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Backpacking across upper Assam: Part 2/3


Hi I am the normal(ish) 21 year old engineer in Guwahati, Assam. And this the second part of my journey. thank you for making it this far.


My journey veered towards Sibsagar, the ancient capital of Ahom Empire and the pot purri of Assamese culture. It is a very unassuming city, which to reach I took a window seat on a traveler. And then Mr. Murphy cared to weigh in, streaming a flock of children into the cramped traveler, much to the delight of goddess of misery, though I dare not complain, for obviously, people who hate children are categorized same as people who love children in a manner that Vladimir Nabokov would describe as natural. Yet this observation is not about my trials, though I will have more, because I found that even in this far of land, the gangrene of tetris loaded Gameboy exists. Even the sound is nostalgic.

The place is quite quiet and I arrived and ran into my host family’s patriarch, who did not understand half of what I was saying, but given Mr. Kishore’s ingenuity (discerning readers, this your cue to laugh), I had a fruitful and semi fulfilling conversation with him and his household. Very, very awestruck by the hospitality that was offered.

My accommodation

My speed dash across the district in search of places of interest did not leave me much time to admire the surroundings though I was impressed by the cleanliness of the surroundings and dispassionate green cover across the board. Karen Ghar is a place of fantastic sounds and sights. Virtually empty and meticulously preserved, I enjoyed the vistas that were afforded to the mighty emperors of eastern India. This ziggurat type structure does deserve praise for the vast open gallery style wall openings with rooms mostly ending in columns and not in walls. Me likey, me want.
 
SIMS 2: Royalty






Rang ghar was dazzling but was eclipsed by the Talatal Ghar, whose sheer immensity would break your mind because, instead of cement, these guys plastered their stones and bricks with a mixture of rice and egg whites. Countless chickens and ducks have toiled away in this procession to create the omelet that graces the royal palaces. And the structures still stand after generations.These guys had some massive bombards too. Clearly the Ahom empire was no slouch in military engineering.
 
BOOM!
Joysagar. It is the single spectacle that made me accept the imperium of Ahom civil engineering. This place is a writers’ delight. Banks laced with table, chairs, boats, lotus greens, gems of light that prop the parapet over the calm waters, plus the atmosphere set by swans and geese flocking and crying inn unison to get a partner for procreation, and a sky awash with colours that would be a panacea for people who use word art.
 
Peace of mind

Pretty

This is the most beautiful boating scene I have witnessed for a long, long, time… and I had duck for dinner.

To be Continued....
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Location: Guwahati, Assam, India

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