“Dulung river is just by the temple, take that path,” says our driver as we trudge along a dirt road lined by old growth trees on both sides. We are on an impromptu daytrip to Belpahari, an area in the Jhargram district of West Bengal in India. The region is endowed with acres of forests, gentle hills, lakes, and waterfalls. Belpahari was the nerve-centre of Maoist guerrilla fighters for a long time. Lately peace has been restored. Ecologically, Belpahari is a part of Chotanagpur Plateau region. It is sparsely populated and agriculture is the mainstay here. Inhabitants here often face water crises. At one point, the people here, who are…