Murguma Dam

Murguma Dam spans the Saharajhore, a river feeding the Kangsabati, near the village of Murguma in Purulia district. It sits at the north-west end of the Ajodhya Hills, an eastern extension of the Chota Nagpur Plateau, so the reservoir is surrounded by hills and forest. Several other streams run straight down from the hills into the lake, which holds a number of small islands.

It counts among the important small irrigation schemes in this dry, rural part of West Bengal, and the surrounding area is home mainly to tribal communities, chiefly Santals. The government promotes it as a tourist spot, and it appears in the Purulia district tourism brochure. The nearest railway station is Jhalda, and the road from Purulia runs about 50 km by way of Begunkodor. Poor access may be one reason the area keeps its wild character, and the reservoir is also used for research on native aquatic plants and animals.