about Tk 100 to get here in a CNG.
