[SamitMukherjee]

Originally Posted by gunin

Day 3: Nonglang to Guwahati (via Mairang, Patharkhmah)
We reached home in the evening after spending a fun filled 3 days in the abode of the clouds. Thanks for reading .

Thanks gunin for the wonderful travelogue with awesome pictures.
I love the fact that most of your travelogues are based on so offbeat locations of North East which are far from travel lists of even localities leave alone tourists.
North East is truly an unexplored treasure.

My native is also Guwahati. Would like to see you around sometime.

On a lighter note- Going through your travelogue is making me homesick.

[shashanka]

Excellent photologue Gunin! It is always a joy to see the beautiful and varied landscape of our wonderful country. And I never stop being amazed at the extra-ordinary resonance that so many aspects of our country's landscape has with similar places in other countries. Your photos of the Monoliths near the Domtiewsaw Travellers Nest, Nonglang, immediately brings to mind the monoliths at Stonehenge. I must admit to being fascinated with our remote past and have often felt a twinge of regret that we didn't have a 'Stonehenge' here in our country!

So I must thank you for offering us a glimpse of the Monoliths in our own North East. And giving me this opportunity to make plans for a visit there!

[SamitMukherjee]

Originally Posted by haldar_siliguri

Awesome post Gunin, and just reinforces my plan for a Siliguri-Meghalaya road trip sometime later. Such off beat routes as you traveled on and shared pics of, are exactly what I always yearn for!

On that note I have an enquiry to anyone with knowledge of the following:

While traveling from Siliguri, after crossing Bongaigaon, what would be the best route to reach Mairang.

1. via Nalbari-Guwahati
OR
2. via Jogighopa-Dudhnoi

I am speaking in terms of better traffic but at the same time not sacrificing the option of decent/91 octane petrol stops as my vehicle will need that as much as possible.

Thanks and warm regards

I think I can answer your query-
Option 1- Nalbari-Guwahati-
This route is the main highway to enter Guwahati city while going from Bongaigaon. This route is shorter, 4-lane and you will get more number of eateries and fuel station on the way. But this route has more traffic. While entering Guwahati you will be crossing the famous Saraighat double decker bridge over Brahmaputra. This is the first bridge over this mighty river and is over 50 years old.
You will be crossing the cities of Barpeta, Nalbari, Rangia on your way.

Option 2- Jogighopa-Dudhnoi-
This route is completely 2-lane and longer. For this route, you will have to take a right turn from Bongaigaon. This route is scenic and has lesser traffic. You will be crossing towns of Abhayapuri, Goalpara, Dudhnoi, Boko, passing by Guwahati University on your way to the city.

My suggestion for you will be to consider Option-1

[haldar_siliguri]

Originally Posted by SamitMukherjee

My suggestion for you will be to consider Option-1

Duly noted, many thanks!

[gunin]

Originally Posted by SaGa

Quick trip to unwind from all the hustle and bustle of life. Great location, good pics, a very capable vehicle. Thank you for sharing!

Thanks a lot!

Originally Posted by nvldvr

Beautiful pics and lovely write up. All the places in your pics look so serene and beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

And I was also delighted to read about that young boy, collecting wrappers from his friends for throwing into the bin. Infact the whole place itself looked so neat and clean. Just goes to show the great civic sense of the people there. May we have more of such kind. Cheers.

Thank you for the appreciation. I too am hopeful for the future looking at the kids .

Originally Posted by Chillout

Great pictures and lovely travelogue, definitely would want to visit this place before it looses it's pristine beauty. North East definitely is a hidden treasure and has friendly people who welcome their visitors.

Thanks a lot. You must definitely make plans to visit the seven sisters.

Originally Posted by rav11stars

Wow, that's one very refreshing trip and that's my kind of journey too. I like to travel to nondescript, unknown places where raw nature just exists.
All we've got to do is just soak in there in Nature's lap, be responsible, not litter and come back quietly
Thanks a lot for offering us such amazing glimpses.

Thank you. You and I have similar ideas of an ideal trip. I prefer such places to more popular tourist destinations.

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Wonderful travelogue there Gunin, many thanks for sharing . As Thermodynamics has said above north east is a hidden treasure, waiting to be explored and given its due worth. Really appreciate you bringing Nonglang and its surrounding places to our notice.

Hope you keep traveling like this, exploring new places and bringing them to our notice. All the best.

Thanks a lot for the kind words. Your posts on the TUV 300 almost made me go for it when I was looking for a rugged vehicle for touring.

Originally Posted by haldar_siliguri

Awesome post Gunin, and just reinforces my plan for a Siliguri-Meghalaya road trip sometime later. Such off beat routes as you traveled on and shared pics of, are exactly what I always yearn for!

On that note I have an enquiry to anyone with knowledge of the following:

While traveling from Siliguri, after crossing Bongaigaon, what would be the best route to reach Mairang.

1. via Nalbari-Guwahati
OR
2. via Jogighopa-Dudhnoi

I am speaking in terms of better traffic but at the same time not sacrificing the option of decent/91 octane petrol stops as my vehicle will need that as much as possible.

Thanks and warm regards

Thanks a lot. You must definitely do a Meghalaya trip. In October last year I visited Sandakphu and the drive till Siliguri was very enjoyable. Regarding the routes, I feel Samit has already answered your queries. Since the Nalbari route is four lane, I feel it will be quicker than the Dudhnoi route. The latter route is two lane (wide) and more scenic otherwise.

Originally Posted by SamitMukherjee

Thanks gunin for the wonderful travelogue with awesome pictures.
I love the fact that most of your travelogues are based on so offbeat locations of North East which are far from travel lists of even localities leave alone tourists.
North East is truly an unexplored treasure.

My native is also Guwahati. Would like to see you around sometime.

On a lighter note- Going through your travelogue is making me homesick.

Thank you Samit. You made my day with your feedback. We can meet up the next time you are in Guwahati.

Originally Posted by shashanka

Excellent photologue Gunin! It is always a joy to see the beautiful and varied landscape of our wonderful country. And I never stop being amazed at the extra-ordinary resonance that so many aspects of our country's landscape has with similar places in other countries. Your photos of the Monoliths near the Domtiewsaw Travellers Nest, Nonglang, immediately brings to mind the monoliths at Stonehenge. I must admit to being fascinated with our remote past and have often felt a twinge of regret that we didn't have a 'Stonehenge' here in our country!

So I must thank you for offering us a glimpse of the Monoliths in our own North East. And giving me this opportunity to make plans for a visit there!

Hi Shashanka, thanks a lot for the appreciation. There are many places in Meghalaya where one can see the monoliths. However, not all of them are preserved. Even I am fascinated with them as to what purpose these served- maybe a place for meetings? You must plan a trip here.

[SamitMukherjee]

Originally Posted by gunin

Thank you Samit. You made my day with your feedback. We can meet up the next time you are in Guwahati.

Yes, we will definitely meet up in Guwahati. Let's plan a Bhpian meet in Guwahati.

[knrn]

A great write up. I love mountains and exploring the less crowded north east is a delight for the traveler. Loved the way you captured the details.

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by gunin

........Hi Shashanka, thanks a lot for the appreciation. There are many places in Meghalaya where one can see the monoliths. However, not all of them are preserved. Even I am fascinated with them as to what purpose these served- maybe a place for meetings? You must plan a trip here.

Yes, our plan for driving to the N.E. hills has been there for a while - unfortunately (like so much else in life!) the plans have had to be postponed now and again. But now we shall make a concerted effort to realize the plans!

We have made the Kumaon region of Uttaranchal (Naukuchiatal) almost a home from home over the past couple of decades. I made an attempt to capture the experience in my photologue "Naukuchiatal - far from the crowd" dated 13th March 2015.

It seems that most archaeologists believe that the monoliths around the world (excluding the stone heads on Easter Island) serve some sort of astronomical function like a calendar, tho' this inference seems a stretch - to somehow fit the facts to the theory!