Place: Gosaba

The largest inhabited island in Sundarban, the network of islands off the Bay of Bengal. Only half of the 100 or so islands here are inhabitable, and in total 4.5 milion people live here. Because the islands are so small and you take tiny ferries to get from one to another, there aren’t many cars here. Everyone tuk tuks and bikes. Even the tuk tuks have flatbeds instead of seats because they’re shipped over as parts and assembled on the island.

Power lines are a relatively new thing on the islands, some of the places we wandered around were only just getting theirs set up now. Houses that don’t have them yet use solar or no power at all. Really helps you appreciate such amenities we take as a given in first world countries.

The main professions here are farming, fishing, and honey gathering. Honey gathering is surprisingly dangerous because you have to venture into the jungles to get to them, and the tigers in the forests are actual man eating ones. 40-50 people get eaten every year…

Food: Rosh Gulab

A close relative of gulab jamon. The texture is cake-like as opposed to the hard buttery feel of the condensed milk of gulab jamon. It’s soaked in some sort of syrup and you’re supposed to give it a squeeze before eating.