In continuation of Around the North-East India in 30 days... Part-2/6
The next destination Assam was not far from Meghalaya - only 2.5-3.5hrs by bus depending on the traffic. It was the easiest hop in the entire trip.
I boarded the bus from Police Bazaar, Shillong, Meghalaya, at ~10:30am which dropped me at Guwahati bus station at ~2pm. From Guwahati bus station, I had to take a local bus to reach the lodge. The frequency of local buses throughout the day is good in Assam. I reached my room, settled down, did laundry and went out to to eat. A great budget restaurant was in front of my hotel which offered delicious food. It was small and cozy, and the staff was quick and kind.
I generally keep the first day for local exploration, so I started very early for Kamakhya Temple so as to visit other local places in the evening. It took me ~2hrs to reach the temple - from Pan Bazaar to Fatasil Hills to Nilachal Hills. After reaching the temple at ~9am, I thought that I would be able to see the deity in an hour or so. I couldn't be more wrong. There were 2 queues - one was for free entry and the other one was for express entry. Both of those queues were equally long, so I decided to take the normal route. I stood there with others for ~4.5 hrs. People standing next to me were chatting about how common tantric practices and animal sacrifices are in that temple.
As those were auspicious days of Bihu, animals were being sacrificed and we were not allowed to enter the temple during that time. It was one of the goriest sight one can ever see. People standing near me were discussing that we could ask for anything from the deity as whatever you wish for in that temple comes true. I came out at ~2pm to board the bus which further took ~2 hrs to reach downtown.
The bus dropped me near the Brahmaputra river and I reached just in time to take the ferry for Brahmaputra cruise. The ferry drops you at Umananda temple and then proceeds to its last point. It makes a return journey after picking those people up from the temple. It's your choice to step down or continue. Having spent >5hrs in a temple earlier that day and after getting the amazing seat in the ferry, I decided to continue with the cruise. It is a very peaceful journey which can be enjoyed with family and kids.
The next day was a holiday in Assam, so everything was closed during the first half of the day. I went out in the evening to enjoy some street food.
I talked to a few people about how to reach Kaziranga National Park. All of them suggested me to take a tour package for 1N2D to explore it. Not following anyone's advice, I decided to make a return journey on my own the next day.
I took an early morning bus for downtown and then a direct bus for Kaziranga. It dropped me right in front of the gate. It was a long journey but the last part of it was great in terms of views and landscapes.
I was a little early for the safari so had to wait in the waiting area. Once the park opened safari booking window for tourists, then came the usual problem - finding a group to join. Families didn't agree to allow an outsider. Luckily, there was a group of boys that allowed me to join them. As I sat, I noticed a person swapping his seat with someone to sit next to me and I was happy seeing such things happening after college days. So, the spark was there even after a decade of finishing undergrad.
There are 2 safari options - elephant safari and jeep safari. We took jeep safari that takes 2 hrs to complete the circuit. We were able to spot one-horned rhino from distance only when the driver-cum-guide asked us to focus. We could also spot other animals and birds.
After the safari ended, it was time to go back to Guwahati. The only option to take the bus was to go to the main bus station which was 15 mins away in the opposite direction and then catch the bus. I reached there in time for the bus which was about to hit the road but there was no seat. An uncle offered me a seat on time sharing basis and couldn't say no to the offer. It was a very long journey. It took ~6hrs to reach Guwahati back because of traffic.
There are many other temples and lakes in Assam one can visit and I wanted to see Haflong Lake, but I had only 1 more day in Assam which I used to get my permits for Mizoram and Nagaland. Officials in those departments are really helpful. I just requested once that I had only few hours that day and had to leave the next day. He ended up putting my request on top of the file and gave me the permit in a few hours as he promised. It might have taken me a total of 4 hours to get both permits.
I went to the fair again that evening for Bihu festivities. I stayed there till late night and while coming back, there were very few transportation options. The shared auto that I boarded hit an old guy crossing the road and the driver just sped up and dropped us all at a location km away from our destination. The man who was hit right in front of the lodge was taken to the hospital.
The train for Tripura was at ~4:30am the next day. I had already packed my bag earlier that day. So, I went to my room and slept.
A few points:
1. Assam is a highly commercialized tourist location. So, there are many great options for accommodation and food.
2. Local food is delicious. So, ditch those five stars and devour local delicacies.
3. Permits for Mizoram and Nagaland can be taken from other locations as well such as Delhi.
4. Performances such as Bihu dance can be enjoyed in resorts which are available near Kaziranga.
5. You can book Kaziranga safaris online in advance.
After eating something, I went to a park where Bihu festivities were going on. Bihu was the reason that I selected North-East India for this trip. There were several dance and singing performances. Every performance was in the regional language Assamese, so I couldn't understand anything. Nevertheless, I enjoyed dance performances which were synchronized and entertaining.
To be continued: Around the North-East India in 30 days... Part-4/6