Day 7
The next day was a more relaxed day … All morning we were sailing down the Brahmaputra River. Nevertheless there was much to see and do.
Once when I was here … one January winter morning … there was too much fog to leave the anchorage … so we took a walk in the nearby village. It was the day of Bhogali or Magh Bihu in January. As usual with the festivals in India, the main celebration was in the evening and night. But in the morning already plenty preparations were going on.
Bihu is actually a set of 3 important Assamese festivals in Assam – Rongali or Bohag Bihu is observed in April, Kongali or Kati Bihu follows in October and Bhogali or Magh Bihu is celebrated in January. The Rongali Bihu is the most important of the 3 – celebrating spring festival. The Kongali Bihu is the sombre, thrifty one reflecting a season of short supplies and is an animistic festival. But the Bhogali Bihu is a harvest festival with community feasts.
We left the ship in the fog that day. It was on my very first Brahmaputra Cruise and still on the old ship ABN Charaidew. It was tied up on the river bank, so it was easy for us to go for a walk while waiting for the fog to lift. And an interesting walk it was! Near the ship a herd of cows was grazing on the field.
Along the road there were small houses, most of them concrete houses, some smaller huts. Most of the houses had their own draw well in the yard. Often they have hand pump wells in the villages, but here they had draw wells.
We were quite the attraction walking through the village – usually we only pass with the busses sometimes here – but that day was the first and only time walking around. It was actually just intended to keep the guests busy and happy instead of sitting on the ship being miserable because we could not sail. But it ended up being a really cool walk. Meeting the Fish Seller was certainly a highlight already. For him we were as much something out of the ordinary as he was for us. He was going around the village with his bicycle selling the fresh fish out of rubber bags. Proudly he showed us his biggest fish!
Reaching the center of the village there was a large open area where usually cows grazed and children played football or cricket. But on that day there was much Bihu preparation going on.
The Bihu Festivals every year are unique to Assamese people and are associated with agriculture and rice in particular. Rongali Bihu is a sowing festival, Kongali Bihu is associated with crop protection and worship of plants and crops and is an animistic form of the festival, while Bhogali Bihu is a harvest festival. Nowadays, the Bihus are celebrated by all Assamese people irrespective of religion, caste or creed.
Here they had already built some sort of a rice straw castle for the festivities that night. Next to it there was a make shift kitchen set up.
Bhogali Bihu in mid-January comes from the word Bhog that means eating and enjoyment. It is a harvest festival and marks the end of harvesting season. Since the granaries are full, there is a lot of feasting and eating during this period. On the eve of the day menfolk – more particularly young men – go to the field, preferably near a river, build a makeshift cottage called Bhelaghar with the hay of the harvest fields and the bonfire, the most important thing for the night.
They prepare lots of food for the community feasting everywhere. Only men were busy cooking the meal for the night. There were many huge pots and they were cutting all sorts of vegetables – a lot of onions, carrots, potatoes and cabbage.
One of them was preparing meat as well – I think it was chicken, but I am not sure anymore. Could have been goat as well … It was a huge pot of meat, though.
Over 2 makeshift stoves made out of bricks over a hole in the ground in which wood fires were burning, they cooked vegetables in huge woks. I had seen even huger pots in the Sikh Temple Kitchen in Delhi, but there they had proper gas stoves. Here the woks were balancing on those bricks … hopefully they would not fall!
One man poured more vegetable into the already full wok and the other man stirred it with a big spatula passionately. It all fit in the end. It was still early in the morning and I suppose they had a lot of cooking to do for the night’s community feast!
There is also the exchange of sweets and greetings at this time. The entire night – called Uruka – is spent around a Meji – bonfire – with people singing Bihu songs, beating the Dhol drum or playing games. Boys roam about in the dark stealing firewood and vegetables for fun. In the early hours of the morning they burn the main Meji. People gather around the Meji and throw Pithas – rice cakes – and Areca Nuts to it while burning it at the same time. They offer their prayers to the God of Fire and mark the end of the harvesting year. Thereafter they come back home carrying pieces of half burnt firewood for being thrown among fruit trees for favorable results.
Our guests inspected the rice straw castle and in the meantime our presence had been noted and in no time we were not only surrounded by people, but also the local TV Station had sent a camera team to interview some of our guests. There were also some men with drums who sang a Bihu song for us and the camera team.
In the meantime the fog had lifted and we started our walk back to the ship. On the way we watched a man climb up an Areca Palm on a bamboo ladder to collect the Betel Leaves growing on the vines using the tree as support – all in preparation of the night’s celebrations ahead.
Paan is a preparation combining Betel Leaf with Areca Nut widely consumed throughout Asia and the Indian subcontinent. It is chewed for its stimulant and psychoactive effects. After chewing it is either spat out or swallowed. In Assam it is traditionally offered as a mark of respect and auspicious beginnings. During Bihu, the Husori Dancers are offered Areca Nuts and Betel Leaves by each household while their blessings are solicited. Husori Dances are performed in the courtyards of villagers – a tradition which may have started during the Ahom rule. Initially it was performed in the courtyard of Ranghar to entertain the King, then moved to the courtyards of officials and finally it gained popularity with the villagers as well. We had a troupe of young villagers perform this Bihu Dance on board the other day.
When we reached the river bank the fog was almost gone – at least so much that the Captain could sail – and we could see our ship tied up on the bank. The cows were still happily grazing the field …
We used the rest of the morning for a cooking class. Same as we did on the Ganges Cruise, our chef prepared Chicken Curry from scratch for us. No pre-mixed curry masala was used here – he had all spices lined up and then mixed them freehand without measuring. I guess, a good chef knows his trade!
How he could possibly chop onions and tomatoes so finely is beyond me – a sharp knife and experience is probably the secret – but he did it and that was quickly cooking on the stove. Chicken and spices were added and in no time the mouthwatering smell was wafting through the ship.
While the Chicken Curry was cooking the chef also prepared some Indian Chapati and Roti. And then it was time to taste! Delicious it was!
After that we went for a Wheelhouse & Engine Room Visit. Now – the difference between the old and the new ships was absolutely stunning! I mean the old ABN Charaidew was basically antique! So cool. It was a vessel from the 1970s that has been completely remodeled from a cargo ship to a passenger ship.
They still talked from the Wheelhouse to the guy in the Engine Room through this … pipe! Like in the times of steam ships when there were no telephones yet … Next to the steering wheel there was a pipe connecting the Wheelhouse with the Engine Room. It had a funnel at the end and the Captain just shouted orders in the funnel. The funnel doubled as sender and receiver … It was so funny when we had this Wheelhouse visit the last time on the old ship, we happened to touch a sandbank – maybe we had distracted the Pilot or so. There were always at least 2 people – Captain and Pilot – or sometimes 2 Pilots watching the river. GPS is useless here, they said – We simply sense the river. When we touched the sandbank, the Captain ordered slow down and/or reverse by pulling the lever of this old fashioned signaling device and then shouted in the pipe telephone. Immediately a neverending gush of words came as an answer and every Indian in the room started laughing. We asked our Mohan – he said the Engineer just complained that the guys should learn how to drive the ship, his engines were working perfect, but if they did not know how to use them … blah blah blah … something along this line. The Engineers laughing echoed out of the pipe as well.
The Engine Room was equally antique and interesting. The other end of the signaling device and the red painted pipe telephone were there with the 2 huge old engines.
And when the anchore had to be lifted … that was a job for as many men as possible! No hydraulic winch on that ship! It had to be pulled up by hand!
The new ship ABN Charaidew II is brand new and was built completely new. A stark contrast to the old ship in any possible way.
The Wheel House is much larger and more modern. Still it has a steering wheel – but only for show or emergencies. Same as on the modern cruise ships in Europe they steer the ship with a little joystick only. They still do not have radar and there are no navigational river maps – so Captain and Pilot do the same as on the old ship – they read the river ahead. While we were visiting the Wheelhouse, the Pilot stood outside doing the observation from there.
The Engine Room is also much larger and looks definitely more modern – it should … the ship was build in 2018 only. There are modern engines and water filter systems as well.
Of course, they have proper anchor winches as well, to pull up the anchor. No more than to push a button here to lift it.
In the afternoon we reached another village we would visit. Situated on a sandbank we approached by our country boat and we got a good inside view of how strong the river was and how much erosion effected the daily life of the people. The Brahmaputra River carries one of the world’s highest sediment yields, higher still during floods. Silt leaves the land fertile, but the river has become braided – one channel turns into many, the water eroding the river banks as it goes.
The Brahmaputra – its name translated from Sanskrit as Son of Brahma, the creator of the universe – is a moody beast. Swollen every year by monsoon rains and Himalayan meltwater, it reaches an unimaginable 12 km wide in the wet season – June to October – creating a vast, monochrome landscape threaded with sandbanks around which dangerous currents swirl.
Since it was a Saturday the children were not in school but already saw us from afar and came running. But not only children stood on the river bank waving or just staring at the boat full of foreigners approaching.
We not always visit the same village … The first time I was here we did a morning visit to a sandbank village which was very interesting. They had huge fields of peanuts and harvest was going on.
The peanut – also known as the ground nut or monkey nut – Arachis Hypogaea – is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible seeds. It is widely grown in the tropics and subtropics, being important to both small and large commercial producers. It is classified as both a grain legume and – due to its high oil content – an oil crop. Atypically among legume crop plants, peanut pods develop underground rather than above ground. With this characteristic in mind, the botanist Carl Linnaeus named the species Hypogaea, which means “under the earth”. Like most other legumes, peanuts harbor symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria in root nodules. This capacity to fix nitrogen means peanuts require less nitrogen-containing fertilizer and also improve soil fertility, making them valuable in crop rotations.
Peanuts grow best in light, sandy soil. To develop well, peanuts need warm weather throughout the growing season. They can be grown with little water and depending on growing conditions harvest is usually 120 to 150 days after planting. For harvesting, the entire plant, including most of the roots, is removed from the soil.
The botanical definition of a Nut is a fruit whose ovary wall becomes hard at maturity. Using this criterion, the peanut is not a typical nut. However, for culinary purposes and in common English language usage, peanuts are usually referred to as nuts.
For many of our guests – and also for me – it was totally new how peanuts were growing. I mean, we should have guessed since the German name for Peanut is Earthnut …
It was in January and rather cold in the morning. Most villagers were clad in jackets, blankets and hats.
In that village we also saw the cow dung kebab sticks they use for fuel in the kitchen stoves. On our Ganges Cruise we visit a village where they basically live on making those cow dung fuel sticks. This here had been the first time I saw it in Assam. Here they usually have the cow dung cakes.
And there had been also a Recycle Man around. He came with his bicycle and a simple scale and the children brought him all the plastic they had collected. He would weigh it and buy it from them for a few Rupees. It was not much he handed them, just a few coins for old plastic bottles and stuff, but at least it was a start.
All in all we saw very little plastic garbage around when visiting small villages in Assam. Especially the sandbank villages were always clean and free of plastic garbage. I guess, plastic – like bottles and plates and bags – is a luxury they do not spend money on in the villages. Plastic is a luxury product they would not afford here, they would spend their hard earned money on other things and use reusable plates, bottles and bags.
These riverine islands – called Chars in Bangladesh and Saporis in Assam – are often little more than sandbars formed through deposition of huge volumes of silt carried by the river from the Himalayas – have some 2300 villages. About 3 mio people – some 8% of Assam’s population – call these islands home. Due to climate change, the threat of floods, erosions and even earthquakes still looms – and is getting more acute. That makes the Sapori people, who have dwelled here for hundreds of years, at risk of losing their homes, livelihoods and their lives.
On some islands are just a few huts, while others have larger villages. Despite wide variations from island to island, all Saporis are similar in their dependence on and vulnerability to the Brahmaputra. The dwellers of most of these Sapoeis are Muslims of erstwhile East Bengal descendents. Though these people speak Bengali in their own houses, they do all written communication in Assamese.
Visiting those villages in different times of the year always means there are different crops on the fields. The most interesting is always harvest time. Once we came and it was the time for Aubergines. Eggplant is a staple of the Indian diet and that year’s harvest was rich.
Eggplant or Aubergine – Solanum Melongena – is grown worldwide for its edible fruit. The plant species is believed to have originated in India, where it continues to grow wild. Here they had huge fields planted with it.
Most commonly purple, the spongy, absorbent fruit is used in several cuisines. Although often considered a vegetable, it is a berry by botanical definition. As a member of the genus Solanum, it is related to tomato and potato. Like the tomato, its skin and seeds can be eaten, but, like the potato, it is usually eaten cooked. Eggplant is nutritionally low in macronutrient and micronutrient content, but the capability of the fruit to absorb oils and flavors into its flesh through cooking expands its use in the culinary arts.
For a lot of our guests it is absolutely eye-opening to see how the different vegetables grow. We absolutely fascinated watched the villagers pack the masses of Aubergines for transport to the markets in Guwahati. Huge bags got filled up with Aubergines – but they did not just throw them in – they packed them accurately so that as many as possible would fit and that none would get spoilt during transport. The bags were heaped with them to the top and then sewn shut.
On our walk through the village the troupe of children was constantly following us, of course. It made their month probably and they would talk about the strangers for weeks.
Once we had a lady in the group who wore panty hose under her trousers. Now, I do not know how the children came to know about the panty hose, but once they had discovered it, they would take turns in bending down to the lady’s feet and carefully pinch and pull the pantyhose laughing hysterically. As we progressed through the village more and more children would appear and go touch those panty hose. The grapevine was working perfectly around here. They had probably never seen panty hose before. Do not ask me why that lady wore one in 25°C weather, though….
What we also found often growing behind huts or in the ditch is Hemp. Nobody knows or asks if they grow it deliberately or if it is just there. And I would not be sure if it actually is Hemp or Cannabis …
Cannabis Sativa is an annual herbaceous flowering plant indigenous to eastern Asia but now of cosmopolitan distribution due to widespread cultivation. It has been cultivated throughout recorded history, used as a source of industrial fiber, seed oil, food, recreation, religious and spiritual moods and medicine. Each part of the plant is harvested differently, depending on the purpose of its use. Hemp is a phenotype of the Cannabis Sativa plant species that is defined by the THC content. Tetrahydrocannabinol – THC – is one of at least 113 cannabinoids identified in Cannabis and the principal psychoactive constituent of it. Hemp is grown for industrial uses of its derived products, as well as for various phytochemicals other than THC. It is one of the fastest growing plants and was one of the first plants to be spun into usable fiber 10000 years ago. It can be refined into a variety of commercial items, including paper, textiles, clothing, biodegradable plastics, paint, insulation, biofuel, food and animal feed. Although Cannabis as a drug and industrial Hemp both derive from the species Cannabis Sativa and contain the psychoactive component THC, they are distinct strains with unique phytochemical compositions and uses. Apparently …
Our guests were always fascinated when we found a plant growing somewhere randomly in the fields …
Once the guys found a small plant – not sure if it was the real thing either … but probably since we had never seen Hemp fields around – and actually uprooted it and took it to put it in a pot to grow at home …
Mostly we did people watching in the village. They were all very friendly and we even were allowed to walk into their courtyards – if you want to call the big space between their huts that. Women were sitting there sorting through freshly harvested vegetables preparing it to be transported to the markets. On large tarps Peanuts and Lentils were laid out to dry in the afternoon sun.
We also walked through a field of Chilis – Bird’s Eye Chili – a variety of chili peper from the species Capsicum Annuum. This is commonly grown in the North East and is tiny but packs a punch in terms of spice. It is used not only in cooking but also used in chutneys and pickles. I swear it smelled spicy!
All Chilis found around the world today have their origins in Mexico, Central America and South America. They were spread by Spanish and Portuguese colonists, missionaries and traders, together with many other now common crops such as maize, tomatoes and pineapples. This is now called the Columbian Exchange. The Chili varieties found in Southeast Asia today were brought here in the 16th or 17th century. Anyway – the Chilis are first green, then purplish black and then bright red.
It was Chili harvest time and in some court yards all that Chili was laid out to dry! And that smelled even more spicy! Believe it!
The children were always around us. Happy children – watching the strangers was a favourite pastime today. They had no mobile phones or tablets – but all had big smiles. Some where more cheeky than others, some where more shy, but in a horde they were laughing and giggeling and generally happy to see us.
There were a lot of children. Mohan told us that families in those villages have usually 6 to 8 children. It is God’s blessing to have many children. And also their provision for old age … the children will take care of their parents and several generations live together under one roof.
The people in the village had also a small Mosque and one Saturday we visited something was going on there in the Madrasa – the Quaran school. There were many boys and girls in their best Muslim attire who had much fun getting distracted by the foreigners.
The houses were all built of bamboo and clay. Some had corrugated iron sides or roofs – that must be very hot in summer … In monsoon season most of those houses get flooded and in the worst case, the sandbank completely disappears. Therefore those huts can be easily dismanteled and the material can mostly be reused to built a new hut somewhereelse.
The people have also much lifestock. Cattle mostly roams free during the day – or they tie it up on a harvested field. If the cattle should not destroy the agricultural fields, then also they tie them up around a trough. Sometimes only the calves are tethered – the cows will come home in the evening to feed their offspring.
Once we came upon a brand new, freshly born calve. It had just been born a few minutes before we walked by. The owner of course had kept the cow close by and had been watching her all the time.
People in the villages spoke very little English. Mostly the kids would come up with the usual phrases like – Hello, how are you! – Where are your from? – What is your name? – Only very few of the adults spoke with us. But they did speak with our guides who translated.
We never encountered unfriendly people in the villages, though. Some might be more shy or wary towards the foreigners and prefer to not come closer or have there photo taken, yes. But most people were very friendly and big smiles. We always asked, if we can take a photo. And then often they pose without smiles … That is a common habit in India … But every now and then we could tickle a smile out while clicking the photo.
During the afternoon we mostly met children, women and older men. I suppose, most of the other men were at work on the fields. People wore their traditional clothes mostly – women in colorful Sarees and men with Dhotis – a rectangular piece of unstitched cloth, usually around 4.5 m long, wrapped around the waist and the legs and knotted – and the Gamusa.
The women all wore gold nose rings and nose piercings. That seemed to be the tradition in their community. The older women wore actually bigger nose rings than the younger ones, who often just had a simple piercing.
But not all of the people were watching us walk through their village, some were also working. We passed a rice nursery where first the seedlings are grown which later get planted in the rice fields. There were no paved roads in the villages, just footpaths and tracks. But the odd motorbike was passing as well – of course with a lot of beeping the horn … even thought there was no traffic.
There was much more to see here, of course. Fascinated our guests looked at the huge banana flower. Those villages cannot be just visited … I mean … for a foreigner travelling independently it would be literally impossible to get there and walk around without a guide speaking the language. But for us cruising down the Brahmaputra River, it was fairly easy since our guides knew their way around and had been here a few times.
Slowly we made our way back towards the river bank where our country boat waited for us. That spot was also the main dock of the village and now at the end of the afternoon some small ferry boats arrived from nearby sandbanks where people tended to their fields all day. The vegetable harvest was all packed and waiting in the evening sun for the transport boat that would bring it to the market in Guwahati.
The mob of children was still following us and all lined up on the bank to wave us off. There was much chatting and laughing going on as well.
On our February cruise this year, we did not stop at the same village like the last few times. The navigable channel for the ship had shifted and was too far away from that village. So Mohan decided to visit another sandbank village. Only later he told me that he had never been there before …
We arrived at the end of the village near the agricultural fields. Mohan had deliberately chosen that landing point for our country boat. Nobody noticed our arrival. Walking past Chili and Coriander fields, we approached the main cluster of village huts from the back. At first the people were very vary. Mohan talked to them, though. Nevertheless, they were very shy and did not dare to come closer to the strangers.
Soon enough the children lost their shyness, though and came to have closer look. And the children were followed by the women, who stayed however mostly cautious in the background.
The huts were simple and could be de-constructed in case of monsoon flooding. Family units were also built around a courtyard. They had a kitchen hut, a storage hut, a living room hut and a shelter for the animals.
The huts are all made out of bamboo with corugated iron roofs and inbetween those courtyard units there was always a bathroom as well. They had simple hand water pumps – but they had water!
And they did have proper toilets! Always set up off the living area between the huts. And fancy they were for the village. First time I had seen this style toilets. And I have seen many! Again the regret came that I had not started to take photos of all the toilets I encountered during my years of travel. I could make a book out of the evolution of toilets. But back then there was no digital photography and each shot was carefully selected based on the availability of film. So toilets were not a No. 1 priority to take photos of … unfortunately.
Most of the family huts had elaborate doors as well. Most had at least one solar panel to have some light after dark. Some even had a Satellite Dish … There seemed to be no motorized vehicles in that village, we did not even encounter a motorbike, I would say. But most people had bicycles. A new thing I noticed this year in Assam – fancy mountain bikes have appeared in the bicycle shops in the cities. Some of the people here had also fancy new bikes.
But the people were the most impressive once more during this visit. The children were just as curious as any children in the world – no mobile phones, no iPads around here either. Most were just in awe of the strangers, but some were outright cheeky. It was a pleasure to watch them.
The women were more shy than the children and mostly stayed in the back ground. But they were proud and curious as well. We did not see many men, they were mostly working, I suppose. At this time there were only women, children and old men around here as well.
The photo opportunities were endless in this village. The sandbank people are all of Bangladeshi origin and as Muslims are threathened by the new CAA. But just a few days ago I read in the newspaper that supporters are trying to tag them as Ethnic Tribe, so they would be not affected by this new law. Let’s hope this goes through.
The village was so colourful! Sarees in every colour and shade. Most people were wrapped in scarves as well – it was still winter and for them it was cold.
Women and children followed us around the village. We past the chemist hut with a sign stating the doctor and gynecologist are here every Tuesday and Saturday from 10:00 – 14:00 for consultations. Boys were playing Carrom – a very popular table top game in India. Men were coming home from the work on the fields.
Reaching the river bank again the children spotted our country boat parked at the water’s edge – it had moved up to the main landing point of the village – and immediatele the swarm of children ran towards the boat. I think the boat boys had a hard time keeping them from jumping on the boat.
It was an absolutely amazing send off we got from the children. They were so curious and happy and open towards the strangers. More and more where coming to see what the tumult was all about. Every single guest got a wave off.
They would not leave. Some just stared at the strangers, others had much fun waving and screaming – Bye Bye! – And our guests had fun as well. They sang a German farewell song to the children, which made them even more crazy.
This visit was an absolute highlight on this trip for our guests and for us. Even Mohan and the guys were totally amazed. We had not met any unfriendly people here. They were all smiling and open towards the strangers.
Our guests always ask if a visit is previously announced in the village or if we have to pay to visit the villages. But no, our visits are always a surprise for the people. Some see the ship moored in the distance and are watching and waiting when we approach, though. During the visit guests are not allowed to hand any gifts over to the children – no candy, no pens, no money, nothing. They should not learn to associate a visit with hand outs. In case we visit a school and guests had brought school material like pens and things, then it gets handed over to the teacher or head master for equal distribution.
However, the ship owning company Assam Bengal Navigation has set up the ABN Foundation and supports local projects. Guests can make donations towards this Foundation. In some of the villages special projects are supported or realized by this Foundation – for example a new school building will be constructed this year in the Mishing Village we visited in the beginning of the cruise. Help for self help is better than just handing over money …
Our ship was now sailing into the sunset and the Captian was looking for a suitable sandbank to moor for the night. Fastening the ship up on a sandbank is always a spectacle – at least the guests thinks so. The deckhands jump to the sandbank and take a huge wooden hammer and bamboo sticks with them. They pulled the thick ropes across and then hammered the bamboo sticks in to hold them in place. They sure did not need a fitness studio …
Tonight we were in for a special treat – Tandoori Barbeque on the sandbank. While the guests relaxed and processed all the impressions of the day, the crew had carried all the supplies and chairs and tables out and set up the Tandoori oven. A typical Indian gangway had been built as well.
Our chefs had prepared many different delicacies on skewers for us. Everything was set up with the ship as a backdrop. And did they not look fancy in their Chef’s attire? A stark contrast to what we had seen during our village visits today. Our daily contrast – we travelled on a luxury enclave.
A Tandoor is a cylindrical clay or metal oven used in cooking and baking. The heat for a Tandoor was traditionally generated by a charcoal or wood fire, burning within the tandoor itself, thus exposing the food to live fire, radiant heat cooking and hot-air, convection cooking and smoking in the fat and food juices that drip on to the charcoal. Temperatures in a Tandoor can approach 480 °C. The Tandoor design is something of a transitional form between a makeshift earth oven and the horizontal-plan masonry oven. Modern ovens are fired with gas – the one they used on the ship was like that.
In India and Pakistan tandoori cooking was traditionally associated with Punjab – as Punjabis embraced the Tandoor on a regional level – it became popular in mainstream India after the 1947 partition when Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus resettled in places such as Delhi. Chicken Tikka is a popular dish from Mughlai cuisine made by grilling small pieces of boneless chicken which have been marinated in spices and yogurt. It is traditionally cooked on skewers and is usually boneless. It is normally served and eaten with a green coriander chutney. We also had Tangdi Kabab made by marinating chicken drumsticks. Various freshly ground spices are added to the yogurt to form a marinade for the chicken. Traditionally, the marinaded chicken is given 12 hrs at the least before putting it in the Tandoor. There were also several vegetarian options – like potatoes, cauliflower, paneer etc for us.
A Tandoor is also used to bake many different types of flatbread – especially the famous Tandoori Naan. This particular bread has a very soft texture because of the yeast and yoghurt used in the dough. The chef had prepared the dough hours before and it was ready for a show cooking now.
He took the small dough balls and expertly flattened them out – somewhat like an expert pizza baker does with the pizza dough. Then he took a big stamp made out of kitchen towels and stuck the flatbread on the inside of the Tandoor oven. The extremely high temperature in the Tandoor cooked the Naan in less than 2 min. He took it out using a couple of the skewer hooks. It was delicious!
The crew had also set up a bonfire in the center of the chairs and tables. They had brought the entire bar outside and it was very well frequented. The guests obviousely enjoyed the Banrbeque on the sandbank.
Last year in January we were doing this Barbeque on the sandbank on the day of the Bihu Festival. Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu is the harvest festival celebrated in Assam marking the end of harvesting season in the month of Magh – January/February. A bonfire is lit for the ceremonial conclusion and prayer to the God of Fire. Having our Barbeque on that day was very fitting – The festival is marked by feasts and bonfires. Magh Bihu celebrations start on the last day of the previous month, the month of Pooh, usually the 29th of Pooh and usually 14 January is the only day of Magh Bihu in modern times – in earlier times, the festival would last for the whole month of Magh and so the name Magh Bihu. Hut-like structures called Bhelaghar are also built out of rice straw in the fields where people stay during the night.
Our crew put much effort into building our very own Bihu hut on the sandbank. I suppose, since it is a very important festival in Assam and most of them originate from there or the North-Eastern states, they were happy enough to celebrate something remotely assembling it.
Usually at early dawn a post-harvesting ceremony called Meji is held. The structures made of rice straw are burned in the fields and people pray to their ancestoral gods for blessings. Well, we did not wait until dawn, but the guys set our Bihu hut on fire after our Barbeque dinner.
And a proper bonfire we had that night.
Usual our guest linger long into the night – longer than on a usual evening on board – and enjoy the atmosphere around the bonfire. Sometimes we even switch all light off on the ship and even the generator … then we listen to the sound of silence and look at the stars …
