Going Northeast...and loving it:

                               Guwahati

          Always there, this river, which is never still,

             And every night and day, how strong it flows,

      It does my thirsty soul with pleasure fill,

                       And sets my thoughts on peace, and my ‘being’ glows.

                       - Ernestine Northover

My two-week sojourn to the fabulous Northeast is just over. The first port of call was Guwahati, the land of the famous Shakti Peeth Kamakhya, splendid Bihu dance, exquisite mekhela chadar, the grand and mighty Brahmaputra river, warm, lovely people… and of course the lyricist-singer-poet-filmmaker Bhupen Hazarika- the much loved and revered figure in Assam. A quiet wave of surreal bliss ran through me to find myself in a city of such unique features, and above all, situated beside one of the greatest rivers of India. Surely, what the majestic Dhauladhar is to us Palampurwallas and Himachalis in general, the Brahmaputra is to Guwahati and the Assamese. But with China reportedly making dams over it in their own country from where it originates, there are genuine fears of the river’s flow and volume getting significantly reduced: it already has, I was told. If that happens, it would be a death knell to the economy, livelihood and the very existence of all the cities dwelling on its banks as Brahmaputra is the very lifeline of the Northeast. As regards the Bihu dance, I was late by a few days to witness and savour its nuances and graceful movements, but had a good glimpse of it at the Kaziranga National Orchid & Biodiversity Park devoted to preserving the art and cultural heritage as well as the biodiversity of Assam. The 21-dish thali there was a delight as also the orchid garden though most of the orchids were not yet in flower. Mekhela chadars (akin to sarees) are unbeatable and a woman clad in one is irresistible! At a wedding that I attended, looking at the beautiful Assamese women with each one of them excelling and outclassing the other in her mekhela was a sheer feast for the eyes. Besides being graceful and elegant, another fine feature of these is that they are light and easy to wear. Overwhelmed, I couldn’t help making a light-hearted remark to one of my acquaintances at the wedding: "I don’t believe in ‘rebirth’, but should it happen, I would love to be reborn and marry in Assam!!!"

Assamese are warm, affectionate people, as I said before. It was a delight to spend time with them, enjoy their hospitality, and feast on fish of all kinds in different kinds of preparations and gorge on delicious desserts... of course all washed down with hefty swigs of whiskey!

A trip to Kaziranga with a night’s halt at the luxurious Borgos was very refreshing and indeed an icing on the cake. Our party could see the One-horned rhinoceroses busy grazing from an amazingly close range, as also wild elephants, deer, beautiful birds with large seembal (silk cotton) trees spreading the incandescence of their red blossoms all around adding to the wonder and mystique of this great national park.
And who doesn't know Assam's heartthrob Bhupen Hazarika? Walks there any Indian whose heart doesn't dance to the haunting beauty of the song:"Dil hoom hoom kare...?" I am sure none.

After a week’s stay at Guwahati, Puri in Odissa was the next destination. About that, and  much else, in my post next week please. 

Worshippers at the Kamakhya temple compounds

A gorgeous Assamese bride

A Bihu dance in progress

Multiple dish cuisine 

A morning glimpse of the Brahmaputra

                                                           ***