The Sundarbans

Visit the Sundarbans, the forest in the sea.

From the islands, Shanti's family goes by ship from Sri Vijaya Puram to Kolkata, and from there to the Sundarbans. Amma says it is a different kind of forest — something Shanti has never seen.

The Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world. It is where the river Ganga meets the sea, and the land is muddy and salty. Mangroves are special trees that grow in this wet, salty land.

Shanti asks Appa about the tiny stick-like things coming out of the water. Appa tells her they are the roots of the mangroves, which help them breathe in the muddy salt water. Mangrove roots also hold the soil together and help stop waves from washing the land away.

Many people live close to this forest and depend on it for their daily needs. Shanti sees a boatman wearing a mask on the back of his head, and asks why. Appa says he has heard it is because tigers attack their prey from behind — and a face on the back of the head may confuse the tigers.

The Sundarbans, where the Ganga meets the sea, is the world's largest mangrove forest; mangroves grow in wet, salty land, their stick-like roots help them breathe, and their roots hold the soil against the waves.

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