[tortoiseNhare]

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

@tortoiseNhare - I had not seen a travlogue on Assam before. After seeing this travelogue, Assam has been added to my list of must visit places. I have many relatives in Assam but strangely I have never felt the urge to go there, maybe beacuse of the terrorist activities. I will contact you before I vist this lovely place.

Hi BlackPearl, you are most welcome here. Although during the monsoon the greenery is at its most eye catching in Assam it is not the most comfortable of seasons here. Winter is the best time to visit Assam. If you also want to go to places like Tawang in Arunachal then October/November or Feb/March may be the most suitable.

The terrorist activities have subsided to a great extent. As you know, common people is under terrorist threat everywhere in today's world. Assam is no more an unsafe place than a place like, say, Mumbai.

[San Phrangmung]

The Singpho home stay kind of an arrangement is interesting.
How to reach the place from Margherita and how and where can one book a stay there.

[khoj]

tortoiseNhare

Very refreshing travelogue featuring a virgin territory, many thanks to your wife for having steered you in the right direction. Rated it 5 star.

[sami316]

Wow tortoiseNhare,
This was a really awesome TL. One of the best on Assam. Really liked your narration, it was very educative. Had never heard of the Ahom kings earlier. Thanks for that. Also thanks for the beautiful pics. The lush greenery is really soothing to the eyes. My dad, was posted here as he was in the Army. Unfortunately have no memories as I was a kid back then. Would really love to visit Assam in the future. Thanks again.

[tortoiseNhare]

@San Phrangmung
My brother-in-law was posted at IOC Digboi in the past. One of his acquaintances at IOC made the arrangements for us at the Singpho village. To reach the village you have to turn left at Margherita and then take another left at the T-junction. The village is no more than 5 kms from Margherita, if I remember correctly.

@khoj
Thanks mate. You have the distinction of being the first one to award me a 5-star rating.

@sami316
Thanks. Do visit Assam and the rest of the North East. The best time to visit Assam is in the winter but our state is breathtakingly green during monsoon. You might not enjoy the heat and humidity of the monsoon season though.

[Joy]

Another great travelogue from tortoiseNhare and just as expected a top class one.

I have been till Tinsukia while my dad was posted in Jorhat. Would love to visit places beyond that.

Lovely photos. Keep it up.

5* from me too.

[San Phrangmung]

I believe Assam Tourism organise something called Dehing Patkai festival some time during the winters in this area near Margherita. Anybody been there?

[kaushik_s]

Originally Posted by tortoiseNhare

Hey Kaushik, did you tour the nooks and corners of Assam as a tourist or was this state your workplace sometime back? Your knowledge about our state is better than mine.

Gosh, how I missed your reply!! Extremely sorry for replying so late. But I can't tell you how I know about Assam. It's top top secret. He he just kidding.. You can very easily guess from my posts (and now the photos posted by me) and I thought you know it already. And have traveled few places, not much and not enough. Although would love to go back and do an extensive tour sometime. Waiting to get a long vacation. BTW, I'm really getting inspired by your and San Phranmung's travelogues and planning to post my photos too. But I don;t have any exact travelogue kind of thing to write and hence have been sitting quite all this time. You know, like the "Maharastra Mahalog" we can also create an "Awesome Assam" travelog here

Actually let me post a few pictures here itself. Sorry for hijacking your thread.
A Tea Garden in Upper Assam, Tea is one of the major factor in Assam's economy along with Oil and Natural Gas. If I'm not wrong Assam produces almost 50% of India's Tea production. Assam is dotted with tea gardens all over, majority of them are in Dibrugarh, Sibsagar and Jorhat District. Other districts also have tea gardens but these three districts have majority(almost 70-80%) of them.


Gargaon Kareng Ghar (Gargaon Palace): Gorgaon was once the Capital of erstwhile Ahom Kingdom. This palace was built by one of the Ahom Kings known as Rajeswar Singha (Surempha) after the previous palace was destroyed in a Mughal Attack. Previous palace was built by Suklengmung and it was wooden.


NH 37: This is the lifeline of the Assam, specially for people living on the southern banks of Brahmaputra. This highway will take you through quite a few major cities/town of Assam, e.g Guwahati, Nagao, Jorhat, Sibsagar, Dibrugarh etc. and it passes through Kaziranga. This shot was taken just ahead of Kaziranga.


Siva Dol (Shiva Temple): This temple is one of the tallest temple in Assam, built by the queen of one Ahom king Siva Singha. The lake/pond in front also built at the same time around and is one of the biggest man made ponds in India.


Brahmaputra and Saraighat Bridge: Brahmaputra or Luit as affectionately called by Assamese people is the lifeline of whole Assam. One of the biggest rivers of the world and it brings both joy and sorrow to the people of Assam. Any tale of Assam is half done without any mention of this river. Saraighat bridge is the first bridge across Brahmaputra and it's around 2.8km long (if I'm not wrong this is the shortest of all the bridges, pllz correct me otherwise). This is a double-decker bridge with a railway line on the bottom half and normal road on the top half. Saraighat is also famous for the epic naval battle fought between Mughals and Ahoms. This decisive battle showed how a better strategy and patriotism can break the back bones of a mightier and stronger force. Mughals were comprehensively beaten and they never tried to capture Assam after this defeat(this was the 18th attack).


Well, that's all for me now. I hope TnH won't mind me hijacking the thread a bit. I got nostalgic actually.
Regards,

[San Phrangmung]

Kaushik go ahead share your photographs of the region even if you dont remember much of the journey. Just captions with location details would be enough.
Where in Assam were you born and brought up any tea or oil connection.

[tortoiseNhare]

Originally Posted by kaushik_s

Well, that's all for me now. I hope TnH won't mind me hijacking the thread a bit. I got nostalgic actually.
Regards,

Kaushik, this will be great value addition to my thread. I have seen many great snaps taken by you in the photography threads. Please keep posting more here.