Mizoram An Unpleasant Surprise In North East India

After encountering some amazing experiences in the rest of the North Eastern states we were way too excited for our trip to Mizoram and Tripura. We started off with Mizoram, the short flight from Kolkata to Aizwal was slightly delayed and we were not able to hold back our excitement. As the Captain announced that we are fast approaching touchdown we looked out of the window and were greeted by lush green thick forest. Thanks to a Mizo who willingly exchanged her window seat with us looking at us jumping to catch glimpses of Mizoram. As the tiny "Lengpui Airport" runway approached, apart from a strip of tarmac the rest was massive jungle. We saw the amazing Tlawng river crisscross the virgin land. The runway is pretty small as it is one of the smallest airports in India and for a second you might wonder if the flight might crash land in the middle of jungle.

It was raining when we landed and we did not think much of it considering it to be a one off scenario as it was summer. While we were waiting for our baggage, we simultaneously took care of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) formalities. We were given 2 forms asking for our basic information and contact details. Do carry passport size photos. The procedure is extremely simple. Please note that the permit is issued for a period of 6 days and any extension has to be done at the DC office in Aizwal. We were charged Rs 170 per person for ILP. We found this extremely expensive and quite shocking being an Indian citizen and requiring an ILP in itself is perplexing and to top it all being charged Rs 170 for 6 days did not make a lot of sense.

A very user friendly pre paid taxi booth is made available in the Airport premises. We were provided a receipt and charged Rs 1000 for the 30 km drive from Airport to Regency hotel in Aizwal. The drive from airport was awesome with only a few bad stretches. Bamboo is abundantly available in these parts and most of the homes are supported by this grass. A heart stopping, gut wrenching moment was when we saw a massive landslide on the way. The climb gets really steep for the last couple of kilometers. The narrow lanes of Aizwal meant massive traffic jams but there was no unnecessary honking or rash driving. The folks were very civil and tried their best to minimize time spent on road. A lesson or two to learn from here. They follow lane discipline and hence show great character.

After checking into our hotel, we got to know that it has been raining for the last week. Not to let rain dampen our spirits, we hoped that the next day would be bright and sunny and went out in the evening for a stroll. We also wanted to check out nearby places and figure out transport for the famous Vantawng Waterfalls. We were very surprised to know that most of the local taxis do not play to these places. Almost all taxi operators told us they could not help us. There was also language barrier but that never seemed to be a problem in any other part. Here, it more looked like they were unwilling to even think beyond for their own business.

Call it over expectation or a letdown the first issue that we faced was language barrier. Though we were able to manage language issue and have a gala time in Nagaland and Meghalaya. Things were a little different and difficult here. Though Mizo has high literacy rate and English is widely spoken we had an extremely difficult time pronouncing the names of local places and tourist attractions. Pubic transport connectivity is non existent. Not everybody could afford to hire private taxi for several days together or for far away destinations. The shared sumo services were also not available for Reiek or Hmuifang Village. This made a budget travelers life very difficult. Neither the hotel 's travel desk nor the shared taxi operators were of great help when it came to figuring out how we could reach far away destinations.

Agreed while traveling we encounter bad experiences and we tend to overlook them and enjoy the place but in this case overall the entire place gave us a feel of being unwelcome. One particular instance that made us feel so was when we went to a taxi operator and inquired about hiring a taxi to go Reiek, which is only 29 km from Aizwal. Of course, we not being locals had difficulty in pronouncing the name. After a lot of struggle we made the girls running the shop understand the place that we were talking about. They found it funny that we were pronouncing it wrong but its a different thing to laugh with us than at us. They went on mocking us and imitating us and laughing at it for a good 5 minutes while we waited patiently to know if they ply taxi to the place. In the end they just shook their head saying no service and continued with their giggle and laugh. It was disrespectful not just because we were tourists but it also talks about how professionally they were running their business.

The others were also the same and were not keen on giving any information. The few that were able to communicate with us were not locals but from other states who had set up their shop here. However, since there was no public transport available and we could only hire a private taxi, they were charging a bomb for visiting these places and it was a total rip off and we felt it was just not worth it.

Another instance where we felt we were being overcharged was because we were tourists. We wanted to visit Solomon Temple and it was around 8 km from our hotel. We stopped a taxi and told him we wanted to go to that specific temple, he said ok and when we asked him how much he said Rs.2000. We were shocked and thought he heard it wrong. After communicating clearly and mentioning it was only 8 km and even showing a picture of the temple, he stood his ground and told us it was 28 Km away and so he would charge Rs.2000. It was funny as we were showing him maps showed only 8 km but he refused to agree. We walked away and took another cab. We totally understand that touristic places will charge a bit extra as they rely only on tourism but this place hardly sees any tourists and it is maybe still acceptable to charge a little extra but ten times the amount is robbery.

After having spent so much time, money and invested so much energy in reaching a remote part of India, it was disheartening to see our enthusiasm shattered. After facing disappointment and dead end and with the news that pre monsoon had kicked in the states of Mizoram and Tripura and with landslides cutting off the state from the rest of the Nation, we decided to change our itinerary and headed to Delhi. So with a heavy heart we decided to cut short our Mizo plan and beat the heat in Himalayas. Perks of being jobless and living a life of a Fakeer.

One thing we enjoyed in Mizoram was its pleasant climate. While we spent 4 days here we leisurely checked out the Mizoram state museum which housed quite a few interesting exhibits and was very well kept. Entry fee is Rs 20 per person. A bullet ridden lamp post, reminding the struggle and violence this part of the country has witnessed.

Promoting Solomon temple as a tourist attraction was a very desperate attempt. The Church which was built in 1996 was we guess under renovation or still not functional, we are not sure. There was work going on and the Church was totally empty inside and we felt it was just not worth the visit. We did what we love go for long walks around Aizwal.

We had checked into hotel Regency which seems to be a landmark in itself. It is one of the best properties in Aizwal. The rooms are very spacious, clean and loaded with modern amenities and the staff are very courteous and kind. They were very helpful in modifying our reservations also. The only drawback is if you get a room facing the road the road traffic is quite annoying.

If you still decide to come here we would recommend "Hotel Floria" in Bara bazaar just walking distance from Hotel Regency. The tariff of both the hotels is exactly the same but in every aspect Floria beats Regency by a long mile. The food is amazingly good here. Only drawback with Floria is they do not have parking facility.

A lot of people ask one particular question that we find very hard to answer "What is the least favorite place you have ever traveled to?" At-last we finally have an answer which is going to shock a lot of people- Mizoram. Yes you read it right 'Mizo!' One of the most decorated states of India and this is just our opinion.

Terracotta Tales Of Bishnupur!

 After years of being in the bucket list, we finally landed in the quiet sleepy town of Bishnupur which is home to a series of centuries old terracotta temples built by the Malla Kings. Bishnupur town was named after Lord Vishnu by Vashnavite Malla kings as their main deity was Lord Vishnu. Facing shortage of stones in the area, the Kings decided to build terracotta temples, crafted from local laterite and brick, the temples were covered with terracotta tiles depicting scenes from the epic Mahabharata and Ramayana. Terracotta literally means baked earth in Italian and the style of architecture used in these temples is a blend of Bengali, Islamic and Oriya. Bishnupur town is not just famous for it's terracotta temples but is rich in it's heritage, architecture, culture and handicrafts such as pottery and weaving. A school of music called the Bishnupur Gharana, was established here in 1370 AD under   the rule of Malla kings. Not to forget the famous baluchari sarees that are famous in Bishnupur.

The temple town of Bishnupur has a lot of temples that can be easily visited either by Eco friendly electronic rickshaws or cycle rickshaws. During our stay here for over 2 days we chose both options and were so mesmerized by these beautiful temples that we visited all of them not once but twice.
There is nothing like an early morning sightseeing experience. We started with Ras Mancha temple, the oldest brick temple built in 1600 AD by Bir Hambir. This temple has an elevated square base with a pyramid shaped tower surrounded by hut shaped turrets. The commanding Ras Mancha temple has arched pillar which are equidistant and flawless. It was a tradition in earlier times wherein all the idols of Radha-Krishna in the town were displayed at the Ras Mancha temple during the Vaishnava Ras festival. It is best to start the tour with Ras Mancha temple as tickets can be picked up for gaining access to the temples. A paltry sum of Rs 15 per person gained us access to all the temples and monuments in Bishnupur.

Next stop was Gumghar, a massive structure built over a hill that is in a very sorry state. This doorless and windowless structure left us wondering the purpose behind building it. Was it a massive well or a granary or was it used for an entirely different purpose. Not much is known about this place and we guess it will just remain a mystery lost in time.

We then headed to the splendid Shyam Rai temple built by Malla king Raghunath Singha in 1643 AD, a fine example of Pancharatna style consisting of 5 shikaras on a curved Bengal Chala Roof. Dedicated to Lord Krishna, this temple has many carvings depicting scenes from his life. A grand sculpture of Krishna playing flute and pretty women dancing around him was stellar. This is one of the best temples in Bishnupur and made our long journey totally worthwhile. The lively carvings were standing right in front of our eyes but were unbelievable. The minute details in each carving are mesmerizing depicting not just scenes from Puranas but portraying the religious, political and economic life of people. The miniature carvings on brick are so fine and exquisite that it is impossible to recreate.

Next stop Radha Shyam temple, this is one of the living temples built by Malla ruler Chaitanya Singha in 1758. This Ekaratna temple stands within a courtyard enclosed by high boundary wall. The ratna or shikara of this temple is dome shaped and slightly different from the other Ekaratna temples of Bishnupur. The massive Vishnu carving of him resting on his snake bed is eye candy. Scenes of war, celebrations and everyday life is depicted to perfection. Another interesting find in this temple were ancient scriptures carved on the wall.

Right adjacent to Radha Shyam Temple is Lalji temple built by Malla king Bir Singha II in 1658 AD. It is one of the most impressive Ekaratna temples of Bishnupur. Inscriptional evidence on the temple suggests that this temple is dedicated to Radha and Krishna. The magnanimous monuments of Bishnupur reminded us of Orchha and Khajuraho.

A little ahead of Lalji Temple is the epic Jorbangla temple. Also known as Kesta Rai temple, it was built by Malla ruler Raghunath Singha in 1655 AD. This is one of the most spectacular temples of Bishnupur. A pair of hut shaped structures with slopping roofs join together. The temple walls narrate scenes from Epic Krishna Leela. The scene depicting and elephant uprooting a tree is so realistic. A pair of elephant carvings left us perplexed as we did not know if they were mating or fighting. Extensive day to day events, valor, warfare, art are so lively portrayed on brick. One particular scene that stood out was of two men carrying a successful kill.

The hunting scenes and daily social lives depicted here on terracotta stand testimony to the legendary craftsmanship of ancient Indians. The depiction of sailors on their intricately carved boats with their oars are stunning to say the least. Each temple has amazing sculptures, people merry making playing musical instruments. sur sundaries, mythical creatures and many more.

While the temples are a little off the main road, the Pathar Darwaza, also known as Large Gateway, has the road running through it's centre. This gateway was the northern entrance to ancient fort of Bishnupur and Malla Kingdom. Standing tall even today it was once the front line defense of Malla Kingdom. Built in the second half of the 17th century, it has double storied galleries flanking the passage for accommodating troops and there were arrow slits for the archer and gunman. Followed by this, we walked through the arched small gateway that leads to the ancient fort of Bishnupur.

Mesmerizing Madan Mohan temple that is in the far end of the town, was our next stop. Built in 1694 by Malla King Durjan Singh, it is the finest example of a brick structure with a single dome that sits pretty on a curved Bangla Chala Roof. The terracotta carving on this temple is one of the finest in the Country. The beams have amazing artisans entertaining us even today. The perfectly carved concentric circles with intricate bead like carvings left us in awe. There are several sculptures striking romantic poses that stand testimony to how we Indians have celebrated Love for centuries. Each terracotta carving is epic and paints a story and do watch out for the lively ducks that adorn these walls.

We took a turn and headed back to the other side of town to see the remaining temples and monuments. En route do watch out for homes that are held together with all natural material. We stopped at Stone chariot next. Stone chariot which dates back to 17 Century is a finest example of Bishnupur temple architecture in a miniature form. This small double storeyed monument is supported by three wheels on each side. The lower storey resembles Ras Mancha temple and the upper storey resembles Shikhara of Eka Ratna Temple.

We then headed to the much revered Chinnamasta temple. Chinnamasta literally translates to "She whose head is severed" in Sanskrit.  It was one of the most stand out sculptures of a Goddess we have ever seen. The Goddess was holding her own severed head in her hand. A Goddess of contradictions, she is considered as someone who is both- a life giver and life taker. She is also considered as a symbol of sexual control and an embodiment of sexual energy. This temple though pretty old has been renovated and is on the way to the Dalmadal canon.

Hardly at any distance was Dalmadal Canon, the iconic wrought iron with a massive muzzle that was a legend of it's time. In all possibility, it was one of the largest canons of the Malla rulers. This was used against the Maratha Invaders. The road that leads to Chinnamasta temple and canon has plenty of saree shops and one can check out the famous Baluchari sarees in any of these shops.

A small detour from the canon took us to a series of identical temple. We stopped to checkout the Nandalal temple built sometime in the 17th century. Just a little ahead from here is an amazing garden and Kalachand Temple. Built in 1656 AD by King Raghunath Singha, the sculptures here depict scenes from Krishna Leela, puranas and contemporary life. Just before Kalachand temple is the Radha Madhab temple that was built by Churamoni Devi, the daughter in law of Malla king Gopal Singh.

Not just the temples on the tourist circuit, do watch out for several other monuments that date back several centuries and are strewn around Bishnupur village. Another must visit place here is the Bishnupur Museum. One very interesting encounter that we had was watching a young boy who was playing cricket all by himself. He was smacking the ball right into the centuries old monument. In his own world and happy plying the game, he was the bowler, batsman, fielder and to our surprise he was also keeping scores.

Almost all monuments and temples of Bishnupur are extremely well kept and super clean despite absence of trash cans nearby. Either people do not litter or cleaning staff are doing a wonderful job. Another interesting aspect of Bishnupur is almost every home has a lovely green lawn and the entire village is dotted with mango and jack fruit trees. The rickshaw rides would cost around Rs.200-250 for the entire tour and we would say it is completely worth it.

The best way to reach Bishnupur from Kolkata which is at a distance of 132 km is to opt for the much economical and reliable Indian Railways. We boarded the Aranyak Express that reaches Bishnupur at 11 am. The train journey opens up beautiful views of rural West Bengal. En route we enjoyed amazing local breakfast of Poori Bhajji and motichur ladoo at Kharagpur Junction.

Once we reached Bishnupur station, there were plenty of cycle and auto rickshaws to ferry us to 'Bishnupur Tourist Lodge-' A government of West Bengal undertaking. This is one of the best stay options in Bishnupur. The perks of being a less commercialized destination. They don't have fancy stay or dine in options. Be sure to make online reservations as the place could get booked up. We opted for AC large double bedded room which was priced at Rs 1800 per day excluding taxes. The room was very spacious and clean offering comfortable bed and other modern amenities. The lodge has plenty of vast open space with massive trees that attract a lot of birds.

The service standards of the Lodge are pretty good. Be sure to carry a printout of the reservation slip and original ID cards. However, when we checked in the friendly staff were not very particular about the print out. The food at the Tourist lodge is lip smacking and reasonably priced. While we were here we faced frequent power cuts but the Lodge had power backup which serves as another reason to stay here. An evening stroll in Bishnupur is highly recommended. While in Bishnupur, do try the jeera soda available in almost all stores.

After our hearty dinner of Poori and Aloo sabji on our second day here, we walked to the amazing "One Scoop Ice Cream Cafe." It is a must visit in Bishnupur and a perfect way to end a happy day. This cozy ice cream parlor beats the massive ice cream chains in metros by a mile. Run by an energetic youngster, there are plenty of flavors to taste and choose from. We opted for the chocolate with nuts, rabdi and tutty frooti flavor with a dash of strawberry crush. The local ice cream tasted amazing and it came with one of the crispiest wafer cones that we have ever had. Three generous scoops of ice cream costed us Rs 55.

Bengalis love their sweets and hence there are several shops catering to their sweet tooth. We stopped by "Fresh Dairy," a little gem that was dishing out fantastic Bengali sweets and savories. We highly recommend the unique Chinese patties and Desi ghee Kalakand. Their samosas are smacking good and finally we satisfied our sweet craving with Malai Chum Chum. All put together it costed us a mere Rs 46.

Another interesting offbeat destination that is a must visit is Gangani Canyons just 30 km away from Bishnupur. 

Acharya Jogesh Chandra Purakriti Bhawan aka Bishnupur Museum.

The Acharya Jogesh Chandra Purakriti Bhawan aka Bishnupur museum is one stop shop to know what a treasure trove this district has been and is any art lovers holy grail. The ground floor of the museum showcases several foundation stones of temples. The inscriptions on these stones proudly display the name of the King who initiated the constructions. Another section displays stunning terracotta ruins from nearby temples. Remarkable 11th century sculptures with most of them of Adinath portraying Jainism occupy majority of the ground floor of the museum. The Panch Mukhi Ganesha recovered from Damodar rived takes center stage. This Stunning 5 faced Ganesha was a visual treat. Be smart and go around the sculpture to verify if all five faces are there.

Several Jain sculptures from the 11 and 12th Century found in Darakeswar river have made the museum their home now. The first floor of the museum is dedicated to early historic medical period terracotta figurines found in Dihar. We instantly fell in love with cute creations of Pal - sen era pottery and the ones that are in black stand out from the rest. They have rare coin collections dating from 1st Century to British India period. Other artifacts such as bone tools, antler tools and tooth dated to the early historic period are on display. The iconic Bishnupur silk saris with scenes from Hindu mythology woven on them were on display, a few of them dating back 120 to 150 years old. Another interesting collection is naturally dyed miniature paintings from Hindu epics that were used as manuscripts covers and were made of wood. Hand axes made of stone from Paleolithic age, stone tools from Neolithic period, stones depicting name of architect of these stunning monuments were other amazing treasures on display.

Music galleries stands as a fine tribute to music maestros from this region and their personal artifacts and instruments used by them are on display. On the second floor, a very interesting Baluchari saree depicts scenes from Epic Ramayana where Ravan disguised as a sadhu (saint) tempts Sita to cross the Lakshman Rekha and kidnaps her to Lanka and en-route Jatayu is in hot pursuit and fights Ravan.

The only downside to Bishnupur museum was that majority of the artifacts/information was in Bengali. While it is great to promote the regional language, for the benefit of outsiders it would be nice if the information is displayed in any one of the Official languages. The museum works in a very questionable fashion. Though the supposedly working hours are from 11 am to 6 pm, we found the museum locked on a Saturday and after three failed attempts we finally managed to visit it at 1:30 pm. Entry ticket is priced at Rs 5 per person. Photography is prohibited inside the museum. 

Offbeat Grand Canyons Of India Gangani

Just 30 km from Bishnupur, is the Gangani Canyons. It is a distant cousin of Gandikota Canyons. Though not extravagant as the latter, Gangani is still gorgeous and majestic in her own way. This beautiful artwork of Mother Nature was formed due to several hundred years of erosion and the majestic Silabati river's constant flow has resulted in these beautiful gorges.

According to the local legend, this is the place where one of the Pandavas, Bheem, killed a demon Bakasura. This Grand Canyon of West Bengal in Garbeta town is a hidden gem and we had breathtaking views as the evening sun rays fell on these gorges. Certain parts of the majestic canyons reminded us of Moon land in Leh. Thanks to West Bengal Tourism, a stairway leads to the banks of the river from the canyon. It was amazing to spend a quiet evening here walking down the steps admiring the beauty of Nature and soaking our feet in the river. The fertile green farm lands on the other bank of the river made us realize how generous and life giving Mother Nature is. Due to our greed and fast paced economic growth, we are wiping out our natural resources at an alarming pace. It is high time we save natural resources to sustain a healthy life on planet Earth.

Gangani seems to be a favorite picnic spot an the place is feeling the heat with tons of garbage strewn around. In our travel experience across India, the two other regions- J&K and North East seem to enjoy a lot of these picnic spots. The stark difference between those two regions and gangani is that the former destinations are squeaky clean while Gangani is littered. Be a responsible traveler.

The 30 km drive from Bishnupur to Gangani is such a breeze. Narrow rural roads connected us to the Kolkata-Bishnupur Highway, which was absolutely spotless and acres of green paddy fields and water bodies were such a treat to our eyes.

In tops 40 minutes, a small detour from the highway led us to the isolated, muddy roads leading to the canyons. The tourist lodge arranged for our comfortable ride and safe driver who charged us Rs.1200 for the 60 km journey. If you have not had enough of the temples in Bishnupur, Garihat village is home to a few.