bleisuretravel

Northeast India offers such a fascinatingly different culture and geography that it has to be on your bucket list.

words // Ranjan Pal

A magical mysteryNortheast

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can go dolphin watching on an open country boat on the broad sweep of the Brahmaputra. They are hard to spot but keep your eyes peeled and you will be rewarded with a glimpse of a glistening fin or a rounded back as these beautiful creatures break the green surface. The Nameri National Park is a birder’s paradise where you are likely to see a profusion of colourful avians as you walk through the lush tropical forest including hornbills, rollers, orioles, pigeons and woodpeckers.

Explore how the ethnic tribes live by paying a visit to the Mising tribal village where you will be taken around by the patriarch Kamison Mili. Each of the thatched huts is raised up on a platform of bamboo stilts to keep the predators away, with each household cultivating and rearing whatever they need for their own food requirements. You can also opt for a homestay if you want to know more about the Mising way of life and sample their cuisine or take a weaving or cooking class.

Kaziranga national ParKA visit to Kaziranga tops the list of unique wildlife experiences. Famous for the endangered Indian

is synonymous with tea growing

and tea tourism. tea gardens

provide the visitors a unique

experience which evokes a

fabulous colonial past combined

with a relaxing holiday in a

soothing plantation setting.

AssAm

Wild MahseerWild Mahseer, 25 km from Tezpur in Assam, is a place where former residential homes of the Addabarie Tea Estate have been converted into six luxury bungalows spread over 22 acres of leased plantation land. In and around Wild Mahseer are a variety of activities and experiences one could engage in. Guided by an expert, you can opt for an immersive experience on the process of how tea is grown, collected and dried in a traditional factory, then packed and sold in the market. You

Vistara has double daily direct flights between Guwahati

and Delhi.

how to get there

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rhinoceros, the park is home to more than 2400 of them, far more than any other park in the region. A herd of wild buffalo can be quite fascinating because of the magnificent sweep of their symmetrical horns in a perfect crescent and their grazing is always accompanied by a grooming detail of white egrets.

There are two options to explore the park: on an elephant and by jeep. The elephant ride requires an early start and certainly an exciting one and you can go off-trail and plunge through the dense undergrowth in search of prey. The jeep safaris are available at 8 AM and 3 PM and cover a greater area for a longer period of time. Kaziranga is also home to a vast range of bird life so take along a good pair of binoculars to observe the herons, pelicans, quail, eagles, Ruddy Shelducks and several others that can be found in and around the many beels or wetlands.

nagaland: Celebrations galoreEvery year Kohima, the capital of Nagaland comes alive with the Hornbill Festival held in the first ten days of December. Besides the local audience, this colourful, loud and vibrant celebration of Naga life and culture attracts over 60,000 visitors from every corner of India and different parts of the world. Mingle freely with the performing tribesmen with

their cheerful dispositions who are always ready to pose for pictures.

The highlight of the festival is the individual dance performances by the 16 distinct Naga tribes held in the main arena. It is hard to describe the explosion of noise and colour as the tribesmen prance around in their resplendently coloured native dress brandishing spears and daos. Their loud war cries almost drown out the voice of the commentator who explains patiently what the dance signifies. This infectious enthusiasm is what attracts the audience. Nothing is muted or nuanced about this Naga cultural experience, so just go with the flow and enjoy yourself. There is also a wide range of arts and crafts ranging from the classic red-black-white shawls to rows of glittering beads, necklaces and amulets. Naga food is quite raw and potent in its appeal and full of spices which can sear your tongue. Do try it with the local rice beer.

KohiMa War MuseuM and CeMeteryDuring World War II, Kohima which was on the frontline of the British Empire, witnessed some of the most savage fighting between the British Indian Army and the Japanese Army. The Battle of Kohima was a decisive turning point in the war as it ended with the first major defeat suffered by Japanese

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forces in the Burma theatre and thwarted their ambitious plans to invade British ruled India. Known as the Stalingrad of the East, historians rank this incredibly intense battle as Britain’s greatest ever in WWII. The War Museum captures the gripping day-by-day narrative of those sixteen crucial days of the war. There is also a wide selection of British Army arms, maps, medals and uniforms placed on display here.

Much more interesting is a visit to the Kohima War Cemetery, beautifully maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Here are the graves of the British and Indian servicemen who lost their lives in the defence of Kohima numbering 2,300 in all. One interesting thing is that the cemetery is built over the exact site of the battle on Garrison Hill and you can see the lines of the famous District Commissioner’s

tennis court where the opposing sides faced off in a pitched battle. It is impossible not to be moved by the quiet beauty of the place and the heart-rending messages on the gravestones from the families of the fallen heroes.

Dzukou Valley TrekIf you are inclined towards adventure then you must visit the magical Dzukou Valley hidden behind the Japfu range of hills just outside Kohima. From the trail head you will ascend a steep path through a dense temperate forest of chestnut, juniper and oak for about an hour before emerging through the treeline onto a flat two hour walk that takes you to two isolated rest houses that overlook the Dzukou Valley. The valley itself is quite unusual with no clearly defined entry or exit, just a series of small green hillocks that undulate downwards to a small grassy plain covered in thickets of dwarf bamboo.

Though it is possible to reach the Dzukou Valley and return to Kohima in one day, it is advised to spend at least one night there to enjoy the beauty of its surroundings. Adventure travel outfits like India Trails are best providers for these kind of camping facilities. Be sure to carry enough warm clothes and to wrap up tightly before the sun goes down as the temperature drops sharply at night. Sunset comes early in this far eastern corner of India and will take your breath away with the flat line of dark hills lit up like all the fires burning just out of sight. As the sun comes up, it lights up the lone metal cross, a silent sentinel to the serene beauty of this place. Wake up early to wander down to the frozen valley and its gentle streams covered in sheets of ice. Not a bird or an animal breaks the silence which makes the Dzukou Valley all the more magical and mysterious.

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: Ran

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Pal