This is a farewell post to the North East India, where I spent nearly seven years of my life. It’s a bit overdue, as I should have written this five months ago when I received my official transfer order to relocate. But better late than never.
As expected, a dilemma ensued between my heart and mind upon receiving the transfer order. While it was anticipated, it abruptly ended our seven-year long stay in Guwahati. North East India had become an integral part of our lives. It was a phase of life worth remembering. The most cherished memory is the arrival of our younger daughter, whom we consider as a blessing from Mata Kamakhya.
During my tenure in Guwahati, I relished every moment. In the journey of 7-years, we explored many nooks and corners of North East without any hesitation. I couldn’t visit every destination in North East India, but still, I seized every opportunity to explore the seven sisters: Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Manipur. The COVID-19 pandemic halted my travels for nearly a year and a half, but I am grateful to be well and alive. Despite frequent trips over the years, many places remained unexplored. It is a habit of mine to leave some destinations untouched for future visits. After all, the journey is more important than the destination. A traveller’s journey must continue forever.
If Meghalaya Trip is in your mind: Travel Tips on Meghalaya
While I was in Guwahati, the major destinations in Assam and Meghalaya became so approachable that I could visit them casually, almost like second homes. Whenever the mood struck, I would simply head out to roam around, take a dip in rivers, or visit waterfalls in the region.
Interestingly, my travels to the region started with Meghalaya, when I had a back to back trips to Jowai and Cherrapunji within a couple of months after moving in to Guwahati. After that, Meghalaya became another playground for my travels. In Meghalaya, I was fortunate to visit the iconic trio of Shillong, Cherrapunji, and Dawki, as well as the beautiful valleys of Jowai, Nartiang, Mawsynram, Mawphulnur, Mawlingba, Tura, and Baghmara. Meghalaya felt unique to me as a place where nature has showered its treasures in a relatively small area. Over the years, I made dozens of trips to Meghalaya, not just four or six, but many more. I saw a lot, learned a lot, and experienced a wide range of emotions, both the bitter and the sweet. And then, the time came to bid farewell.
Looking at the state of Assam, I had the chance to explore well-known destinations like Guwahati, Kaziranga National Park, Manas National Park, Sibsagar, Tezpur, Dibrugarh, as well as lesser-visited places such as Dhubri, Goalpara, Jorhat, Tinsukia, Digboi, Lido, Lumding, Haflong, Umrangso Lake, Panimur, Hojai, and Nagaon.
In my early days at Guwahati, I went to explore the beautiful paradise of Dzukou Valley in Nagaland. Except Dzukou Valley and Kohima, the rest of the state remained unbound for few years due to the negative report of safety by my friends and colleagues from North East India. Later, I mustered the courage to explore the state on a motorcycle. I started my solo journey from Guwahati and visited remote destinations in Nagaland including Wokha, Mokokchung, Tuensang, Kiphire, and Pfutsero. On my last trip to Nagaland, I had the opportunity of visiting Mon and Longwa village at India-Myanmar Border.
My first trip to Tripura was limited to Agartala, and basically walked around the India-Bangladesh border near the airport. During my second visit to Tripura, I explored tourist attractions like Pilak, Dambur Lake, Amarpur, Chhabimuda, Kalibari, Matabari, Melaghar, and Unakoti.
Snapshots of my journey in Tripura: Snapshots Of The Travel Through The Tiny Tripura
I managed to make only one trip to Mizoram, entering Aizawl via Silchar-Kolasib. I enjoyed a day at the beautiful Reiek Village near Aizawl. From Aizawl, I visited Tenzawal, Lunglei, Lawngtlai, crossed the picturesque Tuipui river and completed the journey to Saiha. Moving out from Saiha, I eventually reached Phura village and the tranquil Palak Dil (lake) in the far south.
I made two trips to Manipur. On the first trip, I visited only Imphal. During the second trip, I entered the state from the Mao border on my motorcycle, travelling to Senapati, Imphal, Ukhrul, Siruhi village, Thoubal, the War Memorial, and all the way to Moreh at India-Myanmar border. It was all before Manipur turned into a chaos due to the ethnic clashes.
Apart from Assam and Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh became my most frequent travel destination in North Eastern India. This state, brimming with natural wonders, remains largely untouched by mass tourism, except for a few popular spots. Even reaching these popular places requires significant effort in terms of the transport and logistics. During my numerous visits, I explored Shergaon, Dirang, Mandala Top, Bomdila, Basar, Tezu, Parshuram Kund, Pasighat, Roing, Dambuk, Namsai, Nampong, Miao etc.
Beyond travel, my seven years in North East India provided invaluable life lessons. I grew as an air traffic controller and gained invaluable experiences that have shaped me as an individual.
Read here about Air Traffic Control: What It’s Like To Be An Air Traffic Controller?
While living in Guwahati, I developed a habit of saving money and became more serious about the financial security in the life. In contrast to my carefree spending in Delhi, staying a bit away from the city in Guwahati discouraged impulsive shopping and dining out. The North East itself offered so much to explore that except for a 15-day trip to Thailand, I never got a chance to visit abroad. For seven years, I dedicated myself to explore the destinations in the North East India. The COVID-19 pandemic and the arrival of my daughter temporarily halted my travels, which inadvertently contributed to financial stability.
During my travels in this part of India, I eventually realized that no matter how much we strive, something will always be left undone. This realization helped me to appreciate the journey rather than obsessing over destinations. It taught me to slow down as a traveller. Instead of merely participating in experiences, I learned to observe and connect with new places and people. I learned to appreciate local customs, people’s behaviour, and the rich cultural heritage around me.
I had heard about the risks of solo travel in the North East India, but I ventured into every state alone, with my family, with friends, by bike, car, and public transport. I explored remote areas, traversed dense forests, travelled day and night, and even experienced Bharat Bandhs protests. Yet, throughout these seven years, neither I nor my loved ones experienced any kind of insecurity on the road.
While traveling in the remote rural areas of the North East India, I realized how fortunate I am, despite coming from a lower-middle-class background. Here, people struggle daily just to make ends meet, yet I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to explore and understand new places. Many individuals spend their entire lives in the interior districts of Nagaland but never get the chance to travel from one district to another. In some areas, the roads are nothing more than mud tracks, where every step must be taken with caution to avoid slipping.
The hospitality of the people in Mizoram especially touched my heart. In one remote village, where there were no hotels or roadside eateries, several strangers invited me into their homes for food and drinks. In shared vehicles, people would take group photos, cherishing the moment as if they had known each other for years and would meet again someday, even though they all knew it was likely their last encounter. I also found many home-stays across the North East where I was made to feel so welcome that it didn’t seem like I was a traveller from afar, but rather a part of the place itself. These experiences filled me with humility and gratitude as a human being.
Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh taught me to appreciate nature even amidst life’s struggles. The stunning waterfalls offered me those precious, fleeting moments that I still seek to relive. The crystal-clear rivers gave me the perfect excuse to grab the car and head out for a spontaneous picnic with friends whenever I needed a break.
पूर्वोत्तर भारत मे मेरी यात्राओं पर एक अन्य पोस्ट: पूर्वोत्तर भारत में मेरी यात्राएँ
The greatest blessings Guwahati gave me were the friendships and connections I made: colleagues who became part of my nomadic journey, fellow travellers who shared many adventures, and virtual friends who went beyond social media to become a real part of my life, creating a caravan of memories. Picnics, travels, and shared fun became integral parts of my life in Guwahati.
Leaving Guwahati after seven years brought with it a mix of emotions. On one hand, there was the joy of being closer to home, but on the other, there was the sorrow of parting with so many beloved friends and the heart-breaking of leaving behind countless beautiful memories. The North East India, with its unique blend of work and life, has become an inseparable part of me. As we move on to our next destination—Prayagraj, the sacred land of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati—we carry with us the indelible memories of this beautiful region. Our connection to the North East will remain unbreakable, some of it captured in photographs, but much of it embodied in our little Kamakshi, who will forever remind us of this remarkable chapter of our lives.
