Our small ship cruise on the Brahmaputra River through Assam in northeast India started in Guwahati. During the bus transfer from the airport to the M.V. Mahabaahu we made a short stop at the Hindu Kamakhya Temple, where legend says that the Gods Sati and Shiva met. This site is of particular importance to the followers of Tantra and the esoteric traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism.
Embarkation in Guwahati, India
Almost immediately after setting sail we stopped at a tiny, tree-covered island known as Peacock Island. A small temple was present but there were no human inhabitants. Instead we were greeted by a surprisingly outgoing Golden Langur monkey that came down from the trees to pose with us for photos.
Our first golden. sunset was a delightful way to begin our Brahmaputra adventure.
Day 2: Bangla Village
We explored a Bangla Muslim farming village in Upera walking through fields of yellow mustard seed flowers and cabbages.
The young children were excited to welcome us to their village awaiting our arrival on the sandy banks of the Brahmaputra. After requesting permission to take photographs, we shared the images with the children and enjoyed looking at them together.
Day 3: A Foggy Day of Cruising on the Brahmaputra River
Our third day became a relaxing sea-day due to unexpectedly foggy conditions. We were told the fog only occurs on 19 days out of each season. We were the lucky ones welcoming the downtime to simply relax. I took advantage of my free time to experience a two-hour Ayurvedic massage for my first time. This was a very different massage than what I was accustomed to, with the Ayervedic holistic techniques focussing on relief of physical and emotional stress. Laying on a solid teakwood table, I was surprisingly comfortable as two attendants applyied gallons of hot essential oils and a variety of herbs throughout my massage.
Day 4: Kaziranga National Park– UNESCO World Heritage Site
Elephant-Back Safari & Jeep Safari
The Brahmaputra is no ordinary river and is a destination unto itself. It is the only river, apart from the Zambezi in Africa, with direct access to a game reserve. Kaziranga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site and has been referred to by National Geographic as “the Serengeti of India”.
The 430-square-mile park is home to the endangered one-horned white rhinoceros. Park attendants informed us that poachers hunt these endangered rhinos. A controversial “shoot-to-kill” policy is in place if the rangers discover poachers.
We were up at 3am anxious to begin our day in four-wheel drive vehicles headed to Kaziranga National Park for an elephant-back safari experience. The mist was rising from the grass as the sun came up. Escorted by mahouts and armed guards, the safari lasted 90-minutes.
We saw many one-horned rhinos, wild boars, deer, antelope, and buffalos in the tall elephant grass. They rhinos looked prehistoric with their many folds of “armour”. Looking down into the grass we saw bright pink flowers growing on the rhino dung! While I was conflicted about riding an elephant, the park attendants assured us that these elephants do only two morning rides and are free to roam in the grasslands for the remainder of the day. Furthermore, the playful baby elephants were allowed to follow alongside their mothers.
In the afternoon, we set out on a Jeep safari. Unfortunately, this was a less-than-optimal experience. It is a tourist hot spot over the Christmas and New Year periods. Jeeps followed one another closely and created dust and congestion.
Tea & Jute
Walking in the fields of a tea plantation we were greeted by Assamese dancers performing in colourful costumes. All of the workers came over to watch the dancers and greet us.
Before returning to the ship we also visited a jute factory that dated back to 1959. It all looked like I might have imagined the factory operating in earlier times with its archaic methods of softening, spinning, twisting and spool-winding equipment. This particular factory employs over 300 men, and while they can mechanize the jute production, keeping the factory open without updating the equipment, helps support the local workers whose jobs are coveted.
Photo: Jute Factory
Day 5: Bishwanath Ghat & Boat Safari
On day five of our cruise, we visited Bishwanath Ghat, a weaving village with looms in almost every house. And the village children played happily throughout the dusty laneways and gave us a very warm welcome.
The village was awash with brightly-coloured textiles woven by the villagers. Many guests purchased clothing and fabrics, which delighted the villagers proudly displaying their creations.
We then had another opportunity to explore the eastern range of Kaziranga National Park on a boat safari. Mayuresh, the naturalist onboard of cruise mentioned that he spotted a tiger at the base of the steep cliffs on the water’s edge on a previous cruise. I remained hopeful we would see one of the elusive tigers. Alas! Maybe next time.
As the night approached, we anchored and watched while the crew made a campfire on a large sandbank. The staff and crew welcomed us to “the island” with drinks, music and a barbecue.
It was a magical experience to be literally in the middle of nowhere on a sandbank under the stars playing charades, singing and then releasing traditional lanterns into the river as we each made a wish.
Day 6: Mishing Village Visit
Mishing was one of the two unique villages that we visited on our last couple of days. Homes were on stilts and made of bamboo. We were welcomed to climb up and see inside these pristine accommodations. They were followers of the Donyi-Polo animistic worship, and their ancestry traces back to Tibet.
At the centre of the village, we watched a demonstration on how to tie and wear traditional Mishing clothing. Villagers delighted in dressing my 34-year-old son in a dhoti and kurta with a traditional red and white scarf. He was followed by children for the rest of our visit, who treated him like a movie star!
I was dressed in a stunning lime green silk Mekhela Chaadar Sari. And my daughter in a rich red and purple one!
We enjoyed an Assamese-themed evening that included being outfitted in local garb, dancing, cocktails, and a traditional Assamese dinner of Maasai tinga (fish curry) and baanhgajor logos Kukura (chicken with bamboo shoots).
Day 7: Majuli Island & Sivasagar
With a busy morning on our last day of sailing, we visited Majuli Island for immersion into the Neo-Vaishnav Hindu sect that calls the island home.
Throughout the morning, we learned about different dance forms at the Kamalabari Satra temple. It was a privilege to watch the intriguing and complex dance and drum performance by the priests called “Gayan Bayan” and walk around the temple grounds.
In the afternoon, we took a five-hour excursion by land to visit Sivasagar to learn about the history of the Ahom Kingdom, and its 600 years of influence on the history of Assam.
There was a structure called Sivasagar Sivadol that was built by the Ahoms. And we climbed up we could see the local street activities leading to the temple.
At the end of the night, we returned to the ship for cocktails and a farewell dinner.
Day 8: Time to Say Goodbye
Our final stop on the Brahmaputra River Cruise was at a family-owned tea plantation where we had a homemade lunch, a presentation by a tea master, and a tour of the property by the owners.
Then we were off to the Jorhat Military Airport for our flight to Delhi. No photographs were permitted at this airport.
I was grateful for the opportunity to visit this virtually untouristed region in northeast India and to interact with the isolated communities along the Brahmaputra River.
I am looking forward to revisiting this part of India again! To read my full story about this river expedition please refer to the In The Press section of my website. Feel free to send any questions or comments to me as well.