Randomrandom: Picture Yourself On A Boat In A River

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Picture Yourself On A Boat In A River

Majuli is the world's largest fresh water mid-river deltaic island. That's what everyone says. But some are not too sure about the claim. Majuli was once, 1,200 square kilometre. A web search and recent satellite images reveal that the island is now anything between 577 and 875 square kilometre. As Amar Grover writes in 2006, December issue of Geographical, " each year several square kilometres of the island, simply disappear"

This 100 feet long monstrous boat does three trips from Nimatighat to Majuli every day. We took the 10.30 am ride.

Everyone is up and ready to be in Majuli after a one and half hour ride on the Bramhaputra

Sunayana and her son Rahul with the happy group of women from Majuli. It appeared that they are regulars on the boat, old friends---travelling on the Bramhaputra, in and out of Majuli.

Krishna--the icon of the island? Some say that Majuli is the epicentre of culture in Assam. Probably, all began when in 16th Century, social reformer Srimanta Sankardeva came here and began spreading a more accessible form of Vaishnavite culture.

The boat moves. And those who are on it everyday, go about their routine. For them it might be just a boat and just a journey.

When do I cross the river? My journey, it continues and continues.

Overwhelmed at/on being photographed. (Sunayana and Priyodorshi noticed this). Most of them appeared to be followers of Krishna( or at least a deep faith in Krishna's divine powers), some of them were widows. On a 90 minute boat ride, we hardly got their stories. Stories probably hidden behind their smiles and helpful nature.

Between a journey and a book

Beautiful woman on the boat(II).

On the river, from our boat

A journey we have talked about and finally we are on the Bramhaputra.

We start for Majuli

The river we loved crossing

And what all will cross the river? Motorcycles

Bicycles

Happiness is a river and a boat

Nimatighat, Jorhat

Inside the boat. Masks, Mising huts and the island. Crossing the Bramhaputra is just a matter of time.

Beautiful woman on boat (I)

Friends

And friends

And river and boat

get set go! for Majuli.

http://www.silchartoday.com/tour_travels/assam/majuli/threatenedisland.htm

(Link to a 1998 report on the island)

http://www.indianexpress.com/ie/daily/19980705/18650344.html

3 comments:

Beq said...: kisno...; April 4, 2010 at 10:44 AM
randomrandom said...: koli..:); April 4, 2010 at 10:46 AM
Sue said...: Ei Beq, fucker, you said my line before I could!

I fell in love with those earrings all over again, Sen. And those tear-dimmed eyes.; April 7, 2010 at 4:52 AM

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Picture Yourself On A Boat In A River

3 comments:

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