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We all landed back from Guwahati after a 15 day North East tour, at Bangalore KIA 4 hours behind schedule on Indigo Air on 7.11.2017.
One great benefit observed for myself was at my gym that evening. I had lost ONE kg body weight. The north east is good for health...more of that and other benefits later in the story.
Generally, incredibly INSIPID food helped me eat less, and crib more. So please note, cribbing about food reduces anabolism and thus reduces bulk. More over as I am used to chilly spice and other spices, ( which were totally absent in all dishes all over NE ) I ate less stuff than usual and that helped in weight loss too. So, such trips are arranged by our friend and efficient Travel Consultant M/s Javian Travels' CMD Jacob Chacko (Mohan, for us) for sightseeing plus health benefits. One of the Navy Commanders with us gained weight despite breathing tardiness + diabetes. One of the Mrs. Navy Commanders got her knee weakness cured as she climbed down 275 steps to see "LIVE ROOT BRIDGE" and climbed them UP at Mowlinnon, some distance from Shillong, in Meghalaya. Mohan should be given the honorary "Ayurveda Achaarya" title for his contribution to health recovery of geriatrics. The village of Mowlinnon is considered the cleanest in Asia.
Start: Arose early morning at Bangalore and went in an Innova taxi together. Ate BF at KIA which was insipid. I should have guessed the future of our gastronomic experience by that breakfast. But NO, I hoped for the bloody best. So much for positivity.
Reached Guwahati where I did my Pre-Univ ( Cotton College...now Cotton University... Founded by one Brit, Sir. Henry Cotton ) and M.Sc. at Guwahati university campus itself.
The city, as expected was more crowded and bustling with activity. Old Landmarks were stymied by new buildings and encroachments. Brought back memories of my college mates and some of the unforgettable professors. Particularly a young post graduate who joined the University classes as our DEMONSTRATOR ( a level below junior lecturer) who was fresh with her M.Sc. degree and hence say a year or two older than my classmates, ONLY!! We had to consider her as Teacher. And we all did. Ms. Monica had also signed up for research in plant physiology. Professor and head of department was Dr. D.K. Barooah. prof Barooah chaired the Indian science congress convention held at Delhi, the year before I passed M.Sc. He was married to Dr. Mrs. Parukkutty ( a Malayalee ).. both ex- Cambridge. Teacher Monica was an inspiration with her good looks, though she was 5 ft. 3" only. When our class went to Darjeeling for tour she came with us. Rest of the story on that topic is private and privileged. I still remember my other friends from the M.Sc. class: Anisul Islam, Ronen Hazara, Ms. Jamila Sadique, Ms. Purobi Mukherjee, Biman Datta. We were 22 students in the class at the Univ campus. Other colleges in Assam were affiliated to this university too.
Visit to the Univ campus was great. It has many more buildings now. Hostel facility seemed quadrupled.
We all saw how Guwahati ( earlier spelt: Gauhati) has become crowded and messy as is all two/three tier towns in India today.
Our short boat trip to the temple on the river island quelled my fear of the ferocious Brahmaputhra river.
Onward to Tezpur, the home of Bhooth Jolokia ( Ghost Chilly, as per the westerners). In the town of Maine USA, we walked into a specialty store and we found Jolokia pickled in small bottles and priced at around $ 12 each.
I have more fond memories of Tezpur than Guwahati, because I was younger and my parents and two of the three siblings were together. Tezpur has grown say five-fold. Visit to Darrang College was so emotional for me, including talking to the three BA students, in the presence of Rajan and Ramu. They were in UNIFORM !!! That is the rule the boys said, my God ! They also said that the principal of my time now has an Auditorium named after him. He later became Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in Delhi in Indira Gandhi Government...Dr. Bipin Pal Das. While in the campus , I remembered my classmates Gopika Ranjan Das, Monmaa Gogoi, Taroon Borphukan. The latter taught me how to bunk NCC parade wearing uniform that were 4 sizes bigger for us.
Electric Auto Ricks in Tezpur was a pleasant surprise. In my time they had only Cycle Ricks, where while riding it one watched the rise and fall of the Dhoti clad bottom of the Rick cycler. On a climb, (from Darrang college there is a climb) and the bottom went up to my head-level, due to his straining, apart from gas emissions. I used to patronize one Bihari Rick-cycler, of my age. I wonder where he is ! Perhaps he became a minister in Bihar state. He taught me the basic Hindi spoken words. Hindi language refinement happened then in Lucknow and Delhi, though in between Bombay corrupted my good Hindi:- "Karlela Ahai, Marlela Payge', Thhamba, Kai Mantho" etc.
District Commissioner's residence was close to the hillock garden we climbed. The then commissioner's son is My brother Cherish' contemporary and friend ( as Cherish tells me now) from St. Joseph school there.
Church of Epiphany in Tezpur and the diminutive Padre Wild the then Vicar of that little Church will remain my mind as long as I live. Bhupen Hazarikka the singer was in his prime in Assamese songs; later on he migrated to Bollywood. Surprisingly I did not know anything about Bhooth Jolokia during my stay in Assam.
Road to Bomdila and on to Dirang was tiresome. Dirang being the first stop-over to a much colder region, the hotel Petaling was a disappointment, with no room heater and very small rooms. My saga of inedible, insipid and primitive type of meals three times a day began at Dirang. All Arunachalis need to be punished with Bhooth Jolokia paste on their tongues every day for one year to teach them to know what is nice and spicy food.
Reaching Tawang after our backbones were pulped was a relief. The euphoria evaporated seeing low-grade staff at the Hotel TAKSANG. For the first time I witnessed hotel staff ( all three of them) sleeping behind the reception counter ON THE FLOOR cozily and with such abandon, that guests had to wake them up and offer morning tea to get them to prepare breakfast.
Low voltage current till guests screamed at the staff was a daily routine at TAKSANG . More tasteless meals made me dream of Saambaar and coconut Chutney at night and whenever I closed my eyes. Banishment to Siberia must feel that way, for prisoners in Russia.
In all my life I haven't woken up daily for 15 mornings at unearthly hours of 4 am and 5 am, except for my Cancer treatment at CMC Vellore, when I hardly slept for two long moths. The food at CMC was a tad worse than Arunachal's "yellow-food". Everything yellow, as if influenced by China's Yellow River. We Indians should plant Bhooth Jolokia throughout Arunachal and the Chinese will never claim the region again.
Drive to Boomla pass was memorable though bone rattling in the Tata Sumo vehicle. The driver said seat-belts were unnecessary and hence he had removed it. A Moron. Snow fall and mountain peaks and breathlessness due to low oxygen were an experience. At 16200 ft altitude and below zero temperature (minus 12 C), going to toilet was like undergoing cryogenic surgery for piles. Couldn't feel anything anywhere....couldn't SEE anything either, since there were no lights in toilets. Molly said it was all a good challenge....Yes, blind and with no sensation in the body, I now know how comatose people feel.
The army Jawan narrating the situation at China-India border said the Chinese could see us, even our smiles using some device ! None of us were smiling. I was clicking photos not knowing what I was shooting. Many snaps had only my fingers on the screen. Then I tried a selfie, while I had started trembling but the camera only caught my nose running like the waterfall we saw on the way up ! Then it was a run to the jeep like a headless chicken, only to see that the driver Shri. Pong Krap Mow Lung, had moved it further away. He was, I am sure hoping a few of us would conk off, so that his down-hill drive would be lighter. No, we all survived the historic
Boomla pass visit...including those with knee pain, asthmatic tendencies. Challenge, I am told ! Govt should consider big bonfire at that place, a gas fired one, and a well stocked Bar and spicy chicken Tangdy kababs. Hot & Spicy Chinese soups free for all non Bengali visitors. For Bengalis, Jawans must stick masking tapes across the mouth, to silence them. Talking like fish mongers, all of them!
Escaped from the RECEPTION-BEDDED hotel, and yellow food and world's WORST sandwich makers....One bite of the sandwich and the rest fell crumbling to the ground at Indian Army's "Y-JUNCTION". The stray dogs thanked me for the crumbs. Then Raj & Ramu treated us to Tea and Cauliflower Pakodas. Again yellow. I tried to smile to myself at the mirror in the Officer's tent next door and I thought I had contracted Jaundice. Then I saw all Pakoda eaters were jaundiced looking on the teeth. These days in Bangalore I avoid looking at anything yellow. I salute the soldiers posted there. My sincere salute.
Tawang to Bomdila via Dirang. Bad hillside roads, continually in repair, with earth-movers and boulders to be negotiated skilfully by Dolay the Ahomiya ( Assamese) driver. Stayed at Hotel Tsepal Yangjom, right in the market place. For a change, the rooms had wall mounted heater AC. Slept well. The ladies went around and bought Bhooth Jolokia right from a vegetable vendor ₹20 for 5 pieces. Looking at the chilies gave a kick start to my so far dormant and disgusted taste buds.
On to Tezpur via the bone crushing bad road ridden with landslides. Onward to Kaziranga Rhino/Elephant sanctuary of 430 Square kilometers. Pleasant weather, familiar vegetation, quiet and widespread hotel rooms, Assamese Bihu dance at poolside. A bit more tolerable food including a choice of both burnet and unburnt omelets, and less watery tea. Saw tea estates on plain land rather than hillsides. Bought some tea from Hathikuli organic Tea Estate.
Some of us wanted to stay a few more days in the salubrious Kaziranga vicinity. But no, we had to complete the saga for the benefit of posterity. Started the long drive to Shillong via Guwahati bypass. Roads were good. When we reached the periphery of Shillong hill city we were greeted by kilometers long traffic jam. Already anaesthetised posteriors and fuzzy heads were predicting nervous breakdown. Usually cool Dolay was yawning uncontrollably. Finally when I was groaning at the long line of vehicles in front, Dolay cut sharply into a gate and lo and and behold, Hotel Landmark Hill Victoria loomed large, as large looking as the frontage of Queen Victoria herself. I thanked God and promised to go to All a saints church the following Sunday and partake of Holy Communion, which I did with my dear friends. The Police Commissioner gave the short and interesting sermon.
Shillong is still the small Scotland of the East, despite the killer traffic congestion. I tried locating my old good friend Pradip Chakraborty by visiting and meeting the principal of St. Edmunds College there but failed. He had studied there and taught there too. My dear friend seemed disappeared to some place. I hope he is happy and well. I prayed at All Saints church for his well being....as also for good luck to find him. Since all sorts of Saints are working for me, I am sure to find him.
On the way back from Shillong to Gauhati airport for our return to BANGALORE, we had a day at Guwahati. Molly took Herculean effort to the chagrin of Dolay, to shoot pictures of Chatribari Hospital and the Church inside Nehru park in the city. Suffered one last dinner at Landmark Hotel there and in the early morning ( again early morning!!!) collected their surprisingly well made chicken sandwiches and left. The airport gave us another taste of North East, by delaying the flight for three hours, hourly announcements thrice.
Reached Bangalore on 7th Nov Tuesday and life is good again.
Now I suffer from lack of sleep after 6 am. I plan to consult Dr. David Chiko on that issue.
Cheers !
Tito
