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| Saturday, 19 July 2003 |
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Assam -Land of Blue Hills and Red River by Carol Aloysius reporting from Assam
To reach Guhawati which is some 2990 kms from source to the sea, one must travel all the way to Assam, the north eastern sentinel of the frontiers of India , which lies on the foothills of the Himalayan mountains. I was among a group of 20 journalists from the Sri Lanka Press Association who made this trip on an unforgettable three day journey by train covering over 3500 kilometres from Chennei. Our mission; to attend the 26th Plenary sessions of Indian Federation of Working Journalists held at Guhawati in the state of Assam as observers. The journey was by no means easy , travelling as we did in a separate compartment that had been strung to the end of the mile long train a reserved for the journalists attending the conference, which got more and more crowded at every station. But in spite of the discomfort of having to eat, sleep (on bunkers) and wash oneself on a moving train it was certainly a most memorable ride. While the strange sights, sounds and smells of rural India continued to both repel and fascinate us, the fact that we actually lived inside the one mile long Brahmaputra Express for three whole days , was an experience few of us will forget. It took two and a half days for us to finally reach our destination after having passed through five states. Our first glimpse of Assam was one of utter disbelief. To our travel weary eyes which had seen nothing but dreary stretches of flat arid land dotted by palm trees and shrub in the State of Andrapradesh which we had just passed, the vast acres of luscious green pastureland at the foothills of the Himalayas resembled something close to what one would call a " paradise on earth".As the train entered the state the air became cooler and fresher . We caught our first glimpse of Assam's famed hilly tea land reminding us of Sri Lanka's rolling tea lands, before the train moved into the plains at the foot of the Himalayas. The exquisitely beautiful acres of pastureland of different shades of green with cattle grazing reminded us of some of the paintings by Nature lovers we had seen at various art exhibitions. It was easy to see why Assam why many call still refer to Assam as the Shangri-la of India, and how aptly named it was ( the name` Assam' is derived from the Sanskrit` Asoma' meaning " peerless" or " unequalled").With its flat picturesque rain fed plains carpeted by grass, corn and jute and interspersed by groves of mango and bananas, the landscape is one of exquisite natural beauty. Yes, Assam is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and picturesque regions of North India. It is a state combines natural wealth with cultural richness and human wealth. Here we could see men and women at work on the fields and half naked children (girls and boys) chasing a herd of cattle and goats while riding on their backs; there a group of women were singing songs as they cooked over open while nearby carefree young girls in brightly coloured cloths danced in the open fields. Known as the land of Blue Hills and Red River, Assam is strategically located ,and spread over an area of 78,438 sq kms and is connected to the rest of India by a narrow corridor in West Bengal that runs for 56 kms below the foothills of Bhutan and Sikkim. The state is fed by over a hundred tributaries flowing down the surrounding hills , with the Brahmaputra river sweeping through the entire length of the valley. As we entered the famed Brahmaputra Valley , we caught our first glimpse of the mighty river and its tributaries.It was a truly awesome sight. This vast stretch of turbulent water which constantly overflowed its banks had been given the name of ' river of sorrows'since so many lives and homes are lost when it floods. To cross it our train had to climb over some of the longest bridges in India. Besides being one of the most picturesque states in India, Assam is also a state that experiences some of the heaviest rainfalls in the sub continent. We had been warned before leaving Sri Lanka to bring our raincoats and brollies but were fortunate to have the weather gods smiling on us during the period of the conference, and only just missed the terrible flood that claimed over one million homes the day after we left Guhawati. When you climb out of the carriage and step onto the station at Guhawati, the first thing that strikes you is the mass of humanity that almost suffocating you as you try to escape from beggars that press close to you with their outstretched hands. Guwahati is a melting pot for many cultures which has probably lent it its distinct character. Flat yellow mongoloid faces that bespoke of Chinese of Burmese origin blended with the brown sharp features of Tamils from the south. The majority of people are Hindus, followed by Muslims , Sikhs and Christians as well as Buddhists. The real Assam, like the rest of India lies in her rural villages. This is where her strength and wealth lies. In Assam we discovered the villages do not have strong demarcation lines . Generally , wide expanses of paddy fields, lakes, rivers or thick jungles are taken as boundaries between two villages. Guwahati, also described as the legendary city of Eastern lights is actually coined from two words; 'Guwa' meaning areca nut and 'Hat' meaning market or market of arecanuts. Today it has become a bustling city with several places of historical and religious interest. Perhaps the biggest attraction is the Kamakhaya temple atop the Nilachal hill where the goddess Kamakhaya is worshipped. Another is the Kalashetraya a beautifully laid out arts centre that gives you an inside glimpse of the life and culture of the people of Assam. Assam is also home to some of the rarest species of animals such as the one horned rhino, the hoolock gibbon ,clouded leopard and pygmy hog which we spotted at the zoo in Guhawathi. It also boasts of several natural parks and wild life reserves. With its wealth of natural beauty and its proximity to Himalayas as well as several other countries , the state of Assam has all the ingredients for becoming one of the most popular tourist states in India. All it requires is a shot in the arm from the government of India. With better roads,cleaner streets, more star class hotels and efficient communication methods this Shangrila at the foothills of Himalayas could easily become India's leading tourist city. |
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The majestic Brahmaputra, is probably the most visible natural landmark
of this fast growing albeit still under-developed city of Guhawati, which
lies on the banks of the great river and is considered the gateway to
North Eastern India.
