Hotel Gateway Grandeur proved to be a disappointment. The beds were decidedly lumpy and the lurid red velvet bedspread, shabby golden lampshades and musty smell didn’t reassure us. But that didn’t dampen our enthusiasm to explore a little more of Guwahati before we set off for Shillong .
Our introduction to the North East began with a dinner cruise on the Alfresco Grand sailing down the Brahmaputra. While we sailed, we were entertained by the Bihu Dancers . We also got a run down on the brief history of Assam , the legendary warrior Lachit Bhorpukan and the different musical instruments used in Assamese folk music.
Enjoying the cool breeze and escorted by the twinkling lights on the shore listening to old Hindi film songs we sat on the upper deck while down below the cooks were getting our dinner ready.
Where are the fish ?
Once again we were disappointed with our meal of chicken makkhan wala and pasta in white sauce. Surely we’d get a flavour of the local cuisine ? The only nod to local food was the ingredients that were locally obtained and of course the fish that was unique to the region.
So the next day, on our way out to Shillong, we insisted Anil take us to the local fish market , especially as he pointed out the fish vendors on their brightly coloured rickshaws doing their delivery rounds.
He was a bit taken aback by our request to visit the fish market but gamely came along and even identified some of the fish that were swimming in the huge tubs that are used to transport them for door to door delivery!
Set on a small strip of riverbank, at 7am the market was ready to wind up with most of the auctions already long over. But we still managed to see some vendors haggling with their customers and had a brief glimpse of the fish market .
After the fascinating trip to the fish market, we set off on the long road to Mehgalaya.
On our way
Did you know that at one point , the states of Meghalaya and Assam are separated by just a road divider?
So while cars going one way are driving in Assam, the cars going the other way are driving in Meghalaya.
The pineapple was rounded and soft and velvety without a hard core or fibrous pulp. And the vendors cut them into bite sized pieces and dusted them with a coating of salt and red chilli powder which added a little zing to the fruit .
We came across many small farmers selling their wares in roadside stalls. What was most popular were jars of pickles ( the famed Assam chillies and pork) the local betel nut and of course the Pineapples which Anil insisted we try.
And he was right.
Honestly, I have never eaten such a sweet pineapple before!
From time to time Anil would put some stuff into his mouth and spit it out a few hours later. I wondered if it was gutkha but he assured me it wasn’t.
And when we stopped for our pineapple break, he pointed out to the betel nut that he used to chomp on.
It was the local betel nut that Assam is famous for and I asked the vendor to give me a pinch to try but she refused saying that “If you’ve never had it before, it will be too strong for you to handle” and she gestured me going off the rails with a wave of her hand.
But I was convinced that there was more to the Betel nut than meets the eye because the next day at Elephant Falls, another taxi driver literally pleaded with him to share some of his betel nut with him.
Our entry into Meghalaya was more dramatic than expected because of the new rules thanks to CoVid. We were stopped at the border crossing and asked to show our double vaccination certificates and an E-Invite by the Tourism Board of Meghalaya!
Luckily the smart BSF women who were manning the post helped us download the App and get the required permissions so that we could continue unhindered till Anil’s breakfast stop.
Almost immediately the sky turned bluer and the countryside cleaner, the air crisper as we entered Meghalaya.
Another thing we noticed was the predominance of female labour. The hill tribes of Meghalaya particularly the Khasi are matriarchal.
As a matter of fact, I was surprised to see a newspaper report of an agitation demanding an amendment to the Succession Act to include male descendants.
Despite the long journey ( 4 hours and 99 km) the pleasant scenery of bamboo forests, tiny stalls on the road selling local produce and the conifers that announced the hill station of Shillong distracted us. We could have made it shorter if we hadn’t made stops along the way.
Bara Pani or Umiam Lake an artificial water body for rainwater harvesting along the way is a must-stop even if it is just to stop and stare.
Shillong was touted as Scotland of the East and possibly it was during its heydays. Sadly today, it has lost much of its old-world charm and glimpses of its glorious past can only be spotted in a few houses that haven’t given way to modern concrete monstrosities and the Cantonment area where military establishments still retained their old colonial heritage.
Ciao,
Twenty- five Seven 