Saturday 15 June 2013

The Memorable Amnesia


Whatever limited travelling I have done so far, most of them were during and after my college days. But I could still remember few of my travel stories during my school days, when I used to travel with parents. Most probably I was into my 6th or 7th standard that time, when my parents planned to visit one of our relatives. Well, one of my maternal aunt was put up in Haflong, as her husband was posted out there during that time. I was pretty much excited as not only us, but 3 more families (relatives) planned to visit together. Haflong is a small town in Dima Hasao district of Assam. As Assam is surrounded by so many exotic hills, people usually assume that there’s hell lot of hill stations out there. But in fact, Haflong would be the only hill station in Assam in true sense and is situated at a distance of 350 KM from Guwahati.


During those days there were limited mode of communications to such places and we traveled by Indian Railways. It was a fantastic journey, as the place was extremely closer to nature. On the way we witnessed some breathtaking steeps and on one occasion I was totally stunned, when all of a sudden everyone felt complete darkness inside the train, that too in broad daylight. Well, the train passed through a tunnel and on the way we experienced several such tunnels. On every occasion I was very much excited and few of the tunnels seemed to be quite longer, as the darkness lasted for almost a couple of minutes. 


Haflong is surrounded by dense forest with some fascinating waterfalls and the place was kind of virgin those days. My uncle worked for the Sericulture department of Assam and the government had given him a size-able as well as a wonderful house to stay. One day we visited the pineapple garden, Haflong Lake and the famous Jatinga. Jatinga is a picturesque small village and the place is well known for the phenomenon of birds “committing suicide”. Well, it’s little hard to digest, isn't it? The local people witnessed the weird phenomenon since several decades.

It seems September to November is the peak suicide season for the birds. During that season, thousands of birds of a wide range of species from across the world migrate to Jatinga and the suicide phenomenon is a kind of mystery for all the bird specialists. Can’t really say whether it’s suicide or not, but it’s a fact that every year hundreds of birds deliberately die out there. The birds used to fly in full speed and intentionally crash themselves to the bamboos, tree branches and even to the grounds. 

It was a tiring day and we reached home only by evening. Everyone slept early that night and I had a long sleep.  I didn’t notice the time, but I think I woke up quite late the next day. As I was brushing my teeth, one of my cousins asked me why I was doing that. A little later everyone was enjoying tea inside the house and I took a cup and went to the veranda at the back side. It was a mesmeric moment and I had some close encounters with the misty, as well as snowy white clouds all around me. After a while it started to get little darker and I said to my cousin "It’s going to rain today" After sometime I was really worried as it was completely dark outside. 


As everyone was having morning tea, so it would have possibly been 10 to 11 AM that time and yet it was so dark outside. I wondered why no one else was that much worried? I assumed it could have been a usual situation in that part of the world. After sometime I saw lights all around the hill and I was totally tensed that moment. I was pretty much confused and feared a natural disaster.


I talked with my cousin who was around 4 years elder to me. He was absolutely amused and said “what the hell are you talking? Go and check the time” I had a look at the wall clock and it was 6 AM. I was even more confused, why everyone woke up so early that morning? I thought they might have planned for some sightseeing.  When people realized what was going through my head, everyone literally laughed at me and one of my uncle screamed "it’s not morning my dear, it evening 6 PM now"

I wondered how that could have been possible? I asked them "how could I sleep that long? Why no one bothered to wake me up?"

My mother said that I went to sleep just a couple of hours back. I was in a totally confused state of mind and said to them that I couldn’t remember anything about that morning.  My cousin asked "don’t you remember the delicious Pulao we had  in the breakfast? I could remember you finished 2-3 plates"

That was the one and only kind of incident that happened to me till now. To be honest, I could never recollect anything about that particular day, till the time I actually woke up in the evening.


Image courtesy: google images

58 comments:

  1. Nice write on Halflong,been there it is nice place.And Sometimes I also did the same thing waking up in the evening and brush my teeth when I was young

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    1. Thank U so much dear. Glad to know that even U did the same thing in the evening when U were young :) Thanks for visiting out here!

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  2. Very well written. I still wonder about suiciding birds. Really?

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    1. Thanks Himanshu. yeah, it true and is a kind of puzzle for the bird specialist. There is some scientific reason behind the phenomenon. You can google it if U are interested to know more!

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  3. What an eerie kind of place, birds committing suicide...
    Great pics.

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    1. Thanks Indrani, it's quite a fascinating place!

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  4. ooh suicidal birds.. creepy.. nice read thou..

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    1. Yeah, creepy but true :) I am glad U enjoyed the post!

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  5. the first pic...<3 <3 <3....rest of the read amazing...:)

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    1. I am glad U enjoyed the post :) Thanks for visiting out here Vaisakhi!

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  6. I feel like visiting the place..

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    1. You should visit once, it's a very fascinating place!

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  7. Wow, good to know about this remote place Jahid!

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    1. Thanks Malini. It's quite a fascinating place!

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  8. Wow! The captures are a treat to the eyes!

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    1. Thanks Bushra :) actually stole from google images :)

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  9. Beautiful words and pics. I don't understand the birds though. So sad.

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    1. Thanks Yamini. The birds case is a kind of mystery and many bird specialists did research on it.

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  10. Beautiful photos and description Jahid. We have lived in Along and i definitely know that there is a Wolong and you have written about Halflong, so nice trilogy of our diverse country. :)

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    1. Thank U so much Madhu. I am glad U liked the post. Haflong is a fascinating place. Thanks for visiting out here!

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  11. Whoaa!
    looks like an amazing place!
    Nice pictures and well described!
    I loved the title.
    :)

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    1. Yeah, it's quite a fascinating place. I am so glad U liked the post and the title as well :) Thanks u so much dear for visiting out here!

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  12. Seems like a place worth visiting !! Nice post!!

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    1. Yeah, it's quite a fascinating place and a place worth visiting. I am so glad U liked the post. Thanks for visiting out here!

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  13. I have heard about bird's suicide... but was not sure. Thanks for sharing. A master piece.

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    1. Yeah, it difficult to believe but it's a fact. There some scientific reason behind all these. I am so glad U liked the post!

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  14. I remember myself doing the brushing-act in the evening once, may years back, and becoming the laughing stock of others in the family. Good to know that I am not the only one who did that :)

    Thanks for this good read on Haflong.

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    1. Hehe Dude!
      Good to know that I am not the only one who did that :) I am glad U liked the post. Thanks for visiting out here Mr Patnaik !

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  15. Loved your blog on Haflong....what a beautiful place!

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    1. Thanks Michael.I am glad U liked the post and yeah,it's a beautiful place. Thanks for visiting out here!

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  16. A new and unbelievable information for me. (Hi, Always add a title and alt text to your all pictures before you post article. That will help you show your article via image search) all the best

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    1. Thanks Seb. I am glad the post was informative for U. Thanks for Ur advice, actually quite often I steal images from "google images" :) I am not sure if I could put title in those images!

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  17. Nice post! That place seems so surreal.

    http://rajniranjandas.blogspot.in

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    1. Thanks Niranjan! The place is a mystery for the birds.

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  18. Lovely :) Interesting post Jahid :) But really I wonder about that suicide of birds, is it really happening and why so its happening ? Totally confused on that issue. Then The title, pictures and your words everything is so nice. And yes sometimes that kind of amnesia happens :D

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    1. Hey! Sushmitha, the place is kind of mystery for the birds. It seems the suicide phenomenon is a puzzle for the bird specialist and they have their individual opinion. But it's a fact that several birds die out there. I am so glad U liked the words and the title. The pictures are not mine by the way, I took it from "google images". You are correct, sometimes that kind of amnesia do happens.

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    2. But I still wonder and worry about that mystery for birds there.

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    3. Hmmm... I can understand!

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  19. I remember that feeling of having lost track of time. Well written - makes me long to visit Assam - I've somehow never made it there. Good pictures.

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    1. Haha nice to know that I am not the only one with the feeling of having lost track of time :) I am glad U liked the post. U must visit Assam and particularly NE, it's very exotic.

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  20. The same happend with me, my brothers and sisters and i think everyone goes through it once. hee.. hee.. he...

    _______________________
    http://www.indiatalks.tk

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    1. I am pretty much delighted to know that U and Ur siblings think that way :) Thanks for visiting out here!

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  21. Wonderful memories! travelling with family is always special :)

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    1. Yes Uma, travelling with family is always special :) I am glad U liked the post!

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  22. hai.. salam kenal,
    follower no.163
    done follow sini,
    jom follow teman yea yunk..=)

    http://tengkubutang@blogspot.com/ -->(official)
    http://kucenkucenbelog.blogspot.com/ -->2nd blog

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  23. The innocence of a boy out on a trip along with his parents is nicely brought out in the post along with some lovely pictures of nature in all its serenity. I like the lighthearted manner in which you write.

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    1. Thanks Kajal Sir for Ur lovely comment. I am so glad U liked the post!

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  24. Good writeup nice read..well done!

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    1. Thanks Rakesh. Glad U liked the post. Thanks for visiting out here!

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  25. Funny you didn't remember about the morning.
    I love to travel and your post makes me want to go to Assam now.
    You describe very well. I can imagine your journey and places.

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    1. Hello Roohani! I am so glad U liked the post and also U are little inspired to visit Assam. Thank U so much for visiting out here!

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  26. It gets quite achy in case of amnesiac skip-overs, of course that is what we call mystery! Well written and well described! Very picturesque! :) (y)

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    1. Thanks Ipshita :) Glad U liked the post. Thanks for visiting our here!

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