Travelling Tim

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April 19, 2005

Night-train to the Land of Tea

Its been a few days since my last posting, so here is the latest news. I caught a train back to Kolkata - the view above is the interior, for anyone wondering what Indian trains are like. This is an A/C Chair Car, and is very comfortable - it even has reclining seats. At Kolkata I boarded the 5959 Kamrup Express for Guwahati, in Assam; a journey that takes over 24 hours. India is a very big country. For this journey, I had an A/C sleeper berth, and spent the time watching the scenery go by, chatting to other passengers, and ignoring the constant stream of vendors and hawkers that made their way up and down the train selling everything from tea and food to sari, electronic games, bedsheets, and much, much more.

Unlike other trips I've made to India, especially those where I was researching for Footprint Books, I have decided to go at a much slower pace this time, and wander about spending time looking at everything I encounter. Guwahati, on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra River, is an ideal place to start a visit to the North East, and although parts of the city, especially around Paltan Bazaar, are very hectic with huge crowds and traffic jams, other parts can be quite laid-back and restful, especially in the parks, and down by the river.

My first day was spent wandering along the river, and taking a trip by ferry to Peacock Island, home of the famous Umananda Temple, and the older Chandrasekhar Temple. The ferry takes about 10 minutes to cross the swift currents of the Brahmaputra, for a fare of 10rs return.

Here is a typical sight outside any Hindu temple in India: a stall selling pre-prepared offerings that the pilgrim will take in to the temple as part of the ritual performed by the temple priests.

The older Chandrasekhar Temple, with typical Assamese 'beehive' dome, was built in the 15th century. I often wonder, in old holy places of whatever faiths, how many people have worshiped here over the ages, and how their lives turned out. Some holy sites have a real aura to them, that can be felt quite easily, and this temple showed that to me, though the next door Umananda Temple didn't have the same feeling for me. Other places I've felt this include the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok, the burial chamber in the Great Pyramid at Giza, and a few small country churches in England. Its as if the walls ooze prayer and devotion.

I wandered around Peacock Island admiring the great views of the Brahmaputra and the surrounding hills and mountains. Sat for a while on the rocks by the shore, chatting to other visitors to the island. There was a lovely breeze blowing down the river which was very welcome even though the temperature here is about 5 degrees less than in Kolkata.

Posted by travellingtim at April 19, 2005 04:14 PM