Its time for Pobitora

The farm fields are now wide expanses of bright yellow mustard flowers, and extend as far as your eyes can see.

The numerous waterbodies are now filled with the different colourful species of ducks frolicking in the shallow waters, whereas the kites and the eagles fly high on the skies above. The big cranes and the storks fly over your heads thumping their powerful wide span of wings. The Kingfishers with their bright blue feathers, the colourful sunbirds, the Indian rollers, the orioles, the green barbets, the magnificent hornbills all whip up a magnificent concoction of joy and playfulness. The migratory birds come in their thousands from all across the globe and graces us here at Pobitora with their presence.

The rhinos graze lazily on the vast grasslands, with the females keeping a close eye on their young ones. The wild buffaloes also co-exist peacefully with the Rhinos and other animals. The hills of Bura Mayong, which also falls within the sanctuary also has several species of mammals like the barking deer, leopard, Leopard cats, jungle cats, slow loris, capped langurs, Assamese and Rhesus macaques. Other animals like porcupines, golden jackals, monitor lizards and wild boars are also found here.

Pobitora also has one of the best spots for viewing river dolphins on the majestic Brahmaputra river, that flows on its northern side. Bird and animal sightings are far more and far closer at Pobitora, than many other wildlife sanctuaries. There are 22 different species of mammals, 375 species of birds, 27 species of reptiles, 9 species of amphibians and 39 species of fishes in the areas falling under the sanctuary. In short, this is a small paradise for bird watchers, wild lifers and photographers.

And then, Pobitora is not just about the wildlife and the birds. The villages of Mayong, bordering the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary have a very important place in the history of Assam. These villages have always been known as the hub for tantric practices – the erstwhile ‘Black Magic Capital’ . There were many famous practitioners who have believers from different places of the world, and some are still practicing the art, albeit mostly to cure illnesses. The different items used by the ‘Black Magician’ or Tantric practitioner along with the intrigue filled Magician’s box, manuscripts written on the bark of the Xaasi tree, photographs of past and present practitioners (Bez) and many evidences of the prevalence of such practices have been very nicely preserved in the Mayong Museum and Research Centre.
The Mayong Museum also has many other historical artefacts belonging to the Ahom period and even beyond. Cannon balls and weapons possibly meant for or used in the Battle of Saraighat, ancient clay potteries and other items have been collected for various places in the vicinity and kept in the museum, thanks to the effort of a few concerned local individuals. Apart from the Museum, Mayong also has the longest stone inscription in Asia, at Bura Mayong village. The Shiva temple of Kashashila, the Narasingha temple the Ganesh temple at Baha are widely revered places of worship and have their own interesting legends. Also known as the 'xata tirthar sthaan' or the place of 100 pilgrimages, Mayong also has a deep-rooted cultural and religious heritage, which is still maintained intact by the locals

Located just about 40 kms from the heart of the busy and bustling Guwahati city, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary is a beautiful holiday destination that has the combination of wildlife, culture, history and entertainment all rolled together into a complete package.
Visitors can enjoy the elephant safari early in the morning and the Jeep Safari from morning to mid-afternoon. One can also enjoy a boat safari on the Brahmaputra to spot the endangered river dolphins. The Rhino and Bird viewpoint gives visitors a great preview of how the animals and the birds co-exist peacefully here. A relaxed 2-night, 3-day trip is ideal to cover Pobitora and nearby areas. If you are wildlife or bird photographer, you can extend your stay as well, as there would be no dearth of photo opportunities. There are many well maintained resorts that offer a comfortable accommodation with good food, as well as assistance of guides.

Although considered a distant cousin of the more glamorous Kaziranga National Park, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary with all these and more, deserves its own standing in the Tourism map of India. With such close proximity with Guwahati, Morigaon, Jagiroad, Nagaon and other important towns, it is an ideal weekend gate-away for the locals of these towns. New and wider roads have been made now, to facilitate increased flow of traffic to this beautiful place. Foreign tourists, eager for a 'local experience' have many things to experience at Pobitora.

If promoted well, Pobitora is well qualified to become one of the most sought-after tourist locations in Assam, just like the Kamakhya Temple and Kaziranga National Park. This combination of nature and wildlife, culture and history is unique to this place and therefore should definitely be experienced.