Madarihaat/ Totopara

A Toto Village

Barodabri is a small locality within Madarihaat subdivision of Jalpaiguri in North Bengal. Madarihaat is the gateway to the Jaldapara Wild Life Reserve, home to about 50 one-horned rhinos, and this is the place, where the West Bengal forest department has built a forest bungalow.I visited this area around the first week of August, But I think that the best time to visit this place, is late September till February, as on other times as the rains hinder the wildlife sightings, and the reserve is closed from 15th June to 14th September.

The village School

There are a sprinkling of forest dept and tourism dept bungalows in the upper Dooars region, spreading across the Coochbehar and Alipurduar districts. Another attraction of this place is the showcase of the lifestyle of the indigeneous Indo-Bhutanese tribe called the totos, found in a small enclave called Totopara, about 22 kms from Madarihaat. Anthropologists are all agreed on the view that the culture and the lifestyle as well as the language of the Totos are absolutely unique to them. They are distinctly different from the other tribes, of that area, namely the rajbanshis, which is the largest and the koch, which is of tibeto burmese origin and is presently scattered around Assam and Tripura, or the mech.

The entire Toto population is spread across 6 villages, known as Mitragaon, Subbagaon, Pujagaon, Dhumchigaon, Mandalgaon and Panchayatline(gaon). The main source of income for these people is agriculture. Pineapple, betelnut and ginger is grown in abundance. They are mainly animistic, they worship nature.Mawa or wine and roti is their staple diet.

Dry bed of the river Torsha

However, the Toto tribe is severely endangered now owing to their marriage practice. They are endogamous, meaning that they marry within their tribe. This has led to genetic defects in children born out of these marriages, mainly thallasemia. The elders in the tribe are slowly becoming aware of the pitfalls of this endogamous system of marriage, and hopefully will bring about a change in their norms inorder to save the tribe from extiction. The Totos generally do not believe in divorce and live together during their engaged period to find out whether they are compatible or not as partners. If not, they go their separate ways, without much hue or cry.

Cherrapunji Pics

 
 

Umiam/Barapani ~ Cherrapunji

A very off the beaten track place, that I wanted to write about is one endowed with extreme natural beauty. The name of the place is Umiam, about 16 kms from a oft visited tourist spot, Shillong. This place is known as the Barapani by the locals and is located in the Ri-bhoi district of Meghalaya.I visited this place on the 3rd of December 2007, and was mesmerised by the endless serpentine lake, entwining the foothills of the Khasi hills.

The view of the lake from the Orchid Lake Resort, run by the Meghalaya Govt is nothing short of gorgeous. The slopes, leading down to the shores are heavily guarded by hefty pine trees and myriad flower shrubs, mostly those of what the locals call the chinese rose, and which I later discovered to be giant 'gandharaj' flowers. These are white in colour and emanates a sharp perfume, especially at night, which sort of numbs one's senses. I can keep on going back to that resort in the khasi hills if only to experience the peace evolving out of the moonlight shimmering on the Umiam, the hypnotizing smell of these 'Raat Ki Rani flowers and the feeling of 'there is no tomorrow'.

The shadows of the mountains on the waters of the lake, impart a serenity and peace to the place which is beyond articulation. Another added attraction is the water sports complex near the Lake Resort.

The 55 km drive from Shillong to Cherrapunji, touted as the wettest place on the earth, till it gave up its position to Mawsynram was comfortable.The rolling meadows offered a feast for the eyes. However, the showstopper was the dry, barren landscape of Cherrapunji. A farcry from the lushness and the greenery that my mind's eye had envisaged. The Ramkrishna Mission and the Noh kalikai falls are the only places worth visiting in Sohra. This is the name by which the locals recognize Cherrapunji.

Intrigue-Kurseong May 2008

 

Anonymous beauty..

 

The Wonder of Discovering!!