• Hoolongappar Gibbon Sanctuary
    Birdwatching - Flora - Nature's Wonders - People - Places

    The Primates and Other Surprises of Hoolongappar Gibbon Sanctuary

    February 9, 2014 - By 

    Our five-day trip to Kaziranga (by Nature India) had a day set aside for Hoolongappar Gibbon sanctuary. With so much being written and spoken about Kaziranga, the wildlife sanctuary remained the hero and we didn’t care too much about the Gibbon sanctuary near Jorhat, Assam. So very unlike of us, we didn’t do much research or reading on the Gibbon sanctuary. But nature has its own way of throwing surprises. ‘Pleasant’ is not the adjective. Enticing. Fascinating. Exciting. Surprising. What was originally a part of the vast forest ranges in the north east state of Assam and extending till Nagaland,…

  • Jupuri Ghar, Kaziranga
    Birdwatching - Flora - Food - Hotels - Places - Sanctuaries

    stay @Jupuri Ghar

    August 9, 2013 - By 

    During our travels, more often than not we have seen that the state tourism resorts/hotels tend to be the best place to stay—they get the advantage of being an early mover and hence access to a prime location in the area. Though often not so luxurious or fancy, they tend to be very spacious—rooms as well as the property. Jupuri Ghar by Assam Tourism at Kaziranga too lived up to this promise. Tucked behind a small tea estate and abutting the forest is Jupuri Ghar with its 8 cottages and a nice restaurant. The cottages are laid around a central…

  • Baruah Bhavan, Guwahati
    Heritage - Hotels - Places

    Baruah Bhavan – A Charming Villa; a Non-Hotel Hotel

    April 7, 2013 - By 

    There was no doorbell to ring. So we peeped into the narrow walkway and spotted a boy having tea. Acknowledging us with a smile, he came swiftly, took charge of our luggage, guided us to our room. That warm smile was the first of several we were offered during our stay in Assam. Soon, the manager, Mr Kalita, too came to us with an even broader smile. We landed at Guwahati a day earlier for our trip to Kaziranga. At first, we had thought of staying at one of the regular hotels at Paltan Bazaar. Then Baruah Bhavan’s listing on…

  • Places

    The Accidental Sculptor of Kamakhya Temple

    March 28, 2013 - By 

    There were not too many ‘must-do’ things in Guwahati, barring the walk we wanted to do by the mighty Brahmaputra. Kamakhya temple was a reluctant addition—suggested by some web sites and the enthusiastic staff of Baruah Bhavan, where we stayed. Getting around Guwahati was anyway easier with plenty of local buses. Perched on a hilltop (Nilachal or the Blue Hills), Kamakhya temple is the main temple among a group of temples scattered across the hill. Considered to be a place of Tantric worship, the temple dates back to 10 BC and survived the attack of Mangols and later the Mughals.…