TAMULPUR, VILLAGE ASSAM

MY SHORT BREAK IN THE NORTH EAST, EN WAY TO BHUTAN.

Tamulpur, the land of mix cultures and societies in the Nalbari District of Assam. Due to the lack of Knowledge about this place to the outsiders, it seems like there is some wrong impression about this place to the outsiders. As far as I have seen and experienced, the people of north east are the most friendly people in India….

PHOTO : KIDS of St Xaviors School, Tamulpur Assam

LOCATION

The Tamulpur town is located on the way to Dharanga (The Indo Bhutan Border leading to Eastern Bhutan via Sandrup Jangur , 30 kms North of Tamulpur),  from Rangia (Another city in Assam/ the nearest rail head, 30Km South of Tamulpur) in the Nalbari District of Assam. The GPS co-ordinates are Latitude : 26.667 Longitude : 91.567  and is a part of the great northern plains, nourished round the year by the Himalayan glazier rivers.

Photo: A bus moving along the Tamalpur towards Dharanga.

The road from Rangia moving via Tamulpur to Sandrup Jonghkar (SJ for Short Bhutan) is in a very pathetic condition and not properly maintained. But beyond Sandrup Jonghkar the roads inside Bhutan is in a good condition (Even thought these ghat roads are not that wide ). All these roads, including the Roads in bhutan are being taken care by the BRO (Border roads organization, they can make roads anywhere irrespective of the terrain accessibility. Thanks to the laborers working under them, who work day and night in the most hostile environments of the world risking their life in the work of constructing and maintaining roads. Most of them are from West Bengal and Assam) of the Indian government  and is a wing of the Indian Army. All roads in Bhutan are maintained by the Indian Army under a project called DANDAK / GREF. The people of Bhutan are lazy to do any work and this is being exploited by the Indian army to make roads inside Bhutan for easy access to the Chineese border .  It made me think that the Indian army is more interested in maintaining the roads of Bhutan that In Assam, India. Unemployment is becoming a prominent issue in Bhutan Now.

Most of the people is the village are farmers. There are a few who runs the business/ shops like Tailoring shops, tea shops etc. Rice is grown in large quantity. There are many rivers originating from the Himalayas passing nearby making the place well suited for cultivation all round the year. I have never seen such extensive paddy fields anywhere in south India .

IN THE BAMBOO LAND

Bamboo is another major cultivation here. The bamboo bark is used to make houses, railings, windows and almost anything and everything they require. Most of the houses are made using a bamboo skeleton filled with bamboo filing, pastured  with a thick layer of clay on both sides. Sometimes you feel like calling these houses Bamboo House / sometimes the whole village as Bamboo Land . Unlike the Chinese bamboos, these bamboos not that tall, but may be around 10 meters long. You can see many patches of bamboo forests along the road side.

PHOTO : A Big fight on the Way..

Even though the people here are very friendly, there are clashes in between the various tribes / origins very frequently and there are a notable amount of violence and strikes.  The people of this area need to be educated more. Sometimes there can be strikes all off a sudden. The demand for the Bodoland is one issue under discussion. A few of the  militant groups working here  includes ULPHA and a few more. Even a tiny spark can disrupt the peace of the entire state.

HOW TO REACH

Traveling along these route by bus is a horrible work. There are very few buses connecting Rangia and Tamalpur. Rangia is a buzy city nearby and is the nearest railway station. Rangia is connected by rails to both East (Gauhauti , tespur Etc) and to the west (Delhi, Culcutta, Bombay…. Uncountable Places) . From Rangia there are many shuttle jeeps and autos which moves to Tamulpur and another places further ahead of Tamalpur known as Kumarikatta (20 Km from Tamalpur towards Bhutan). The auto-rickshaw may charge Rs 10 to 15. Even though it is not permitted, the people / local shops along this area will accept both Bhutan and Indian currency (The currency of Bhutan doesn’t have any value in the international market ,but virtually the value of the Indian currency is assigned to it).

WHERE TO STAY
There are no lodges / hotels to stay in Tamulpur. Either You have to stay at Rangia or SJ (Bhutan)

FOOTNOTES

TEAM

• George Joseph (george@peermade.info)
  

THANKS TO

• Fr Roy, St Xaviors School, Tamulpur Assam
• Fr Xavior, St Xaviors School Tamulpur Assam
  
• Sir Binu Thomas, Marian College, Kuttikkanam, Peermade, Kerala
• Mr Alex (puliveli@gmail.com) and MD Daimy (md.daimy@gmail.com), St Xaviors School, Tamalpur.

SPECIAL MENTION

The boy, working  in the school who came with accompanied me while moving around the village.

The workers working the BRO in the construction of roads along the most hostile and inaccessible terrains around the world.