[gunin]

Background:

For a long time, I had wanted to visit the Balpakram National Park located in South Garo Hills of Meghalaya. More than the rich flora and fauna, I was interested in visiting the place because of the sacredness and importance to the Garo community of the state. The place is steeped in mythology and rich stories about it being the place where the spirits pass on their way to the afterlife.



Land of perpetual winds: Balpakram

A brief about Balpakram National Park (BNP):

BNP was declared as National Park in 1987 and is located in South Garo Hills District of Meghalaya. BNP has a rich diversity of wildlife like elephant, deer, tiger, clouded leopard, Himalayan bear etc The place literally means the land of perpetual winds. There are many mythological stories surrounding the place- for example there is a rock surface where animal footprints can be found along with human ones: the story goes that in the beginning of time when humans and animals got along together well, they would meet here for shopping or marketing. I am sure that did not read very well. That is why it is best to hear such legends from a local guide. I will try to pen a few such stories in this log.

Planning:

I planned to visit right after the Durga Puja Holidays in October, 2022. A quick call to my partner in adventure and brother-in-law, Pahar and we were set with the dates. The information on Garo Hills is quite less compared to the Khasi Hills of the state. I asked for information in our local car group, Crew-37 (with a sizeable number of bhpians) and here Bhpians Shishir (handle: Hirohito) and Reeturaj Yogi helped me with the same. I also asked my friend Philip from Shillong and he put me through to a local friend of his and this friend in turn put me in touch with a Forest Official of the Balpakram National Park (BNP). In the meantime, Shishir through his contacts confirmed that a road trip is indeed possible to South Garo Hills. This was particularly important as South Garo Hills had been ravaged by floods in June, 2022 and many important bridges were washed away along with major damage to the roads. I had also contacted the Tourism Department officials of Meghalaya and even they were not sure if I could reach BNP. The Forest Official, Shri T. Sangma also said a trip would be possible with one condition- bring a 4wd. I was like- say no more Sir!

Vehicle:

My 2016 Bolero LX 4wd DI Turbo. I completed the 1 lakh kms on this trip and could not have come up with a better celebration of the milestone for my trusted companion. I will try to pen a short review at the end of this log of this humble beast.

Travel Partners:

Bhpians Reeturaj Yogi and Bhaskar Goswami joined Pahar and me for the trip. However, Reeturaj dropped out at the last moment due to an emergency.

Some pictures to get the travelogue started:


Places where the Simsang river rose so high to destroy a hanging bridge





A journey only for tough ones



Where a Forest Rest House feels like home



Enjoyed the hospitality of the Garo people



Witnessed mornings like this



A 4wd takes you further and..




When 4wd is not enough, we still got our legs



Where man and animal used to live in harmony



We walked into Batman's lair



And that of the Thunder God Goera



Shacks which served us delicious food



For our journey into our neighboring country



We got washed by winds



And when we got tired we found solace in nature

This is a short account of an adventure called Balpakram.

[gunin]

Day 1: Samelangso, Karbi Anglong, Assam to Siju, Meghalaya

Route Taken: Samelangso-Guwahati-Dudhnoi-Rongjeng-Siju

Distance: 400 kms

Samelangso is my wife’s native place and is a beautiful place. Pahar and I started early for Guwahati and stopped only for breakfast near Jorabat before entering Guwahati. From there, we picked up Bhaskar and started for Siju. Bhaskar shared driving duties on the beautiful road to Dudhnoi. Being Dashami, the places were in full celebration mood with people visiting the pandals for blessings of Ma Durga.



Beautiful scene near Samelangso, Karbi Anglong, Assam



Milestone for the Bolero 4wd!



Durga Puja fervour


We took the road to Baghmara from Dudhnoi and crossed Rongjeng market. We had generated the E-Invite as mandated by Meghalaya Government for tourists but nobody checked it and soon we were driving in Meghalaya.



Near Rongjeng, Meghalaya


At a small village, we bought some huge bananas. Just one was enough to fill us up. We called them monster bananas.



Pictures don't show how big these were. Very sweet too.

The roads were alright except for the last few kms to Siju. It was almost dark by the time we reached Siju. Our accommodation was at the small Forest IB of the Siju Wildlife Sanctuary. The forest guard of the IB, Shri J. Marak proved to be a wonderful host and even with language barriers made us feel welcome.



Forest Inspection Bungalow, Siju

The I.B. is located near the Simsang river and at first glance does not look like much. However, it had round the clock electricity, running water and clean linen was arranged for us by Marak. It exceeded my expectations by a huge margin. There was a gecko lizard in our room welcoming us to Siju. As we were the only guests, we had the entire I.B. to ourselves.



Welcome says the Gecko

Food was prepared for us by another forester in a nearby quarter- tasty and wholesome rice, dal and eggs. Marak promised to cook us some local chicken as breakfast tomorrow. We shared the monster bananas with the forest officials and they too were surprised at the size.



Pahar and Bhaskar happy with the food

There was a dirt track running below the Forest I.B. and there were quite a few bikes coming up on that road. We were told there was a hanging bridge nearby via which local villagers cross the river Simsang. There is a newly constructed Govt. Tourist Lodge as well. Unfortunately, the approach road has been completely washed away by the floods and the lodge at present is not livable.

[gunin]

Day 2: Siju Local

I had slept soundly the night before. I wanted to see the nearby hanging bridge and the natural rock formation called Goera Ronggat. Goera is the Thunder God in Garo Mythology. Siju itself deserves a few days- it is a Bird Sanctuary as well as a Wildlife Sanctuary.

The severity of the floods can be seen from the fact that water level rose covering even the tall hanging bridge and damaging it. There were local people fishing on the banks of the river Simsang.



Bike crossing the hanging bridge.



In June 2022, water level rose to destroy this bridge



Simsang River

We took the help of local guide, Shri Engthee Marak who guided us to Goerra Ronggat, the rock formations and also to Doba Kol, the bat cave. He is nearly 70 years old but was climbing the rocks like a teenager. He gave me a fitness tip: always keep stomach empty. There is a natural lake called Goerra Patal which was a good 7 kms further from the rock formations. But Pahar and Bhaskar were already huffing and puffing and did not see the point in seeing a “lake” by traversing through “just jungles”. In any case, we would have been running out of time- we had to move to Balpakram as well that day.



To visit Goerra Ronggat





Goerra Ronggat



Fishing time


We visited the Doba Kol, the bat caves of Siju. Now Garo Hills is just wilder than the Khasi Hills where everything has been sanitised for tourists. At the cave, we carried our own torches inside the deep cave. As per Marak, the water inside the cave would rise to our faces if we chose to go deeper inside. No Sir! Waist level deep is fine for us and accordingly we dived inside the Siju Bat Cave.

The feeling of walking trough knee level water and into the darkness is quite a surreal experience and one I would advise not to miss to any future visitors. There are natural limestone formations inside the cave and we soon tip-toed our way to the star of the caves- the bats. With an unpleasant smell coming from near the bat lair, Pahar wanted to turn away but I egged him on. We shone our torches and saw so many bats. I thought even Batman might be a little scared of this place.

Some pictures:



Route for Doba Kol. Siju Bat Cave



At the mouth of the cave. A rainbow forms due to waterfall above.




Our guide leading us



Pitch Dark



Light at the end of tunnel?



Some Stalactites



Happy to be out.


We saw the destruction the floods had caused near the bat cave.



Cut off



Debris

We then returned to the Forest IB for our promised breakfast of local chicken and rice. We were also given a discount on the chicken as it was not as big as Shri J. Marak had expected. Both he and our guide, Shri E. Marak welcomed us to Siju if ever we come by that way. They asked us to inform the world about the hospitality of the Garo people. It was such a pleasure meeting these two gentlemen



Tasty chicken for breakfast



With Shri J. Marak and Shri E. Marak

[gunin]

Day 2 Continued.

Road to Balpakram:

Route Taken: Siju-Baghmara-Rongara-Balpakram

Distance: Around 90 kms

We hopped in our Bolero for the journey to Balpakram through Baghmara. Roads to Baghmara town are broken but does not require a 4wd vehicle. Traffic is sparse with an occasional police Gypsy or Bolero Camper for company. We tanked up the Bolero at Baghamara- it is advisable to do so because the next fuel pump is quite far away at Ranikor.



Goodbye Siju. Hope to be back some day.



Siju to Baghmara



At Baghmara



Forest Office, Baghmara

We then went to Chitmang House, the Forest Office to get permits for entry to BNP. A simple application form is required to be filled up for the same mentioning traveller details and car details. The officers were not sure at all if we would be able to travel to BNP even with a 4wd Bolero. They warned us of the roads and bridges on the way and how I would have to drive on makeshift planks on the river. But they were all very supportive and cooperative and wished us safe travels. We met Shri T. Sangma, Forest Official and guide of BNP who had arranged our stays and had informed us of the route as well. Since he himself was hurt due to an accident, he made sure a guide would be available for us at BNP.

Now, this is where the driving adventure really begins. It is purely a 4wd route in the present condition. Forget about bringing any 2wd car on this route at least for the next couple of years. It may be better during winter months but remember a short bout of rain and one could get stuck here. We came across some deep slush near Rongara and I was only too happy to engage 4H to tackle such terrain. When we got hungry, the monster bananas came to the rescue.



A place where I could get down and take pictures.



Showing its true colours. Bolero 4wd- bring it on!

We then came to an obstacle where I would drive on planks kept over the river. The placement of the wheels was very important as a small mistake could make the car fall into the river. I made Bhaskar and Pahar get off the Bolero and cross the bridge on foot. Pahar started recording the drive without pressing the record button. The planks actually lift in the air as I drove and would descend as I cross halfway through it. All in all it was a thrilling experience and one I am not too keen on repeating soon.



A screen grab of Rongara bridge.

A short video of Dashcam footage of the same:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DpXEmEDmRQ&t=3s

We kept driving and kept engaging the 4wd lever from time to time. The AT Tyres made it relatively easy to cross these muddy pits. I was having a good time. Bhaskar was suffering some back pain due to the constant pounding- Pahar cheekily told him to bring his Hyundai Venue the next time. In the end, Bhaskar came to the front passenger seat and was a bit more comfortable.



Getting dark. In such terrain one better have a reliable car.

We reached Hatisia Gate of BNP in the evening. The 55 kms from Baghmara had taken us nearly 4 hours to reach but we were here finally. We retired to the Forest I.B. there and after an early dinner retired for the night. At night, I went to the toilet and saw a huge gecko lizard there- it was equally startled to see me.



Finally! a dream comes true



Forest IB, Rompa, BNP



Clean IB

I am posting a short video about road condition between Baghmara and Balpakram below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDC8VIciIPU

[gunin]

Day 3: Balpakram National Park

The Forest Ranger informed us that we were the first visitors of this season and that generally people usually visit during November to April. The best time is April when the flowers would be in full bloom. We picked our guide, Shri P. Sangma from his house after a quick breakfast at a nearby market and started our journey inside the BNP.



Warm and fresh



Hatisia Gate. The gate has been removed for fresh paint.

BNP is one of the few national parks where one can drive one’s own 4wd Vehicle inside the park for around 12 kms. As it was not yet tourist season, the road was driveable only for around 6 kms and the rest would be covered by foot.

We saw a Barking Deer and a Hornbill on our drive. The road as expected required 4H for most parts and 4L on really sticky muddy inclines. The Bolero felt at home under such conditions.






Bolero 4wd in its element



First visitors of the season


After around 6 kms, the path was blocked off by fallen trees and also landslides. So, we decided to walk the rest of the 6 kms to the canyons. As we got off, we were attacked by leeches. As we trekked further, we had to constantly stop and check for the leeches. The situation got better as the sun shone as the leeches reduced in number. As if the Gods of Balpakram wanted us see the canyons.



Now for our legs to carry us further.



Limestone formations



Leech check break


There are natural limestone formations on the way. Pahar and Bhaskar were doing just fine trekking- kudos to them for doing so without any recent training. Of course, Pahar would keep pestering the guide occasionally “Aur kitna duur hai, Bhai” : (How much further brother?) As for me, the power lifting sessions and running helped me to remain relatively fresh on this trek. I was happy that this walk of 12 kms (to and fro) had not tired me out too much.

We finally reached the canyons and all of us fell silent just appreciating the beauty in front of us. This place is rich in Garo Folklore and Mythology and our guide slowly took us around these places.



Approaching the Canyons

1. Me-Mang Anti Cha Ram (The market of spirits)



This is a rocky surface where several indentations can be seen which can be related to hoof prints or pug marks. The legend goes that in the beginning of time, man and animals lived in harmony and did business with each other.

2. Gitingni Chu-Ring



These rocks represent a cooking place for the Goddess (I believe it is Gitingni) when she would visit the place. There used to be another rock perched above which used to give the appearance of a cooking pot.

3. Boldak Matchu Karam



This place is where spirits tether their animals on their journey after death. The tree has got a depression on its trunk due to the constant tethering there. Interestingly, when one such tree falls due to winds or any other reason, another tree starts developing such depressions.

There are many more such interesting places. There is a stone bridge constructed by the God Bandi for his wife to cross over a river. I would have liked to spend more time here but our time of visit was not really conducive for further trekking with lots of vegetation. I hope to come back to this place again and explore it in a leisurely manner.



Stone Bridge

Some pictures from the canyons:



Pahar, Bhaskar and Gunin







Canyons of BNP



Fresh hoof/ pug marks


We walked back to our car and the downhill 6 kms were much easier than the ascent. A little bit of spotting by Pahar and I was able to turn the Bolero in the narrow track.

We soon reached Hatisia gate of BNP and said thanks to our guide Shri P. Sangma and also to other forest official present there. There are many more trekking routes here- like the one to Deoban river. These I would leave for a next visit.



On the way back



With our ever smiling guide- Shri P. Sangma

A short video of the drive is listed below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ok2bkJQGxk&t=23s

We were very tired and decided to crash at Forest I.B. and not travel any further. It was already around 3 PM anyway. We decided to make a circular route to Ranikor and Mawsynram on the next day. Not even a single local person thought we could travel to Ranikor from Balpakram but we decided to try anyway.

[gunin]

Day 4: Balpakram to Guwahati

Route taken: Balpakram-Maheskola-Ranikor-Mawsynram-Shillong-Guwahati

Distance: Around 320 kms

About the road conditions, I will just say we took 7 hours to complete some 90 odd kms from Balpakram to Ranikor with frequent use of 4wd.

Some pictures:



Bridge near Mahadeo.





Chocolate roads. The clay in a way sucks the tyres and 4 Low is required at times.







Beautiful Scenery though.


Somewhere near Maheskola, a BSF (Border Security Force) truck got stuck in slush and the soldiers were out with their shovels. Some little kids were having a good time watching the stuck truck and were cheering for Bolero to get stuck as well. I proceeded in 4H and got bogged down soon. The 4wd stick was acting moody and took some time and muscle to move to 4L after which the Bolero just chugged away. The little kids were a bit unhappy .



A brief video of the clearance of this obstacle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8gQjXgWMcU

A group of ladies waved us down requesting for a ride to Maheskola. We usually entertain such requests at places where public transport is negligible. With 7 people in the Bolero, it rode so well- almost like my Toyota Yaris. We came across another slush pit and the ladies waved to their male acquaintances who were stuck on their bikes as we breezed through in the Bolero.

We had warm puri and sabzi at Maheskola Bazar and Pahar picked up this monster pineapple.





Maheskola Bazar



Pineapple fit to be launched as a missile.

We came across a place straight out of hell with hundreds of coal laden trucks almost dominating the entire poor road. Here there were two roads and one trucker advised us to take the uphill one- it was a big mistake. Imagine a slush pit with lots of huge trucks parked haphazardly and not a single passenger vehicle. Huge ruts caused by the trucks caused the Bolero to hit it’s under body quite badly and was almost beached with 4 wheels spinning freely. I somehow managed to turn back with Pahar and Bhaskar doing the necessary spotting for me.

Anyone doing the Balpakram-Ranikor route should stick to the border road which weaves its way to Bangladesh and back to India multiple times. Avoid the trucker route at all costs.



Driving in Bangladesh



The Paddy Field is Bangladesh. The area beyond the barbed fence is India. Bolero in the middle.



A breather

We were stopped by BSF Jawans and they politely enquired about our reasons for travelling there. 4wd was needed till a few kms short of Ranikor and from then on it was smooth sailing. I had been driving constantly for more than 8 hours since morning and had 100 kms to show for it. It took quite a toll on me and I was very tired. Beautiful Ranikor held no charm for me at that point of the drive.



Approaching Ranikor. Kynshi River



Ranikor Bridge


We had lunch at a small village near Mawsynram and Bhaskar took over driving duties. He drove and crossed the traffic snarls of Shillong. If not for him, I would have definitely crashed for the night at Mawsynram. We were constantly tailgated by pesky taxi altos who thought they were direct descendants of the Fast and Furious crew. If only I could airlift and drop them at Balpakram. Our Bolero was covered in mud and presented a stark contrast to the clean cars of the Khasi Hills.



Mawsynram

We had dinner near Barapani and I took over for the final drive to Guwahati. There was traffic jam at Jorabat near Guwahati even at 12 of the night. However, we cleared all of that and finally reached Guwahati at 1 AM. We dropped Bhaskar at his home and Pahar and I retired to ours. Thank you for reading!

A few words about my Bolero 4wd:



This was one trip where we pushed the Bolero to its limits and it shone through like a star. I have completed 1 lakh kms on it over the last 6.5 years. During the months following COVID-19, I had contemplated selling it off as the number of trips had come to a complete zero. For regular commuting over long distances, it can be a cumbersome car with its hard suspension and high levels of NVH.

However, when it comes to trips to difficult areas, there is nothing quite like a Bolero. Road conditions don’t matter to me when planning a trip. Only a track is needed for a vehicle and I am confident that it would take me there and bring me back. And it does all that difficult stuff without making a show of it. It doesn’t look a dedicated off roader like a Thar or Gurkha and quietly blends in with other vehicles.

And after a difficult trip, it doesn’t ask for much. After our Balpakarm trip, it just needed a wash and the next day it took me to my workplace, Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh without even a single unwanted noise.

So, I think I will be keeping the Bolero 4wd for a long time and cover another lakh kms on it.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[arjab]

Absolutely brilliant Gunin!
I could feel the adventure just by reading it! Beautiful pictures too!
I always favoured simple, rugged automobiles for offbeat, tough, remote travel destinations. Your Bolero proved that one does not need earth moving BHP's and Nm or for that matter a million computers acting as electronic nannies to tackle situations as tough as the one's you went through.

Wish you many more miles of 4x4xFAR!

Take care & drive safe!

Best,

[ABHI_1512]

Bolero and you are a match made in heaven Gunin ! What a delightful and exciting drive to another wonderland. Your penchant of finding and going to uncharted territories is gaining a legendary status now. Absolutely breathtaking account of a scintillating drive to a place that is hardly known outside the NE. In fact, many in the NE would be hard pressed to know about a national park called Balpakram. May you and your Bolero continue to scale the unknowns, regards.

[BhaskarG]

Gunin's Bolero is definitely one of the stars of TeamBHP. Not because it is a 4x4, but because it has been dedicatedly doing what it was intended to do, and this car has been regularly bringing relatively unknown places to the national limelight.



Pic: Gunin washing headlamps with water from a stream

And Gunin is a seasoned off-roader and trekker. It will be hard to keep up with his trekking pace for many city-slickers like you and me!

Offroading and trekking are not easy, but these are the kind to trips that make memories, and makes you yearn for more. After many years, these are the trips that you will fondly remember.

[Yogi..Reeturaj]

What a read Gunin. I definitely felt i was with you guys on the trip. This is by far the best account and description of Balpakram. You are the first traveller i know who has completed the circuit yet.
Keep writing man, keep tripping.

[TurboKat]

Excellent write-up Gunin da. Enjoyed the pics. The untouched beauty and serenity of the place are unmatched. Had not heard about this place before - was good to learn about it.

[haisaikat]

The Balpakram roads would be certainly a drive to remember for this trip as it seems to me. The driving on the planks and the place where Army truck got stuck seems to be reason enough why regular folks should keep away of such routes. One hell of an adventurous drive to remember. The pics are stunning as usual especially on the day of return to Guwahati, just heavenly. Wish you lot of miles with your 4wd machine and keep gifting many more travelogues for us to cherish. Rated 5 stars.

[Hirohito]

Woke up fresh this morning, and opened ‘the homepage’ and found what I was wanting to read since yesterday. Despite being from Dudhnoi, I haven’t managed to explore Garo hills yet. This eloquent account of your adventure with Bhaskar and Pahar, on your magnificent Bolero, is inspiring to say the least. Aren’t we all glad, you decided to keep your Bolero!

[Sounak]

A Big Thank you for refreshing my childhood memories of West Garo Hills and highlighting places that are not known in mainstream tourism circuit. This has helped to maintain it's pristineness.


Travelled extensively in West Garo Hills (New Bhaitbari, Rajabala, Mankachar, Mahendrganj, Tikrikilla, Selsella, Batabari, Baghmara, Garobada etc) due to Dad's posting, and still remember the rustic experience this region provides.

There are many interesting and unexplored historical places, For Ex: Incase if anyone go towards 'Old Bhaitbari' there are archaeological remains of Koch Kingdom that once ruled from Cooch Behar.

BTW, Lunch breaks at Dudhnoi or Krishnai was mandatory custom those days since long distance buses used to stop there religiously. Can't say about today!