We heard about Bogamati as a picnic spot from some two years back and in recent times we heard it even more frequently as an attraction for picnic goers. Before the Bihu Holidays therefore Baruah Sir came to me and asked if I wanted to accompany him for a trip to Bogamati. I replied in affirmative instantly knowing that four days at home with only work would become boring and a trip anywhere will be refreshing.
Bogamati is situated in (Indo-) Bhutan border around 80 km north of Guwahati. There is no railway connectivity towards that north from Guwahati and therefore the best way to reach the place is on road. The location is now in Baksa district of BTAD and has seen some infra development during the Hagrama regime. The road is good upto the spot and anyone with a smartphone can reach the place. But be aware ! Your mobile network will not work there and it is advised to note the same before you move towards this place.
After crossing Naokata, the large yards to beetle nut trees captivates the visitor's eyes. Its beetle nut trees everywhere. Grown up trees bearing fruits, young trees and saplings all over the place gives a soothing green background to the villages by the side of the pitch road. Road being good, the drive is a charming one.
After a drive of around 80 km with a halt at Baihata Chariali we reached the spot at around twelve. The spot for picnic is located by the side of Lokhaitora river which is more widely known as Puthimari river in the plains. Water was at its lowest presumably due to the winter season that was just over. A few pre-monsoon showers haven't added to the rivers vigour it seemed. But the cool and clear water was enough to captivate any person who loves nature. The administration recently created a parking lot but was completely empty as there was no picnic goer except a group of youths.
Clear water, white pebbles and a blue sky - a place called Bogamati
We parked the car, had some light snacks that we took with us and then headed towards the water. The water streams had gone slim and a vast width of the river bed was just sand and mud. It seemed the stream carries a lot of mud too which settles down below the water making it slippery and very very difficult to walk. We carefully walked through the stream and went to the main water stream. I was surprised to see that peoples of the nearby villages were fishing in the stream with currents and that too with a fishing net. A group was also using eletrofishing to catch fish legality of which is questionable.
The group(sans author)
We took long bath in the cool water. It felt amazing to get the cold water flowing over your body and quickly dried by sun one out of water. For a long time we played with water and enjoyed the soothing bath. After the bath was over, we started collecting pebbles and boulders of our choice for decorating gardens and others ornamental uses. Baruah Sir, a collector of pebbles for decorating his garden in front of his house, docked huge boulders in the car's dicky. The rocks thus loaded in the dickey at one point seemed would bend the dickey's floor but somehow it did not give away. The powerful engine of the car dragged out the 'payload' from the river bank to the road through bumpy patches of the rocky trail.
The author enjoying a refreshing bath
We had our late lunch at around four in the afternoon at a highway dhaba near Baihata Chariali and returned to City refreshed by nature.
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