It was mid-2017. For some time past, my wife had been pestering me for visiting Hardwar, Rishikesh, and adjoining places. We had thought of visiting these places last year, but that had to be abandoned for some pressing reasons. It could not be put off any further. I made a 10-day programme for a trip to start on the 19^th of November 2017 and end on the 30^th of November.

COMMENCEMENT & DELHI: Accordingly, we left Howrah by Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express on the 19^th of November. We reached New Delhi the next day night. Due to fog, which is a regular winter feature on this route, the train was delayed by about 12 hours. My wife’s niece’s husband Chayan and their son Rahul received us at the station. We halted at their place. The next day we visited Bengali Kalibari and some places around New Delhi. Had a mind to visit the Akshardham Temple, but that was closed. Halted for the night.

A strange thing happened this time. While doing the packing for me, I forgot to take any shirt or tee shirt. The result was that I had arrived in Delhi with only the single shirt I had been wearing. When Rona came to know of it, she took us to the local market and bought me a full shirt and a closed-neck full-sleeve semi-warm tee shirt. I always do my packing myself, and there had never been an occasion where I had forgotten to take any essential item in my travels, which are not too infrequent.

HARDWAR: Hardwar in Uttarakhand is an important pilgrimage town for the Hindus. The place is the perfect escape from the cacophony of urban life and a beautiful amalgamation of old and new, replete with beauty, culture, history, and spirituality. It is known as the Abode of God because of its serenity and scenic beauty by the river Ganga. The most famous fair in the world Kumbh Mela is celebrated here once in 12 years.

We arrived at Hardwar on the 22^nd of November at 11:22 am, leaving Delhi the same day at 06:45 am by New Delhi-Dehradun Shatabdi Express. At Hardwar, we checked in Devnadi Heritage Hotel at Niranjani Akhara Marg near Safe Parking Sagar Niwas. The hotel was in an excellent location. From the balcony of the room we stayed in, we could see the river flowing below. On the opposite bank, there were rows of trees followed by hills in the distance. The water of the river looked deep green. We had a holy dip in the ghat of the hotel itself. There were chains to hold while going down the stairs to take the dip. The water was shivering cold. I could not go much deep. The sun helped us in warming up.

After having lunch in the hotel, we went out sightseeing by an auto-rickshaw arranged by the hotelier. The first site was the Manasha temple. From the base of the hill on which the temple stands, we availed of the ropeway service. The ropeway ride was quite enjoyable though fraught with risk. My first experience of ropeway ride was here only, when in 1997, I came with my colleagues in the IAS induction training course, in the course of our Bharat Darshan Programme. Going up the hills in the trolley, one could experience the mesmerising beauty of the landscape below and around.

My wife gave puja in the temple. We spent some time there and returned. One difficulty to visit the temple for the aged or the infirm is that even after reaching the top (Cable car station), one has to climb up or down a good number of stairs to reach the temple. Even after disembarking from the ropeway trolley at the base of the hill, we had to climb a good many stairs to reach the motorway. My wife had a problem with her foot. She found it difficult to climb the stairs. She, however, made it, though at pains. We could not visit nearby Vaishno Devi Temple due to my wife’s foot problem.

From Manasha Temple, we went to Har Ki Pauri. It is the most famous ghat of the Ganga. It is said that this Ghat was constructed by King Vikramaditya (1^st Century BC) in memory of his brother Bharthari. It is believed that Bharthari came to Hardwar and meditated on the banks of the holy Ganges. When he died, his brother constructed a Ghat in his name which later became known as Har Ki Pauri. Brahma Kund is the place at Har Ki Pauri where divine nectar is felt. It is believed that this is the precise place where the Ganga leaves the mountains and enters the plains.

Every evening at sunset, the priests perform here a hundred years old tradition, Ganga Aarti, where lights are set on the water to drift downstream. A large number of people gather on both the banks of the river Ganga to sing praises, The priests hold large fire bowls in their hands, the gongs in the temple at the Ghat are rung while chants fill the air. Hundreds of diyas (earthen lamp or mud lamp) are burnt and floated on the Ganga. All these together create an ambiance of purity, and one is thrilled to feel the godliness of the place. Hundreds of people congregate here, some standing, some sitting on the steps. People start gathering long before the aarti starts.

We had arrived at around 5 pm while the Aarti was due at 6. Even at that hour, all the steps of the Ghat were filled with devotees sitting on them. We somehow squeezed on the raised verandah of a temple by the side of the steps. We enjoyed the godly atmosphere for about an hour and a half. It was a great feeling to be in attendance there. I took a good lot of photos and made some videos.

We left at 7:30 pm and returned to the hotel by our contracted auto. Had our dinner at an outside restaurant stated to be owned by someone, Bengali, and claiming to be serving the Bengali food. Food was the worst and had nothing Bengali about it; the cost was exorbitant. Returned to the hotel and halted.

RISHIKESH: On the 24^th, we left Hardwar for Rishikesh after breakfast by a hired car. On the way, a little off from Hardwar, we got down at a roadside park adorned with large statues of Shiva and Vivekananda and took some photographs. With the Ganga flowing past and the hills behind, the park presented a picturesque view. Further ahead and closer to Rishikesh, we stopped at a place called Shyampur and made some purchases of warm clothing. Resuming the journey after about an hour, we reached Rishikesh at around 2 PM and checked in at a hotel named Ishan. The hotel had been arranged by a local friend of wife’s niece Rona’s husband from Delhi. It was located just above Lachmonjhola. We had a direct view of both the Ganga and the bridge (Lachmonjhola) through the floor-to-ceiling window of our room. It was an exquisite beauty. The accommodation and the food were superb and the cost, too, reasonable. The hotel was well-maintained and spotlessly clean. We saw groups of people boating in the river from the window of our room.

After taking lunch and a little rest, we went out to see Rishikesh in and around the place we stayed in. The local friend of Rona’s husband (Gopal) accompanied and guided us. We went down to Lachmonjhola bridge, enjoyed its beauty from near, crossed it, and walked down the path towards Parmarth Niketan Ghat, where the evening prayer is held. On both sides of the road, there were shops for clothes and other commodities (as already stated in the italicised portion). We next visited Maa Durga temple and an Ashram on the way before we reached Parmarth Niketan. We went inside the Niketan, and I took some photographs. Next, we went to Parmarth Niketan Ghat, passing through the Niketan, sat to witness the famous Ganga Aarti. It was early, and there were not many people. Gradually, the entire space was occupied, and there was a large congregation to watch the Aarati. It was set in stunning natural surroundings and was performed with the full participation of visitors. There is nothing more to add to what has been stated about this Puja and Aarti in the last paragraph of the description of Rishikesh in italicized words below. From Parmarth Niketan Ghat, we returned to the hotel via Ramjhola. We could not see much of Ramjhola or its surroundings as night had descended, and it had become dark. I, however, had its full view during my last visit in 1997. In the hotel, we had our dinner and retired.

The early next morning, I went out and snapped a few photos of Lachmonjhola and around. Later we went to the shopping area on the other bank of the Ganga. My wife made some purchases. We returned to the hotel, had our breakfast, and then left for Dehradun at 11 o’clock by the hired car which had brought us from Hardwar.

Below is what one should know about Rishikesh.

Rishikesh is a town in the Dehradun District of Uttarakhand. Its total population is 102,469 (54650 male and 47819 female) by the 2011 census. It is situated at 409 meters above sea level in the foothills of Garhwal Himalayan Range and is surrounded by the Shivalik range. It is 35 kms far from Haridwar, 90 Kms from Mussoorie, 25 Kms far from Jollygrant airport Dehradun, and 240 kms far from New Delhi.

Rishikesh has a spectacular view of jungle-clad hills. Here is also the confluence of the rivers Ganges and Chandrabhaga. The glorious attraction of Rishikesh is the great river Ganges herself, running rapidly throughout the city. Since ancient times and till today, yogis, rishis, sages, and sannyasis have been attracted to this hill town to practice yoga amid its peace and tranquillity. It is due to this the place has been known as an abode of sages. Rishikesh is a holy town with many Ashrams. It is now world-famous as the Yoga Capital of the world. A weeklong International yoga festival is hosted here in March every year.

Rishikesh is also known as the gateway to the Char Dham. Char Dham is four popular holy temples on the hills (Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri). Thousands of people visit Rishikesh every year for spiritual relief, peace, adventure, and to take a dip in the sacred river Ganga for salvation. A section also comes to learn yoga here. The famous among them were Beatles, Kate Winslet, and other celebrities. It is believed that one can get "Moksha" (liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth) by meditation, and a holy dip in the river Ganga, here.

Apart from its spiritual aspect, Rishikesh has also developed into a hub for adventurous activities like rafting, camping, trekking, and bungee jumping. Apart from ashrams, Rishikesh has also centres for Yoga, Meditation, Ayurvedic Massage, and astrology.

Two big suspension bridges play a major role (like a nervous system in the human body) in the day-to-day life of Rishikesh. These two bridges (jhulas) are known as Ram Jhula and Lakshman Jhula(Named after Lord Ram and his brother Lakshman, the heroes of the Ramayana, who supposedly crossed the river Ganges at Rishikesh on their way up to the hills.). Rishikesh is divided loosely into many parts such as Rishikesh, Ram Jhula (Sivananda Nagar), Muni Ki Reti, Lakshman Jhula or Tapovan, and Swarg Ashram, Pashulok Barrage, Dhalwala, 14 Bigha, and Shisham Jhari.

From Ram Jhula one can cross the river by boat on a cost-sharing basis or by walking on the bridge. Both sides of the bridge are crowded with shops of cloths, holy beads, shawls, precious and semi-precious stones, replicas of deities, astrological gems, Ayurvedic medicines, and Vedic treatises. There are also establishments for marketing yoga, holding meditation classes, and providing Ayurvedic massage. Another side of the bridge is known as the Swarg Ashram area. Many big ashrams are here, viz., Swarg Ashram, Gita Bhawan, and Parmarth Niketan. When you cross the river, temples welcome you with their engraved deities, and the music shops greet you with divine sacred ragas.

In the evening beautiful Ganges Ceremony(Ganga Aarti) is organized at Parmarth Niketan at Triveni Ghat. The Brahmin Pundits (priests) perform Ganges Puja (ritual worship) with Vedic hymns, the sound of hands clapping, and the drums (tabla). Hundreds of people witness this Pooja and offer leaf bowls filled with flowers and small oil lamps to the goddess. The small sparkling lights, the floating lamps, the river Ganges and the hills around create a divine ambience and attract everyone present to join the prayer. Even the visitors from outside India who don’t understand the Vedic songs feel obliged to join. (source. Internet Materials)

DEHRADUN: We reached Dehradun at around 2 PM and checked in the hotel Galaxy, where I had earlier booked our accommodation through booking.com. The hotel was close to Dehradun Railway Station and within 2 Kms of it. We rested here for the day.

MUSSOORIE: The next morning (Nov 25^th ), we left Dehradun for Mussourie at 08:30 am by a hired car arranged by the hotelier. Hills always fascinate me. I started enjoying the scenic beauty, once again, as the car moved into the hills of Dehradun. We stopped in Shivpuri and visited the Prakasheswar Mahadev temple there. It’s a big temple just by the roadside. It could not be put at a time in the frame of the camera lens within the restricted space of movement. After visiting the temple, we resumed our journey. The day was bright and sunny. The hills were at their best. We enjoyed the beauty of nature to the fullest.

We reached Mussoorie at around 12:30 pm and had some light refreshments. My wife was feeling nauseatic. Gave her an anti-vomiting drug Avomine. We then left for Kempty waterfall, about 18 kms from Mussourie. The road was very curvy, and my wife was having an intense feeling of vomiting. We stopped at an intermediate place from where we had a clear distant view of the ice-capped Himalayas. It looked like a picture drawn on the canvas by a great artist. I took a few photographs of the excellent scene. Close to the waterfall location, my wife could not hold back vomiting any longer. The car was stopped, and she spewed on the roadside. We then, somehow, moved to the parking area. She stayed back in the car while I walked some distance towards the fall. I took some photographs of the fall and the area around. There was a whole lot of changes in the surrounding since my last visit in 1997. Before starting the return journey, we had ice cream from the shop in the parking lot.

My wife was now feeling better. She insisted on visiting Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, the institute for in-house training of IAS officers. We arrived there. I found the security at the gate had been enhanced manifold since the days I had stayed here for training. I had to give all my particulars, including the year of allotment in the IAS, and deposit my identity card. The institute's administration was then contacted by the security people, and only, on clearance from there, we were allowed entry. We entered the sprawling campus and roamed inside for some time. I showed my wife all the different activity areas of the institute. From the institute, we drove straight back to our hotel at Dehradun. There we had our dinner and retired.

On the 26^th of Nov, our last day in Uttarakhand, we visited the following places in Dehradun in the forenoon. We left our hotel by yesterday’s hired car at 8 am.

SAHASRADHARA: First, we went to Sahasradhara. The name of the place means a thousand-fold spring. It is about 12 kms from Dehradun and is a popular tourist destination. The place can be said to be another gift of nature to Uttarakhand for its picturesque view. Here, water dips in thousand of streams from the stalactite and the limestone strata of the hills. This water has an abundance of Sulphur in it, and this has made the place renowned for Sulphur spring, too. It is a Sulphur water spring of relatively lower temperature than its surroundings. I had found people collecting water flowing down the hills in thin streams in their vessels.

On reaching Sahasradhara, we had our breakfast in a Punjabi restaurant. Then we proceeded to avail of the ropeway services to go to the peak of the nearby hill where a temple of Saibaba and an artificial park were located. We reached the top and visited the park first. It was beautifully made in layers, being surrounded by hills on all three sides. The view from the peak was amazing. Next, we visited the Saibaba temple. It was simple and beautiful, set up at the highest point of the hill. After paying our regards, we left the temple and came down to Sahasradhara.

Our next visit was to Sai Darbar Temple on Rajpur Road. Leaving our shoes and sandals below, we went up the stairs to the temple. A Pujari was sitting before the idol of Saibaba, offering pious water to the devotees. We went around the temple and had a complete view of it.

This temple is a pious and popular religious place in Dehradun. It is constructed out of white marble, and the idol of Sai Baba is placed in the middle of the temple. Lots of paintings of gods and goddesses are also placed in the temple. There is a large hall inside the temple where prayer sessions and aarti are held every evening.

It was learnt that on Thursdays, many people come to this temple for prayer, as Thursday is the day of Sai Baba. (source: Internet material).

Ramakrishna Mission, Dehradun was nearby this temple. But it was the lunch hour for the monks and was closed. We were disappointed being not able to visit it.

From the Sai Darbar Temple, we went to Robbers’ cave.

Robber's Cave (locally known as Guchhupani): It is located near Sahasradhara (thousand-fold spring), is a river cave formation in Himalaya, located approximately 8 kms from the centre of Dehradun City in the Uttarakhand state of India.

The cave is about 600 metres long, divided into two main parts. It has the highest fall of about 10 metres. In the central part, there is a fort wall structure which is now broken. It consists of an extremely narrow gorge formed in a conglomerate limestone area on Doon Valley's Dehra plateau.

It is a natural cave formation where the river flows inside the cave. The place is a popular tourist spot and is now being maintained by the Uttarakhand State. Local bus services are available up to Anarwala Village, from where it is a kilometer's trek away

Locals believe that robbers used these caves to hide valuable items. It is also believed that this place is the home of Lord Shiva.

Anyway, to go inside the cave, one has to walk through the water, flowing in a shallow depth. One has to change shoes or leather footwear to water-resistant footwear. For this, there are stalls to rent out Hawaii chappals at ₹ 10 per pair. My wife declined to go inside. I changed my shoes by rented chappals and proceeded. The water of the channel was quite cold. Trousers had to be folded to the knees to save them from getting wet. The entrance to the cave is very narrow. A good number of young boys and girls and some middle-aged people, too, were there. The passage to the cave becomes narrower as one proceeds. I went up to a certain point and then returned. Took some photographs, including selfies, and then returned.

From Robbers’ cave, we went back to the hotel, had a bath and lunch. Checked out of the hotel at 4:30 pm, boarded Dehradun-New Delhi Satabdi Express at 6 pm. Reached New Delhi at 11 pm. Halted in Rona’s house.

DELHI-GURGAON: The next day (the 27^th of Nov), we went to my sister’s granddaughter Tumpa’s house at Gurgaon in a hired car arranged by Rona’s husband, Chayan. From there, we went to visit Ambience Mall. The architecture and the layout of the Mall were eye-catching. It was fabulously big, and we enjoyed roaming inside it. We returned to my sister's granddaughter’s house and had our lunch there. To avoid traffic congestion on the way, we had to leave early. We left Tumpa's house at 3 PM and reached Rona's house at around 6:30 PM.

AKSHARDHAM TEMPLE: On the 28^th of November, we went out with Chayan in the evening to visit the Akshar Dham temple to end this trip. We had to walk some distance from the car parking area to reach the temple site. There was a big crowd of visitors, and it took quite some time to get to the main temple. There was a sumptuous display of money spent in making and decorating the temple. It is a place worth seeing. It has a dazzling beauty.

Our Delhi-Uttarakhand visit ended with this visit to Akshardham. Tomorrow would be the day to start for home.

On the 30^th afternoon, we left Delhi by New Delhi-Howrah Rajdhani Express. Reached home at 1:30 PM. The trip to Uttarakhand and Delhi ended.

A photo show video is on this visit is linked at the end of this trip.

COMMENCEMENT OF THE TRIP

On Sunday, the fourteenth of January 2018, at 15:50 hours, I, accompanied by my school friend Asutosh Paul, left Howrah for Guwahati by the 12345-Saraighat Express. We reached Guwahati the next day at 09:50 hrs., and halted in ATDC's tourist lodge Prashanti. On the 16th of January, we left Guwahati for Dimapur at 12:10 hrs., by 12085-Shatabdi Express and reached Dimapur at 16:48 hrs. Halted in the Dimapur Tourist Lodge.

DIMAPUR

Dimapur is the largest city in Nagaland. Contrary to popular belief, the city's formation in Nagaland is separate from that of Assam. In the Middle Ages, it was the capital of the Kachari Kingdom. In the heart of the town, there is an old relic of the Kachari Kingdom, which speaks about the once prosperous era. It is bounded by Kohima district on the south and east, the Karbi Anglong district of Assam on the west, and the stretch of Golaghat District of Assam, in the west and the north. The name Dimapur is derived from the Kachari language; Di means "water", ma means "large" and pur (sanskritised word) means "city", translating to "Big-river-city" associated with the meaning of "Kachari" which is "people of the river valley" and after the river which flows through it (Dhansiri). It is also the gateway to Nagaland and its only railhead. The city has the only functional airport in the state. It became a town in 1961 with a population of about 5,800 at the time. Dimapur belongs to all Nagaland tribes. (source: Wikipedia)

Situated on the banks of the Dhansiri (originally known as Dong-siri, meaning a ravine of peaceful habitation), Dimapur was often described as the ‘Brick City’ by European scholars and by the Ahoms. It was the ancient capital of the Dimasa Kachari community and an independent nation of the Dimasa, who was once a powerful and predominant race in the entire North-East India region (Brahmaputra/Dilao Valley). The seat of the capital of Dimapur Kingdom was originally enclosed by a brick wall four feet wide and sixteen feet high, surrounded by an outer ditch sixteen feet in width and twelve feet in depth, except on the southern side where the River Dhansiri formed a natural moat. On the eastern side, there was a fine solid gateway with brick masonry of pointed double arches. The gate was secured by heavy double doors, the hinges of which were seated in the holes pierced in solid stone blocks. This much for the city's location, historical background, and associated information

Day after we had arrived in Dimapur, we hired a car and went for local sightseeing. We started at 8 am after having tea and collecting packed breakfast. First, we visited the Siva-Durga temple in village Diezephe, which is better known as Craft Village. There are two temples, one of Durga and the other of Siva, within this temple complex.

On the way to the temple, we had come across a Nursing School in village Singrijan. My friend, Asu,being a physician by profession, was interested in visiting the school. We went inside and found a group of students on their way to their classes. Asu talked with some of these students regarding their curricula while standing on the premises of the school.

Anyway, after visiting the Siva-Durga Temple, we went to the part of the village Diezephe, having a concentration of Craftsmen's houses. We visited one such house which had been engaged in woodcraft. The showroom in the house had a large variety of wooden items including plates, bowls, dishes, keyrings, women's ornaments. etc. The quality of items spoke of good craftsmanship. Both Asu and I purchased some such items. The unit belonged to a family of the Chakesang clan of the Naga community. The owner's son Khasulho, who had shown us around the unit, was a student studying BA with Hons in Economics in the local College.

From Crafts Village, we went to Green Park. The park is designed and maintained by the Horticulture Department of the Govt. of Nagaland. It is quite large, in area, with orchards of cashew nuts, litchi, Alphonso varieties of mangoes, blackberries, and other fruit trees. The park has its nurseries, a nicely decorated medium-sized lake, and a viewpoint. There is also a mushroom development centre within the park. The roads inside the park are serpentine, having crests and troughs along the way. These are well-maintained and planted with beautiful trees on both sides in sad contrast to the main thoroughfares in the city and suburbs. A local schoolteacher of history who came with his children to enjoy a holiday in the park showed me around.

On our way back from Green Park, we visited the North Eastern Cultural Centre, its park, and its museum.

Next, we visited Sumi Bazar Baptist Church. Its area is of moderate size, and the building is nice to look at.

From there, we left for the Kachari ruins. On the way, we came across a Seven Days Adventist Church to which faith Asu belonged. At Asu's instance, we went inside the church premises. The Church was closed. Asu went to see the pastor. When I was roaming around in the Church premises, a woman came forward and introduced herself as Felicia Kamel, saying she was an employee of the church. We started talking and getting acquainted. After some time Asu returned with the pastor. We had some small talks. Both pastor and Felicia were nice and hospitable. They both urged upon us to accept their hospitality for some time. We had to decline, as sundown was fast approaching and we had Kachari ruins to visit.

Leaving the Church, we went to the site of the Kachari ruins. Kachari ruins date back to the 10th century and today stand as the epitome of history. The ruins are a series of mushroom-doomed pillars created by the Kachari Kingdom. Though the pillars have lost most of their glory due to gradual crumbling, they stand out as a source for exploration of a past era of Nagaland. With this visit, we completed our day’s programme of local sightseeing.

I took several pictures of each place and its people/visitors at the related time wherever available. I must mention here roads we travelled through were of miserable condition except for small stretches here and there. The jolts and jerks we went through during the whole day told upon our health. It was due to this I had to cancel our next day's programme to Diphu and remained confined to Dimapur.

During my visit to Dimapur and later to Kohima, I had found that the Churches at these places were predominantly the Baptist ones. 90% of the Nagas were Christians and mostly belonged to that particular faith. Looking for the reasons, I found that Nagas had the earliest connection with American Baptist Church. As early as 1871, one of the Nagas, Supongmeren from Milunkimong village, was baptized at Sivsagar and was enrolled as an American Baptist Church member. He became the bridge between the American missionaries and head-hunting AO Nagas. American missionaries, led by Dr E. W, Clerk, arrived in the villages of the Nagas and baptized the new converts to American Baptist Church. Hence, the Nagas are predominantly Baptists.

Important tourist spots in Dimapur are (1) Diezephe Crafts village, (2) Kachari ruins, (3) Chakhesang Baptist Church, (4) Sumi Town Baptist Church, (5) Lotha Baptist Church, (6) AO Baptist Church, (7) Chumukedima. It has various waterfalls, (8) Triple falls, (9) Siva Temple & (10) Ranga Pahar.

Because of the distance, road condition, and time constraints, we could not visit some of the important ones.

HAFLONG

On the 19th of January, we left Dimapur at 4:56 pm by the Jana Shatabdi express on our way to Haflong. We reached Lumding junction at 06:10 pm and halted in the Railway Retiring room to catch the next day's early morning train to New Haflong.

On the 20th morning at 05:30 am we boarded the train for New Haflong. The train had come from Guwahati on the way to Silchar. The journey from Lumding to New Haflong was quite enthralling. Lumding-Silchar/Karimganj section of this railway had been converted to broad gauze recently. The train had become much faster and less crowded. There were 5/6 tunnels in this section, including the longest one of 3.325 Kms in running length near the station named Mahur. Even in the daylight, it had been pitch dark inside the tunnels but for some lights from electric lamps, placed at intervals. In the old metre gauze version, the longest tunnel was 1124 ft somewhere near this very place, Mahur. The beauty of the hilly tract in the portion from Lumding to New Haflong appeared to have been somewhat lost due to the change of alignment of the track during conversion from metre gauze to broad gauze. Gauge conversation had made it possible for trains on this route to run faster with greater holding capacity. But cleanliness inside the coaches remains a far cry. Toilets were not cleaned, nor sweeping was done in the course of the journey. With pervading stench of feces the toilets became unusable sometime after the train had left its station of origin.

Anyway, we reached New Haflong Station at 9 am. Located in the midst of hills, the station presents a beautiful look. We took a shared auto-rickshaw to Haflong town. I enjoyed the auto-rickshaw ride from New Haflong to Haflong town, squeezed between friend Asu and a young and beautiful tribal woman. The scenic beauty along the way to Haflong was a treat for the eye. We reached Haflong at 11 am and put up in Hotel Elite, where we had our accommodation reserved. This was my second visit to Haflong; the previous one had been in February 2017. This time, I had brought along my friend Asu to share my experiences of the previous visit and to explore new areas. We stayed in the same hotel as I had stayed in 2017.

Haflong is a small hill town of Assam. It is the headquarters of Dima Hasao district, previously known as North Cachar Hills district. Situated at the height of 3170 ft, it spreads over an area of 12.79 Sq. Kms with a population of 43756 with 93.1% literacy by 2011 Census. The local language is Dimasa, from which the name of the district has been derived. Haflong, in the local language, means Ant Hill. There is a district council, and the place is administered under the usual authority of the District Collector. The population of Haflong predominantly consists of the tribe called Dimasa. The Dimasas are one of the oldest inhabitants of the North-eastern part of India and are one of the many Kachari tribes. More than 90% of the Dimasas living in Assam are Hindus. Agriculture is the principal occupation and main source of livelihood of the Dimasa Kacharis. Dimasa were compelled to adopt shifting cultivation, commonly known as jhum, in hilly areas. Tracts of plains land suitable for permanent cultivation lying here and there between the ridges are very few. The Dimasa mainly cultivate maize, sesame, cotton, and others. Many Dimasa families cultivate pineapples, oranges, cotton, and mustard to a limited extent. n the jhum cultivation site itself, a house to store the harvested paddy is erected; this house is called Mandu. Auto-rickshaw is the only means of transport. We did not see any taxi or city bus operating in the area.

On the day of arrival, we just roamed around the market area of the town. It was weekly market day in Haflong. Vendors from far and near had come with their commodities. Apart from the main market area, footpaths, bye-lanes, and roadsides had become crowded with sellers and buyers. We took some photographs here and there and retired to our hotel as the sun went down. Like many other hill stations, Haflong roads, too, become abandoned at nightfall. Before returning to the hotel, we contracted with an auto-rickshaw operator for sight-seeing tours for the next two days.

The next day, the 21st of January, we left the hotel at 8 am and went straight to Jatinga by the auto-rickshaw we had contracted yesterday. Jatinga was a world-famous place known for its phenomenon of "birds committing suicide" here. It has, however, been established by later studies that the birds do not commit suicide but are killed. The birds, mostly juvenile and local migrants, being disturbed by high-velocity winds at their roost, fly towards the light to seek refuge when they are hit and killed by bamboo poles. (Source: Wikipedia). The place has damsel beauty with scenic mountains surrounding it.

It was fog all around and the visibility very poor when we arrived at Jatinga. We could not see any bird dead or alive. According to the locals, the bird-killings happen on the dark nights in the months closely following the monsoon. Anyway, we went to the viewpoint at the top of the only watch tower and took some photographs. The photographs were not quite good because of poor light. After leaving the watchtower, we went to a local village named Chemrang Colony. There was a Church even in this remote village. Some well-off families too lived here. We saw a century-old hut too in this village.

After we returned from Jatinga, we visited tourist spots in and around Haflong. There were a few viewpoints overlooking the beauty spots of Haflong. But the weather was foggy, and photographs did not come clean and clear except for places where the sun had a sudden short appearance during our visit. Haflong remains misty and foggy for most of the winter. We visited two high-rise viewpoints apart from the Circuit House point. Haflong Circuit House consisted of an old and a new building, both well maintained and beautiful to look at. From the front yard of the Circuit House, one could see in the distance both the new broad gauge and the old abandoned metre gauze rail track with hills around. It presented a panoramic view. From the Circuit House point, we went to visit Presbyterian Church at Fiangpui. The Church standing tall at a hilltop overlooking the village is a major tourist attraction. It is famous for its beautiful structure and picturesque location. It is the largest Church in the Dima Hasao district, both in size and membership. The church is 107 ft long and 67 ft wide. The height is 18 ft, the highest point being at 45 ft. The church was consecrated on 3rd March 2011. This is the fourth Church building after the first one's inception in 1966. (Source: Wikipedia)

Haflong also had a beautiful lake and a botanical garden situated in the heart of the town. An extremely scenic spot, the lake offered various leisure water sporting activities and facilities for boating. There was a hanging bridge over it. The water of the lake was, however, unclean and murky. The botanical garden had some species of trees and plants. In winter, when flowers of various shapes and colours bloomed, it presented a wonderful sight. Our sightseeing for the day ended with a visit to the Botanical garden.

MAIBONG

The next morning, the 22^nd January 2018, we left for Maibong at 8 am by the same auto-rickshaw we had used the previous day. Maibong was one of the three subdivisions of Dima Haso district located at about 48 Kms off from Haflong and known for its scenic beauty. It was the capital of the old Kachari Kingdom from the eighteenth century. It situates at an altitude of 1165 ft with a population of 20664.

We moved via NH 27, construction work on different parts of which was underway. Incidentally, NH 27, the longest National Highway in India, connects Porbandar and Silchar through a distance of 3219 Kms. Despite ongoing construction work at places, the road condition was excellent. With green hills around and the blue sky above, the roadside view was mesmerizing. We had to cross a tunnel on the way and pass by Mahur station. We also came across a small Lokenath Baba temple on the way.

Finally, we reached the river Mahur, on the other bank of which situated a sixteenth-century monolithic Indian temple known as “Stone House”, which was our major attraction for visiting Maibong, besides other historical ruins of the Kachari Kingdom. There was only ankle-deep water in the river at the point of crossing to the other bank, and our auto-rickshaw could easily negotiate it. We visited the two-roofed stone house and took pictures. The stone house has a legend behind it which goes like this:

The capital of the Dimasa Kingdom was originally Dimapur. But after an attack from the Ahoms, Dimasa people were forced to shift to Maibong. While in Maibong, Dimasa people were again invaded, this time, by the Koches. It is said, one night during the fight, a goddess came into Dimasa King’s dream. The King prayed to the goddess to give him powers so that he could save his kingdom. The goddess asked the king to build a stone house, inside which he would find the weapon to defeat the Koches. But the condition given was that the house should be built in a single night by a single piece of stone. The King started building the house, but before sunrise, cock crowed. The King felt that he had failed the condition given by the goddess and left in frustration. This house has cuttings for windows and gate, but inside it is hard rock. According to the story, the Dimasa King lost the battle with Koches.

As we sat below a tree after visiting the stone house, we heard the whistle of a train and shortly after saw a train passing over the bridge on the river Mahur, close to us. The train on crossing the bridge disappeared within the hills. The sight of the train entering the hills and gradually disappearing from view was worth seeing.

We had our lunch and left the place. We went through the market area to have a feel about the people and their way of living. We returned to Haflong as dusk fell.

KOHIMA

On the 26th of January, Republic Day, I left for Kohima at 9 am by a shared taxi. I reached Kohima at around 12-noon and checked in Hotel Pine in the heart of the city. As per law, Indians travelling to the hill areas of Nagaland require a special permit called Inner Line Permit (ILP) in line with some other hilly northeastern states of the country. I had obtained the permit from the Kolkata office of the Nagaland government. But it was not required to be produced anywhere in the course of my stay or journey in Kohima or elsewhere in Nagaland.

My hotel was in an ideal location. The shops and markets were near at hand, while, at the same time, I could have the picturesque view of hills around from my hotel room itself. A good hospital named Oking Hospital was within walking distance from my hotel.

After a little rest, I went out of the hotel to roam about and have my lunch. It was shivering cold outside. I visited some nearby beauty spots and completed my lunch with chicken chow-min. I found that two types of taxis operate in Kohima. The main taxi stand is near the market, and it caters to the needs of people going out of Kohima. The local taxi stand catering to the needs of tourists for sightseeing or local visit was close to my hotel. I discussed my sightseeing programme with some of these local taxi drivers. One of them agreed to take me along to places I had suggested and promised to pick me up by 8 o'clock the next morning. I gave him a list of places I wanted to visit. Having made the arrangement, I returned to the hotel, had an early dinner with chapati and egg curry after watching TV for some time.

On the 27th morning, I got up at 06:30 am. It was very cold; the temperature was 1⁰ C. I had my bath and breakfast and went out at 08:15 am to start sightseeing. But the taxi I had contracted yesterday evening had not turned up. After several phone calls, the driver came with his taxi at around 9 am but declined to take me at the negotiated price. This is the first time in my not too short travelling experience I came across such a case where a taxi driver, after contracting a deal, backed out at the last moment, landing a visitor at much inconvenience. Anyway, I had no option but to look for some other operator. Finally, at 09:30 am, I was able to get one and started immediately. I visited Cathedral Mary Help of Christian Church, Naga Heritage Village, War Memorial and Nagaland Secretariat in that order.

Catholic Cathedral Kohima is an architectural landmark, besides its standing as the centre of the Catholic Church of Nagaland. Its architectural might and complexity are a surprise. The semi-circular building with its modern architectural thinking covers one side of the Armature hill with every bit of construction planned in detail, providing no space to be wasted. Its facade is shaped in line with the traditional Naga House. The actual work began in 1986, and the dedication and consecration of the church were done in 1991. This semi-circular gallery of pews for 3000 seating and 1500 standing capacity has its extraordinary aesthetic appeal. The specially allotted places for baptism, confession, adoration, etc., add beauty to the church. The pages of historical developments include the great meetings of the reconciliation of the Japanese and the British war veterans. Therefore, the Cathedral is not a mere memory of war but also the healing place of the war memories, the real need! ‘The Natural Light system’ has something outstanding in this building. The specially designed transparent roof makes it possible to have sufficient light inside at any time of the day. The artistic presentations add beauty to it. The magnificent crucifix, so realistic its presentation, is carved in wood. The figure is 16 ft in height, possibly one of the tallest wooden carved crucifixes in Asia. The Naga cultural presentation is an outstanding feature of the campus. The building, painting, furniture, etc., are modelled after the Naga tradition and heritage. In keeping up the Naga tradition, the campus is marked with four gates in four directions (North, South, West and East). The Stations of the Cross posed in the main entrance is a specially made beautiful feature. It is the presentation of Jesus` final journey with the cross, the last journey to Calvary. The fourteen stations pose a real replica to the faithful with their beautiful arrangement on the slope of the hill leading up to the Cathedral.

Next, I visited Naga Heritage Village. Situated at about 10 kilometres from Kohima, the Naga Heritage Village offers a panorama of nature, and the cheerfulness, and the hospitality of people. The objective of the Heritage Village is to protect and preserve all ethnic, cultural heritages. It also aims to uphold and sustain the distinct identity of dialects, customs, and traditions of all the ethnic tribes of Nagaland. The Heritage Complex consists of a cluster of sixteen houses of each tribe, created in the indigenous typical architectural designs and concepts with significance. The tribal house is also called "Morung or Youth Dormitory". Colourful life and culture are a vital part of 16 officially recognized Naga tribes. They are different and unique in their customs and traditions.

The colourful Hornbill Festival is also celebrated in this Heritage Village, "KISAMA", every year from Dec 1 to Dec 10. It is called the 'Festival of Festivals'. To encourage inter-tribal interaction and to promote the cultural heritage of Nagaland, the Government of Nagaland organises this festival every year in the first week of December. It was first held in 2000. Highlights of the festival include the traditional Naga Morungs exhibition (for more details on morungs, click here) and the sale of arts and crafts, food stalls, herbal medicine stalls, flower shows and sales, cultural medley - songs and dances, fashion shows, the Miss Nagaland beauty contest, traditional archery, Naga wrestling, indigenous games, and musical concert. The festival provides a colourful mixture of dances, performances, crafts, parades, games, sports, food fairs, and religious ceremonies. It exposes the culture and tradition of tribal peoples and reinforces Nagaland’s identity as a unique state in India’s federal union. Experts have commented that a lot of the older folk in the villages travel to Kohima to attend this festival and meet people from other villages of Nagaland whom they hadn’t met before, and this helps in cultural assimilation. (Source: Wikipedia).

I had missed this festival due to the timing of my visit. Officials at Nagaland House, Kolkata, had told me about this festival and advised me to visit at that time. But then I had to wait for a year which I could not.

From Naga Heritage Village, I moved to Kohima War Cemetery. Kohima War Cemetery is a memorial dedicated to soldiers of the 2nd British Division of the Allied Forces who died in the Second World War at Kohima. The soldiers died on the battleground of Garrison Hill in the tennis court area of the Deputy Commissioner's residence. According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which maintains this cemetery, among many others in the world, there are 1,420 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War at this cemetery, and a memorial to an additional 917 Hindu and Sikh soldiers, who were cremated elsewhere according to their respective faith. The cemetery is set in peaceful surroundings with well-manicured grassland in which roses bloom in season. The cemetery is sited at the exact location where the battle was fought, and it provides a panoramic view of the town of Kohima. It is marked at its two ends by tall, concrete structures engraved with the cross. Between the two structures, along the sloping ground, a series of terraces of 3–5 metres in height have been created; these contain stone markers embedded with bronze plaques carrying the name of each Commonwealth soldier who died on the Kohima battlefield. These markers are made distinctly visible by a whitewash. The upper-end memorial is located at the highest end of the cemetery. It commemorates the names of the Indian and Sikh soldiers who fought and died on the battlefield as part of the British Indian Army but had been cremated as per their religious rites. (Source: Wikipedia)

It's a nice place to spend some time in peace and tranquility. I moved from terrace to terrace, inspecting the burial stones and reading the names and particulars of soldiers (engraved on the stones) who had sacrificed their lives. The serene atmosphere, the scenic beauty, and the spectacular vision of the Kohima town attract people here.

On the morning of the 28th January, I left Kohima, and after spending that night at Dimapur, arrived, at Mariani, the next day. Halted at Mariani for a day, in my sister's house.

HOLLANGAPAR GIBBON SANCTUARY

On the 30^th afternoon, I left Mariani for Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary. As was prearranged, I was picked up by a car belonging to a privately-owned resort called Gibbon Resort, where I had reserved accommodation for an overnight stay for an early morning tracking in the nearby Hollongapar Gibbon sanctuary. The Resort was located at a place called Nagadera, Nakachari. It was a nice place to stay; cosy, comfortable, homely and provided with all modern amenities. The food was to taste. The owner Diganta Gogoi and his uncle J C Gogoi were pleasing personalities, informative, and helpful. The place was secured, and the owners took personal care of guests staying there. I was happy to be able to stay here.

The Gibbon Sanctuary is an isolated protected area of evergreen forest located within the district of Jorhat in Assam. It is one of the very few places in India where Hollock Gibbons are found. Gibbons are apes in the family Hylobatid. They do not have tails. They are smaller in size and differ from great apes like the Chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans etc., in that respect. They form isolated families and live in their places of choice.

On the 31st morning, at 6:30 am, I, led by Diganta Gogoi, the owner of the resort I stayed in, left for the Gibbon Sanctuary. We had a drive for 8-10 Kms by resort car to reach the entry point for the Sanctuary. From there, we tracked on foot, accompanied by a guide and an armed escort. Diganta was also with me all along. We walked about 3.5 Kms deep in the forest, sighted the Gibbons, pig-tailed, and long-tailed monkeys of various types, a few in proximity: took a good number of photographs. Diganta helped me a lot in sighting and even in taking some photographs. The forest is also a habitat for elephants and leopards, the proofs of which were evidenced in elephant dung and pug marks of leopards. We could not, however, see an elephant or leopard.

I had in the past travelled in many reserved forests but all those were in the protected vehicles. That way, it was my singular experience of tracking inside a reserve forest, and I enjoyed it to the full though it was a little tiresome for me at the age of 75. It was a wonderful experience to walk through the forest in the morning cold of end-January looking for mammals belonging to the family of Hylobatid apes. While returning to the base point, we tracked along the railway lines for another 3 Kms or so, and it was painstaking. The railway track had bifurcated the Hollongapar reserve forest while passing through it. Diganta informed me that the elephants while crossing the line from one part of the forest to the other, sometimes get run over and killed by the moving trains.

In Hollongapar Gibbon sanctuary, I had the privilege of seeing those rare types of monkeys which do not exist elsewhere in India. I had also learnt about the social life of Gibbons from the uncle of Diganta, Mr JC Gogoi. These Gibbons live in families in their social structure. They do not marry for the second time if the wife dies. In short, my visit to Gibbon sanctuary was entertaining and fruitful.

The Gibbon Resort authorities gave me all kinds of logistic support by way of transport, accommodation, food and visit to the Sanctuary, of course at a cost. They picked me up from and dropped me down to places of my choice, which services are not always available even at a cost.

One point to note: to avoid bites from leeches, winter should be the best time to visit the sanctuary.

After tracking was over, we moved to the resort. I had my bath and breakfast and left for Jorhat by resort's car. I stayed in Jorhat from the afternoon of 31st January 2018 to the afternoon of 3rd February 2018. Jorhat was my childhood place, and there was nothing new to see here. Mostly, I rested and met some old friends, acquaintances, and relations during the stay.

It was my second long drive and came about 6 months after I had the first. This time my destination was Bishnupur in Bankura District. I had heard much about terracotta work on Bishnupur temples. I had learnt that the origins of Bishnupur as a religious and cultural hub with its distinctive temple architecture had been closely tied to the Gaudiya Vaishnava devotional movement of the sixteenth [AD1] century in Eastern India and Bengal in particular (then known as Gaud or Gaur). My objective on this trip had been to visit these temples and to know about them. I also had a cherished desire to visit the birthplace of Thakur Ramakrishna at Kamarpukur and the birthplace of Maa Sarada Devi in Joyrambati. I drew up my programme such that I could visit Kamarpukur and Joyrambati on the way to Bishnupur. I had booked the accommodation in Bishnupur Tourist Lodge, first for the 19th April 2018, but later, had to extend it for the 20th.

I started from my home in my car at 06:15 am on the 19^th of April and reached Kamarpukur via Arambag at 10 am. I was alone. I visited Chandramoni (Thakur Ramakrishna’s mother) Smriti Sadan. I then went to the temple area within the same premises. There I visited the family God, Raghubir's Temple, where five gods and goddesses, Sitala, Raghubir, Damodar, Rameshwar, and Gopal, were worshipped. I also visited the cottage, where Sri Ramakrishna and his parents had lived. I then paid homage to Thakur Ramakrishna at his holy birth spot, where a marble statue of him had been built on his 175^th birthday. While inside the Math area, I was introduced to a fifth-generation descendent of Sri Ramakrishna by the Pujari of Raghubir temple. I was enthralled to have come across someone from Thakur Sri Ramakrishna’s family down the line. Photography within the premises of the Math was prohibited. I took a few photos from outside. I spent about half an hour here and then resumed my journey.

My next stop was at Joyrambati. It was not far from Kamarpukur. It took me 15 minutes to get there. I visited Matrimandir, inside which were cottages of Maa Sarada’s birth and childhood activities.

Sri Sri Matri Mandir, Joyrambati is a branch of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math. Matri Mandir- Joyrambati, the excellent and well-designed temple, is located in the holy place of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi's birth. It has a serene and dignified expression—the sense of Mother-Heart that was embodied as Sarada Devi, the Holy Mother.

This beautiful temple has been built exactly on the spot where the Holy Mother was born, and it was here that her father Ramchandra Mukhopadhyaya had his original dwelling-house. The Holy Mother’s marriage also took place in this very house, and her parents lived there till she reached the ninth year of her age.

HISTORY OF MATRIMANDIR AND OLD & NEW HOUSES OF HOLY MOTHER

This temple was dedicated to the Holy Mother by Swami Saradananda on Thursday, the 19th of April, 1923 (i.e. on the third day of the lunar half of the month of Vaisakh called Akshaya-Tritiya). The white marble statue of the Holy Mother was installed in the temple on the 8th of April 1954, and a spacious Prayer Hall was also added as an annexe to this temple. The sacred relics of the Holy Mother have been preserved in the Sanctum (Garbha-Mandira) and the Holy Mother is daily worshipped with the appropriate rites and offerings. The small-sized Shiva-Linga, (the stone emblem of God Shiva), which was found at the time of digging the earth for the construction of this temple, is also worshiped here.

The metallic flag, embossed with the sacred word, ‘Ma’ (Mother), adorns the crest of the dome of the temple, calling, as it were, all the travellers to come to receive the infinite love and grace of the Holy Mother. Innumerable devotees are visiting this sacred place from far and near.

Within the Matrimandir Complex, there are also cottages known as Puratan Bari and Natun Bari, besides a tank called Punya Pukhur.

At the division of properties among the brothers of the Holy Mother, the house, where she had so long been living, fell to the share of her brother Prasanna Mukhopadhyaya and she lived in that homestead with him as before for a long time. This dwelling-place is called at present ‘Mother’s Old House’ (Puratan Bari).

Nutan-Bari (New House) Of Holy Mother

With the increase in the number of devotees, various difficulties cropped up regarding accommodation in the original house. That was why Swami Saradananda bought a piece of land on the western side of the tank called ‘Punya Pukhur’ and got a separate house built there for Holy Mother in 1915-16. It was registered in the name of Goddess Jagaddhatri. This new house consists of four mud-walled and straw-roofed rooms in its four corners. She utilized one of these rooms as her bed-chamber and also for her worship of Sri Ramakrishna. She gave initiation, Brahmacharya, and Sannyasa to aspirants in this room also. At present, this room has been converted into a temple with a life-sized portrait of the Holy Mother installed therein. The room adjoining it was used as a kitchen, whereas the room opposite to the kitchen was occupied by Nalini Didi, niece of the Holy Mother. The remaining room, which faces the west and is now encircled by railings, was reserved for the Holy Mother’s worship of the Goddess Jagaddhatri, and at other times, for the accommodation of devotees. The monastic disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, such as Swami Saradananda and Swami Subodhananda, and also other devotees lived in that room on the occasion of their visit to Joyrambati.

I was in Matrimandir for about half an hour,

BISHNUPUR

Leaving Matrimandir, I resumed my journey to Bishnupur. I reached Bishnupur at 2 PM and checked in the Tourist Lodge. Tourist Lodge was in a beautiful location with scenic beauty and was well maintained. There were flowering trees and a beautiful flower garden within its premises.

I had my bath and lunch. After a little rest, I went out with a local guide contacted through the tourist lodge people to visit the temples and other places of interest. We had visited Gaur Nitai Temple, Madan Mohan Temple, Stone Chariot, Small Gateway to an ancient fort, and a distant view of Rash Manch. As it became dark by then and most of the temples remained to be seen, I made a programme with the guide for extending the visit to the next day. I accordingly extended my stay at Bishnupur by another day after I returned to the lodge.

Stone Chariot: Regarding the build of the Stone Chariot I had visited today, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has the following to say:

“Datable to 17^th century AD, this small double storied structure stands on a low laterite plinth originally with three wheels on each side. The lower storey resembles the arched pavilion of Rashmancha, whereas the upper storey with Shikhara resembles Ekaratna Temple of Bishnupur. This stone Chariot is unique representing typical Bishnupur temple style in miniature form with all finer details.”

Madan Mohan Temple: This is one of the renowned temples of Bishnupur. This temple was built by Malla King Durjana Singha Dev for their family deity Radha & Krishna. It has a square flat roof with curved cornices and a pinnacle over the top. Since this is single doomed, it is called Ekaratna. It was built in 1694 AD outside the fort compound. The temple has fine terracotta friezes with the finest curving depicting events from the life of Radha and Krishna.

Chhoto Darwaja: The old fort of Bishnupur had two entrances. The outer one was larger was called, Gar Darwaja, and the inner one was Chhoto Darwaja. The fort is in ruins except for a small portion, where again visitors are not allowed. The gates have withstood the wear and tear of time but have not been maintained properly. I took a photograph of the setting sun through the arch of the smaller gate. As it was already getting dark, we did not visit the large Gateway that day and postponed it for the next day.

The next day, the 20^th of April, I, accompanied by the guide, left the lodge at 8 am. We first went to Rash Manch.

Rash Manch: This temple is the earliest known temple in existence, built-in Bangla do-Chala style. It has beautifully designed arched openings all along the four verandas of the central pyramidal structure. King Bir Hambir, whose reign is considered the golden age of Mallas, introduced the worship of Madan Mohan (Krishna). It was he who had built the impressive Rash Manch Temple in 1600 AD. The Manch is a unique manifestation of the architectural marvel of those days. The temple stands on a raised square laterite plinth with a pyramidal superstructure. Three successive circulatory galleries, the arches of which are decorated with terracotta lotus motifs enclose the sanctum of the shrine. This temple was not dedicated to any particular deity, but during the Malla regime, idols of all deities from neighbouring villages were brought and displayed in the galleries for the public. According to the Archaeological Survey of India, the parallel of this temple has not been found elsewhere in India, and it may be considered as the pride of Bishnupur for its unique shape. Bir Hambir was a contemporary of Akbar who reigned in Delhi at that time.

The temple presents a serene atmosphere. It was summer when I had visited, but the lawn was lush green ornated with flowering plants.

Gar Darwaja or Large Gateway: This fine arched gateway known as Pathar Darwaja was built with dressed laterite blocks. This gateway was the northern entrance to the ancient fort of Bishnupur. It was built by Malla King Bir Singha in the second half of the Seventeenth Century. It had double-storied galleries flanking the central passage for accommodating the troops. There were also arrow slits for the archer and the gunman.

Shyamrai Temple: Next, we went to Shyamrai Temple. This is indeed one of the most splendid temples of the Bishnupur flagship of the terracotta temple art. Large Raschakra, stories of Ramayana, Mahabharat & Krishna's life are live in the terracotta art. It is a wonderful presentation of terracotta works. The pentadome top with 4 squares on one octagonal tower is another specific feature of this temple. This temple was built by Raghunatha Singha in the 17th century AD. The architecture of this Temple is unique and is one of the prioritized monuments on the Archaeological Survey of India’s list. It has Panchratna, meaning five-tower structures. The curved ceiling of the Temple is influenced by Islamic architecture, giving it a unique blend. The premises of the temple are green with well-maintained plants and trees.

This is what the Archaeological Survey of India has to say about this temple:

“Standing on a low square plinth this Panchatantra brick temple was built by the Malla King Raghunath Singha in AD 1643. It is noted for elaborate terracotta ornamentations. The square sanctum is surrounded by an ambulatory pathway with a porch opened by three multi-cusped arches on four sides of the five Shikaras, the central one is an octagon (originally collapsed) while the others are squares resting upon the four corners of a sloping roof in PIDA order. The decorative panels are interesting to narrate the contemporary socio-religious themes, the political and economic life of the people. It also includes scenes from Ramayana, Mahabharata, and other Puranic stories. Plants, animals, and some grotesque figures are also subjects of the narrative in decorative panels. Mention may be made of the famous ‘RASHAMANDALA’ for its superb aesthetic appeal.’

JOR-BANGLA TEMPLE: After visiting Shyamrai temple, I went to Jor Bangla Temple. This temple is a typical do-chala temple in Bishnupur. It is also called the KESTO RAI temple. The inscription affixed on the front façade of the temple says that the temple was built by Malla King Raghunath Singh in 1655 AD. The temple facing south is raised on a square platform in the shape of a pair of hut-shaped structures having slopping roofs joined together and surmounted by a Charchala Sikhara on the top. Both the exterior and the interior walls and the ceiling are decorated with exquisite and elaborate terracotta ornamentation. These terracotta panels narrate scenes from the epic Krishnalila, hunting scenes, and scenes from contemporary social life. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) says that the excellent quality of art in this temple endows it as one of the finest amongst the terracotta temples of West Bengal.

The prayer room was shut. It is learnt to house the idol of Shadbhuja (6 hands) of Shri Chaitanya. The idol is not worshiped anymore.

LALJI TEMPLE: After the Jor Bangla temple, I came to this temple. This temple does not have much of a great terracotta work. But it has other marvels. It is one of the impressive laterite-built Ekaratna temples at Bishnupur. It is enclosed by a boundary wall. It was built in 1658 by the Malla King Bir Singha. Inscription on the southern façade of the temple says that it was built for Radha & Krishna. Built on a raised platform like other temples, here it is surmounted by a single Sikhara. Ornamental Stucco decorations on low relief carvings can still be seen on the front wall. Like other temples of Bishnupur, this, too, is built on a high plinth. It is a nice place to meditate on the lush green compound of the temple.

RADHA SHYAM TEMPLE: From Lalji Temple, I came to Radha Shyam temple. Malla King Chaitanya built this temple of Radha & Shyam in 1758. This Ekaratna south-facing laterite temple stands within a large courtyard. The Sikhara of this temple is dome-shaped and slightly different from other Ekaratna temples at Bishnupur. Square on plan this stands within a large courtyard within a high boundary wall. The outer walls are fashioned with carving in lower relief which is decorated with fine stucco work. These decorative motifs include geometric and floral patterns, epic and Puranic scenes. This is a living temple, and images from different dilapidated temples of the locality are housed in the sanctum of this temple. Besides, there are beautiful idols of Radha and Krishna in the temple, which I had seen and photographed.

MRINMOYEE MATA TEMPLE: Just opposite Radha Shyam Mandir is Mrinmoyee Mata Temple, which I visited next. This temple of Durga still belongs to Maharaja’s family. The temple was made by Malla King Jagat Malla in 997 AD. There is a beautiful idol of Durga in the temple, but it is not allowed to be photographed. The temple is laterally placed, and there is a big Banyan tree in front of it. Mrinmoyee Temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga. It is a very old temple and is rich in heritage. The Durga Puja, which is observed every year in this temple, is over 1000 years old. It is unbelievable but true.

The upper portion of the Radha Shyam temple is visible from within the compound of the Mrinmoyee mandir. I took a photograph of the top of the Radha Shyam Temple from there.

History of the Mrinmoyee temple - Raghunath was crowned as the first king of the Malla dynasty at Pradamnapur. King Jagat Malla shifted his capital from Pradamnapur to Bishnupur for the latter's better-secured position. Bishnupur is mostly famous for its terracotta tradition, but it also proudly is the place where the oldest Durga Puja of the state happens.

King Jagat Malla established the Mrinmoyee temple in 997 AD. Jagat Malla was ordered by Maa Mrinmoyee to build this temple in his dreams. The idol is made of Ganga clay. The 57th generation of the Malla dynasty is there at present.

Description of Mrinmoyee Durga Puja - The Durgotsab in Mrinmoyee mandir commences with the setting up of Ghat (Clay Pot). The old ghat is used every year; legend has that one of the artisans died while making a ghat, and after that, no new ghats are made.

A day after “Dwityaashtami”, the festivity begins with the worship of “Baro thakurini”. Mejo thakurini comes under the disguise of Kola Bou on the day of Chaturthi, and she again reappears on the day of Saptami, along with Choto thakurini. And with this, the gates open for the general public. On the Maha Ashtami, most people gather around the mandir; even many foreigners can be seen. The youth of Mahadanda Community takes the Canon to the “Mochchha Hill”, just adjacent to the “Pathor Dorja”. The canon is fired during the moment of Sandishan. Then the sacrifice takes part. As per the law, no animals are sacrificed these days; only vegetables are used for the purpose. On Maha Navami, every person of Bishnupur gets an invitation to the mandir.

From Dwitiya to Sasthi, khichuri (rice-pulse mixture) is cooked, and on the first three days of the puja, plain rice is cooked.

The existing members of the Malla dynasty perform the ‘Mahamaarir Puja’ on the night of Navami. They pray to Maa to save them from being endemic. On the day of Bijaya Dashami, Maa takes stale rice. The people of “the Nuley community” of Rautkhand village come to Rajbari with “Tyaskhan Pakhi” (Neelkantha Bird), and the local fishermen offer ‘curd’ and ‘Chang fish’ to the goddess. The bird is freed, and the fish is kept in the pot, filled with curd. Immersion of the idol is forbidden. At the end of the yatra, flowers and leaves are immersed in the nearby pond. The budget of this age-old puja is much less than the pujas seen these days. But the specialty of this puja can’t be measured in monetary terms. It is the oldest Puja of Bengal, and no words can describe it aptly. To get a taste of things, one needs to visit the place during the Pujas.

RADHA GOBINDA TEMPLE: From Mrinmoyee Mandir, I moved to Radha Govinda temple. This laterite Ekaratna temple was built during the reign of Krishna Singh. It consists of a square lower storey and built-in in a thatched-hut fashion of temple architecture of Bengal. It has a curved roof surmounted by a Sikhara at the top. It has few Bas-relief carvings, which were originally applied with fine stucco work. By the side of the temple, there is a small brick chariot in the form of a miniature temple. There are three other temples in the premised of this temple.

With the visit to Radha Gobinda Temple my temple visit to Bishnupur ended, I next moved to have a look at Dalmadal Canon.

DALMADAL CANON: Dalmadol Kaman is a popular tourist attraction in Bishnupur, situated next to the famous Chinnamasta Temple. The area around the canon is fenced by iron railings. The canon being an object of national interest, it is protected under The Monument and Archaeological Sites & Remains Act, 1958.

Dalmadal Canon, probably, is the largest canon made of wrought iron, manufactured by the Malla Kings. It is 3.8 m long with a muzzle of 29.2 cm in diameter. It has a legend behind it. According to that, during the regime of King Gopa Singha, the tutelary deity of the Mallas, Lord Madan Mohan, used this canon against Bhaskar Rao, the Commander of the Maratha invaders.

First, due to a general strike called by the All India Trade Unions on the 8th and the 9th January 2019, the date of commencement of our trip to Assam and elsewhere had to be shifted from the 8th to the 10th January, the mode of the journey from rail to air and initial destination from Guwahati to Jorhat. Sikkim's trip was cancelled as friend Asu backed out from this part of the programme. Then came the question of the volatile situation in Assam due to movement by Assamese and tribal people against the proposed amendment in the Citizenship Act and NRC, resulting in our dropping of scheduled places of visit as the tour proceeded.

JORHAT & KAZIRANGA

Anyway, on the 10th of January, we (my friend Asu and myself) arrived at Rowriah airport, Jorhat, at 11:30 am by an Indigo flight and drove by a hired car via Jorhat to Kaziranga National Park Area (KOHORA), about 101 Kms from the airport. At Jorhat, we learnt that the All Assam Students Union (AASU) had given an Assam Bandh call on the 11th. This, however, turned out to be a hoax though there was a strike by a group of tribal organizations in some parts. Anyway, on reaching Kohora, we put up in Aranya Tourist Lodge under Assam Tourism Development Corporation, where we had our accommodation reserved. The next morning, we hired a Jonga jeep exclusively for two of us and went on a Safari inside the central safari zone of the National Park. We traversed through the defined area of the national park from around 07:30 am to around 10:30 am. This was my fourth visit to the national park. We could see a family of wild elephants (which I did not have the luck to see in any of my previous three visits), a couple of rhinos, a wild boar, and many migratory birds. We returned to our place of stay at around 11 am. As per our original plan, we were to leave Kaziranga after breakfast to pursue the next part of our travel plan but had to stay back for another day due to the non-availability of public transport; a group of six tribal organizations had given a call for bandh in the area. Lo and behold! Here is the setback we had apprehended while coming here. Due to this, we had to curtail our plan further and drop Digboi from our travel itinerary.

The next day, the 12th of January, we left Kaziranga at around 08:45 am and reached Jorhat at noon. There we met some of our friends and acquaintances and halted for the night.

Here are some of the photographs we had taken of wild animals in course of our safari in Kaziranga.

DIBRUGARH

On the 13th of January, we boarded a bus for Dibrugarh at 8 am and reached our destination at 1 pm. We had our accommodation booked in a local guest house named Bhaskar Home Stay. We stayed there in a homely environment and had excellent food coming, as if, from home kitchen.In the late afternoon, we hired an e-rickshaw and visited important places in the town and the renowned Assam Medical College and its extensive premises. Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh is one of the premier and oldest medical institutes of the NE region of India. British Philanthropist Sir John Berry White, a retired brigadier of the British army and later, the civil surgeon of the erstwhile Lakhimpur district in 1870, contributed his lifetime earning of Rupees Fifty Thousand (present-day valuation is more than ₹50 million) to establish his brainchild “Berry White Medical School” in 1900 AD. This school heralded the beginning of Allopathic Medical Education by conferring LMP Diploma in old undivided Assam. In 1938, the Assam Branch of the Licentiate Medical Practitioner, in their annual meeting under the chaired by Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi, the then premier of Assam, decided to upgrade the Berry White Medical School to a full-fledged Medical College. Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh, was established on the 3rd of November 1947, in the erstwhile US Military hospital of the second world war at Borbari, Dibrugarh, through a process of up-gradation of Berry White Medical School immediately after independence inaugurated formally by First Chief Minister of Assam, Late Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi. The admission of the first batch of students was completed in September 1947 with 6 seats.

We had also been to nearby Radha Govinda Temple, but that was closed.

There is a protective embankment of the Brahmaputra running all along the periphery of the town. This reminded me of the 1950-Earthquake deluge in Assam when half of this town was washed out; possibly this embankment was built after that. (For more details on the Assam Earthquake of 1950, as I witnessed and felt as a child click here, and scroll down). Anyway, we walked over the embankment for some distance and had a glimpse of the venue of The Bihu festival in the dried-up portion of the Brahmaputra. Halted for the night in Dibrugarh. Here are some pictures in and around Dibrugarh town,

The next morning we went sightseeing in the town and around by a hired car. We took a boat ride for an hour and a half in a river channel named Maguri Beel and visited the newly constructed Rail-cum-Road Bridge at Bhogi Beel, missing Dibru-Shaikohwa National park due to time constraints. A general description of the places we had visited is given below:

(1) Magori Beel

The Maguri Beel is a large wetland located 3.8 Km away from Guijan Ghat, the gateway of the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park and Biosphere Reserve. A small channel connects Maguri Beel with the Dibru River to the North. It has grown in importance because it is home to some of the rarest bird species and attracts varied species of birds from around the globe, for which it has already been declared as an Important Birding Site (IBA) by BirdLife International. It has turned out to be a major attraction for bird lovers and bird watchers. It has become a field for major study by ornithologists. The beel being rich in aquatic life has led to the growing up of several fishing camps near it. The nearby areas of the beel display a grassland environment, creating a safe haven for grassland birds. Species of the migratory birds visiting the beel include the Ruddy Shelduck, Baikal Teal, Bar-Headed Goose, Falcated Duck, Ferrigunuous Duck, Northern Pintail, Eurasian Wigeon, Common Teal, Black- Headed Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Eurasian Curlew, etc.

We did not know about this place when we had arrived in Dibrugarh. It was the owner of the Guest House where we stayed in Dibrugarh who apprised us of it and prevailed upon us to visit it. Following his advice, we drove to the location and took a boat ride in the beel for about an hour and a half. In the course of the ride, we came across large flocks of migratory birds of different species, some swimming, some gliding, some nose-diving in water, presenting an exquisite scenario. It was a wonderful sight. Unfortunately, I had left behind the battery of my DSLR camera in the guest house. I had thus missed once in a lifetime opportunity to capture the images of flocks of these colourful birds in different stages of their activities.

(2) After Maguri Beel, we visited one of the longest bridges over the Brahmaputra, called Bhogi Beel Bridge, opened recently by the Prime Minister of India. This is the longest rail-cum-road bridge in India and 2nd such bridge in Asia, measuring 4.94 kms. It connects the Dibrugarh with the Dhemaji district of Assam. Construction of this bridge was started in 2002, and it took a total of 200 months to complete. It is India's first bridge to have fully welded steel-concrete support beams that can withstand earthquakes of magnitude up to 7 on the Richter scale. It has a serviceable period of 120 years. The bridge has a double rail line on the lower deck and a 2-lane road on the upper deck. It is the 5th longest bridge in India.

From the bridge site, we had moved straight to the Bus stand in Dibrugarh and boarded a bus for our return trip to Jorhat; we had earlier checked out from the guest house on the way to the bridge. We reached Jorhat at around 6:30 pm and halted there for the night. We had a mind to stay in Dibrugarh for 2 days but had to curtail it due to ongoing disturbances at different places and the uncertainty about the availability of public transport on a day succeeding the Bihu festival day. Bihu was celebrated in Assam on the day we left Dibrugarh.

SIVSAGAR

On the 16th morning at 08:30 am, we rode a bus for Sivsagar. We reached Sivsagar at 10 am. There we hired an e-rickshaw and visited Siva Deol, Joysagar, Uttaran Museum, Karenga Ghar, Ranghar, Gola Ghar, etc., within a reasonable distance. Watched for some time a fascinating Bihu performance at the premises of Rang Ghar (amphitheater).

I have described most of the places I visited today in Sivsagar in the travel story of my earlier visits here in 2015 & 2016. I refrain from repeating them and shall mention only the ones either left out earlier or have something more to add now.

(1). GHOLA GHAR: The Gola Ghar (Assamese for 'Cannon House') is a historical monument located in Joysagar, 4 km from Sivasagar, Assam. It is an ammunition storehouse used by the Ahoms and is situated near the Talatal Ghar. The Gola Ghar was built during the reign of Chakradhwaj Singha (1663-1669 AD). The Gola Ghar is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India. Recently, it has been renovated as a museum gallery. It displays various weapons, arms, armour, the process of making gunpowder, etc.

2). Uttaran Museum: Close to the Borduar, and the Talatal Ghar, is the Uttaran Museum, a wonderful creation by a single man, Durlov Bora. Housed in a two-storied building with a decorated spiral staircase inside. it hosts some of the best and impressive collections of items. The exhibits highlight a picture of day-to-day life in Assam. The museum showcases different types of living and non-living objects and objects used both by man and nature. It is widely popular as a historical and research center.

(3) The Rang Ghar: House of Entertainment: (ৰংঘৰ, in Assamese) is a two-storied building that once served as the royal sports-pavilion where Ahom kings and nobles and spectators at games like buffalo fights and other sports at Rupahi Pathar (pathar meaning "field" in Assamese) - particularly during the Rongali Bihu festival in the Ahom capital of Rangpur. It is 3 km away from the center of Sivasagar Town. Situated by the side of the Assam Trunk Road, it lies to the northeast of the Rangpur Palace, a seven-storied royal complex comprising the Talatal Ghar and the Kareng Ghar. It was the Bihu day when we had visited. The Rang Ghar was specially decorated. Young Assamese girls colorfully dressed in Mekhla Chadar (their traditional dress) had assembled from different places. They were presenting a heart-warming Bihu dance. People were taking videos and photographs. I, too, followed suit. It was a wonderful occasion and we enjoyed it much. It was decades after I had left Assam that I witnessed a Bihu dance,

TEZPUR

On the 17th of January 2019, we left Jorhat for Tezpur by a private bus leaving Jorhat at around 08:15 am. We reached Tezpur at 13:30 hrs., and put up in Hotel Kaustav, where we had reserved accommodation in advance. After lunch and a rest, we roamed around for some time, returned to the hotel, and halted for the night.

The next day, the 18th, we hired an e-rickshaw and went on local sightseeing at 8 am. We visited the Ganesha Temple, Chitralekha Udyan, Agnigarh, Maa Bhairobi Temple, and Bamuni Pahar Temple remains. General descriptions with the historical background of these places are given below;

(a) Ganesh Ghat Temple: This was the first site we had visited in our sightseeing programme on the 18th January 2019. Situated on the bank of the river Brahmaputra, it is one of the most sacred places in Tezpur. Rumors have it that the whole city of Tezpur will submerge under the river Brahmaputra if flood water touches the tip of Lord Ganesha's idol in this temple.

The tallest statue of Lord Bajrang Bali lifting Sanjeevani Dronachal Parvat is located at the entrance to the temple site from the main road. The temple is also known as Ganesh Ghat Temple, being situated near Ganesh Ghat on the banks of the Brahmaputra. The place is famous for its scenic view at sunset.

(b) Chitralekha Udyan: Our next visit was to Chitralekh, and was later reconstructed by M.G.V.K Bhanu in 1996. The park has recently been renamed Chitralekha Udayan Park, after the name of a famous person in the Aniruddha-Usha love story. Located amid several misty hillocks and green terrains and blue lakes, this park is well known for its breath-taking scenic beauty. Inside the park, there is a serene lake, in which boating can be done. Some of the ancient relics from nearby areas have been transported to the park to facilitate public viewing. The most important, amongst them, is the inscription of Bhomoraguri, depicting an ancient plan of building a bridge on the River Brahmaputra. The primary viewing attractions for the children are a jet-fighter model Valiant MIG 21, the first supersonic aircraft for the Indian Air Force capable of travelling at Mach 2 ( with engines removed and fixed, and a large concrete-made map of India ( states as before the year 2000)

(c) Agnigarh: Later, Chitrlekha Udyan was moved to Agnigarh. Agnigarh is a hillock located in Tezpur, Assam, India.[1] In Hindu mythology, it is the site of the fortress built by Banasura to keep his daughter Usha in isolation.

Legend has it that this fortress was surrounded by fire at all times so that nobody could go in or out of the perimeter without permission. Usha fell in love with Aniruddha in her dreams, not knowing that he was the grandson of Krishna. Her companion Chitralekha identified him by painting his portrait from Usha's description. Chitralekha Udyan in Tezpur, also known as 'Cole Park,' the biggest park in Tezpur, is named after her. Chitrale, and Usha, the daughter of an Asura king named Banasur. Therefore, there was no way either side would accept their love. She flew one night and brought Aniruddha to Usha's place while he was still sleeping, using her powers. When Aniruddha opened his eyes and saw Usha, he fell in love immediately. However, Banasura was furious, on knowing this, and tied him with snakes and imprisoned him. Banasura was a great devotee of Lord Shiva, and as a boon, had asked him and his entire family to guard the gates of his city, Tezpur. He, therefore, was not at all scared by Krishna's threat. A war ensued between the Hari (Lord Krishna and his followers) and the Hars (Lord Shiva and his followers), rivers of blood flowed, and the city was named Tezpur (City of Blood). Both sides were nearly wiped out and a final battle followed between Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna. At that point, Lord Brahma requested both of them to stop the war by putting him between them. A discussion followed in which Lord Krishna made Lord Shiva see that Banasura was acting wrongly in imprisoning his grandson and had even disrespected Lord Shiva himself in asking him and his family to be his gatekeepers. Lord Shiva agreed, and Banasura was brought. Fearing his life at stake, he immediately agreed to the marriage.

The present-day Agnigarh is a hill on the banks of the Brahmaputra and is one of the big tourist attractions in Tezpur. There is a circular stairway leading up to the crest of the hill where there are now sculptures depicting Usha's abduction of Aniruddha, the grandson of Krishna, and scenes of the battle that had ensued to free them from the clutches of Banasur. The stone sculptures on the Agnigarh hill portray this entire picturesque story of love and the great war.

There is also a tall viewing platform from where the entire Tezpur town can be seen. We could see the Kalia-Bhumura bridge, which shone like a beautiful necklace over the vast Brahmaputra river. We had earlier entered the city by crossing this bridge over the Brahmaputra.

d) Maa Bhairavi Temple: From Agnigarh, we went to Maa Bhairavi temple. The Temple is located on the outskirts of T.ezpur on a hillock. We climbed a good many stairs to reach the top of the hillock to see the temple.

The Goddess Bhairavi is worshipped here as she is one of the Mahavidyas of Ma Durga. It is a very important Shakti Peeth of Assam. The backdrop of the temple is a view looking towards the Kolia Bhomora bridge across the river Brahmaputra. The temple is also locally knownas the Bhairabi Devalaya. There is a legend that Usha (the daughter of the mighty Asura King Banasura) came here regularly to worship the Goddess. The 400-year-old temple has tilted slightly, and a nearby building suffered damage to the west and south sides of the second and third stories and cracked the pillars and an unhinged roof due to an earthquake. Following the damage, religious ceremonies or daily prayers have come to a halt.(source: Wikipedia)

(e) Bamuni Hills Temple remains: As the last item of our day's sightseeing programme, we visited Bamuni Hills Temple Remains. These remains are also on a hilltop. I climbed up the stairs to reach the top. Friend Asu was too tired and initially wanted to skip going up. He, however, later went up to half the height.

These ancient ruins of the Bamuni Hills, later located in the outskirts of the Tezpur area, are a treat for any archaeology enthusiast. It is located on the right bank of the Brahmaputra river, just near Bhairavi temple. According to the construction plan, it is assumed that there was a Vishnu temple, at the center and four Shiva temples, in the four corners of the hillock. They were of Panchayatana style. There are also the ruins of an isolated temple on the northeastern side. According to Hindu mythology, Aniruddha, the nephew of Lord Krishna, had fallen in love with the daughter of Banasura, who had disapproved of the match had imprisoned Aniruddha in this place. The Archaeological Survey of India, under whose control this area currently is, has fixed the date of these ruins at 10th to 12th century A.D. The style of the art excavated in this area indicates the Gupta period. It is, however, not clear as to who had this temple constructed, but it is generally believed that the temple was built during the early Pala period. It is also assumed that this temple was dedicated to Lord Vishnu, and it was a north Indian Nagara-style temple.

The astonishing stone figurines and rock sculptures are the prime attraction of the area. The intricate designs on the stone give us an idea of the talent and hard work of the artists. The floral and geometric designs are worth mentioning. Several sculptures of animals like crocodiles and tortoises are also found. The different avatars of Vishnu are nicely engraved, and the piece of the slab is still intact. Several pieces of the temple walls and pillars are taken to the adjacent Cole park or Chitralekha Udyan. The scenic beauty of this place enhances the charm of the area, as it overlooks the Brahmaputra.(Source: Internet materials)

(f) Kolia Bhomora Bridge: We crossed the Brahmaputra by this bridge when entering Tezpur from Jorhat. It is a pre-stressed concrete road bridge over the Brahmaputra connecting Tezpur and Kaliabar. It is named after the Ahom General Kolia Bhomora Phukan. It falls on National Highway 715, previously known as NH 37A. It is 3015 metres long. Its construction started in 1981 and was completed in 1987. The bridge was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi. American Concrete Institute awarded Hindusthan Construction Company, which built this bridge, a Certificate of Merit for the most outstanding concrete structure.

GUWAHATI

We left Tezpur at 09:30 am on 21st January 2019 for Guwahati by a red liner bus. We reached Guwahati at around 3 pm the same day and put up in Prashanti Tourist Lodge. The next day we made had some local sightseeing in the morning. We visited Deeghal Pukhori, Assam State Museum, Rajbhawan site and around. We left for Guwahati airport for our return journey at 5:30 pm. Our flight to Kolkata was at 08:40 pm. But it was inordinately delayed and finally left at 12:30 am on 23rd January 2019. We reached our respective homes at 3 am on 23rd Jan 2019.

Here are some of the photographs I took during our journey from Tezpur and later during local sight seeing in Guwahati.

Introduction: As I have stated in my travel history of January 2019, I and my friend Asu had returned from Assam on completion of that truncated trip on January 23, 2019. Asu had still some more days to stay in Kolkata before he returned to his home in South Wales, UK. We decided to make a short trip to Puri in early February 2019. I had last visited the place with my family and a friend's family in 1984. It would thus be a visit for me after 35 years. Puri has a special place in a Bengali heart. Bengalees find pleasure in visiting this place in season or out of season.

Journey: Anyway, I accompanied by my school friend Asu, started from Howrah station by Howrah-Puri Shatabdi Express at 2:15 pm on 2^nd February 2019. We reached Puri at about 11 PM the same day. We had booked our accommodation in an OYO hotel, Puri Inn, on Gopal Ballav Road. It took us about 45 mins to reach the hotel by rickshaw. The rooms, though not of a very high standard, were tolerably good. Besides, we had discovered the next day that the sea was within 15 mins walk from the hotel. Having nothing else to do that night, we went to bed to rise early the next morning to view the sunrise on the sea.

Sunrise at Puri Sea: The next morning, we got up at 4 am, got ready, and started for the sea. It was dark all around as we reached the sea. There was silence but for the roar of the sea. Visitors were arriving at the seaside and on the beach by degrees. As the darkness faded, I started taking photographs. After taking a few photographs, we moved to the road and started walking forward to change our location. Suddenly, I discovered that the protective lens cover of my DSLR camera was missing. I became worried as it may cause damage to the lens in the course of the journey back home. I went up and down the road and traversed the beach, looking for the cover, but that was nowhere to be found. As by then, the day was breaking and the time of sunrise was approaching, I had to give up the search and get ready to watch and bind the rising sun in my camera frame.

To watch the sun rising from the sea was a great experience. As the sun rose from below the horizon, its scattered glow engulfed the sky in different shapes and colours, and the sea, too, kept on changing its colour to make it a colourful environment. The sun first rose, as it were, from within the sea as a round sphere in deep red colour. It then changed the depth of its colour, size, and brightness as it went higher and higher up. By this phenomenon, the colours in the sky and the sea kept on changing, and the viewers were kept enticed and stuck to the scene. In short, it can be said that the Sunrise had presented a spectrum of colours all around.

About Puri & its Sea: The Sea, also called the Mahodadhi, is considered a sacred bathing spot in the Swargadwar area. The Samudra aarati is a daily tradition started by the present Shankaracharya 9 years ago. The daily practice includes prayer and fire offering to the sea at Swargadwar in Puri by disciples of the matha. On Paush Purnima of every year, the Shankaracharya himself comes out to offer prayers to the sea.

Puri is also known as Jagannath Dham after the twelfth century Jagannath temple located in the city. It is one of the original Char Dham pilgrimage sites of the Hindus. The Puri Jagannath Temple was invaded 18 times by the Muslim rulers from the 7th century AD to the 19th century AD to loot its treasures. Puri and its temple were under British India from 1803 till India got independence. The heirs of the Gajapati Dynasty of Khurda are still in charge of the ritual duties of Jagannath Temple. The temple town has many Hindu religious mathas or monasteries. The most important festival of Puri is the Ratha Yatra when thousands of pilgrims and visitors from different parts of India and abroad throng the town. Puri has been chosen as one of the heritage cities under the Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) scheme of the Govt. of India.

Jagannath Temple: From the seaside, we went straight to the Jagannath Temple site, searching the protective cover of the camera I had lost that very morning. On inquiry at some local shops, I had learnt that there were camera shops opposite the Jagannath temple, where I might have my required spare. As we approached the temple area, we found the place was tremendously crowded; people were still coming from different sides. We somehow managed to move through the crowd to search for camera shops. But I failed to find any which could cater to my needs. I had a mind to visit the temple but was dissuaded by the size of the queue which, even by a modest estimate, suggested hours of waiting to get entry. I took some photographs of the temple and the crowd. We then moved by a different route and reached the sea near Swargadwar. On the way, Asu visited a house which he said once belonged to them. He had sold it out long back, and it now housed a resort.

Anyway, we had some sweets at a sweetmeat shop at Swargadwar and returned to the hotel by a rickshaw. The sun was then overhead, and it was hot to stay out.

About Jagannath Temple: The Shree Jagannath Temple of Puri is an important Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath, a form of Vishnu, in Puri in the state of Odisha on the eastern coast of India. The present temple was rebuilt from the 10th century onwards, on the site of an earlier temple, and begun by King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva, the first of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. Anantavarman was originally a Shaivite and became a Vaishnavite sometime after he conquered the Utkala region (in which the temple is located) in 1112 CE. An 1134–1135 CE inscription records his donation to the temple. Therefore, the temple construction must have started sometime after 1112 CE

The Puri temple is famous for its annual Ratha yatra, or chariot festival, in which the three principal deities are pulled on huge and elaborately decorated temple cars. These gave their name to the English term Juggernaut. Unlike the stone and metal icons found in most Hindu temples, the image of Jagannath is made of wood and is ceremoniously replaced every twelve or nineteen years by an replica.

According to legend, the construction of the first Jagannath temple was commissioned by King Indradyumna, son of Bharata and Sunanda, and a Malava king, mentioned in the Mahabharata and the Puranas.

The legendary account found in the Skanda-Purana, Brahma Puranam, and other Puranas, and later Odia works state that Lord Jagannath was originally worshipped as Lord Neela Madhaba by a Savar king (tribal chief), named Viswavasu. Having heard about the deity, King Indradyumna sent a Brahmin priest, Vidyapati to locate the deity, who was worshipped secretly in a dense forest by Viswavasu. Vidyavati tried his best but could not locate the place. But at last, he managed to marry Viswavasu's daughter Lalita. At the repeated requests of Vidyapti, Viswavasu took his son-in-law blindfolded to a cave where Lord Neela Madhava was worshipped.

Vidyapati was very intelligent. He dropped mustard seeds on the ground on the way. The seeds germinated after a few days, which enabled him to find out the cave later on. On hearing from him, King Indradyumna proceeded immediately to Odra desha (Odisha) on a pilgrimage to see and worship the Deity. But the deity had disappeared. The king was disappointed. The Deity was hidden in the sand. The king was determined not to return without having a darshan of the deity and observed fast unto death at Mount Neela, Then a celestial voice cried, 'thou shalt see him.' Afterward, the king performed a horse sacrifice and built a magnificent temple for Vishnu. Narasimha Murti brought by Narada was installed in the temple. During sleep, the king had a vision of Lord Jagannath. Also, an astral voice directed him to receive the fragrant tree on the seashore and make idols out of it. Accordingly, the king got the image of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra, and Chakra Sudarshan made out of the wood of the divine tree and installed them in the temple. [Source: Wikipedia)

Late afternoon & Evening Sea: In the afternoon, we went back to the beach and enjoyed the picturesque view of the setting sun and the sunset. There was, by then, a multitude of visitors on the beach, each one engaged in activities of one kind or another. I took a good number of photographs of the beach, the sea, and the sun. We roamed around in the vicinity for some time. Talked to a couple of tour operators and contracted a car for visiting Konark, Bhubaneswar, and other nearby places of interest. We then returned to the hotel after having a cup of coffee on the way. For the record, we had found a very good restaurant with tasty food not far from our hotel. It was named Hotel Sitara Restaurant and was located on the same road as our hotel at a reasonable price. The restaurant functioned in the basement but was neat and clean and served the choicest dishes. While at Puri, we had all our lunch and dinner at this place.

Chandrabhaga beach: The next day, 3rd Feb 2019, at around 08:30 am, we left Puri for sightseeing in a hired car. Our first destination was Konark. On the way, we stopped at Chandrabhaga beach close to Konark. The beach was just alongside the Puri-Bhubaneswar highway. It was neat and clean and presented a nice view.

All about Chandrabhaga beach: Chandrabhaga Beach is situated three km east of the Sun temple of Konark, in the Puri district in the state of Odisha, India. It is 30 km from the city of Puri. Formerly Chandrabhaga was considered a place of natural cure for lepers. Chandrabhaga beach on the coast of Konark is becoming India's first to get the Blue Flag certification — a tag given to environment-friendly clean beaches, equipped with amenities of international standards for tourists.

As Mythological 'Shamba' (Krishna's son) the cured leper worshipped the Sun God for cure on the river mouth of Chandrabhaga, the river dried up. It is reduced to a dry bed or a narrow trickle. It has been^] an ideal place for religious activity.

According to another mythological reference, Chandrabhaga, the daughter of a sage, caught the attraction of the Sun God by her magical charm. God came down to seek her hand in love. Chandrabhaga did not offer herself to God. Maddened by the romantic pangs, God chased after a frightened Chandrabhaga, who jumped into the river and killed herself, thus succeeding in protecting her chastity. As a mark of tribute to her sacrifice, every year on the 7th day of the full-moon fortnight of Magha month, people from all over the state and outside gather to take a holy dip in the river that is reduced to a shallow pool, to offer their prayers to the Sun God and to enjoy the sunrise.

Chandrabhaga's sacrifice might have been forgotten, but the place which bears her name is remembered as a holy shrine and as the place of the Rising Sun. It continues to inspire religious and meditative activities. It has been a big hunting ground for poets, artists, and lovers. A moment's pause at Chandrabhaga is believed to be a great fatigue-healer. Numerous visitors to Konark make Chandrabhaga a positive stop. A lighthouse can be found close to Chandrabhaga.

Chandrabhaga is rich in marine resources. A large colony of fishermen had been formed near the mouth of the river by the migrated people, the majority of whom belong to VISAKHAPATNAM and the rural areas of Andhra Pradesh.

Konark Sun Temple Museum: From Chandrabhaga beach, we moved to Konark. Before entering the temple complex, we visited the Museum there. The museum was well laid out with large number of Photo and sculpture exhibits. The museum is located near the temple in the north direction and is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. It was established in 1968. We visited the photo gallery giving pictures and information on various matters related to Konark Sun Temple and Surya Asanas. We also viewed some sculptural exhibits. I took a few photographs of the exhibits and proceeded to the Konark Temple complex.

Konark Sun Temple: In Konark Temple Complex, we visited the Main Temple and the subsidiary temples as also dilapidated structures and stray items from the ruins lying here and there. The main temple was under repairs, with scaffolds fixed on its sides. We made a thorough exploration of the temple complex covering every nook and corner, though we could not get into the main temple, which was under repairs. We were in the temple complex for about three hours, during which time I shot a series of pictures from different angles with different perspectives.

On the 2nd day of my stay in Sylhet, my first job was to look for my ancestral home at Rainagar, a place 7-8 Kms from my maternal house in Dariapara. I did not know the holding number or other particulars for identification of the house. I did never have the occasion to see the deed of the house or related documents. Those had been with my father and later might have been with my brother and had been lost somewhere sometime. I only knew the house had been on a tila (hillock), and there had been a pond of our own on the flat land below the tila with an orchard at the back. I had also heard my mother say that our house had been near the Rajbari. With ages past and large-scale changes brought about, I was in much doubt how far it would be possible to find the exact location of the house with such meagre information. However, in an honest attempt I, accompanied by my cousin Shankar, who had been in Sylhet till some time back, and who had once gone near the spot with his uncle (my younger maternal uncle), I set in search of the house I had left with my parents more than seven decades back. We reached Rainagar and also came across a house on a tila opposite Rajbari. But the local people said that the tila (hillock) and the pond we were referring to were in an area we had left behind while coming to Rajbari. But that tila had been levelled and the tank filled up long back and buildings had come upon them. We moved up and down the road, but in the absence of holding no., plot no. and other material information failed to locate the exact place where had situated our ancestral house. I had to be satisfied with being in the area I had once stayed and spent some years of my childhood. It was indeed something for me that I could at least be in the vicinity of the house of my forefathers.

Rajbari, too, had undergone changes. A new building had come up within the premises as an orphanage for children and women. The age-old Temple inside the Rajbari compound, however, still existed. The deity of Radha-Krishna in the temple was regularly worshipped.

From Rajbari, we went to Durga Bari at Baluchor, Sadipur, on Tilagor-Ambarkhana Road. The temple was situated on a hillock. One had to climb a good number of stairs to reach the temple. The temple was well-maintained and neat and clean. A beautiful idol of Devi Durga was inside. A priest had been offering pujas when we had visited.

From Durga Bari, we moved to Murari Chand College (popularly known as M. C. College). It was the first College in the Sylhet Division. Established in 1892 it was the seventh-oldest college in Bangladesh. It had played a vital role in the educational, cultural, and political spheres of Sylhet. Spreading over an extensive area of 120 acres it had a student strength of 14000. At the very entrance of the college. there was a cut-out of Sheikh Mujibar Rehman. The College buildings and departments were well spread out with enough breathing spaces in between lines of trees and plants. Some old original structures, too, could be seen here and there. There was a huge pond inside the campus. The names of departments and directional boards were all written in Bengali.

After visiting M. C. College, we returned to our place of stay.

In the evening my nephew took us to a newly opened restaurant complex ‘KAZI ASPARAGUS’ at Zindabazar, Sylhet. His wife (my niece-in-law) and my grandson were with us. It was a nice place, neat and clean and well-decorated. It had a sitting arrangement at the center and food stalls on the sides. We spent a good time there and returned home at around 10 o’clock.

Our 2nd day of stay ended.

It was the sixth day (Dec 8, 2019) of our stay in Sylhet. My nephew, who, I had told earlier, was the Manager of Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, took us all around in the Stadium Complex. We enjoyed the tour with him; the Stadium was situated in an exquisite location and was a pleasure for the eye.

Later, we were taken to a tea factory named National Tea Company, which had been established in 1875. It had Lackatoorah Tea Estate as its captive tea garden. We went through different units of the factory and witnessed different stages of tea processing.

From the tea factory, we went to Malini Chhora Tea Estate. The garden presented a panoramic view with green plants covering the crests and troughs of a wavy area in its entirety. It was the first and the largest tea garden in the sub-continent established in 1849 on an area of 1500 acres. An English entrepreneur, Lord Hardon, had established it. My eldest maternal uncle Roma Kanta Das had worked in this Tea Estate, for some time in the 1980s, as a consultant.

A local newspaper "Sylhet Mirror" had reported, while we were in Sylhet, that Bangladesh was going to be self-sufficient in tea production and was estimated to reach a production figure of 91 Crore Kilograms, an all-time record. Bangladesh had 166 tea gardens in all, of which 19 were in Sylhet and another 91 in the adjoining Maulavi Bazar district, both these districts being in the Sylhet Division.

From the garden, we returned home and our visit to places in Sylhet ended with that.

It's now time to be ready for the journey back home.

On the 9th of December 2019, I, accompanied by my wife, started on our return journey from Sylhet at 10 am BDT (Bangladesh time) in my nephew’s car. All my relations there assembled at the gate and bade us goodbye. Departure, as always, is a sad event. I noticed wet eyes in some of my relations. I, too, was sad to leave the place of my origin after enjoying the warm hospitality of my near and dear ones. But when one comes for a visit, one has to leave after some time, how much heart-breaking that could be. So, we had to leave. My nephew Sujok and brother-in-law Rajat (younger sister Gayotri’s husband) accompanied us to the border to bid goodbye.

We crossed Tamabil Indo-Bangladesh Friendship Gate after completing the immigration formalities on the Bangladesh side, reached Indian Immigration Office, did similar formalities. and was ready to leave for Shillong. I had earlier contracted a car before leaving Bangladesh to take us from Dawki to Shillong. The car was in place when we arrived. We started by that car at around 1:30 pm. On the way, in the course of chatting with the driver, I asked him to take us around Shillong the next day. It was then that the driver informed me that North-East Students’ Organisation (NESO) had called a bandh all over the northeast the next day (10th of Dec 2019) in protest against the CAB (Citizenship Amendment Bill). In the event of the bandh materializing it won’t be possible for him to take us around Shillong that day. With that information, we moved on to our journey to Shillong.

On the way we visited two tourist spots. One was a Balancing Stone, called MAWRYNGKEW SHARATIA BALANCING ROCK in Village MAWLYNNONG in East Khasi Hills. It is actually a huge boulder that stands at a peculiar angle on a tiny rock. How the gigantic stone balanced itself at such an odd angle remained a mystery. Enclosed by a wired fence, the structure had remained like that for ages and no cyclone or storm had been able to disturb the formation ever. Surrounded by bamboo plantations, the place had many stories attached to it. According to the locals, this was the place where human sacrifices were made 1000 years back to appease the presiding deity of the area. However, according to the guides accompanying the tourists, there was actually an ancient shrine of the Khasi tribe that was no longer used after the advent of Christianity in Mawlynnong and Riwai. The entry fee to visit the stone was Rs. 10 per head.

From there we went to see the cleanest village Mawlynnong. Mawlynnong was declared the cleanest village in Asia in 2003. It had a tiny population of 500 as of 2015. The population comprised of Khasis, who were mostly Christians. There were three churches in the village. The total number of households here as enumerated in 2014 was 95. The literacy rate was 90%. Agriculture was the chief occupation of the local people, betel nut being the main crop. In summer one could find pineapples and lychees too. The village presented picturesque views all around. I took photographs of some places and people. An entry fee of Rs. 50 is charged for cars entering the village.

Continuing with our journey we reached the suburbs of Shillong at around 5:30 pm but was held up in a traffic snarl for about an hour and finally reached the hotel at Shillong at 7:15 pm in the midst of rains. The next day we remained confined in our hotel, there being a total bandh for 12 hours. Even restaurants, medicine shops, and food stalls remained closed. Big hotels had their shutters down on the main entrance and were conducting business through the side entrance. Vehicles, public and private, were off the roads. Even after the bandh was over at 6 pm, there was not much improvement in the situation. Only mobile tea vendors, fruit vendors, and some footpath shops were functioning.

I had to move to Guwahati the next day to catch a flight to Calcutta from there on the 12^th of Dec 2019. The driver, who had brought us from Dawki to Shillong was to take us to Guwahati. In the evening, I rang him up for the next day’s arrangement when he informed me that his car along with 31 others had been badly damaged with windshield broken and shattered by the vandals the very night, he had brought us to Shillong. His vehicle couldn’t thus ply on road. He would, however, arrange a different vehicle for me. I must appreciate here the honesty and devotion of these drivers in the hills towards their clients. He actually arranged for us a replacement car which took us to Guwahati the next day (11^th Dec 2019). We started at 10 am and reached our Hotel at Guwahati at 2 PM. There was a delay enroute due to traffic standing still at different points in Guwahati to allow large processions of students and others protesting against CAB to pass.

The Scene at Guwahati on 11^th Dec afternoon onward: The situation at Guwahati had become explosive over the protest movement against CAB. Soon after we had arrived in the hotel at Guwahati, we learnt from TV news that large-scale disturbance had started at Dispur, the capital of Assam and the place we had passed through minutes before. More disturbing news started pouring in as the day progressed. In the late afternoon, it was announced that internet connectivity would be withdrawn from 7 PM. In the evening, the news was flashed in TV channels that an indefinite curfew had been imposed in Guwahati and several other places in Assam. I became worried; we had our air tickets booked for 07:30 pm the next day. The airport was at a distance of 23-24 Kms from our hotel; I was at a loss as to how to reach this distance, in the prevailing situation. The hotel administration was unable to help us. In my agony, I had contacted an acquaintance occupying a high position in the Govt. in Kolkata for help, the response from whom, too, was not encouraging. I would not have bothered much if I had been alone. But my wife, who had been a post-recovery cancer patient, was with me, and I couldn’t take the risk of keeping her stranded at Guwahati. I realised that I have to do something to get out of this hole. In the evening for an assessment of the situation, we went out of the hotel but couldn’t proceed beyond a few steps. All roadside establishments were closed, and the area was totally dark except for some burning materials placed in line on the middle of the road. This was on GS Road, one of the busiest roads and area of Guwahati, where our hotel, too. was located.