[San Phrangmung]

I won't call this one a getaway trip as this was a visit to a special place.

Location: Gendhali - Bhokot gaon village - Samaguri off NH 37 between Nagaon and Kaliabar.












































There was this man who was known as Adorkho Khetiok / Aadarsh Krishak, he lived alone in an interior village with no electricity yet wrote five books. Till his last day rode a cycle to get his small necessity from the nearest highway kirana store. Otherwise survived from the produce from his own farm from rice to oranges etc.

He was more of a mystery man for us the kids as we would see him once a year during summer vacations only. We never really had a conversation with him but only heared about him mostly.

And it was time i paid him a visit.

He wasn't there to meet me in person, but i could feel him all around.

[San Phrangmung]

Just as the metal concrete gate that has replaced a bamboo one, things have changed. Even the old Assam type tiny two room dwelling that the man lived in is no more.

But with change & end a new beginning is there too. Lets have a look.

Lets take a walk inside Gendhali's 'Ghana Kanta Gogoi farm' or more popularly known to the old locals as simply Gogoi farm.

[San Phrangmung]

Its green as ever, just some old crops have been replaced by tea. And the huge trees are missing.

[San Phrangmung]

But after sometimes i felt the green was missing something. What was once thick jungle of sort with bamboo trees on both sides and huge mango, orange and other fruit trees all around looked pretty empty now. What i missed the most was the dark path leading to his small dwelling deep inside.











































A little more inside and we see the re-birth of the place in tea garden.

[San Phrangmung]

And we reach our small tea garden.

[condor]

@San, the pictures dont seem to do justice to the beautiful place. But it is pics like these that remind one to try & stop running, and smell the air once in a while. I hope I can do it some time in life: get off the track, take my time and soak in the vibrations & the magic of such places.

Would have been good if you could share of this mystery man .. may be a collection of points from conversations with old timers ?

[San Phrangmung]

Originally Posted by condor

@San, the pictures dont seem to do justice to the beautiful place. But it is pics like these that remind one to try & stop running, and smell the air once in a while. I hope I can do it some time in life: get off the track, take my time and soak in the vibrations & the magic of such places.

Would have been good if you could share of this mystery man .. may be a collection of points from conversations with old timers ?

Thanks Condor, so very true about stop running. I crossed the highway many times in the last three years, but only this time did i finally take the turn to this beautiful place.

My cam is a mobile phone plus it was little rainy and dark so the unclear pictures.

I will write more about the mystery man along with a picture of him soon.

[San Phrangmung]

I finally find the place where once stood the home of my Puthao (Tai Ahom ) or Putha Deuta ( Assamese ) or maternal Grandfather.

I vaguely remember entering the house only once and i felt it was dark. Here once puthao slept on his bed along with a snake and when someone saw it later & woke him up Puthao just said, "What's there to be afraid, it won't harm anyone".

And these are the new dwellings.















Last look.


And it was time for me to take the road once more.

[hvkumar]

This is like going back to a magical green world where time has stood still!

Is this a recent trip? Is it raining that hard in Assam? Possible to reach this place in peak monsoons?

[San Phrangmung]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

This is like going back to a magical green world where time has stood still!

Is this a recent trip? Is it raining that hard in Assam? Possible to reach this place in peak monsoons?

HvK to have a green space like this still is really a blessing given the shrinking forest all around, due to overpopulation, commercial needs etc.

To my grandfather the farm was like a child that he dearly loved and took care of till his last days. This place is a good example in relation to the wordings 'what we will leave behind for our future generation'.

I went there last month, and since its close to the highway its accessible year round. Not sure about the interior areas though which i am yet to explore, specially Chapa-Nala riverside near hilly Karbi Anglong border plus Laokhowa wildlife sanctuary. The Nagaon district also has a lot of tea garden in the area so should be nice for a drive.

Nagaon - Tourism

Pictures from drive from farm to NH 37 connector point between Puronigudam and Samaguri.

[faustus77]

San
Hi
Good to see your photos.A contrarian point.Prefer your photos this way, reason being that as a layman and a traveller you are showing us north east.If they are to be post card perfect then I can see umpteen government tourism websites.
Incidentally which railway line is that.
Regards

[San Phrangmung]

Originally Posted by faustus77

San
Hi
Good to see your photos.A contrarian point.Prefer your photos this way, reason being that as a layman and a traveller you are showing us north east.If they are to be post card perfect then I can see umpteen government tourism websites.
Incidentally which railway line is that.
Regards

Its the Nagaon - Silghat railway line (ends there). Silghat now is used as river port by Numaligarh refinary both for oil and machinery.

But i will double check to confirm as the nearby tracks are Lumding Dimapur Jorhat section.


And here comes a picture of my late grandfather, a true Gandhian, Ghana Kanta Gogoi, with granny (maternal). I am in the snap too but half cut. Picture was taken in the early 80's with Kodak instant camera with those huge square size film cakes.

Its for his vision and thinking that i was able to visit a place like this still.

[San Phrangmung]

So i get back to NH 37 near Samaguri approach sign and looking for another special thing from long long ago.

During the Tai Ahom rule of Assam between 1228 and 1826 s British takeover, the Tai Ahom's had made many natural barriers all along the kingdom to check enemy advances.

Many such barrier are to be found within Guwahati city itself like Gorchuk on Guwahati bypass and Raj-Garh which is a road now. So to see something in its original state was the goal. And here near Misa - Amoni part of the highway lies the Somodhar Garh (garh means barrier) which the Indian Army has preserved with great care naming it 'Assam's China Wall".

One would miss it unless driving slow, as i did many times before and this day as well. So came the brakes and back up.

When i got down and started to take the photographs, suddenly came this huge downpour. Had to run back to the car, but the feeling was overwhelming to set foot on a place with my ancestors touch.

Who are Tai Ahom's ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahom_people

http://www.india-seminar.com/2005/55...n%20saikia.htm















Then came the two stops, one for the car at the NRL pump and next for my own pet puja, but in the land of lahe lahe or dhire dhire the Assam Tourism run restaurent was yet to open. But atleast their toilet was in business.

[San Phrangmung]

Next comes the drive upto Tezpur town with a morning duty call at Mission Chariali at the KF restaurent.

While crossing the General Kalia Bhumura Barphukan bridge had to pay a Rs 20 toll with receipt from the earlier Rs 5. The locals had protested the sudden increase, but had to give in. These gates are not managed by govt' directly but given on lease to the highest bidder. So the lessee can take whatever they feel like ultimately. And these kind of toll gates are mostly managed by rough elements so don't argue just pay and leave.

In the picture below you see the name "Numali-Garh" which is another line of defence constructed by the Tai Ahom rulers. Now the barrier is in bad shape, mostly destroyed.






Tai Ahom General Kalia Bhumura Barphukan had planned a bridge at this very location hundreds of years back, so it was dedicated in the great Generals name.

Likewise Tai Ahom General Lachit Barphukan is the historical figure behind Saraighat bridge in Amingaon Guwahati.



Once you cross the bridge towards Tezpore town, ther's a viewpoint on the right. And he'r the view.

[San Phrangmung]

Now begins the short drive to Mission Chariali in Tezpore with a stop over at KF.




Birds eye view from KF of the Mission Chariali police point.
Right to Tawang - Lakhimpur - Dhemaji etc
Left to Tezpore town market.
Straight to Dhekiajulie - Mangaldoi - baihata Chariali
Revers to Nagaon - Kaziranga - Jorhat - Dimapur etc