Getting to Bhaglapur

Eight hour ride from Patna to Bhaglapur (Photo: JLewis, TDRF)

Traveling to Bhaglapur was tricky, but not impossible. There is no airport, the nearest (in Patna) is an 8 hour car ride away or a 5 hour train ride. Because you cannot purchase train tickets online without being Indian, I had to opt for the car hire.

 

You can see Patna (the capital of this region) and Bhaglapur along the Ganges

Bhaglapur is located along the Ganges river in a spot which is almost in the center of the

Street in Bihar, India (Photo: JLewis, TDRF)

only sanctuary in India created specifically for the protection of the river dolphin. This is the Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary, which includes about 50km of the Ganges in this region of India (Bihar). 

The group I will be following here all work under Dr. Sunil Choudhary who is a professor at the Bhaglapur University. Dr. Choudhary and his students have worked for many years now studying the dolphins along this stretch of the Ganges. I meet up with both him and Subhasis Dey (lab and field manager) late in the day when I arrive and we plan for the next few days of filming.

Dr. Sunil Choudhary (in back) and Subhasis Dey at Bhaglapur University 

(Photo: JLewis, TDRF)