Assam: Still we can name as The Pristine Land

Don’t know why I did not realise it back then. It’s almost to be two decades since I moved out of the state. 

Only this time, I realized the beauty that was available back home and I was mesmerised to see that some of things that we took for granted were hard to find in other parts of the country.

What are they?.....Many....but, I could just capture a few this time...

Walk in the early morning, appease your eyes with green beauties, ride on a boat in the stream, catch the fishes with Jakoi, Khaloi or a Fishing Net! 

Sit in the tree house, lie on the straw bed, watch the green atmosphere around, feel the touch of the cool, pure breeze, count the varieties of butterflies, just close your eyes and listen to the chirping of the birds!!!

..

..
Relax under the big trees, sit cozily on the branches or roots, walk with bare foot on soft green grass, pick some lemons, eat with chilly and salt, putting on a banana leaf.

..

..

Get up early in the morning, walk through the narrow lane engulfed by deep green forest.

..
Get up in early morning, soothe your eyes with greenery around, open the bamboo gates, follow the cattle to the peddy field.

..

..

In the evening, get into the kitchen, enjoy cooking in natural way…

...
If you are lucky, you will get to see the one horned rhino grazing in swamps of Kaziranga Wildlife  Sanctuary along the National Highway

..
Love Tea? I won't have to explain.....just feel --- You walk through the tea garden, enjoy the fresh aroma, and end up drinking a Cup of tea with unforgettable  taste....

..

..
What will you get to eat/ drink ?

..
Rice bear (Laau Paani/ Haaj Paani / Aapong)

..

..

What you can wear?.....Whatever you want...a traditional dress or any other comfortable attire.  

                      


..

Mesmerizing, exotic Orchids at Kaziranga Orchid Garden

I am sure – no one hates flowers. And while comes to Orchid, who won’t love to see, soothe eyes, and eulogize the marvellous creation of God? My Assam visit was really special this time as I got a chance to appease my eyes with these wild beauties.

A dazzling display of 500 common and exotic orchid species! A class unmatched! Yes! It is in a park at the national wild sanctuary – Kaziranga. It’s an attempt to preserve the biodiversity which we seem to be losing at a fast pace, by the founder Secretary of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS)- a left wing peasant organisation based in Assam – Akhil Gogoi and his team. Orchids are highly climate-sensitive plants and most of them have an aerial mode of living, often with restricted ranges. There are 26,049 orchid species across 880 genera, recorded in the world, while more than 500 species are seen only in northeast India alone. It is one of the largest families of flowering plants apart from the man-made hybrids coming from across the world.

a pleasant, aromatic greeting....

Just a year back, Akhil Gogoi and his team launched this orchid and biodiversity park, naming Orchid Garden. The park houses not only 500 orchid varieties found in Northeast, but also 200 varieties of paddy, medicinal plants which are fast becoming extinct, various types of local flowers and 132 species of sour fruits, 12 species of cane, 46 species of bamboo and a large variety of fishes. The basic purpose of opening this park is to conserve the local varieties of orchids, flowers, fruits, fish and our colourful ethnic culture and spread knowledge about them.

..

..

...

...

...

...

..

...

....

...

...

...

....

..

...

The Park is spread across 16 bigha of land, engulfed by hills, tea gardens and dark rainforest. It also has a beautiful photo gallery of 500 orchids, a seed bank, lake with boating and angling facilities and small tree-houses, among other attractions. Visitors will not only be able to see these collections, but also taste juices of local fruits, pithas (local sweets) and enjoy Borgeet, Xattriya, Bihu dance, Bamboo dance performances as well.This park has already provided employment to 60 local villagers.

..

..

..

 

..

..

....

The “seed bank” that intends to protect aforementioned local crop species as well related information such as their names in local languages.

..

..

...
Photo Gallery of 500 Orchids: 

..

..

..

Sit in the tree house with a glass of Bhim banana’s juice (extremely nutritious banana, only found in northeast India) or take a cup of bamboo tea, watch the green atmosphere around, feel the touch of the cool, pure breeze, count the varieties of butterflies, just close your eyes and listen to the chirping of the birds, can you imagine how relaxing moment it will be??? Try once..!!!

Peek a Boo into Bangalore's Aeronautical Museum

Do you have interest in Aircraft?  I don’t have much, but as a Mom, I had to bring some forceful curiosity for it.

Though I go to HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) market to buy good fish, fresh vegetables, in the weekends, last weekend, I went to the HAL Aeronautical Museum. It’s just 2.5 km from my home. For long time, I kept planning to take my son there, but as people say, ‘nearest is the last-comer’, I had been postponing my trip to prove that right.

Situated in HAL premises in the old airport road, and just  8 km from MG road, this museum is India's first aerospace museum. Established in the year 2001, the museum showcases the development of Indian aviation industry and indigenous aircraft models designed by HAL for 6 decades. It’s just a must watch for those who keep interest in Aviation industry.

  

Most of the aircraft are displayed outside the main building, in the open space. The aircrafts are displayed in individual display zones and are properly fenced off with chains.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

There are two halls – Hall 1 and Hall 2. Hall 1 is a circular building, chronicling the history of aircraft manufacturing.  This hall houses seven galleries displaying photographs that chart the growth of aviation in each decade from inception till date, in India. Photographs of the visitors like Lord Mountbatten, King Zahir Shah of Afghanistan, the late King birendra of Nepal, while visiting the HAL premises to important milestones like the first flight of the HT-2, the HF-24 Marut etc are showcased here. Many of these pictures are rare. Pictures of Vultee Vengeance bombers under construction in the 40s, Dakotas being overhauled, Tempests, Devons, under overhaul in the 50s, Vampires, Gnats, Maruts under construction in the 60s etc are on the display in the galleries. Each gallery has metal models of the aircrafts. Several photo mosaics illustrating HAL's expertise in Trainer aircraft, Combat aircraft, Transport Aircraft are also showcased here.

.

.

.

Hall 2 is smaller in size, but  displays motorized cross section of several models of aero engines, highlighting various functions of the engines. One can see some real engines here, such as Dornier, Jaguar and Kiran.

The most enjoyable experience in the hall 2 is the Air Traffic Control building. It hosts a couple of flight simulators running PC Flight sims to give the visitor a feel of what it is sitting in a cockpit. A charge of Rs. 10 is levied from the visitor to go to level 3, where a dummy ATC has been built. The ATC gives a clear view of the Bangalore Old airport. With aircraft taking off every hour, the ATC is a good experience.

.
The Museum houses a small souvenir shop that sells mementos and beautifully maintained park.

The Museum can be a rich resource of knowledge as it houses a library on Aerospace and traces the development of the aviation industry’s exciting phases since 1940.

The Museum is open to public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on all days.

Entry Fee: Rs 30 per person

Contact: +91-80-2231 8341