PROLOGUE & ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

It would be my pleasure to acknowledge Sm Shruti Goswami – B Arch 2004 & Sri Arunava Sanyal – B Arch 2017 for inspiring me to plan for this trip. They are BEC/BESU/IIEST Alumni.

My various informal interactions with Arunava & Shruti in social media connection with various Heritage Buildings/Temples of West Bengal /Indian Sub-Continent gave me an impetus to proceed with my recent trip to Guwahati and Shillong.

I am also indebted to Sri Dipankar Chatterjee of Air India, Kolkata. He is brother in Law of my BEC classmate & Professional Colleague Sri Tapan Mukherjee- BE Mech 1967. They have provided me extensive help & guidance for fine tuning my Trip’s itinerary. I also gratefully acknowledge the support extended my other BEC Batchmate Shyama Pradasd Datta (BE Civil- 1967).

I was guided by Mr. R K Sharma of Sheba Travels, Shillong to optimise my tour programme within my short stay in Shillong.

JOURNEY TO SHILLONG

I left Kolkata by a morning flight on 3^rd April around 11 am and landed at Guwahati at 12noon.As my wife was not feeling fit for climbing hilly terrains, she stayed back with my daughter. Here I took inspiration from Kabiguru Rabindranath‘s immortal song “যদি তোর ডাক শুনে কেউ না আসে তবে একলা চলো রে” (“Jadi tor Dak Sune Keu Na Ase -Tobe Ekla Chalo re”)

Guwahati is connected with Kolkata, Delhi, and Bangalore through various Direct flights (42/55/22 flights per week respectively). So anyone aspiring to visit North Eastern India through Guwahati can even directly book air Tickets to suit their programme just 7/10 days before.

On reaching Guwahati, I immediately rushed to the Shillong Special Airport Shuttle office as I had only a Hand Baggage. I was told that Special Airport Shuttle has just left and I have to wait until 2 PM for the next shuttle. Optionally I may try for a Full Taxi or Share Taxi outside the airport –which would have been expensive for a single person.To my Good luck, I then noticed that the Driver of 12-noon Shuttle came to the office in search for more passengers, as some local car had blocked the Shuttle’s way in the parking lot. So the lady at the Counter gave me &some other co-passengers Tickets for the shuttle to Shillong, instead of availing outside Cabs. The bottleneck was cleared within 5minutes as we boarded the SUV shuttle. It was a ten seater SUV -had only 6 Passengers on board with the driver. It took Guwahati Bypass to catch GS (Guwahati –Shillong) Road. The car en-route stopped at Barapani (Umiam Lake) area near a Dhaba around 2-30PM for Lunch. As we left the Dhaba after Lunch around 3 PM, we faced severe rain with hailstorm from 3-05 to 3-20 PM en route Shillong, with some parts of the road got covered in white with snow pieces of Hailstorm.  We reached Police Bazar /Centre Point, Shillong at 4 Pm.

Shillong City

ABOUT  SHILLONG

Shillong is the Capital of Meghalaya State. Shillong is located at 1496m/or 4908ft – above mean sea level. Before partition, Shillong was Capital of Greater Assam, when Shyllet (now in Bangladesh), Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Meghalaya were also parts of Greater Assam.

I checked in at a  Hotel in Police Bazar area around 4-15 PM and thereafter went to nearby  Meghalaya Govt Tourism Office for Advance booking of next morning’s Cherapunji &other related areas Tour.

CHERAPUNJI TRIP ON 4^TH APRIL

The Cherapunji Trip, in Mini Deluxe Coach, started at 8 AM from Shillong.I got a good front Seat on the tourist Bus as I booked my   Trip ticket a day in advance. The Tour covered the following places:-Mawkdok Valley, Nohkalikai Falls, Mawsmai Caves, Eco Park, Nohsngithiang Falls, Ramakrishna Mission, Bangladesh Border Viewpoint with Surma River in Shyllet.

We did not get any rain during our above Shillong –Cherapunji trip, as a result, most of the waterfalls got dried down only 3 /4 falls, which we have seen, had some water actually falling down, even though the water quantity from the falls were scanty. Mawsmai Cave comes between Eco Park & Ramakrishna Mission &Mandir.  Ramakrishna Mission was established in Cherapunji in 1924. I have some suggestions for future visitors. This Limestone   Cave is very narrow in width and height as well and sometimes in monsoon season gets knee high waterlogging. Considering above and the uneven ups and downs inside the cave, Senior citizens should take appropriate decisions, prior entering this 150-meter long cave. It was a Nightmarish experience for a person like me having 6ft 2-1/2inches height and 71+ years of age.

During this trip, I met one Bangladeshi Civil Engineer Couple, who came to Shillong by Road from Shyllet, one Maharashtrian Group from Mumbai, one Bengali Family from Guwahati, one Bengali Group and a South Indian Family from Bangalore making a true cosmopolitan group of the Indian subcontinent. Some Photos of Shillong – Cherapunji (Meghalaya People Call it Sohra) trip.

We left hotel at about 8:15 AM. We visited the above places during 9-30 AM to 2-30 PM. After having lunch at a Restaurant near Nohsngithiang Falls we returned to Shillong around 4-45 PM. Having covered almost 150 KM hilly roads, I retired in the hotel room early to recharge my energy for next day’s trip.

Shyllet Bangladesh border from CheraPunji with Surma River

Writer inside the Mawsmai Limestone Cave -Cherapunji Area

Mawkdok Valley

5^Th APRIL MORNING SHILLONG

This area is famous for tourist. Rabindranath Tagore stayed here during 1919 & 1923. We took a tour to various places where Rabindranath Tagore stayed.

BROOK SIDE BUNGALOW- I reached Riblong around 9 -30 AM in a cab from Police Bazar Shillong and climbed up the hilly road/staircase about 150+meters. The Brookside Bungalow is located just outside Meghalaya State Assembly with a Statue of Rabindranath Tagore in front. In the 2^nd week of October 1919, Tagore reached Shillong for the first time during Viswavarati’s Puja Vacation.  It was a rented house, owned by the Assistant Commissioner of Chittagong division Mr. Kiron Chandra Dey (CIE) at that time, where Tagore stayed during his first visit. The dense shade of pine and Debdaru trees was an ideal abode of peace, serenity, and silence. Perhaps it was this atmosphere that Tagore was looking for and he fell in love with Shillong on his very first visit. Shillong is the only hill station Tagore visited three times.

The peaceful ambiance of Shillong city in those days and the picturesque setting of the bungalow inspired Tagore to conceptualise one of his famous novels Shesher Kobita, even though it was written in Colombo & Bangalore by Tagore in 1928. One can see framed letters and handwritten notes by the poet inside the Bungalow. The furniture used by Tagore during his stay & some paintings are well preserved for display.

Brooke Side Bungalow- Drawing room inside front view

Brooke Side Bungalow- Drawing room with writing table used by Tagore

JEET BHUMI

Tagore during his next visit to Shillong in April-June 1923 stayed in another Bungalow known as Jeet Bhumi –a few minutes’ walks from Brookside. Tagore visited this house from Guwahati in two cars with his son Rathindranath & his  wife Pratima Devi and their adopted  Girl Nandini, Tagore’s youngest daughter Meera  (With her daughter Buri) and Ranu Adhikari (Later known as Lady Ranu Mookerjee-wife of Sir Biren Mookerjee of Martin Burn/IISCO)and a Manager of the team from Kolkata. During his stay at Jeet Bhumi, Tagore wrote the drama Raktakarabi (Red Oleanders) and Shillong Er Chithi (Letters from Shillong).

I returned to Police Bazar, Shillong from Riblong by 11 AM.

Brooke Side Bungalow-Front view

Brooke Side Bungalow-Tagore’s BedRoom Showing the Bed used by Tagore during his stay in 1919

Sidlee House

Rabindranath visited the hill station for the last time in May-June 1927 when he resided at Sidlee House-which was located on Upland Road in Laitumkhrah area of the city.
Rabindranath Tagore lived here in May and June 1927. His famous novel ‘যোগাযোগ’  (‘Yogayug’) and poems ‘সুসময়’ (‘Susamay’) and দেবদারু  (‘Debdaru’ ) were written here,  – reads a plaque that still stands on the lawn of the demolished house. This house once belonged to Maharani Manjula Devi, but unfortunately, the present owner has demolished the house.

Brooke Side Bungalow- Drawing room inside front view

5^Th APRIL AFTERNOON RETURN TRIP TO GUWAHATI

Around 11-30 in the morning, I started for Guwahati from Police Bazar, Shillong in a shared SUV via GS Road. As the climate was very nice I could see the Barapani Lake from our car, downhill along GS Road. Barapani Lake (commonly known as Umiam Lake to local people) is a reservoir located in the hills -15 km to the North of Shillong, towards Guwahati; it was created by the installation of a Dam on the Umiam River in the early 1960s for Hydel production. The principal catchment area of the lake and dam is spread over 220 square km. (Some photos of the Lake are attached). I met a family from Arunachal Pradesh (AP), who came to Shillong from Tawang Area of AP.

Both Meghalaya & AP‘s official language is English. Both states have several tribal languages. We reached Guwahati Paltan Bajar Area around 3 pm and proceeded to Pan Bazar Guest house.

In the afternoon I visited nearby Sukreswar Ghat on Brahmaputra River and nearby Prashanti Park having some historical structures. On my way back from Sukreswar Ghat I could glance to the Peacock Island-where Umanada Mandir is located on its hilltop (See attached Photos).

UMANANDA MANDIR ON BRAHMAPUTRA ISLAND

6^TH APRIL MORNING VISIT TO KAMAKHYA MANDIR

I started for Kamakhya Devi Darshan around 7-15in the morning and reached Mandir foothill around 7-35 AM. Thereafter in a Maruti Van, we reached Main Mandir Gate area in 7/10minutes. During this period of the year, the Mandir Gate opens at 7-30 in the morning.

As I entered the main Mandir Complex with modest offerings for Kamakhya Devi, I found long lines of devotees inside. So I purchased a VIP ticket to save time and had to seat in a VIP enclosure for about 1 hour. Thereafter they took us (100VIP ticket holders) to another enclosure-where we had to stand in a queue for about 45 minutes -before we could enter the Garva Griha of the Mandir. After Matripuja inside the Mandir, I could take some Photographs.  As I was there in the period just before the beginning of Rngali Bihu Festival, I was able to see ladies performing a dance in the Mandir Complex with Pitcher full of water.

From hilltop Kamakhya Mandir near outside Main gate itself, I was lucky to board a Government Bus which took me to a place close to Pan Bajar area Guest house. The Guwahati Main railway station is located very close to that Place.

KHAFTER  – Temple

KAMAKHY MANDIR

RETURN TO KOLKATA ON April 6^TH EVENING

However, as I had pre-booked return air ticket, I had to avail a shared cab from Palton Bajar to  22km away Guwahati Gopinath Bardoloi Airport, quite early considering uncertain congestions /traffic conditions. I reached Kolkata in scheduled time and reached home by 9-30 PM.