Magical mountains

Ensconced in the clouds:
The cold was way too much for most of the ladies in the group. Me? Of course, I also felt it but I was excited too when my bare feet touched the ice cold floor or when my hands came into contact with the freezing water!
The schedule had to be rearranged as there was curfew in Cherrapunji. The fact that things were not going to move as per the original plan did definitely put the organisers (the two smart graceful ladies) in a spin.
The cold weather (or is it the stress of ensuring the smooth travel with maximum satisfaction to every one?) brought discomfort to my friend and roommate - throat infection and related problems. (Yes, she was one of the planners behind the travel plan.)
Then I saw  flurry of activity in and out of the rooms - ladies carrying tablets, warm water or preparation of 'nilavembu kashayam to administer to the 'cough and cold affected' friends. (It is referred to as 'Kalmegh in Ayurvedha and also known as Siriyanangai; known in English as Andrographis or King of bitters. It has become popular in Tamil Nadu with the outbreak of Dengue fever. Its bitter taste surpasses that of neem)   
Getting ready in the morning was a challenge with that cold but fun as well! (Early morning it was
16 ° C after  a moderate downpour.) It was so exhilarating to come out and lift your face to the sharp chilly wind and feel the nudge of the warmth from the late rising sun.
The plan was to see some local sites - not driving long to see only one place; So we drove through cantonment passing Military hospital, GOC, 101 Area's house, Eastern Air command and many other central government offices on the way.
So what I was curious about? - of course observing the people, knowing their daily tasks, dreams and what make them laugh!
So I was looking out of the mini bus's window trying to take it all in while our guide struggled to communicate to us the beauty and the importance of the places he was taking us to!!  (of course he used the lingua franca of the world but with typical Assamese accent!). If we speak in 'Tanglish', he can do in 'Asanglish', that is not the problem. It was a bit difficult for us to decode his language and syntax.
Our first stop was Elephant Falls.

(Again, 'all in the game'!)

It is named so after a rock at the base which looked like an elephant but now there is no such rock. The rock was destroyed in the earthquake of 1897. The name given by the colonial masters has stuck but in the local Kasi language, it is known as Ka Kshaid Lai Pateng Khohsiew.  It literally translates as 'Three steps waterfall'. Yes, it is made of three waterfalls - the first step is broad and slow and it is within the dense forest cover; the second step lacks a sheer drop but the third one is a tumbling down cascade of water with a sheer drop. 
There is flight of steps to go to each level but of course, the climbing up and down was a challenge for many of us with knee pain or related issues. still we did it and then there was a small  market square with all the typical hill products - key chains, small carved animals and colourful scarves, shawls and mufflers with typical tribal motifs of the Khasis, Nagas or others. Like flies drawn to a heap of sweets, we just were pulled towards these shops. stuffed with some typical 'Pahadi materials', (first of the shopping) and that unique light on our faces (that which follows a shopping campaign naturally!), we boarded the bus.

There are some more sites closer to the Falls like the Air force Museum or the Shillong peak or the Krem Marai cave(one of the largest cave systems in India with a diverse flora and fauna).
The point is we could not make lot of deviations from the original itinerary and going into the town and then to the surrounding sites took unusually long time - one main road with two way traffic going up and down. But the remarkable discipline and patience of the locals was unbelievable. someone remarked," Would we ever have such a traffic scene in Chennai!" - no honking, no overtaking and none jumping lanes! 
The next place was the star of the day and place, I would say. It was emotionally and spiritually uplifting; there was that sense of harmony and peace with all the creation around and  I felt blessed to be one part of this wonderful creation. 
Around 20 to 25 km away from the city of Shillong, in the east Khasi hills is this village - Mawphlang. it means 'Grassy stone in Khasi language. The village as such is built to showcase the traditional lifestyle of Khasi tribes.
 But we went to the sacred forest or grove called Lawkyntang in Khasi. As a continuation of their tribal  tradition - worshipping nature and preserving it - this dense forest is preserved through strict religious sanctions. It is like a biological museum - nature taking care of all within , untarnished by human beings.

Crossing small villages with typical houses with glass and stones,

occasionally the modern concrete ones too, we reached a vast expanse of velvety grassland which suddenly gave way to a dense forest at the end. 
We had two local guides who know the forest tracks to take us on a tour. They had explained how the Khasi people continue to believe the sacred spirits of the forest and protect and nurture the forests. Each tribal kingdom, it appears, has one sacred grove. There are about 53 tribal kingdoms and each has a sacred forest to protect and nurture. This one is protected by Lyngdoh clan. As we entered the forest, the stillness, the rhythm of life in the wild just engulfed me. 
For the town bred and uninitiated with the ways of the ancient wisdom of the tribal people, it would look like giant trees spreading their roots everywhere and an all pervading eeriness coating the green plants and brown earth. When the smart young local guides dramatically told the story of the tribal worshipping rituals, I could visulise the tree spirits looking down at us with their wise eyes.  
The guides had already outlined the importance of the sacred groves and the traditional ritualistic practices; as we stepped in, my senses began to be attuned to the tree ancestors. The air was thick with generations of prayers, festivals and sacrifices to their deity Labasa. There was a rich biodiversity - tall trees, medicinal plants, orchids, thick foliage of ferns, creepers and mushrooms. Many of the plants, I felt, were endemic to that region. The guides showed the tall very old Rudraksha tree and also the rudraksha fallen there. The typical Khasi pine , I believe is highly medicinal. 
In the entire area, rain come. How I wished I could recognise the different trees! With the slightest of provocation, You see the sky darkening, and hear a distant clap of thunder and there! the sky opens up to pour down. That and the humus collecting undisturbed for years weave this green magic. When you enter from the vast space covered with grass into a green tunnel, the change is so dramatic (I was reminded of Alice falling into the wonderland!) 
You could see some memorial stones like structures and in the clearing an altar like structure in the above photos. It was their place of sacrifice. they showed even a raised stone for the elder or chief to sit and supervise the rituals. 
The unwavering faith of the Khasi people in the sacred forest has kept the forest spirit intact. I do believe in trees as our ancestors and their communication with us. They are very particular that the things of forest remain within the forest; you cannot take even a small piece of twig or a dried leaf outside. It is an absolute rule! 
Even today the people live in close harmony with their forest - having annual festivals celebrated to appease the forest spirit and offer animals as sacrifice. Our guide insisted it is the reddish brown bull. I am not sure, what do they sacrifice now. I remember reading that they sacrifice goats and rooster. 
If only one could be alone with the trees within the forest for even five minutes... 
Then, we would be lost inside and there may be some wild predators!
Being there was a unique experience which I would rate as Number 1. (But you should pick a great story teller as your local guide. That will enrich your experience.)
As you go around 2 places, with the long wait in the traffic on mountains, it is already evening and begins to get dark. Remember, the place was just limping back to normalcy. So, it is back to the rooms, dinner, a session of 'Anthakshari' and to bed with the room heater on!. 

Captivating northeast.

Day -2; 3rd March
Kaziranga is a world Heritage site in Golaghat and Nagaon districts of Assam. After long years of teaching about India's forest wealth, the name Kaziranga brings the image of the great one-horned Rhinoceros and God! I was mighty thrilled. Then I came to know, it has the highest density of tigers in the world and thus it has been declared a Tiger Reserve in 2006.
Kaziranga was cool and pleasant; reached after stretches of bumpy roads by around 8 pm;
After some basic food, we were ready to crash. The place was Assam govt tourist resort but with minimum of comforts. All in the game.
We duly reported for breakfast by 7.30 am but there was a delay of 15 to 20 minutes. It was a slow service and I guess the people are not used to serving 27 people at the same time. Our Jeep Safari took off only by 9.30 am. Climbing onto the jeep was like scaling high mountain peak for many of us. But we did!

Then started our ride into the forest.  Kaziranga is mostly flat expanses of fertile flood-plains interspersed with flood formed lakes called 'Beels' locally.
On the way to the Park, I saw continuous human settlements - there were so many villages. As we enter the reserved area of the forest there are no such settlements.

The vast open space with trees, bushes and creepers welcoming a new morning and looking up to the Sun was so invigorating.
 I experienced such contradictions - great tall trees, short blades of grass, huge elephants swaying their trunks and munching away their breakfast, small ants  on their disciplined walk on the ground and up the tree trunks , monitor lizard just flat on the dusty brown soil as though on some serious meditation ... all sizes and shapes make their home here. The silent yet noise filled forest  filled me with such music. The silence of the forest with the distant backdrop of the wind' s conversation with all kinds of leaves soothed  and slowed my inner rhythm to resonate with the outside.
 We were desperate to see at least one rhino but that proved a tough challenge. We did see one far away that we could not capture in the cameras. I however was in total peace with the environment. The trees standing there for more than a human lifespan - aren't they more constant than the transient human life?

We did see plenty of birds - herds of swamp deer, water buffaloes, small reptiles like monitor lizards and even fresh water turtles(tortoises?). Tigers were elusive! High above us, hawks/eagles were moving and we could sight horn bills, storks and herons.



Ah... finally, we managed to glimpse two one
horned rhinos! Still they were at a distance

 So on our way back, the rhinos must have felt our wish to see them, in the air. We had to be satisfied with what we could see and headed back to our hotel. A group of school kids stopped us as we were to cross the forest gates. This day is observed as World wildlife day and the children had gone on a short trip inside and brought out their impressions as beautiful pencil sketch and colourful painting . They wanted to present those to us with a message for conserving wildlife. One pretty young girl shyly presented one to me and I felt thrilled.

Then started another long journey to Shillong, Meghalaya.
For quite sometime, the trip itself was doubtful with protests and curfews. They said, ' things have abated' and we came to this point. Now, We know there is problem in Shillong and curfew has been imposed. With prayers, we started - hoping to reach Shillong by at least 7 pm. People in the group were keen to visit Chirapunchi but the situation there was a cause of concern for the tour organiser at the local level.
In the meanwhile we were moving left towards the cloud engulfed Kasi hills and Meghalaya. On and off there was a sudden clap of thunder and immediate downpour - drenching our luggage on top of our van.
Again all in the game, I suppose! Some adventure. Now starts another road trip but would be more beautiful, I hope. We cross district head quarters - Nagaon, Jorabat, Umling  and many tongue-twisting names which slipped out of memory soon.
The lunch on the highway (NH 37; district Morigaon) - in a restaurant called ni-4 was very good. Out of all the places, here, we got such quick and efficient service. But our demand for curd - be it cool night or rainy afternoon with biting wind from the hills around - must have looked very strange to them!
Pot after pot of curd would disappear within minutes of being served!  I know, how it can bring down the fiery hot taste or enhance a dull fare to tease the taste buds - particularly for us, south Indians!
However, I was only an observer as curd is simply a"no-no" in Ayurvedic diet. (Not that, I was not tempted and it took lot of will power to turn away from the temptation!)
Then we turned left on to the road leading to Meghalaya. On the highway we had travelled more than half the distance to Guwahati and then on to left to climb to Shillong. All along this road,  were small fruit shops managed by women and the the mere sight of display of bananas, pine apples and other fruits was mouth-watering!
As dusk slowly set in, the mountains on one side appeared taller and bigger, silhouetted against the sky. With night approaching, I could not understand the beauty of the name - 'Meghalaya' (abode of clouds). We reached our boarding place by around 8 pm and 'Brr, it was really COLD!
with a moniker, 'Polar bear', I love the crisp, biting cold that prickles my earlobes, tickle the tip of my nose and sits tight on my cheek bones! So the heart says "yes, I love  it!" but my creaky joints give a red alert signal to my brain!
i wish I can bottle up this cold to take away for the Chennai summer!
(Here are the pictures that the school children had sketched and painted.)

Moving eastwards

A new group; different attitudes; I felt an instant bonding with their open friendliness and "I'm-a - woman& proud " aspect. (We are on our trip to Assam and Meghalaya.)
They are all retired staff from Andhra Bank. The day started by one am - our flight was at 5.20 am.  Someone was in charge of breakfast and so we got to eat home catered idlis.
Sorting out and moving from the airport took an hour or so.
The crowd at the temple reminds one of Tirupathi.

We straight went to Kamakhya Devi temple. A local pujari has been contacted by another lady who had spent a few years around these places.
The way the "supposed to be mediators to God are aggressive in demanding money for the service they perform.
However there is no denying the fact that I felt one complete sense of harmony with every being and object around me for 2 minutes there. The beautiful words of Bharati's song," யாதுமாகி நின்றாய் காளி"  was playing as background
music in MS Amma's voice.
I spent   sometime of course in my favourite pastime - unashamedly looking at all the people around me.
The Bengali and Assamese damsels - OMG! These two eyes are filled and overflowing with their beauty! The glowing skin, big eyes, the jet black hair and the elegant draping of sarees( particularly the Assamese) - sensory overdrive!
Then the drive to Kaziranga took almost all day. On the way, we expected to see lush green cover but, we got to see dry patches and brown slopes of mountains. Most of the stretch was clean and not strewn about with garbage and there is comparatively less vehicular traffic.



As the tour is put together by friends and colleagues there is no specific leader; allocation of responsibilities to different persons is the pattern.
And that was managed so beautifully. The ladies in charge of snacks carried out their responsibility so efficiently and with such love. Supply for each day - like pre-lunch or before dinner on the long drive - was regular and without a break!
The coordinators would discuss with the guide about the next day's programme trying to consider the group members' preferences and comfort to maximum possible extent.