Greedy Life in the Misty Mountains

Happy Holidays!  I wish my students and  co-teachers. A welcome break to mend my sore and squeaky throats. Time for a noisy get-to-gether (BTW ,my family is a noisy one!), a get- away from the scotching heat adds spice to the vacation.This time, Ranga, our tour operator finalizes upon Shillong and it's nearby places.

27th April 2019

Morning rush to work is a routine.But to the airport ?? "Yes" , today is no different. The phone rings  at 3.07 am. Its Aravind - " Hey, we are leaving for the airport.Where are you ? " and hangs the phone. Omg ! That's when we realize we overslept  and the missed the alarm(which was apparently set for 2 am the next day) , by the tour operator.Our adventure begins here.

We dash into the bathroom, then grab the luggage  and sprint to cab with the shoes in hand within 10mins. Phew!! Our adrenaline returns back to normal. Chennai Airport welcomes us with excited chatter-boxes, groggy faces , first-time flyers, bubbly kids and duty-conscious cops. My gang is at the check-in and we join them.Thank God for a blessed life, where I have time for self, family  and most importantly - sleep on time. I am at awe and dismay to see the dark side of night. Scores of people work in the dark to brighten my day. As my thoughts spiral around, hunger pangs strike us and we  land at Guwahati Airport - a small airport , with lush green surroundings located at the fringes of the city.The packed Chapathi - Jam - roll from Srividhya Coffee comes in handy for breakfast while we wait for flight from Bangalore. We embark our  journey as a 17 member contingent and our first pit stop is Kaziranga.

Kaziranga, is the home to the renowned one-horned rhinoceros. A dreary 4 hr drive, is suddenly brightened up by spotting the rhinos, bisons and elephants by the NH. "Hurray!", the kiddos get off to catch a glimpse these majestic animals. Finally, we reach the hotel. The kids squabble and chose their rooms and we are bound to follow.

It is time for the most awaited Jeep Safari. Split into 2 jeeps , the demand for our naughtiest and cutest Dhanu is high. Claim over Dhanu sets in resentment among the kids. Geared up, the jeeps criss-cross through the jungle , slide through the slush to make us merrier. Thank God! we are not let down by the rains which did not send the rhinos into hiding. We could spot a cute baby and mom duo too. Hunger bells never fail. The hunt for curd turned out to be more expensive than the safari, paid a premium of Rs150/- for a bowl. Evening mood sets in .Music is the panacea for all. Musicians galore in my family. Vocalist Vedanth acccompanied by Flautist Chuchi, rock the evening by their renditions followed by Q&A  session by our inquisitive Jayanthi.

A long day ahead for our 2nd pit-stop - Shillong, via Umiam Lake, where the kids try their swimming skills. It is a tedious and monotonous drive to the capital city of Meghalaya - Shillong ,a polluted and congested one(always synonymous to  a city).Nestled between narrow roads , high rises and bustling shops, Shillong too has lost its sheen to urbanisation. Hailing from the land of Masala Dosa and Idly - Sambhar, which seems surreal, we settle for Poori- Aloo - Chapathi - Subzi on all days.With no time to shop, we hit the bed at the end of an arduous day,

Cherrapunji - Sohra, the local name to the wettest place once upon a time. Whilst our geography text books dint deceive us, the clouds did play hide and seek.  A picturesque place, abundantly beautiful with it's fluffy clouds, waterfalls , deep gorges and rivulets. It is quite an adventurous day exploring the caves and bathing in the streams. We head to our resort , set atop a hill , the only one in the vicinity.Luxury calls for destruction.In the name of tourism, a hill razed down ,only to see the moths die a sad death in the brightness of the lights. Nonetheless, I admire the pitch darkness of the night sans artificial light. Its time to embrace tourism in its pristine form. Respecting nature and the revolving cultures by our altruistic behavior is a win-win situation.

Yet another adventure  in store for the day. Inclement weather conditions( for a Chennaiite - Green warning, lol , we are so used to color codes) , force us to leave the kids in the resort. Cautions from the driver dint deter us from trekking to the unique Double Decker Living Root Bridges -the beauty and the beast. The local tribes make a living by guiding through the steep ascent and descent en route  the bridge.  Testing our guts,we cross the suspension bridges across the beastly rivers gushing in full force, cherishing the canopy around. While this  trek might be a Wow factor for me, it serves as the livelihood for many.  It is also a surprise to note that these villages deep in the jungle,  have electricity under Rural Electrification Scheme. Alas, we reach  the Double Decker Bridge , a natural man-made wonder. Mission Accomplished!!! Visiting Arvaa and Mawsmai caves with Stalactites and fossils is an enriching experience. The cleanest village in Asia, Mawlynnong where people practice sustainable living sets a good example for the rest of the world. 

In the last leg of the trip , we move  from the East Khasi Hills (Cherrapunji) to East Jaintia Hills(Dawki) to observe that there is rampant mining happening  around that region. Beauty tarnished by our own greed. It is hurting to see the mountains being crushed into a heap of debris by huge machines.  How long will this last ? Am sure there will be nothing left for the future generations to enjoy. We continue to travel expecting to see the sparkling clean river Dawki (as per Google images one can see the river bed).On the contrary, I am disappointed to see a murky and turbid river. Here too, sand mining on one side of the river is heart wrenching.

Veera's bonding with the driver has become very intimate that he refuses to part with him and so I rename him as "VEE- WONG - WONG".

With a heavy heart,  I bid adieu to this lovely, enchanting and mesmerizing place.