Bengaluru - Arunachal Pradesh - Guwahati Road Trip, Dec 2022 - Itinerary

Phase 1:  Drive to Arunachal Pradesh

27th Dec 2022: Bangalore - Gandikota 292 km, 7 hrs …..Penna river

• AP Tourism Haritha resort Gandikota

28th: Gandikota - Vijaywada 430 km, 9 hrs …..Krishna river

• aptdc berm park haritha hotel

29th: Vijaywada - Rajhamundry 170 km, 3.5 hrs ….Godavari river

• La Hospin hotel

30th: Rajhamundry - Araku Valley 268 km, 7 hrs …..Araku valley 

• araku haritha mayuri hotel, 30, 31st

1st Jan 2023: Araku Valley - Chilika lake 350 km, 8 hrs … Chilika lake

• OTDC panthanivas, rambha, 1st, 2nd

3rd: Rambha - Chandipur beach 340 km, 7.5 hrs …….Chandipur beach

• OTDC panthanivas Chandipur

4th: Chandipur - Shantiniketan 393 km, 8 hrs ……Shantiniketan

• University guest house Shantiniketan

5th: Shantiniketan - Raiganj 261 km, 7 hrs …. 

• Dinanty Tourism Property, Raiganj

6th: Raiganj - Murti 238 km, 6 hrs …. Murti river

• Murti WBFDC Banani resort, 6th, 7th nights

8th: Murti - Guwahati 415 km, 9.5 hrs

Phase 2: Guwahati R&R and drive through Assam

• Bougainville Homestay near Mahindra quick service station (near GS Road, Assam zoo and botanical garden) 8th,9th, 10th

11th: Guwahati to Jorhat, 293 km, 6.5 hrs, G K Palace hotel

Phase 3: Explore eastern and central Arunachal

12th: Jorhat to Pasighat , 258 km, 6 hrs, 

• Kham Homestay

Crossed into Arunachal 3853 kms from Bangalore on 17th day

13th: Pasighat to Kamba island, 127 km, 7 hrs,

• Island resort Kamba, 13th,14 th

15th: Kamba to Roing, 

• ….homestay, Roing

16th: Roing to Hayuliang, 

• Amul Nimai homestay

17th: Hayuliang to Walong + border excursion, 191 kms,

• Nom kholong homestay, Walong

18th: Walong to Hayuliang, 95 kms

•  Anu Nimai Homestay

19th: Hayuliang to Passighat, 254 kms

• …homestay

20th: Passighat to Pobdi, 121 km, 

• Rakken homestay, Pobdi

21st: Pobdi to Mechuka, + border excursion, 214 kms, 

• Yargyap Chu homestay, Mechuka, 21st,22 nd,23rd,

24th: Mechuka to Kamba, 149 kms, 

• Island Resort, Kamba, 24th,25th

26th:  Kamba to Dibrugarh, 201 kms, 

• hotel Pushkara Sarovar

Exited Arunachalat 5565 kms

Total drive in Arunachal 1700+ kms, 14 days

Phase 4: Assam traverse, unwind, transport/park car and fly back

27th: Dibrugarh to Kaziranga east range, 238 kms,

• Agaratoli resort, 27th, 28 th, 29 th

30th: Kaziranga to Guwahati, 226 kms, 

• Bougainvillea Resort, 30th, 31 st, 
• Tribo hotel near airport, 1 st Feb

Total drive of 6079 kms

Parked Scorpio in Guwahati, Feb 1st ( Road trip ends after 37 days)

Guwahati to Chennai, Flight, Feb 2 and Chennai - Bangalore (taxi) Feb 4th ( Return home after 40 days)

North East Road Trip - 7: Kaziranga, Guwahati

Day 31, Jan 27. 

I guess I must be winding down from this trip already. I have missed two days' diary entries, and am writing this two days later even though these days have been less busy than the earlier ones.

We left Hotel Pushkara Sarovar in Dibrugarh after breakfast. I must say it was a welcome change to stay in a room where all the amenities were in tip top shape. We didn't stir out of the hotel, just had good baths and unwound.

After about 5 hours drive, arrived in Agoratoli Resort near Bokokhat. It's walking distance to the entrance of the eastern range of the great Kaziranga National park. Set amidst fields and  tidy villages. A truly rustic environment. Staying in a comfortable mud house in a shady compound. Bittoo, the young man in charge of the place, is cheerful and energetic.  Amazingly, he also speaks Tamil, obviously once fluently, although now it has become a little rusty.  This makes him the third young Assamese man we have come across by sheer chance who knows some Tamil at least -- imagine what the total number must be!

Took a slow evening walk along one of the quiet roads outside. Came back and sat next to a small bonfire with a couple of other guests and chatted comfortably. He is a German diplomat based in Kolkata, and she is an American who has spent 9 years in Haiti.

Day 32, Jan 28.  

Set off in a jeep after an early breakfast for the great Kaziranga safari. Earlier, we had thought we would skip it, but it seems rather pointless to be here and not even try to catch a  glimpse of the wildlife.  As it turned out, we saw at a distance a couple of rhinos, herds of wild buffalo with great horns, hog deer and swamp deer, and a host of migratory birds, including bar headed geese and Northern Shovelers from Siberia. A lovely spotted owl stared at us from a tree branch.  No luck in spotting tigers, but we were lucky to suddenly come across a wild mother elephant feeding on plants with her young calf just by the side of the road.

Evening, took a 5 km walk along the road from this place in another direction. An elderly man stopped to chat and then, with an eloquent gesture of his hand, bade us follow him. He took us to his house, pulled up a couple of chairs outside and invited us to sit. We sat chatting for about 20 minutes, during which time his wife and college going son arrived. Later, a mama goat with its two kids came strolling in nonchalantly. Our host said his older son works inside the Park. Offered us tea, but we said we wanted to get back before it got dark and took our leave.  On the way home it was lovely to watch the villagers rounding up  their cattle, goats, ducks and geese from the fields and ponds, all of them heading to their respective homes. This was accompanied by the loud bellowing of calves and bleating of tiny goat kids.  All of this as the sun set slowly behind us.

Day 33, Jan 29.  

Our last day, or half day, of sightseeing. Set off in the morning to see the Kakojan waterfall, about 40 minutes away. This is in the tribal Karbi Anglong district, and one could see the change in the looks of the people and the clothing they wear. Assam is home to so many different peoples, like most of the North East.

The waterfall didn't disappoint. A half hour trek, on a nicely  demarcated path, takes one to the waterfall set amidst mainly bamboo forest. It was good to see that people mostly stood at a respectful distance on a foot bridge, and that one was not subjected to the sight of fleshy men stripping and cavorting in the water, as I have seen at other waterfall spots. It was lucky that we went early, because by the time we returned to the parking lot, it was chock full of people and cars. 

Met our jeep driver from yesterday at the waterfall, bringing another lot of guests from our own resort. He told us of several other things we could do, including visiting the Numaligarh fort, boating on the Brahmaputra, and attending a tribal dance performance at night at the Kaziranga Orchid Park. Kannan was all charged up to do these things. Looking at the map he even got the idea of doing a quick foray to Dimapur in Nagaland, but there I put my foot down. 

 

As it turned out, we did none of these things. After getting our mud-caked Scorpio professionally washed (it emerged gleaming), we had only enough time and energy to go home for lunch and sleep. Then, from about 3.30 to 6 pm, we did a mammoth job of sorting all our belongings into what flies home with us, what remains with the car, and what will eventually get discarded. Felt more in control of things after that, but effectively, that marked the end of our holiday.

Day 34, Jan 30.  

Reached Guwahati in good time, four and a half hours. Checked into the now familiar Bougainvillea. Time to arrange for the disposal of our faithful Scorpio.  Our road trip of over 6000 Kms has come to an end.

North East Road Trip 1

North East Road Trip - 6: Kamba , Kambu village, Likabali check post

Day 29, Jan 24

We finally commenced our Journey Home! Mechuka was meant to be the end point or high point of our trip, and now we have started our descent back to the plains and with the end in sight. Again, fearing that we may not make it in time through the road closing points, we got up at 4.30 am and left at 5.30 in the dark and bitter cold.  Our hosts were hospitable enough to see us off shivering while we loaded our stuff, buckled ourselves in and slowly reversed out of their gate.  We plunged again into the horrible stretch of road that started right at the exit point of Mechuka.  Luckily, the rest of the ride went pretty smoothly with no major shocks, and we reached the familiar Island Resort at Kamba before 2 pm.   

We were actually early, and so we had to cool our heels at a couple of places en route waiting for the road to be opened. But these stops afforded the chance to engage in nice conversations with others.  I had a long chat with a man from Aalo working in the Jal Jeevan Mission who had studied in the South. We talked about the development that is coming into Arunachal, the lack of educational opportunities here, and the ignorance of other Indians about Arunachal. This last point was also made by a young student who was chatting with Kannan. These conversations usually begin with someone asking where we are from, and then expressing amazement on hearing that we have driven all the way from Bangalore.  Almost always, we have found a friendly and lively interest as well as great courtesy on their part.

Last time we came to the Island Resort at Kamba, it was drizzly and cold, but this time we arrived to find sunshine and warmth. It was a balm for our frozen selves, and we could feel ourselves thaw. For the first time since we entered Arunachal, I actually wanted to have a full head bath.  It was nice to meet our young host Bharati again, to see the dogs, cat and cows, and to get big  welcoming smiles from the young boys working here. Almost felt like coming home. Shed some layers of clothing and enjoyed walking around without shivering.  Even though it was a weekday, there were 2-3 groups of people picnicking, playing music and strolling around. Particularly nice to watch was a group of 4 young women who laughed and danced almost continuously and without any inhibition to loud music, mostly retro Bollywood.  No one stared or ogled them, even though there was another group of young men enjoying themselves nearby. It would be hard to imagine that in some other part of the country. From the little that I have seen, women here clearly have the right to enjoy themselves in public unescorted.

Day 30, Jan 25. 

Our last full day in Arunachal.  Devoted mainly to making onward bookings till the end of the trip, and washing and drying certain essential items of clothing, taking advantage of the mellow sunshine.

In between, however, from noon to about 4 pm, we had what was perhaps the most interesting and unusual experience of our time in Arunachal.  Bharati arranged for her young chacha to take us on a visit to their village (or basti, as they call it) at nearby Kambu. To get there, I had to overcome my fear of crossing a fairly long  hanging bridge. Our guide Ninu met us on the other end and we walked uphill to the village.  Very picturesquely situated and neat and clean.  Mostly old style houses made of bamboo.  One structure was a hall for their community meetings.

Shyom river near Kambu village

The real surprise was that Ninu just walked us into a celebration of the first birthday of the son of one of his relatives. Whoever from the village was not working elsewhere at the time was there. It was a regular community affair, with all the women together cooking and serving.  We were touched by the sincere warmth  with which we were greeted as people shook hands and made us feel very welcome.  Were served apong, as rice beer is called. Also numerous servings of mainly fish or chicken delicacies. There was both the mandatory birthday cake and singing of "happy birthday to you" as well as the singing of traditional songs. Several people got up and spoke. We couldn't understand, but guessed that they were conveying their good wishes to little "Mr. Bingam Ninu", a good tempered and unflappable baby who didn't seem to mind being passed from hand to hand.  What we thought would be a brief visit stretched on, as none of the participants seemed to be in a hurry to leave, and neither did our guide Ninu. He told us that it would carry on until the night.  Quite different from our city celebrations. Eventually, several glasses of apong later, we took our leave. Ninu became quite emotional when he saw us off at the hanging bridge, asking us to call him from time to time when we returned to Bangalore.  There is a simplicity about many of the people we have come across here. It's a quality you don't find much elsewhere anymore.

Day 31, Jan 26.  

Our travels in Arunachal ended today. Instead of retracing the Aalo to Pasighat route, which we were getting tired of, we took a different route to the Likabali check post. On the way in the early morning we passed a couple of Republic Day parades taken out by schoolchildren, carefully marshalled by their teachers, vigorously shouting "Bharat desh hamara hai" and such slogans.

Like practically all the roads we have travelled on in this state, this one too had its great stretches, its passable stretches, and its downright awful stretches. We went up and down at least 6 hills before we reached the end, and sometimes we were quite literally in the clouds. A key problem in getting anywhere by road in Arunachal is knowing when, where and for how long they are going to close the road for road work. Sometimes there is no logic to it. You go rushing to try and beat the road closure, only to find out that the road isn't closed. And at other times one goes along blithely only to be stopped unexpectedly.  I expect it will take years before this problem goes away.

Suddenly the hills fell behind us, and we were in Assam.  Felt sorry to leave Arunachal after a full two weeks there.  What will I miss most? Well, the scenery is indeed beautiful. You can sum it up as rivers, valleys, jungles, hills and mountains. But even more, it is hard to find such nice people elsewhere. Friendly, hospitable, curious, courteous, cheerful, non-aggressive, aware -- these are some of the adjectives that come to my mind. On their part,  I think that they were pleasantly surprised that two not-young people from "India" took the trouble to drive all the way from Bangalore in the deep south to see their land.

Will end this section on Arunachal with some snapshot memories: 

green rivers; nested green hills like soaring triangles with blunt tips; orange trees; oranges sold in wicker baskets by the roadside; wild banana trees with red stems covering steep hillsides; crystal clear water springing from the hillsides; rock falls; early nightfall; rounded riverbank stones of all sizes; thatched roof houses on tall wooden stilts; Donyi Polo flags, a red sun against a white background; men wearing straw hats, women wearing beautiful woven sarongs; older men and women wearing a sheathed dao on a belt slung across the shoulder; little children and babies with big black bindis on their foreheads; dogs with furry curled tails, affectionately treated by humans; elegantly coloured Mithun cattle; mist and clouds like unrolled cotton wool; bamboo, bamboo and more bamboo; lightly spiced boiled food, good for health and easy on the digestive system; apong (rice beer); hanging bridges; families and friends gathered around hearth fires.... 

north-east-road-trip-7       North East Road Trip 1

North East Road Trip - 5: Siyom - Siang sangam, Mechuka

Day 25, Jan 20.  

Yesterday, at Pasighat, we checked into a homestay run by a Kham Tibetan couple.  It's clear that they take their role as hosts seriously.  They received us ceremoniously, and they courteously sit and talk with us when we are having tea and meals.  This morning, after a nice breakfast and a ceremonial send off with white scarves, we set out for Aalo.  And sure enough, after 3 hours, the thing that we had been expecting for days, but not on this route, happened. We were faced with a road closure and the prospect of having to wait for two and a half hours!

 

We  must have looked really crestfallen, because a passenger in another vehicle suggested that we pass time by going to a nearby bridge and looking at the view. It turned out to be excellent advice, because from the bridge we found a path leading very close to the point where the dark green Siyom river merges with the light green Siang. What a beautiful sight! We happily passed one hour sitting perched on rocks above the water.

At the riverside we could hear loud Bollywood music playing and much dancing and merriment. A young woman called out to us to come. Turned out to be a mixed group of younger and older women. As far as I could tell they were Tibetans celebrating the start of Losar, their new year. Kannan was startled when the one who called out said that they would dance for us if we paid some money. He hastily refused, and they didn't take offence. Obviously quite a bit of liquor had already flowed. The bold one, somewhat bleary eyed, shook my hand gravely and wished me happy new year.  As we moved away, another one called out to us to stay and have food with them. The only man seemed to be a young guy who was handling the loudspeaker and music, and who looked slightly embarassed at the boldness of the young women.

We resumed our journey and reached Rakken Homestay near Aalo while it was still light and enjoyed some green tea with our host couple on a sun filled terrace. After it got dark the hosts lit a roaring fire in the kitchen cum dining room. The host and his wife, their 5 year old daughter and a neighbour all sat around the fire  with us and chatted in a relaxed manner. We found out that they are mostly self sufficient in the vegetables and grain they consume, the fish they catch from their own tank, and even in the rice beer they brew. We shared some rice beer with them and I found that it had a pleasant taste, like fruit wine. 

A traditional house opposite Rakken homestay 

Day 26, Jan 21.  

Today's road was the worst we have encountered on this trip.  Kannan was so determined to get past the road closure points before we found our way blocked that he got up at 4 am.  I too reluctantly got up at 4.30, and we were on our way at 5.30, before sunrise. 

We did get through the road closures, but the less said about the road the better.  The devastation wrought by the hill cutting is  enormous.  I think it will take at least 5 years to finish the road to Mechuka.   But from the impression I get from the homestay hosts at least, they are all excited about the "development" that is seeping into Arunachal, and are quite philosophical about the accompanying chaos.

The journey that Google maps said would take us 3 hours and 36 minutes took us 7 hours and 45 minutes, including a half hour wayside stop. The bad road ended exactly at the doorstep of Mechuka. Unlike the other small towns we have passed through, which mostly have terrible roads, Mechuka's streets are neatly white topped. The Arunachal government is doing a lot to promote tourism here. I can see why.  After the narrow valleys and hills covered with jungles, the river here, known as Yargap Chu, opens out into a broad valley, with  light coloured rounded hills and tall snow peaks all around.  Very picturesque.  We reached Zenyor Homestay around 1.15.

I have never felt so cold anywhere as I have here. The temperature inside our room is 7 degrees.  Luckily, they keep a roaring fire blazing in the central room where the family and guests gather. It is not just the problem of network and connectivity they have here. Power has come for only an hour since we arrived. And that is true all the time except for the summer. A hot bath eluded us.

Although the sky was overcast and the weather blustery when we  got here, we had a good walk from 2 to 4 pm up the hill near the house from where we got a great view of the town, the valley and the mountains. The top of the hill was dotted with small army bunkers, obviously used once to keep an eye on Chinese intruders.  But they are not in operational use any more, and are only used, our host tells us, for army practice. A somewhat eerie sight. 

Day 27, Jan 22.  

We finally got the trek that Kannan has been  yearning for. Went up a broad hill that faces the town and which even has the word "Menchukha" emblazoned across the top in bold letters. Our host was kind enough to take us to the starting point in his car and to pick us up at the end. We took 4 hours and 45 minutes to climb to the highest point, walk along the ridge, and descend down the other end. Compared to the Kudremukh climb we did in December, this was easier. Most of  the terrain resembled the bugiyals of Himachal and Uttarakhand.  They were a light brown colour since this is the dry season. Followed a fairly well demarcated path the whole way. The only living beings we met on the way were a lonely mule and two young women from another homestay who were escorting some guests who had come from Assam. Two of the guests turned back after a while so I felt quite pleased with myself for persevering.

 

There were striking views of the town as well as the hills and valleys that could be seen on all sides. Also snow peaks. We were slightly disappointed that we didn't get the sunny day we had hoped for. But the lightly overcast sky without rain was probably better for trekking. 

We came in for a lot of praise from our hosts for being "strong" for completing the trek  But when we returned to the homestay all we could do was to just plonk ourselves in the fire warmed living room and chill out by watching "Three Idiots" playing on the TV. A real change from our days of endless driving and no TV.

Day 28, Jan 23.  

We woke up to a thick fog, but our host assured us that this meant it would be sunny. And sure enough by about 9.30 there was a bright sun and a brilliant blue sky, the first time  since we came to Mechuka.  That dispelled the chill and gloom and pumped some energy into us. On our host's advice, we set out driving in the direction of the China border, along the Yargap Chu. Drove up as far as we could to Yarlong village, where an army barrier doesn't permit you to go further unless you have a special pass. We found out from the sentry that with a pass, you are allowed to drive another 20 kms, but that the border is 43 kms away. 

Turning back, we passed scattered patches of snow at our level for the first half kilometre or so.  We stopped at a gurudwara named Shri Tapostan Saheb with an interesting history.  Apparently an Indian army Major found out quite by chance that local people were worshipping "Nanak Lama" from Amritsar whom they insisted had visited there. A gurudwara was then erected by the army personnel themselves, and is apparently maintained by them in rotation. We and a group of cheerful Arunachali women tourists got a guided tour followed by quite a passable lunch served by 3 armymen in the langar. The army men chatted with us for a while before we left and admired us for having the 'himmat' to undertake the long drive from Bangalore. Despite the genuine pleasure that they seemed to derive from being the caretakers of the gurudwara, it gives me an uneasy feeling to see the army involved so directly in religious matters and flaunting religious symbols, mainly Hindu, so openly. I feel that it is a fairly recent tendency.  In a part of the country dominated by indigenous faiths like Donyi Polo, as well as Christianity and Buddhism, it looks like Hinduism is making inroads piggybacking on the extensive army presence.

Retracing the way we came, we stopped at a small Hanuman  shrine famous for a fairly recognisable face of Hanuman fabricated by nature on the opposite hill.  Our final stop was at a Buddhist shrine marking a spot where the 8th century patron guru of these parts, Padma Sambhava, is supposed to have meditated in a cave  and warded off the attack of a tiger. A pretty spot with a lovely waterfall.  This ended a day of visiting holy places of various denominations!  About halfway through the drive, the sun and blue sky vanished again and the weather turned overcast and blustery. But at least we caught a glimpse of how lovely it could be.

The Yargyap Chu flowing by Mechuka

Back at the homestay, we had a nice interaction with the just arrived guests, a group of 4 spirited young women from Assam. All fully qualified doctors, long time friends and batchmates, who decided to take a brief holiday together before taking up their first jobs. They had very ambitious plans of seeing everything possible in one day, and asked for our advice. Sitting around the fire, chatting with them, their driver and our genial hosts was a nice way to end our stay in Mechuka.

north-east-road-trip-6. North East Road Trip 1

North East Road Trip - 4: Hayuliang, Walong, Dong

Day 21, Jan 16.  

It rained a good part of the night and early morning, the drops drumming fiercely on the tin roof.  There was not much incentive to do anything, but as the rain eased off a bit, we managed to get a good 50 minute walk in the quiet residential area.  Stopped to take a photo of a charming traditional style house.  One of the residents, who was driving out, stopped and got off his bike to chat with us. He warned us about people who drink and drive to the Mayudia pass, resulting in many accidents.

What Mibo Homestay lacked in conveniences (garbage bin, plug points, mirror, soap, etc) was made up for by the friendly charm of the hostess, the local agricultural development officer.  We had breakfast in her dining area in the centre of which was a large fireplace with a hearty fire burning. She herself had studied in an agricultural college in Maharashtra, and now two of her four daughters were getting coaching for MBBS entrance exams in Guwahati.

Reconciled to trying to make the best of a rainy day, we settled for a drive. We headed for a point from which to get a good view of the Lohit river, about two hours away, with the idea of then heading back to a different homestay in Roing. Instead, a chance encounter with a couple of persons coming from the opposite direction inspired Kannan to make a sea change in our plans. We just drove on, past the viewpoint, to Hayuliang, with the plan to drive on the next day to Walong.  I must say I was a little nonplussed, as I don't take well to plans being changed last minute.  But there was nothing to do but make the best of it. The road was as inexecrable as we were told it would be. But by now we are getting used to long stretches like this in Arunachal.

Staying in a somewhat seedy hotel in Hayuliang, the only place to stay here. An evening walk down the main road pepped us up a  bit, and turned out to be quite useful too. Got a half bottle of McDowell's brandy for just Rs 50, bought a pair of gloves for my freezing fingers, and also got a phone problem fixed. At the far end of the market stretch, were rewarded with a lovely view of the Lohit river in the late evening light.

Day 22, Jan 17.  

Left for Walong in the morning. The road was a vast improvement on yesterday. Reached around 12 noon only to find out that the one homestay we had heard of was full.  Another one up the road was pointed out to us, and that's where we are  now. A huge room with no windows but traditional bamboo matting on the walls, attached to an even larger parlour room with a big fireplace at one end.  We had the whole building to ourselves. The surprise was finding that the young Assamese who seems to do everything in this place, from getting you the room, to cooking and fetching provisions in the market, speaks fluent idiomatic Tamil!  Even offered to make sambar for us for dinner.

He had spent three years in and around Chennai working at various factory and other jobs. Left due to the lockdown and now doesn't want to go back.

 

Walong is supposed to be the easternmost town in mainland India. But it is also known for being a major site of action during the  1962 war, and was actually occupied by the Chinese for a couple of months.  Between here and one of the closest villages to the border, Kibbithu, there are numerous army camps and establishments. None of them seem particularly paranoid about us tourists wandering around.  But of course, we tried not to cross any of their red lines.   On the way to Kibbithu we came across a small shrine type of memorial put up in honour of the Sikh, Kumaoni and Gorkha regiments at Namti plains where major fighting took place.

Day 23, Jan 18.  

Slept with all my clothes on last night, felt so cold. My clock thermometer registered 10.3 degrees this morning. A very large room with little furniture is not conducive to warmth. 

We finally got the trek we were looking for. Asked for a local guide and set out with him for Dong village, which is the starting point for a climb to see a sunrise point. But I didn't have the grit to get up at 2 am and leave at 3, so we opted to start out around 7.45 am.  It was a truly glorious day, with the sun out in full and a cerulean blue sky. Saw a hot springs near Dong, and then for the next two hours  walked amidst beautiful scenery along a quiet road smooth enough to let me take my eyes off the ground ahead of me and gaze around. Walked on a hanging bridge over the rushing green Lohit river, and passed some very pretty wild orange trees. The mountains towered around us, and in the distance one could clearly see snow covered peaks. Lifted my spirits. One of the high points of this journey.

 

Returned, had an early lunch and set off for the by now familiar hotel in Hayuliang.  On the way, we were flagged down by a group of youth. A bit apprehensive, we stopped and rolled down the windows. To our surprise, they didn't ask for money, but very respectfully requested us not to stop for a (urine) break till we crossed the next bridge, as they were conducting a kind of pooja in the area. They seemed very gentle and innocent compared to any similar group of youth one may encounter in other parts of the country. 

Day 24, Jan 19.  

Left before 7 am to head back to Pasighat. The hurry was to pass through 2 points on the road which get closed due to road work later in the morning. Just when it seemed like we were making good time, the car went over a sharp edged stone on the road and a whooosh sound told us that it was a puncture!  We pulled to the side, then Kannan heroically set out

to change tires all on his own.  Changing the tire of a heavy vehicle like a Scorpio is no easy job, so we heaved a sigh of relief when the job got done after 1 hour.  Ironically, the puncture took place at one of the most scenic viewpoints en route, and just in front of a small shrine.  Some more hard driving on a terrible road, and then finally the last three hours were like a superhighway.

For most of the last 2 days the beautiful Lohit river had been our constant companion, sometimes frothing white and sometimes a rich emerald green, sometimes way down below us and sometimes running almost parallel with us. Never got tired of looking at it, especially in the upper Lohit valley with the added bonus of soaring mountains, snow peaks and clear blue skies.  Finally, when we reached the plains, like someone who had been charged with escorting us safely through the twists and turns of the hills, it diverged from us and went weaving its way through the flat land to join the Brahmaputra. It was with some regret on my part  that we parted ways near Tezu and entered into the valley of another river, the Dibang.

north-east-road-trip-5 North East Road Trip 1

North East Road Trip - 1: Gandikota - Vijaywada - Rajahmundry - Araku Valley - Chilika - Chandipur

Day 1, December 27 2022

Finally off on our Odyssey! Left as planned at 7 am sharp.  Stopped for breakfast at the hugely popular Nandi Uphaar, though it was not a patch on our old favourite, Sri Krishna Inn.

A cloudy misty morning turned into blue skies with puffy white clouds after about 2 hours.  Some really nice vistas as we headed into Andhra. At times it felt like we were in a huge bowl, or a huge thali rimmed with low rocky hills. The hills looked like a child had clumsily put rectangular blocks together. Plenty of water bodies, but altogether adrier feel than the more lush western parts of southern India. This is the Rayalseema region.  Groundnuts and sunflower seem to be two products of the region. There was even a Groundnut University in Kadiri.  A traffic jam in Kadiri set us back by about 15 minutes. But it gave a chance to observe some interesting political hoardings.  I was surprised at the patience of the motorists here, compared to Bangalore. Everyone mostly waited patiently, and no honking.    

Passed by the town of Puluvendalu. Clearly the bastion of the current Chief minister, judging from the incongruously wide roads lined with shade trees, and the numerous statues of his father all

Arrived at our first destination, Gandikota in Kadappa district, at the comfortably early time of 2.30 pm. As expected, the government run Haritha hotel is a great property, right near the main tourist spots, with a sprawling campus. But one can see why there is hardly anyone staying here. No towels or soap or drinking water. No hot water. And the AC made enough noise to drive one mad, nor could the AC be turned off! When we called someone to fix it, he climbed on the bedside table, gave it several hard knocks, and it quietened down, but only temporarily.

However, the visit to the Gandikota fort was rewarding. Not so much for the fort itself but for the views of the Penna river defiling through a stunning sandstone canyon and then spreading out into a broad reservoir formed by  the Mayilavaram dam. There were scores of tents pitched on the cliff top. 61Obviously, the thing to do is to sleep overnight in them and wake up to watch the sun rise over the canyon.

Penna canyon at Gandikota

A last surprise. At the hotel, as we walked back in the dark to our room after dinner, we were amazed to see a small army of cows casually saunter into the sprawling campus to have their dinner of fresh grass. It was quite a sight to see them move silently past us and spread out in the ghostly light.

Day 2, Dec 28:

One of the long drives of this trip, to Vijaywada. The road was mostly smooth and straight and flat, and the sun strong, causing us to feel dangerously drowsy. Luckily a small cup of strong sweet tea at the right time perked us up. From my guess, tobacco seemed to be a major crop in  these parts. We made it in good time, 9 hours. Were rewarded by the beautiful sight of the Krishna flanked by hills, which I remember admiring from the train window on many rail journeys between Delhi and the South. The government run Haritha hotel here too is wonderfully located right next to the river.  Definitely better managed than the previous one.   After much needed baths and tea, we sauntered up and down the promenade between the hotel and the river. The public was there in full force enjoying themselves -- either strolling like us, or going on the river boat cruises, or couples sharing moments of intimacy on the benches of the Berm Park. 

Day 3, Dec 29: 

 

Writing these notes while watching the sky turn a dull red over the sweeping expanse of the Godavari river at Rajahmundry. I could watch this forever.

But this day began with parting the curtains over another great river, the Krishna. Lucky to see these two rivers in one day. Went for a brisk morning walk along the promenade. Packed and left in a slightly more leisurely fashion as the ride before us was not long. 

On the way, stopped at a 6th century rock cut temple at Undavalli within the city limits. Initially, felt that the carvings were a bit crude and worn out. But then, on the upper floor against a side wall came across a 30 foot carving of the reclining Vishnu. Since it was unexpected and in semi-darkness, it took our breath away. There was a host of figures all around Vishnu, but the carvings of two sages at his head and feet were particularly fine. How the artists and craftsmen managed to create these by chipping away at the hard rock amazes me!  There was a lovely panoramic view of the surrounding green fields from the cave.

Arrived at Hotel Le Hospin in Rajahmundry by 2.30. Getting there, we crossed the Godavari, which looked every bit as broad and majestic as the Ganga flowing in the plains and almost equalled the Brahmaputra.

There was a brief drama when it transpired that Kannan had accidentally booked the room for a month later! Luckily we were given a room with a grand view of the Godavari by the obliging manager. 

Altogether it was a more relaxed day with easy driving. But the cumulative tiredness of being the sole driver told on Kannan, who fell into a drugged afternoon sleep and could barely wake up. Our plans to drive down to the river ghat were abandoned, and we are both quite content to sit by the window and take in this magnificent view. The dull red of the sky has now turned to smoky black with twinkling lights in the distance.

Day 4, Dec 30.  

Had a good breakfast at the hotel and set out by 8.30.  Headed to our destination, the Araku valley in the northern part of the state. Also known as the Ooty of AP, for its elevation (about 1000 m) and cooler climate. 

The last 3 hours were spent negotiating a couple of stretches of ghat road and, more difficult, negotiating National Highway 516e, which is (unnecessarily) being widened. The road was quite bad in parts and we were saved from the large clouds of dust only by keeping the windows tightly shut. The Araku valley was surprisingly broad and long. Not lush green like the valleys in the Western Ghats, but mostly under cultivation. It is the home of the Araku tribal people.

Arrived at the the Haritha Hill resort around 4. Again, a beautifully situated property with a heart lifting panoramic view of the the surrounding valley and low hills. But could easily do with a  coat of paint from the outside. The room is spacious and clean with an outsize balcony. But why do they always give only 1 towel for 2 people?  Now awaiting the arrival of our dinner through the good offices of one of the employees -- the local speciality, bamboo chicken.

Day 5, Dec 31:

I am writing the notes for this a day later, as the rhythm of this trip got completely disrupted by the news that Amma had tested positive for Covid in Chennai.  The evening went in a blur of phone calls, messages and anxiety. But I need to record a few things anyway.

When we arrived at our hotel, we had to draw the curtains to block out the bright sun. But by next morning, everything outside the balcony was enveloped in a thick white fog. Had to pull out the jacket and socks. But as soon as the fog lifted at 9.30, the sun was super bright again.  Kannan was eager to find a suitable trek to stretch his legs but that was not to be. Araku  is fast trying to become another Kodai or Ooty, and there are hardly any spaces left for treks, let alone a pleasant walk. Instead we drove through dusty roads to view a "sunrise point" near the village of Magadagu; and then in the evening drove another 30 kms to briefly view a waterfall near Ananthagiri. The ride and the spots really reminded me of the tour of Kodai.

The drive was made more uncomfortable by the competition from hundreds of other determined sightseers and New Year revellers all wanting to see in the new year in this hill station.   Our hotel was chock full of tourists mainly from West Bengal. Kannan and I decided to avoid the cacophany in the dining room and fixed ourselves a perfectly adequate meal of steamed veg, salad and noodles in our room.  From the balcony we watched a graceful dance performance by a group of tribal women for a big group that was being served dinner outside. What do they actually feel, having to perform like this? I was reminded of Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar's superbly titled short story "The Adivasi will not Dance".

Day 6, New Year 's Day 2023.  

Some of yesterday's anxiety was lessened by the news that Amma's fever had gone and that Khanum was flying in from Mumbai tomorrow to take charge. The relief was physical.

Like clockwork, the fog lifted again at exactly 9.30 am. We were all packed and breakfasted and ready to leave. Had a largely uneventful drive through much better roads than the previous stretch. Mostly through AP (what a huge state), entering Odisha with little fanfare just in the last hour.  This is the first time I have ever touched down in this state.

Arrived at the Odisha state-run hotel, which are all called Panthaniwas, at Rambha on the southern edge of the vast Chilika lake. Our colonial style cottage ( complete with a big drawing room and dressing room) also has a nice verandah looking onto the lake at a little distance. Have booked an early morning boat ride.

Day 7, Jan 2.  

Again, am writing this day's record one day late. I find if we do an evening outing, I get too tired to put down my thoughts.

 

Began our free day in Chilika with an early morning motor boat ride out into the lake. We passed by the picturesque but rather absurd island called Breakfast Island. Absurd because the entire island is a one room cottage used in the past by the local maharaja to have a picnic breakfast! The ride was peaceful and enjoyable, but we did not see the dolphins we had hoped to (they congregate in another part of this huge water body apparently) or even  birds.

We spent the day quite happily sitting on the verandah and gazing out at a peaceful pastoral scene dotted with pigs and cattle grazing, with the lake in the distance. A refreshing breeze was there throughout the day. 

We were pleasantly surprised with the courteous behaviour of the staff, boatman and other people here in Odisha. One doesn't like to generalize, but it did seem different from what we have encountered till now. 

Around 3.30 we set out for Gopalpur-on-sea, which was about 90 minutes away. The beach there was crowded with people enjoying themselves, even though it was not a holiday. Was not very conducive to strolling, but just seeing the sea and feeling the water throw itself at my toes does something to lift my spirits. It seems like sunset is getting earlier and earlier as we head north and east, and it was dark when we got back to our hotel.

Day 8, Jan 3.  

Today we left by 6.30 am and drove to Chandipur on the northern Odisha coast. But the highlight of our entire trip so far was a slight diversion to do some serious bird watching at the Mangaljodi sanctuary. Again we met with a very courteous reception from the members of the boatmen and guides association, mainly local people. We were rowed out in a small canoe through

marshlands which are part of the Chilika  ecosystem. What an amazing number of birds! And what a variety, both local and migratory.  Our guide was very knowledgeable, and was in no hurry to wrap up the tour. It was surreal, sitting low in the stationary or slowly moving boat, and just feasting one's eyes on the avian life.  If we didn't have a long drive ahead of us, we could definitely have stayed longer.

Reached Chandipur too late and too tired to even take a look at the sea. Hope to catch a glimpse tomorrow morning, though we have another early start and a long drive ahead of us. The strain of driving is beginning to tell on Kannan. Incidentally, this is the first hotel we have stayed in without a view from the room.  Just as well we have only one night here.  

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