A MEMORABLE VISIT

In April of 1976, during the Bihu Holidays, I visited Tezpur, a small and very beautiful township north of the Brahmaputra river—a very clean and historically important place. My eldest sister was married in 1975 and stayed in Tezpur. There was no bridge connecting the south bank with the north bank then, and people had to cross the river through a ferry run only once by the Inland water department of the state government at around two o’clock in the afternoon from Silghat. Another Ferry goes to Biswanath Ghat connecting Biswanath Charali. (Meeting of roads from four sides) from Silghat almost at the same time. The road communication from my place, Golaghat, to Tezpur, was very interesting. One Assam State Transport (ASTC) Bus plys between Jorhat to Silghat in the morning, and it has a quota of six seats to accommodate passengers from Golaghat. This bus takes us to Silghat ferry ghat.

In Golaghat, we must catch an ASTC bus to Kamargaon, nearly 30 km from Golaghat. We are to wait at the Kamargaon bus stand for almost an hour to catch the bus coming from Jorhat. The bus takes us to Silghat, and at Silghat ferry ghat, before the bus stops, people start jumping out of the bus throwing their luggage through the bus window and running over the sand beach to the ferry ticket counter, nearly half a Km to a KM away depending on the month of visit. In summer it is near, and in winter it is far from the bus terminal. The passengers create chaos, and they can not be blamed as if they fail to get a ferry ticket, they will be stuck there where no accommodation is available. It was a horror for the older people unless someone was with them to run and arrange their ferry tickets. After reaching the North Bank, people must run to catch the only ASTC bus half a Km away from the ferry ghat to Tezpur. One person in the family normally runs and occupies his seat and places a handkerchief or some baggage in other seats to occupy the seats for their family members coming behind. I enjoyed this thrilling experience, but it was horrific for senior citizens. The chaos in the bus is worth seeing. Those who did not get a seat on the bus created a stir by throwing out the handkerchief put on by someone else to block the seat by some other passengers and occupying the seat by force. This chaos continues for some time before the bus starts. There were a few taxis ( Ambassador and Jeep only) was also available at a very exorbitant cost, but those who did not get a seat in the bus compelled to take their services, paying the extra charges or otherwise walking nearly 5- 8 km(Depending on the location of the ghat which goes on changing with the water level of the river) to the town.

My earlier visit to Tezpur with my parents gave me a fair idea of the communications, and I am mentally prepared. During the Puja holidays in October of that year, I told my father I wanted to go to Tezpur. I was then studying in class Xiii, and my immediate elder sister was in class X. My father hesitated to permit us to go considering these communications issues, but I was adamant about going, so he ultimately yielded. I booked two tickets for us in advance, and the next day we started our journey from Golaghat to Kamargaon. Only a few private buses were plying in those days, except very few running between nearby places, and ASTC was the only service for long-distance travel. The red buses with a Rhino logo attached have a great authoritative look.

In Kamargaon, we were waiting for the bus from Jorhat to come after taking Samusa and Jelebi in a small shop near the bus stop, and ultimately the bus arrived. There was no hurry as the bus waited 15 minutes, and we occupied our seats. Soon we reached Jakhalabandha Bus station, where the Bus stops for quite a long time, and the passengers normally take their food there in the nearby restaurants as there is no more food stall available till reaching Tezpur. We also took some food, and I told my sister to come slowly with our luggage at the ferry ghat to the ferry, and I would run to get the tickets. Knowing the situation, we were carrying a small bag, and I ran to get the Ferry ticket, and my sister walked to the ferry with our pack. I arranged the ticket, and we soon occupied the ferry seats. It was nearly a two-hour journey before reaching the other side, and there also my sister was coming comfortably, and I ran to occupy two seats in the bus to Tezpur.  Luckily I managed two seats for us, but we had to share our two seats with accommodating an older lady who could not get a seat for her. From the bus stop, we took a rickshaw to my sister’s place and found my sister and brother-in-law waiting for us at the gate. On the road, we got a Public call office and informed my father that we had reached safely.

Next week we visited the Famous MahaBhoirov temple and the Padum Pukhuri(Lotus Pond), a beautiful pond with a road dividing them. The lotus was in full bloom, and the area was very beautiful. My sister and brother-in-law go for their duties, and we roam around the town. There were so many beautiful locations to visit, and we wanted to go to all the places, which was impossible. But we did not miss going to The famous Agnigarh, built on a hilltop by King Bana, who ruled during the Kurukshetra war and fought with the Kauravas against Pandava. The same is within the centre of the town. His daughter Usha was beautiful and in love with Aniruddha, nephew of lord Krishna. King Bana made this fort to keep her daughter Usha so that no one could take her away. It is now preserved as a place of visit for the tourist. The location is calm and quiet, and the mighty Brahmaputra and its sandy beach can be seen. The beautiful Cole park was nearby. Originally made by that time commissioner of Assam, Mr Cole, in 1906, Cole Park, named after him, is a major attraction of Tezpur. The park was renovated from time to time and maintained very well., 

Suddenly, my sister, who was with me from golaghat, fell sick, and my brother-in-law took her to a doctor. We had just entered the doctor’s chamber when there was a commotion outside. A few people brought inside a gentleman who was constantly shouting. He was well dressed and looked like a gentleman of around 65-70 years of age. His wife also accompanied him and looked like a lady from a well-to-do family. She was crying without stopping. The doctor put the gentleman in the bed and tried to check him up, but he was not allowing him to do that, pushing the doctor back with his hands and foot. With the help of the accompanied people and us, the doctor measured his abnormally high blood pressure. He was still shouting consistently. The doctor immediately injected him, and after some time, the patient gradually cooled down and slept. The Doctor asked the people what the matter was. The lady told him that they were travelling from Silghat to Tezpur through the ferry service and were perfectly alright, but 5-10 minutes before the ferry reached, he started behaving abnormally and gradually, it was increasing. The other two people who were their co-passengers noticed the change and helped the lady to bring him to the doctor. 

The Doctor asked the lady whether they had taken anything on the way. The lady first said No. But suddenly, she remembered something and told the doctor that one gentleman was travelling with them and had become very friendly with them. Half an hour before arrival, he gave them both paan(Betel nut with paan leaves). The gentleman had taken it, but the lady did not; it was still in her bag. The doctor wanted to see the same, and she took it out of her purse. The doctor opened it and found the  Dhutura (thornapple or jimsonweeds or Devil’s trumpet ) flower seeds mixed with it, which is a poison and makes people senseless. So the diagnosis was completed, and the doctor pushed him for another injection. By this time, their family members had reached and, as advised by the doctor, shifted to a nearby hospital for any requirement at night. The doctor then told us that this was not the first case. Some unscrupulous people normally get acquainted with people who look from a well-to-do family and give them something to eat. Without a doubt, the victim takes such things and becomes unconscious. Then these people took all the bags, cash etc., from the victim and left. Likely the gentleman has not taken the full Paan, and he did not faint by the grace of God. Due to our curiosity, we visited the hospital the next morning and met him. He is fully fit and apologised to us regarding his bad behaviour under the influence of the poison. I learnt a big lesson, and from then on till today, I do not take any offerings by any unknown person during travel anywhere. The person could have died if his co-passengers did not help him to bring him to the doctor.

This incident had affected us mentally so badly that we decided to cut short our Tezpur visit and return to our house. The journey was the same in the reverse and the last bus from Kamargaon to Golaghat. 

Rajat 

11/07/23