TEZPUR MOTORCYCLE DIARIES – CHAPTER 1 (WITHIN 100 KMS RADIUS)

Tezpur : The City of Blood

My very first posting towards North East brought me to this quaint little beautiful Assamese town of Tezpur. It’s now almost like a fully-developed city, rather than the little town, known to the outside world; but it still holds the old-town charm. As my family couldn’t join me here due to them being in Pune now, I brought my ‘other family’ along with me – my two dogs and my two bikes. To my delight, I would soon realise that this is one of the best places to be, if you are an avid traveller, and more importantly, an avid biker. This place has so much to offer, so much of varied landscapes just within few kilometres of its vicinity. While on one side, the mighty Brahamaputra flows, you have tea gardens sprawling all around the region, and on the other side the hills of Arunachal are within arms-reach, and the vast stretches of forest land and National Parks complete the big picture. I am just listing out few of the ‘day-trip’ getaways in & around Tezpur in this blog.

Sitting pretty between the snow-capped mountains and verdant hills of Arunachal Pradesh in the north, lush green tea gardens and national parks on the lateral sides and the mighty Brahmaputra on south, is the ancient city of Tezpur. Its name translates to the ‘City of Blood’ – a somewhat macabre name, resulting from the legend of Lord Krishna and Lord Shiva waging an epic battle with each other, which turned the place into a river of blood. The old city of Tezpur was once the British headquarters of the undivided Assam, and today the city is known for its scenic beauty, beautiful parks, pristine lakes, ancient temples and Colonial buildings. The city is accepted as the cultural capital of Assam, apart from being the gateway for travellers heading to Arunachal Pradesh. Many tourists only use this city as an entry point to visit Arunachal Pradesh, but that’s a shame, for to overlook Tezpur’s charms mean missing out on a plethora of attractions here, along with the warm and welcoming feel of the place.

Legend Says… As the story goes, Banasura, the king of Sonitpur, had a beautiful daughter called Usha. As tales of her beauty spread, many unsolicited suitors approached Banasura for her hand, but Banasura turned them all away and instead locked Usha in a fort of fire – Agnigarh. Usha dreamt of a young man here and fell in love with him. She narrated her predicament to her friend Chitralekha, who found out that the man of her friend’s dreams was Lord Krishna’s grandson, Aniruddha. Chitralekha transported a sleeping Aniruddha to the fort where he married Usha. When Banasura found out about this, he imprisoned Aniruddha in Agnigarh. Hearing about the confinement of his grandson, an enraged Lord Krishna attacked the fort. Realising that he was no match for Krishna’s army, Banasura, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, sought his assistance. What followed was a battle of the titans, between Krishna and Shiva. According to the Puranas, the battle left the entire kingdom drenched in blood; hence the name TEZPUR (City of Blood). Ultimately, with Shiva’s intervention, Krishna agreed to spare Banasura’s life. A grateful Banasura then released Aniruddha and Usha, and they left for Dwarka together.

Temples and Ruins

Mahabhairab Shiva Temple – Tezpur has several ancient temples and archaeological ruins in and around the city, the most famous being Mahabhairab Shiva Temple, which was built by Banasura, the king of Sonitpur. It is believed to date back to the age of Mahabharata and has a huge Shivling, believed to be made of ‘Living Stone’ which grows slowly every year. 

Ruins of Bamuni Hills & Da Parbatia – Tezpur’s claim of being a city of some antiquity is corroborated by several ruins here dating earlier than the 6^th century, the stand-outs are Bamuni Hills and the Parbatia Gate. The temple ruins of Da Parbatia are dedicated to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu, and are one of the earliest specimens of architecture and stone carvings in Assam. The stone door-frame unearthed at this site is the most intricate and oldest specimen of sculptural art in this state. Bamuni Hills belong to a group of seven shrines that were dedicated to different Hindu Gods. There are stunning carvings at these ruins, which make for excellent photo opportunities.

Holeswar & Bhairabi Temples – The Holeswar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, sits in a very serene complex with a water tank, and is known to be dating back to 18^th century. Bhairabi Temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga and is of historical significance, known to be visited frequently by Banasura’s daughter, Usha.

Rudra Pada Temple – To the west of Tezpur town, on the bank of river Brahmaputra the Rudrapada temple is situated. It is believed that Rudra (Lord Shiva) had left the print of his left foot (pada) on a stone found in the temple. It is believed that Mahadev showed his real self to king Banasura here. Rudrapada temple was later built by Ahom king, Siva Singha in the year 1730 A.D. It has some fantastic graffiti art on its walls. Burha Burhi Rock Temple close by is another interesting sight.

Singri Gupteshwar Temple – The Singri Temple is further west of Tezpur town and is located on the bank of river Brahmaputra, within a distance of about 45 km (off main road after Dhekiajuli). This temple has been mentioned in the Kalikapuran as Shringatak. It is said that one can attain penance worshipping it. As the Shiva Linga of this temple revered as God remains under water, the temple is also known as ‘Gupteshwar’. Derived from the word “Gupta” which means hidden and “Eshwar” denotes God.

Silghat Temples – Temples at this picturesque riverfront town of Silghat are not only unique, but also famous for their locations by the Brahamaputra. Trishuldhari Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is more than 2000 years old. It gives a panoramic view of the river and is like a mini paradise for nature lovers and photographers. The ‘lesser known cousin’ of famous Guwahati Maa Kamakhya Temple is another hidden gem around here. The Hatimura Temple a little ahead is believed to have been constructed over a ruined stone temple of the early 18th century.

Maha Mritunjay Temple – This is one of the most iconic of all temples in this entire region. This temple is special in its architectural sense as it is built in form a Shivling. It is the World’s largest Shivlinga, at the height of 126 foot. The temple is also very significant due to reflection of mastery in engineering.

Silghat – Silghat is a famous river port located on the southern banks of the Brahmaputra River, just 30-odd kms from Tezpur. A hillock named Samantagiri can be visited in Silghat for viewing the adjoining hill ranges and tribal villages. A step back in time can be experienced with a visit to an old jute mill here using industrial revolution technology. The good old hemp and jute is today the biodegradable answer to substitute the notorious plastic. The visit to the village of the plantation workers of Kaliabor Tea Estate, who come from a tribe known as the Jhummars with their white and red coloured dresses is another lovely living culture experience.

Orang National Park – Orang National Park & Tiger Reserve is truly a lost wilderness, very much accessible (just 15-odd kms detour from the main Guwahati-Tezpur north bank road), but still cut-off from the main world. The much-smaller sibling of the grand Kaziranga National Park, Orang is quite a surprise-package by itself. The range guard there told me that Orang has one of the highest densities of tigers in the entire North East. This should be definitely on top of any wildlife enthusiast’s list.

Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary – Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area which is located around 55-60 kms from Tezpur. It is situated along the lower regions of the Great Himalayan Range. Indian Bison and elephants are the main attractions of Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary, named after the two famous rivers which flow through it – Sanai and Rupai, additionally offers you something past its awesome untamed life. As this spot reaches out along the lower regions of the Himalayan reach, the pleasant excellence of the environmental elements comes as an additional bouquet.

Kaziranga “6^th Edition” – As unique as its name, this hidden locale was discovered on one of the random bike rides of mine. Till then it was unknown to me, that Kaziranga National Park actually extends towards the northern banks of Brahamaputra as well. Not sure for what reason it’s called the ‘6^th Edition’, but this place is an absolute delight, especially for people looking for places ‘Off-the-Beaten-Track’. A beautiful stream with village fishing nets, a nicely developed park with gazebos, children play area, benches etc and a friendly forest department staff – ideal for a day picnic.

Sapoi Tea Estate – Established in 1914, Sapoi Heritage Tea Farms, once a British colony, bears a colonial past. Nurtured by the ‘Kanoi’ family, the tea estate has been a part of their family for over five generations now. Offering much more than just a hotel, this tea farm is a whole new experience. Nestled in a quiet atmosphere, Sapoi Tea Farm evokes a rustic-vibe vacation. With luxurious accommodation amidst the tea gardens in their traditional Tea-Bungalow, guests can also indulge in a productive time of learning more about the history and manufacture of the beloved chai. You can go for a tour to the local organic tea farm/factory and see how handmade tea is harvested and processed, it’s truly an experience to cherish.

Bhairabkund & Bhutan Border – Bhairabkunda is a popular picnic spot in Udalguri district, Assam, and is located at tri-junction of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan, which is near Daifam of Bhutanese city (known for its wine trade). Here two rivers – Bhairabi, Jampani merge to make crystal clear waters of Dhansiri River, which is a major subsidiary of the river Brahmaputra. The mountainous background of merging rivers and majestic scenes has made it ideal for the shutterbug. Every year in January during ‘Makar Sankranti’, Bhairabkund Tourism Festival is organized. Bhairabkunda is also prominently known as an important tourist place for the pilgrims. The meeting point of rivers looks like a ‘Kunda’ (worshipping place of Lord Shiva), thus, probably it got the name Bhairabkunda.

Paradise Lake & Chapanala Falls – Also known as Champawati Kunda, Chapanala Falls is located in the Nagaon district of Assam. This beautiful and serene waterfall is a great picnic spot where you can visit, especially during winters or just post-monsoons, to spend some time with your friends and family. Another place to visit nearby is the Samaguri Beel popularly known as Pokhi Tirth or Bird Pilgrimage where you will find a beautiful lake with diverse species of migratory birds. A ‘hidden gem’ in the vicinity is the Paradise Lake. True to its name, it’s a stunningly beautiful lake, but with some mysterious stories also attached to it – of being called a ‘haunted lake’ or a ‘death trap’. Many young boys have lost their lives while swimming in this lake. No veracity of these stories, but swimming and diving here is strictly prohibited.

Bornadi & Bogamati Picnic Spots – Situated in the Himalayan foothills, Bornadi Wildlife Sanctuary sprawls between Udalguri and Baksa districts of Assam. The sanctuary also flanks Bhutan border and is named after the River Bornadi which flows on the western side of this wildlife reserve. Bornadi was recognized as a wildlife sanctuary in 1980 and it was established to protect the rare species of Hispid Hare and Pygmy Hog. ‘Bogamati’ refers to a white river in Assamese and infers its title from the vast deposits of white sand and stone in the banks of the stream. The picturesque view of the Bhutan Hills is what pulls in people to this picnic spot. One can trek to the golden Buddha statue on the nearby hill or drive through the shallow river water to Bhutan to enjoy the local delicacies. River rafting, trekking, paragliding, ziplining and a few other adventure activities are also on offer here.

The moment anybody mentions Assam, a series of vivid images floods the mind – a vast green expanse of closely cropped tea bushes, the almost limitless stretch of majestic Brahmaputra, the formidable Indian one-horned Rhino grazing by a beel (Assam wetland) in Kaziranga and groups of splendidly dressed people dancing sinuously to the rhythms of the Bihu drum. Assam is synonymous with unspoiled natural beauty, teeming wildlife, immaculate tea gardens and warm, beautiful people. Its accessibility from the rest of the country rightly makes it the gateway to North East India. There’s so much to see, so much to do, and so much more to explore in this beautiful state and the nearby state of Arunachal Pradesh. Let’s see where all more my ‘Thunderrena’ and ‘Yeti’ can take me…!!!