If you want to spend one weekend outside your home relaxing you have many options lying with you. Some are near and some are far away like 4 to 6 hours drive. But if you want to spend an weekend evening into the silence of nature without the reach of modern day mobile network, television, Facebook, WhatsApp, or any other modern day entertainment facility. Followed by a silent morning breakfast and a lunch with ethnic way of cooking in an ethnic village than what will be your option? I was also not sure until last year September, but now we have details information of few such options.
When my wife informed me about an all inclusive package trip for a weekend at Chandubi I was not sure how interesting or relaxing it will be. Earlier I have visited the place couple of time but those were a day long or for few hours visit only. But I agreed to my wife’s proposal of staying one night at this place as the details of the package includes some tempting potential for wildlife as well as people photography.
The Boating Point at Chundubi Beel
On 12 Jun 1897 at local time 05:15pm a massive earthquake hit Assam which caused loss of 1,542 life and huge damage in property. The earthquake was felt 650,000 square kilometer from Myanmar to Western states of India. Even Bhutan was badly affected during this earthquake. Due to this earthquake a huge forest area went down and created a lake which now known as Chandubi Beel. Located at a distance of around 64km from state capital Guwahati. The beel is surrounded by deep forest and small village. A large numbers of wild elephant live in those forests.
There are many different stories regarding the origin of the name ‘Chandubi’. One such story says that the Khasi people living nearby area of Khasi Hill used to perform a religious ritual in the honor of their god known as Chan-ubleis near this water body. In Khasi language water body were call ‘dubi´. For these the nearby people started referring this lake as ‘Chan-ublei-dubi´ which latter become popular as ‘Chandubi’.
Ariial View of Chandubi Beel
In that day of September 2018, we arrived Chandubi at around 3pm and as we reached the Tourist Lodge at the bank of Chandubi lake, we saw few shooting crew doing some video and still photo shot of different kind. Local people were sitting in group doing gossip. Some local vendors were selling vegetables. The 1st impression makes me a little disappointed as I was not expecting so many crowds. We checked into our room and put our luggage in it. After refreshing ourselves we came out to the bank of the lake to witness one of its main attraction-the Sunset. The landscape of Chandubi becomes wonderfully beautiful during the golden hour of sunset. Any photographer would like to capture this landscape during golden and blue hour with long exposer shot. If you are not a photographer no problem, you will also enjoy the picturesque beauty of the local fisher man returning to home with their small fishing boat under the golden sky and its reflection on the lake water.
Golden Hour Moment at Chandubi
Sunset at Chundubi Beel
Once the daylight was reducing, to my delight every once around the place were closing their activity and leaving the place. Finally at around 7pm the only people remain in that place were the cook of the lodge and a care taker apart from me and my wife. That time I only thought how wonderful it will be to spend few hours on the bank of Chandubi Lake in a full moon night. Unfortunately that night was not a full moon night but the silence of nature brought full relaxation to us.
The cook was preparing our food in the lodge’s kitchen on a traditional Assamese ‘Chouka’ (clay oven) using wood for fire. This type of cooking gives an additional smoky flavor to your food. The homely food which cooked using local ingredient was excellent in test. Next day early morning I was roaming around the place with my camera for some bird photography and witnessed different type of residential woodland bird such as Common iora, Black-headed oriole, Green leafbird, Tailorbird, Barbet, etc. A beautiful pair of Spotted Owlet was setting under the morning light on branch of a tree just in front of the Tourist Lodge. During winter few migratory birds also take shelter into this lack.
Common Iora at Chandubi
On my return a homely breakfast was ready. Our main purpose of this short trip was to spent some time relaxing into the silent of nature and then exploring the area in and around Chandubi lake. So, post breakfast we left the Chandubi Lake and headed towards Bherbheri village. Before reaching the village we arrived at the bank of Kulshi River which formed a beautiful landscape in the foot hill of Garo Hill of Meghalaya. A group of youth from different village of this area along with Utpal Jyoti Das of Mirza is working hard to develop echo tourism in this area. As a part of this, during winter they organise pre booked picnic at the bank of this river near Bherbheri. Bherbheri is a village of Rabha community of Assam which is a very potential place for street and people photography. It’s one of the clean and beautiful villages I have ever seen. One will see the true picture of Swachh Bharat mission in this village.
Kulashi River Near Bherbheri Village
Near Bherbheri Village
Our lunch was arranged in and nearby Garo Village. Various item of Pork, Local Chicken, Local Fish, vegetable cooked in Garo style was the part of our lunch. Lunch was served in the kitchen of the Garo family in such a neat and clean way that we will remember this lunch for a long time. A beautiful waterfall is located just near the premises of this Garo family. We ended our small trip there and started our return journey back to our home.
Life at Chabdubi
