CHASING THE SHRINKING URBAN RESERVE FOREST OF HENGRABARI, GUWAHATI

Photo Travelogue :


The city of Guwahati in Assam is surrounded by green hills on all the sides, except north, where the river Brahmaputra flows. For a nature lover, these hills having the reserve ( urban ) forests are quite an attraction, as they are close by and accessible whenever one wishes to enjoy nature. However, with population explosion and encroachments, these hills are rapidly losing its beauty and the green cover. I decided to visit what was left of it...before everything vanished altogether.




glimpses of green hills surrounding guwahati city...




peaking over rooftops...


you just can't miss these looming heights...the birubari hills...


the ramchai-chitrasal-kharguli stretch...


the bonda tower and amchang reserve not faraway...


the sarania hills and gandhi mandap...

more of these beauties...








with so many beautiful hills and forests to chase, tempted I was...and I chose to ¬ chase!!

so, today, hengrabari reserve forest was it, will I make it?






hills being mutilated for encroachment...sad situation...




whats left of it, looks at you...still welcoming... but, how to reach...every road that goes to it is densely populated...aaarrrgh..!






seriously, I wanted to demolish all these structures...hope, nature reclaim them some day...






shrinking...shrinking...the greens are shrinking...


with great difficulty, finally, met some of these without the annoying concrete blocking my path...


hope they don't vanish too...

Its sad to see the forests getting destroyed to make way for human settlements disturbing nature and ecology of the place, not to mention, the stunning beauty. Hope the situation reverses and fast.

A few decades ago the areas around Hengrabari were covered with dense forest, tall trees and wild bushes. There are several Reserved Forests in and around Guwahati. The reserved forests within the limits of Guwahati Municipal Corporation, are Hengrabari, Phatasil, Jalukbari and Khanapara. These forests are under the administrative control of the Divisional Forest Officer, Kamrup (East) Forest Division. The other reserved forests around Guwahati are Rani and Garbhanga RFs. Deepar Beel Wildlife Sanctuary. The forests act as the green lung of Guwahati, but, unfortunately, a large chunk of the area is encroached by unauthorized occupants. The Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden set up in 1957 is the largest of its kind in the North East region and it is spread across 432 acre. The zoo is located within the Hengrabari Reserved Forest at Guwahati, The zoo occupies an area of 130 hectares. It is a top destination for families seeking summer fun. It's an ideal spot for picnics and nature walks, offering stunning natural scenery. The area is also perfect for tracking adventures, making it a must-visit location in Guwahati ( wiki ).

Address : Borbari, Pathar Quarry, Hengrabari Reserve Forest, Hengrabari-Assam State Zoo, RG Baruah Rd, Guwahati, Assam 781005.
Read next part - Here! Stay tuned for all my road, rail, flight, cruise & walk trips.
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TREKKING TO TIN JHANDA TEMPLE VIEWPOINT AT BIRUBARI HILLS, GUWAHATI

Photo Travelogue :
Read first part - Here!

This 1300+ ft hill is right in the middle of the city. But finding the right track to its top was quite tricky for me and seemed like an impossible task. I went to all the wrong entry points and almost gave up. Asking here and there, in the end, I found that the main entry point was right under my nose. One has to take the very common Arya Vidyapeeth college road and go straight. Ignore the initial right turn that goes towards kahilipara, or the first left which goes to GMCH. Instead, take the second right thats a little further ahead straight and you enter a place called Sankarpur. And you are in the right place. From here on there was no looking back. Here's my trip in pics. Enjoy :-)


the temple on the top of that hill is actually visible from the plains...


and I start climbing my scooty straightaway...its too steep...


the view of surrounding rolling hills will mesmerise for sure...


this area is quite populated, inspite of being at such height...


eventually, I have to leave my scooty and walk uphill...


till I reach the steps of the temple...its a 300+ steps climb...whoa!


I'm in a dilemma, to climb them or not to climb..., they're intimidating for sure...




as I halt gasping for breath...I get these gorgeous views...


full cardio workout ho gayi aaj toh......


reached the top alas...with idol of ganesh greeting you...


I was not there for religious purpose, so, I simply say 'hi' to lord shiva n his nandi bull...


and, my main purpose was this...



one of the best viewpoints of guwahati city...the climb was so worth it...

three dstinct flags fly in the hill all the time near the temple, hence, its name...

sat on top for a whie enjoying the peace and serenity...a recommended place for hill lovers...


Address : Tin Jhanda Temple, Sathgaon, Sankarpur, Birubari Hills, Birubari, Guwahati-781032
Read next part - Here! Stay tuned for all my road, rail, flight, cruise & walk trips.
( Images - ©Mine. All rights reserved. )
Our Rating Scale is : 1 to 5 = ◕◕◕◕◕ - It was Awesome!