I miss my hometown, Tezpur often these days and today is one of such days. The longing is so difficult to bear sometimes that I almost feel like running away back there. The place which I call my home ,where I have spent most part of my life. All of my family members are there together and here I am in New Delhi, two thousand miles apart far away for them. But what can be done? It had been my own choice to come to Delhi for my further studies, so I cannot go back whenever I wish to. I should wait for my summer vacations to start.
I thought I should take you on a ride across my hometown. It would be my own way of giving myself a therapy session from the home-sickness that I am going through. It would also be a chance for you to explore my town. The mighty Brahmaputra, the lifeline of the people of the state be it for agriculture, tourism, fishing etc. runs through the northern part of the town. My holidays have usually been spent on its banks bathing and observing the wooden boats pass-by to the horizon. My mother has warned me umpteen times to stay from the mighty river, the current being too strong to sweep anyone off their feet and the next thing we realize, we may find ourselves in neighboring Bangladesh. But I being a fun lover could never resist the temptation to dive into the mighty river; the water being cold and soothing says it all. A motor boat passes by with loads of wood loaded onto it. It must have been brought from the other side of the banks which houses ‘The Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuary’ home to magnificent the Asiatic Wild Buffalo. The Kaliabhomora bridge forms a shadow over the river .I take a motor boat ride on the river. The immensity and force of the river leaves me spellbound every time I sail across it .It’s already noon and small children can be seen swimming on the river. Others can be seen with a thread tied to a stick waiting patiently on the banks waiting for their prey to come by and get stuck in one of the threads. Fish cuisines are a huge phenomenon in this part of the world. These are mostly the sons of the fishermen and boatmen who have made the river banks their home.
My stomach growls in hunger, giving the signal that it’s time for me to depart. I haven`t had anything since morning, just a cup of tea and a few Marie -gold biscuits. I start my motorbike and take on the untended road in search of a decent meal. Line of trees can be seen swaying to the wind on both sides on National Highway 37.The journey seems to be soothing with the wind striking on my helmet and producing a cacophony of sounds .I do not want to stop and continue my journey till Bomdilla (in the state of Arunachal Pradesh).Mother nature seems to be have a different meaning in this part of the world. But an Inner Line Permit is needed to make an entry into the state. So I give up on my idea and make my stop on a roadside dhaba (a type of Indian open restaurant, initially started on the roadsides of North- India as a purpose to serve meals to truck drivers) for lunch. Dhaba Samaroah stands on a road-side pond, the whole of its structure being supported by bamboo poles. In fact on scrutinizing further I found out that everything in the dhaba was made of bamboo from the walls, to the tables, the chairs, to the handicrafts.
The menu seems to be a balanced one with Assamese, Chinese as well Punjabi cuisine on it. I order half a plate of smoked pork, three naans and a glass of rice beer. The pork dish has not go down well with me well, it is too spicy. I have not been able to take even two spoon-full of it. Unhappy, I order another half a plate of chicken curry with bamboo shoots. The dish is a perfect blend of all taste one brings to table. It’s one of the best dishes I have ever had. The beer is light yet I feel an iota of dizziness. I wish I can have another glass of it but being in the riders seat I have to abstain from it .The bill comes at around 350 Rs, pretty decent I guess.I make the payment and walk to a nearby shop for paan-tamul (betel-nut and leaves). The nut and leaves is generally eaten by elders as well as young ones either mixed with tobacco, limestone or just the two just after a meal as a mouth-freshener .Its warms up the body and makes you a little intoxicated .
Refreshed, I explore the surrounding lush green area around the dhaba, The water body on which the dhaba stands is full of plastic garbage and bottles thrown by the tourists and passersby who visit the dhaba .My mind springs up a handful of questions on who is to be held responsible for all this mess. We ourselves are to be held responsible for the mess we have created and it is us who will have to take up the responsibility for cleaning it up. Otherwise in the coming years the earth will be a difficult place for us to live in with mother-nature being destroyed to its brink.
Note: Tezpur is sleepy town nestled in the north-eastern part of India in the state of Assam. Travel by bus takes around four hours from Guwahati, the state`s capital. Mini buses are available round the clock. Train service is also available from Kamakhya Railway station. The passenger train leaves from Guwahati at 4.30 P.M. on a daily basis.
