Having been born and brought up in the gateway city of North East India – Guwahati still evokes images of the mighty Brahmaputra River meandering through much of the city and of those joyful days when, as kids, we would play beach cricket on the sandy stretches of the river bank every winter. There was also a wild side to this river in that with the onset of the monsoon season, the river’s fury and turbulence would inundate large parts of the state of Assam, flooding almost all the riverside towns. The perennial problem of flooding of the Brahmaputra valley continues unabated despite the best efforts of the conservation authorities.
Assam, a name some scholars claim was derived from the Sanskrit word ‘soma, meaning ‘peerless’ or ‘unparalleled’, is located south of the eastern Himalayas and is the home of the son of Bhagwan Brahma, or Brahmaputra, which perhaps accounts for the Brahmaputra River being the only male river in India.
The Brahmaputra’s long, verdant valley had never previously been a possession of any outside entity until the nineteenth-century collapse of the Ahoms. That event led to the Burmese invasion, followed by a swift transfer to British hands in 1826 after their victory in the first Anglo-Burmese War. Almost immediately, the territory became central to the economic prosperity of the Raj, as the first oil wells in Asia were discovered at Digboi, and Assam became the world’s largest and most profitable tea-growing territory.
It’s said that the easygoing and laid-back nature of the Assamese people is an effect of the wet, humid climate of Assam, the Land of ‘lahe lahe‘. This weather induces a soporific tendency amongst its people. Therefore, life itself is slow, unhurried, and laid back.
Embracing the shores of the turbulent Brahmaputra, Guwahati is the gateway to the northeast. It is at its festive best during April, which is the time for the all-important ‘Rongali Bihu’ festival. This is the most popular festival for the people of Assam. The colourful Bihu dance at the Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra is truly mesmerising.
The beating of the drums and the melodious tunes of the ‘Pepa’ reverberates in the air. The sight of beautiful Assamese women in traditional ‘Mekhela Chader’ is gorgeous. The Rongali Bihu is a tribute to Mother Nature; all the Bihu songs are love songs.
No visit to Guwahati is complete without a visit to the holy Kamakshya Temple perched atop the Nilachal Hills. After offering Puja at the sanctum sanatorium of the temple, one can admire the city’s uninterrupted view, which appears like a multi-huedpet. The sight of the majestic and mighty Brahmaputra River ceaselessly flowing makes for a kaleidoscopic vignette.
As the gateway city of the northeast, Guwahati has indeed come of age. Trendy multi-cuisine restaurants, neon-lit bars, deluxe hotels, and a youth brigade that constantly evolves to meet the demands of the new age are characteristic features of the city.
Guwahati has numerous centrally located shopping markets, such as the Fancy Bazaar, Paltan Bazaar, Ulubari, Ganeshguri, and GNB Road. A popular haunt for tourists in Guwahati is the Assam State Emporium, where bamboo and cane products are extremely popular, along with shawls, wall hangings, and fancy Assamese hats. Assamese silk is world-famous and a must-buy item for any new-age woman. It is the quintessential Assamese’ Mekhela Chader’.
October 3rd 2021 will forever be etched in Assam’s riverine history as a special day. The Mahabahu Brahmaputra River Heritage Centre on Guwahati’s Barphukanar Tila (Barphukan’s Hillock) – a one-of-its-kind Scottish wooden bungalow dating back to 1850 was impeccably renovated and transformed into a unique river heritage centre.
Inaugurated by the Former Honorable Vice-President of India – Venkaiah Naidu, this heritage centre, which in the 17thcentury used to serve as the military office of the erstwhile Ahom rulers, beautifully depicts the folklore and legends surrounding the greatest river on earth – The Brahmaputra.
On display at the heritage centre are Assamese war boats, a theatre, an exhibition space, a cafeteria and two exclusive decks for viewing the flow of the Brahmaputra river. Handcrafted textile designs, ethnic motifs and traditional musical instruments of diverse communities residing on the banks of the Brahmaputra for several centuries have found space at this one-of-kind river heritage centre.
From times immemorial, rivers have always been subjects of reverence in India, and the people of India have acknowledged the rivers for their life-regenerating power since ancient times. The Brahmaputra Heritage Centre is symbolic of India’s rich maritime history, and today, this centre stands as a symbol of all that is grand, holy and inspiring.
The way the heritage centre depicts and illustrates the infamous Battle of Saraighat (1671), which historians regard as the “greatest naval battle ever fought in a river”, is dramatic.
To maintain the serenity of the place, vehicular traffic movements in and around the heritage centre are strictly prohibited, and the zone is a “Pedestrian only” zone.
Vice President Mr Naidu said, “There should be a campaign to rejuvenate Indian rivers and inclusion of lessons on water conservation in school curricula. Other heritage centres around the country too should adopt such green and healthy practices by creating walking and cycling paths for visitors to explore”.
The Brahmaputra River is no ordinary river, and based on the length of the river (2,900 Km.), it is one of Asia’s principal rivers and perhaps the most turbulent. It originates from the icy glaciers of the Himalayas, passes through much of Tibet, the North Eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, and finally merges with the holy river Ganga, emphasising the Bay of Bengal.
When it passes through Tibet, the river is known as the Yarlung Zangbo River. The stretch of the river as it passes through the mountainous state of Arunachal Pradesh is called the Dihang River. When it merges with the Ganga, it shapes up the Sunderban Delta, which incidentally happens to be the world’s largest riverine delta, which has been the exclusive preserve of the rare and endangered Royal Bengal Tigers for centuries.
The Brahmaputra is a mythological river. An important facet of this river is that while most rivers in India and elsewhere are regarded as females, this river stands out as “Male river”. The word “Brahmaputra” literally means “son of Bhagwan Brahma”.
For decades together, the mandarins of the Indian Tourism industry have pondered the pros and cons of harnessing the true potential of the river Brahmaputra to attract tourists. But nothing much materialised. For years, adventurous rafters from distant corners of the world (USA, UK, Germany) would come with all their logistics and embark on white water rafting, particularly on the lower reaches of the river where the turbulent rapids are ideal for river rafting with very little co-operation from the local government.
However, all these deadlocks were brushed aside by the launch of the Assam Bengal Navigation Company in 2003, which is an Indo-British joint venture. They started operating high-quality river cruises in the Brahmaputra River and the Hugli River in the neighbouring state of West Bengal, earning accolades from the tourism industry.
One of the finest moments in the history of North East India’s sagging Tourism industry was when the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India conferred the most coveted “National Tourism Award for Innovation” in 2004-05 to the Assam Bengal Navigation Company. From then onwards, there has been no looking back and the ABNC has gone from strength to strength with offices not only in India but also in countries like the UK, USA, Australia, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Germany, France and Italy from where they receive the lion’s share of cruise bookings.
River cruising on the Brahmaputra and tea tourism are integral to Assam. Tea tourism is now a niche segment in the competitive international tourism market.
The genesis of launching tea tourism by converting Victorian-style managers’ bungalows into heritage properties was the brainchild of Ranjit Barthakur, CEO of RJBI. According to Barthakur: “Tourists here can experience the joy of staying in the luxurious colonial ambience of the Raj era and savour the hospitality that was previously the prerogative of the British tea garden managers.”
An eternal optimist, he visualised the creation of 1,000 top-end colonial heritage rooms in Assam, North Bengal and Dooars. Barthakur is also a prominent spokesman for Assam’s natural heritage, especially Kaziranga, where he advocates development that is: “carbon-negative, energy-positive, water-positive and free from land, air and water pollution.”
Most of the bungalows run by RJBI, which are well spread throughout Assam, are situated near the Brahmaputra, which adds to the spirit of adventure.
The entire tea industry of Assam, North Bengal and Dooars regions has woken up to tea tourism. Renowned companies such as Tata Tea, McLeod Russel, Glenburn Tea Estates and more have shown tremendous interest in this novel form of tourism.
After a history of troubles, Assam is already a traveller’s bonanza, waiting to become global. If peace remains, the state can expect a sustained tourism boom.
