A Bird Lover’s Paradise

Watching birds is something I have enjoyed a lot ever since I was child. Around the year, quite a variety of birds land in our house’s compound and hence I had a good time watching and observing them throughout my childhood. When I grew older and got into photography, I started capturing their images and hence this hobby took me to various places in search of different types of birds. But one place that is perhaps my favourite birds watching spot of all is the Deepor Beel.

The Deepor Beel has been a treat for bird lovers at Guwahati and has been a getaway for people like me who prefer for some isolation from the noise and daily humdrum of the busy city life. It is the perfect setting where you have a huge lake, hills on one side, farming fields on the far distance and lots of birds to satiate your curiosity.

Situated in the south western side of Guwahati, the Beel is located on the NH 31 and lies between Garchuk and Jalukbari. The area is quite huge and a broad gauge railway also skirts on one side of the lake. The Beel was first made a bird’s sanctuary in 1989 and then a protected wetland in 2002.

I’m not the only one who enjoys holding a camera in hand and scouring the lakeside looking for exotic birds. While you can visit the Beel area any time of the year, it is advisable to go there during the winters. That is the time when several species of migratory birds come in for their annual breeding. It becomes quite a sight to behold and clearly the observers can watch these birds from a safe distance and learn first-hand information about them.

Ornithologists have recorded about 219 species of birds that can be seen in the Deepor Beel area. This includes over 70 species of migratory birds that come in during the winters.  During the rest of the year, you shall find several birds species like the egrets, pond herons, storks, cormorants and even pelicans. These are the birds that you will see roam among the water as they prey for fishes. Off the water, you will find several other species such as the red-vented bulbul, sparrows, drongos, hoopoes, woodpeckers and many more. Among the migratory birds that I have found to be frequent to spot are the Siberian crane, barn swallows, Asian open-billed storks, pied wagtails, yellow wagtails and several varieties of ducks and other birds. Because of its closeness to the Rani and Garbhanga reserve forests on the south, the Beel is also frequented by herds of elephants that come for an occasional drink and a bath. I, though, have never witnessed a single elephant during my visits there. Apart from elephants, other animals that can be found around the Beel area are leopards, wild cats, porcupines, barking deer and spotted deer.

The Beel is a source of livelihood for several of the villages around it whose fishermen depend on it. Boats moving around the lake are a common sight here as the fishermen throw their net into the water hoping for a good catch of freshwater fish. What is heartening is that overfishing is never the case here and the local people are also well aware of the need to preserve this rich piece of wetland to sustain the ecosystem of the area. There have been serious cases of land cutting, waste water disposal and land grabbing in the vicinity that has raised serious concerns regarding the dangers faced by the Beel’s ecosystem. Hunting and trapping of birds happens occasionally and more manpower is needed for the authorities to look into these matters. Thankfully, the local people realise it and have been active with several groups and NGOs to counter these maladies and keep the Beel fit for all purposes.

 

The Deepor Beel is very important for Guwahati and its surrounding ecosystem in the sense that it provides for a natural heritage to exist within easy reach for the citizens of Guwahati to enjoy. Bird lovers like me enjoy hours roaming along the Beel area and it is an easy way to connect ourselves with nature in its unadulterated form and experience its beauty and majesty right in front of our eyes. 

Exploring the Cole Park

I love Tezpur. I have always called it the cleanest city in Assam, and recently the WHO gave it the distinction of being the cleanest city in India. Having my paternal roots to the city and its nearby areas, I have loved this city ever since I was a child during our visits there. It is a beautiful city that has so much to offer in terms of sightseeing. Though the options are many here, my favourite among the lot is definitely the Cole Park.

Located in the central portion of the city, Cole Park is a basically a park built around an archaeological site. Recently, after undergoing renovation, it was renamed as the Chitralekha Udyan. But old timers like us still refer to it as the Cole Park.

Once you enter the place, it takes you into a surreal world of bygone era where Assam’s ancient history comes out alive. The archeological remains here affirm that it was originally built during 9th or 10th century A.D. The prime attraction of the park is the two majestic pillar constructions in stone with exceptional carvings that is believed to be the remains of Bamuni hills built during the 9th century.

Some of the most exquisite statues and structures that one can ever think of seeing out in the open and not inside a museum can be found here. There are statues that show dancers in exquisite poses, nymphs in groups on certain stone panels and also rock structures that have been kept in the exact same positions when they were found out. They point out to the majestic structures that once stood on the spot ages ago. Most obviously, the highlight among these stone structures is the main panel of pillars that is the central attraction of the place and houses a rock panel with engravings of several gods on it. This was the main portion of the temple that used to exist on the spot.

Another attraction is the famous Bhomoraguri inscription that explains the ancient strategy of building bridges across the river Brahmaputra. At present, the Kolia Bhomora Setu or the bridge that is built with concrete exists across the river. The ancient Bhomoraguri inscription is kept in the park for public view. This ancient strategic inscription describes the intellectual approach to the construction or engineering strategy of bridges that is relevant even today. The Kolia Bhomora Setu is named after one of the greatest Ahom generals that Assam ever saw in its history.

Another attraction of the park is the horseshoe shaped lake where paddling and rowing are allowed. Several exhibitions are also conducted in the park. It is a great picnic spot for students and school children as the place serves the purpose of recollection of historical importance and recreational activities. Limited yet exciting amusements are the major attractions for children. The display of jet fighter model MIG 21 of Indian Air Force and concrete made map of India never fails to get the attention of children and adults alike. Over the years, the place has added other attractions as well such as bumping cars, restaurants and others. But the main attraction remains the archaeological remains that mesmerise everyone who visits the place.

The Cole Park is also located close to other worthy sightseeing spots of Tezpur such as Agnigarh Hill and Padum Lake. Though one can visit the park at any time of the year, I highly recommend you to go there during the winters. If by luck there is a mild fog in the area, the archaeological remains among the mist gives out a surreal feel of other worldliness. It is a feeling which can only be experienced, but never described properly. 

Experiencing Shiva in the midst of Nature

Guwahati is home to some very holy sites of Hinduism. Everyone is familiar with Kamakhya Temple. And now more and more people are visiting the other temples of Guwahati such as Umananda and Navagraha. But one temple that is still not many people’s knowledge is the Bhimashankar Templee that is situated at Pamohi on the outskirts of Guwahati.

Nestled within the surroundings of trees and flowing streams, the Bhimashankar Temple is perhaps the most unique spot that devotees will find to worship Lord Shiva. This temple is situated on the Dakini hill at Pamohi and situated near to the famed Deepor Beel birds sanctuary. You can take the Pamohi road from Garchuk on NH 37 to reach the temple.

The unique thing about this site is there is no proper temple structure. It is basically an open air temple surrounded by trees and the Jyotirlinga resides among the rocks that has a stream flowing around it that comes up from the nearby hills. Devotees consider this to be the 6^th Dwadash Jyotirlinga and is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga temples situated all over India. References to this temple can be found in religious texts like Shiva Purana and Koti Rudra Samhita, where it is stated that the Bhimashankar Jyotirlingam is situated in Dakini.

Legend has it that this temple is situated on the spot where Lord Shiva killed a demon named Bhimasura to save his devotee Kamrupeshwara, the then king of Kamrup. Bhimasura has been refered to as the son of Kumbhakarna, Ravana’s brother from Ramayana, and Karkati, the daughter of the king of the underworld. At the requests of the gods, Shiva transformed himself into a Jyotirlinga at that very spot and made that place his abode. It is said that sweat from Shiva’s body that fell down to the ground formed the Bhimarathi river that flows down through the Jyotirlinga and the surrounding rocks today in the form of the stream.

Apart from the main Jyotirlinga, there are sites for the worship of other gods and goddesses in the area as well. Before you reach the temple site, you reach a Ganesh temple on the hilly road. At the temple site, there are also monolithic manifestations of various gods and goddesses such as Parvati, Ganesh, Durga and others. The river stream which flows from among the Jyotirlinga and its surrounding rocks flows in five different directions and is known as Panchadhara.

It is advisable to visit the temple during the winter months and avoid going there during the rainy season as continuous landslides make it unsafe. Most of the people living around the area of the temple belong to the Karbi and Bodo tribes. Even the main priest is a Karbi and other members of the temple trust are Karbis and Bodos and not strictly Brahmins as is seen mostly with other Hindu temples.

It is a most unique temple that any devotee of Shiva will visit as it makes a beautiful site of religious surrounded by the radiance of nature. The flowing stream and the sounds of its gushing waters make the experience surreal as you sit in front of the Jyotirlinga and pray. Even people who are not very religious will find this place interesting because of its beautiful natural setting. This place is worth paying a visit for anybody who wants to experience peace of mind while sitting on a road amid gushing waters of a stream. 

Meet the Rhinos!

The rhino is the pride of Assam. We here have the most sizeable population of the one-horned rhinoceros on the planet. We have a reason to feel pride over this magnificent beast. While we know that rhinos are found in Africa as well, there is a misconception among many of us that rhinos are found nowhere else but Africa and Assam. This is not so. We are hosts to one of the species of the greater Rhinocerotidae family that hold five species in total.

Many of us also think that rhinos are found only in Assam and nowhere else in India. This again is wrong. The Indian one-horned rhino is distributed in the states of Assam, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. In Bengal, the rhino is found in the reserved forests of Gorumara and Jaldapara in the Dooar region and in Uttar Pradesh, they are in the Dudhwa and Katarniaghat reserved forests. But yes, without doubt, Assam takes away the prize in having the highest population of rhinos in India. But again the Indian rhino is not found in India alone and there is a presence of around 645 individuals in the reserved forests of neighbouring Nepal, with the highest number being in the Chitwan National Park. 

Out of India, we are well familiar with the two-horned rhinos of Africa. These beasts are marginally larger than the Indian rhino and often have massive horns in comparison to the smaller ones of the Indian variety, which give them the most majestic look in the rhino family. African rhinos are divided into two species of the white rhinoceros and the black rhinoceros. These two types of rhinos dominate the African landscape and the white variety has the largest population of a rhino species in the world. The white rhino is divided into the northern variety and the southern variety depending on their distribution throughout the African continent. The black rhino is spread all over the continent.

Out of Africa, the continent of Asia houses three species of rhinos. Apart from the Indian rhino, the other two are the Javan rhino and the Sumatran rhino. The Javan rhino is very similar in appearance to the Indian rhino but is smaller in size. It is found on the island of Java in Indonesia and is on the verge of extinction. According to an estimate only about 60 remain, all in the wild. They are single horned and are considered to be a sub species of the Indian rhino, but their smaller size and exclusive availability on the Javan island has given them the distinction of being a separate species.

The last remaining species in the global rhino family is the Sumatran rhino which is found in the jungles of the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. This is a unique rhino and has a seemingly different appearance from the rest of the rhinos in the world. It is two-horned but they are not as big as those of their African cousins. This is the smallest rhino species in the world and does not possess an armoured covering but a hide like that of a boar. Also it is the only rhino species that has body hair on it. Also, it beak like mouth gives it a distinct look from the rest of the rhinos in the world. This is also a critically endangered species and about 275 of them remain today.

Rhinos are a fascinating species. They are a force of brute strength and are perhaps one of the most well armoured animals created by nature. Though they may appear peaceful, they are known for being short tempered and are very protective about themselves and their territories. Even predators like lions and tigers do not dare to go up against them. The Sumatran rhino is considered to be the most docile among them and is not very aggressive in nature.

Rhinos have always fascinated me. I have always been awed by the presence of these magnificent creatures during my visits to Kaziranga and Pobitora. They are one of the oldest surviving species on the planet. Having descended from the woolly rhinoceroses of the bygone Ice Ages in the prehistoric era, the rhinoceros was once spread throughout the continents of Africa and Asia. By the end of the 20^th century, rhinos vanished from everywhere in Asia except India, Nepal, Java and Sumatra. In India and Nepal, they remain confined to certain pockets of protected forests.

Poaching is the single biggest threat to the rhino today. Kaziranga continues to witness rhino killings by poachers occasionally. Although their numbers have increased over the years, the continuous activity of the poachers is a major cause of worry. The Javan and Sumatran rhinos are on the verge of extinction and if strong steps are not taken to protect them then we might lose them in this century. The illegal trade in rhino horn has been the biggest cause of worry here and it will not be over till the governments of various countries take steps to eradicate this evil trade for good.

Biswanath Ghat, the abode of Shiva

Assam has many tourist gems which are not well known among the general public. One such gem is the Biswanath Ghat which is located near Biswanath Chariali town in the recently formed Biswanath district.

A view of the river beach along the Brahmaputra 

Located on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra, the place is named after the ancient Biswanath temple. It is called Gupta Kashi, in comparison with Kashi during the golden rule of the Guptas. Going by popular sayings, Kashi was home to temples housing about 330 million gods and goddesses. The ghat has a cluster of more than 100 temples in the vicinity. A Shiva temple, which was the erstwhile Biswanath temple, was located at the confluence of Bridhaganga (Burigonga) river with Brahmaputra. But now what is left of it are just the stone posts, beams and other ruins. During the summer the temple remains under water. Only in winter, worship is done by constructing temporary shed which draws lots of tourists. 

Biswanath Ghat, though a religious place, makes for a perfect tourist destination during the winters. The water level of the Brahmaputra recedes with the coming of the winter and gives way to lush golden riverine sand beaches for tourists to explore. The lowered water level also brings most of the rocks in the small riverine bay out from below the water and they make a magnificent view.

A view of the riverine bay at Biswanath Ghat 

There is also an island is present nearer this Biswanath Ghat which is known as island of Umatumuni. This island is a tourist spot as it houses a tourist lodge and also some remnants of an old temple. Just on the opposite bank of the Brahmaputra lies the majestic Kaziranga National Park, and in the far distance, you can see the hills of Karbi Anglong. 

People are also highly recommended to visit the place during the festival of Rongali Bihu. The third day of the festival, known as Goxai Bihu, becomes a big affair here as devotees gather in large numbers to join in the festivities and take out a religious procession in the area.

The Bordol Temple 

The ghat has several temples and many of them are worthy of looking around. A new Biswanath temple was built in the village in the area and it is worth paying a visit to. There are several smaller temples in the area and it is said that there are many more yet to be discovered which lie hidden or remain submerged under the river. Perhaps the most magnificent temple to be seen here is the Bordol Temple built by the Ahom king Rajeswar Singha. This temple has the same architectural design of the famous Shiva Dol temple of Sivasagar and is a brilliant example of the Ahom style of architecture.

Reaching Biswanath Ghat is not a problem. Once you reach Biswanath Chariali town, you can either take a taxi or an autorickshaw to the place which about 30 minutes away from the town. There are also several options of hotels and lodges in the town as well.

Biswanath Ghat makes a great option to visit along with family and friends during if you in the mood for some exploration and adventure. The place’s picturesque beauty will leave you spellbound and will continue to haunt you to make another visit sooner than you will think.