buffalo at the cattle market in Numaligarh
Back on tierra firma, having arrived at the Nimati Ghat on the south bank of the Brahmaputra by much larger ferry, we soon hit the Assam Trunk Road, the main east-west throughfare.
our ferry, much bigger than on the way out, back to the mainland
disembarkation at the Nimati Ghat, tierra firma
the Sunday market at Roschuc (?), with cloths and vegetables being sold next to each other
there is not really a market structure, most of it is selling from a blanket
It is Sunday, which seems to be special market day par excellence. We first reach the general market at Roschuc (?), a rather chaotic affair, where all products are being sold all over the place – usually, Indian markets are better organised, vegetables with vegetables, products like garments and shoes in other section, and so on. Not here. Some cloths are next to a range of vegetable stalls, which border the shoe department, but only part of it, because more shoes are on the other side, where also the meat and the fish is being sold, next to metal works. But despite the chaos, there is a really nice atmosphere, lovely people, very friendly and chatty. Going to the market seems to be a social affair as much as a shopping experience.
various veggies, including mini-tomatos, on a piece of plastic
as well as the pepeprs and chillies
and the metal and copper department, or part of it
this is the sun hat seller, all them packed on one bicycle
pulses always provide a colourful picture and so do the spices and pastas
the cattle market in Numaligarh
sellers and buyers checking the prices by phone
cows come in small groups
the buffalos are in the back, under a shelter
but the occasional animal seeks the sunlight
The Cattle Market
In Numaligarh we stumble upon the cattle market. Not very big, but quite busy, with animals, many tied up in small groups – probably belonging to the same owner – waiting for a buyer, some outside, and in a kind of an open market building. The animals have been here for a while, obviously, which shows on the floor: quite filthy by now, and quite smelly. But here, too, great atmosphere. And business is being conducted, I see large swaths of money changing hands. Cash, no digital payments here.
At the back is the buffalo market, separate from the cows. But equally filthy, of course. Whenever an animal has been sold, it is being manoeuvred into one of the small trucks that are parked around. A major exercise involving several men pushing at the back, and another two or three pulling a rope in the front. How they manage to get three of those monsters next to each other, I have no idea, getting one in is already difficult enough.
and joined forces are required to get the latest purchase in the back of the car
how they manage to get three of them in one truck, I don’t know
the central part of what remains of the Deopahar temple
which is more a collection of old carvings and sculptures
neatly arranged in a circle around the temple remains
carved scenes are lined up along the edge
and another head sculpture
and some great faces, too
a warrior fighting a giant swan?
The Temple Ruins
But Numaligarh has more to offer than markets alone. Just outside town is the Deopahar temple, or rather, the ruins of the temple, built on top of a hill. The story goes that one of the Ahom kings – the Ahom ruled this area from the 11th C to the 18th – wasn’t able to climb the hill, so built a new temple nearby and let the old decay. Nowadays, it is an archaeological site, parts of it being restored. Many of the pieces of the original temple are arranged in a circle around it, displaying the various sculpting and carvings. No explanations, nothing.
some of the scenes are well preserved
the new temple, a lot less charismatic
but alive with colourful decorations
I just love this minivan, doing exactly what it says: Running for Money
The new temple is on the plains, in between the tea plantations. It is not particularly beautiful, but with all the offering stalls around, it makes for a few nice and colourful pictures.
undulating tea estate, beautiful colour
one of the tea workers
and the access road to the estate
this is another one, nearer the temple
The Tea Estates
And so do the tea estates. All along the road – this is Assam, after all – we have seen the tea bushes appearing, endless fields, sometimes a little undulating. Tea is always fabulous to look at, its vibrant green colour before harvest, and it slightly darker green as the new leaves have been plucked. And even better if there are people working the plantation, like earlier on at the harvest, and here today clearing dead branches from the plants. The people working the tea plantations belong to the Adivasi, a collection of tribes that claim to be the indigenous people of the Indian Subcontinent. In Assam they are indivisibly connected with working the tea plantations.
in fact, there is tea everywhere along the Assam Trunk Road
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