The Mysterious Garo Hills

 

Wari Chora in Garo Hills. Source of photograph: Official Meghalaya Tourism Facebook Page. One can reach Wari Chora from Baghmara. The Wari Chora homestay is about 1.5 hours by road. The trek point is an off-road drive of another 10-15 minutes. The descent trek is about 1-2 hours depending on one's stamina and ability to trek through forests. The ascent back is about 2-3 hours. The canoe ride and exploration at the canoe, waterfall, and river takes about 2-3 hours

Garo Hills are one of the most unexplored parts of our country. My father tells us stories of his adventurous trips to the beautiful caves and rivers hidden in these hills. The photographs I saw on the Meghalaya Tourism website are absolutely intriguing and I can't wait to visit these mysterious mountains. However, getting the permission to go there will be one big task. Till now my parents did not allow me to venture to that side rather scared me off it. According to them, it's pretty dangerous and unsafe. I googled a bit and yes, this part does sound difficult in terms of infrastructure (but I guess as long as development does not reach there, these hills will remain gorgeous) and insurgencies. People have been abducted and the tribes in these areas can be pretty intimidating for outsiders, I guess (However, I may be wrong since I have been mostly discouraged from traveling to that part of the country). Can't blame them! As has happened in other parts of the world, the tribes were uprooted from their very homeland in the name of development like one of the Khasi groups called Diko are extinct. Guess, it will take a while to figure out how to reach the hidden sanctuaries of these hills before development encroaches on them to mutilate their existence. People have visited and am sure I can as well pretty soon. 

Karukol in Garo Hills. Source of photograph: Official Meghalaya Tourism Facebook Page 

Simsang River in Garo Hills. Source of photograph: Official Meghalaya Tourism Facebook Page 

Places of Interest in the Garo Hills

The course of the Simsang River. It has its origin in the Nokrek range, then flows down south into Bangladesh where it is called Someshwari

Origin of the Garos

The origin of Garos is not well documented due to unavailable resources. Garo's history has been passed on through generations orally in the form of stories and legends. Ancient Garo scripts are lost and in recent times, English is their adopted script. The little that has been researched about their origin, suggests that the tribes probably migrated from Tibet. The similarities in language and traditions incline towards the theory. Garo's consider Yak tails sacred which is prevalent in Tibet and regions where Yak's are found. However, Yak is not native to the mountains of Meghalaya or other Garo habitats which further supports the theory, that their ancestral trail must have led to Tibet. Many Garo legends suggest similar stories of their migration from far Northern mountains. Small Garo Villages along the river routes even in the present day, lean towards these migration theories.

Many historians believe different Tibetan tribes migrated to Garo Hills following the course of the Brahmaputra River. Some even detoured toward present-day Sikkim and followed the course of the Teesta River. It is suggested one of the first settlements of Garos was Cooch Behar. They were later driven out from there by the Koch rulers. They moved East to Jogighopa and then to Dalgoma. From Dalgoma they moved South to Garo Hills. 

Other historians believe the Tibetan tribes followed the Salween River from its source and moved towards Myanmar. There they followed the course of Chindwin and Irrawaddy Rivers to reach the Mandalay region of Myanmar where they settled down as farmers. Some tribesmen later moved west and crossed over to Dimapur. From Dimapur, some went North towards Northeast Assam and some went towards Garo Hills.

Probable routes of Garo Migration to Meghalaya from Tibet 

The name Garo was coined by the natives for the migrant tribes. The origin of the name Garo is unknown or rather obscure. Some say stepped farmers were called Gari which later changed to Garo. Some connect the name to Garuda tribes and some connect it to Gara-Ganching tribes. Originally the Garos called themselves Achik Mande which means the hill people. The indigenous Garos were nature worshippers and they followed a religion called Songsarek. In recent times, most Garos have converted to Christianity. 

Like the Khasis and Jaintias, the Garos are also matrilineal and matrilocal but not matriarchal. The family name and the property are passed on through a chosen daughter of the family. In the absence of a daughter, a daughter is adopted from the mother's sister's side. After marriage, the groom moves to the bride's family and takes over the responsibilities of the bride's family. The Garos are divided into five exogamous clans called 'chatchis' or 'katchis' - The Marak, The Momin, The Sangma, The Arengh, and The Shira. Each clan is further divided into several septs called 'Machongs'. Marriages are strictly prohibited in the same chatchi. However, in modern times, many just follow marriage prohibition within the same 'machong'. I think the prohibition in marriages within 'chatchi' should have been strictly followed since it prevents inbreeding and recessive genetic mutations in offspring.

There are about 12 sub-tribes of Garos based on their dialects and geographical location: Ambeng/Abeng, A.tong, A.we, Chibok, Chisak, Dual, Gara-Gaching, Koch, Matabeng, Matchi, Matchi-Dual, Megam, and Ruga.

Distribution of sub-tribes in Garo Hills

Shiju Bat Caves - Source of photograph: Official Meghalaya Tourism Facebook Page. One can reach Shiju bird sanctuary and caves from Baghmara in about 1.5 hours drive

How and when to travel to the Garo hills

I heard from travelers that it is not very easy to get to the caves, waterfalls, and canyons. Most places need a good amount of medium-range trek through deep forests full of leeches, animals, and insects. But I guess that's what makes it an adventurous treasure hunt. I remember trekking to Chitrakote Falls through the deep forests of MP with a tribal guide when it was undiscovered and unexplored. The beauty was exquisite. But now it's an easily accessible tourist spot and always crowded. The interest in the place has since faded. I sincerely feel Garo Hills need to be preserved, and protected and not made easy access! 

Garo Hills are one of the wettest places in India, rather entire Meghalaya as the name suggests is the abode of the clouds. Monsoons are a bad time to get here. June and July are an absolute no-no for Meghalaya. Rather June to October is the wettest in the state. People tend to go to the hills for a cooler respite during summer vacations, but if one is planning treks and hiking, summer may not be the best time. It gets a wee bit sweltry. Also, the forests are infested with leeches which gets worse during summers and monsoons. I enjoy winters in Meghalaya and the cool climate makes treks easier. however, if one does not plan treks and hikes, summer may be fine.

Most places of interest in Garo Hills can be reached from Tura and Baghmara. One can reach Tura and Baghmara via Shillong or directly from Guwahati, Assam which has the nearest airport and railway station to the Garo Hills. Nokrek National Park is about 2.5 hours from Tura. Balpakram National Park is around 1.5 hours from Baghmara. 

Karst Topography In South Thailand

We came across Karst Caves on our 14-day Thailand and Cambodia trip itinerary to Thailand. We flew from Delhi to Bangkok. After a short trip to Cambodia, we headed to south Thailand. We stayed in Koh Tao for 5 days and then traveled to Phuket. While in Phuket we took a day tour of Phang Nga Bay. Here we came across some amazing Karst landscapes and caves. Ice Cream Cave particularly was spectacular.

Koh Tao to Phuket was almost a day journey. We took a sleeper boat from Koh Tao to Surat Thani - Our memorable sleeper boat ride from Koh Tao to Surat Thani. At Surat Thani Pier, we got a bus to Phuket. 

Phang Nga Bay tour was a day tour. We started early around 7:30 a.m. and came back around 5:00 p.m. We hopped a few islands in the bay and took a canoe ride to the Ice cream caves on Koh Panak Island

Phang Nga Bay has around 42 islands. The tour took us to Panak, Hong, and James Bond Island. The rest of the islands were cruised around

Phang Nga Bay Ice Cream Cave is a Karst formation. This Cave is one of the most breathtaking natural wonders of the world. When the Canoe entered the tiny cave, I did not for once imagine, it would eventually lead to an area open to the sky and surrounded by karst mountains covered in green foliage. It was a surreal experience 

Cave entrance in front. It looked so tiny from the outside but the surprise inside was overwhelming.

The Sinkhole formation: Open to sky enclosed within tall karst mountains. My photos do not do justice but the experience is uncapturable

Phang Nga Bay islands: Of the 42+ islands in the bay, 14 are the most visited which include Khao Phing Kan (James Bond Island), Koh Panak, Koh Hong, Koh Yao Yai, Koh Kudu Yai, Koh Panyee, Koh Nom Sao, Koh Raya ring to name a few. 'Khao' in Thai means 'hill' and 'Koh' means 'Island'.

What is Karst Topography

A Karst landscape is a formation in regions that have large deposits of limestone / or any calcium-rich stone, abundant water, and rich vegetation. Calcium-rich stone reacts with atmospheric CO2 and carbon dioxide released by plants and aquatic organisms to form porous layers through which water seeps into the ground creating underground subterranean rivers, lakes, and caves with stalactite and stalagmites. These natural wonders are like sculptures designed by nature.

Stalactite in Phang Nga Bay Cave: Water-dripped mineral deposits that form icicle-like formations hanging down the cave roofs are called stalactite

Stalagmite and karst columns at Panak Islands: Stalagmites are icicle-type water-dripped mineral deposits formed on floors of caves. These grow upward and form columns when joined with stalactites growing downwards.

Stalactites- A closer look - water droplets can be seen on the tips

Karst columns - a closer look

Green fluorescent light in the ice cream caves due to the reflection of light through green algae water 

Khao Phing Kan, popularly known as James Bond Island after the shooting of the 007 Movie, The Man with the Golden Gun

Ko Hong Islands

Prominent Karst Regions in Thailnd. Doi Nang Non is the karst region in the north. It became famous when 12 junior football team members and their coach got trapped inside one of the caves and were rescued over a 12-day period.

Karst landscape in Croatia

Karst Topography in Croatia: Plitvice Lakes

How were the Plitvice lakes formed?

How Were The Plitvice Lakes And Waterfalls Formed?

Plitvice Lakes: Tufa or Meteogene Travertine or Sedra (Croatian term): It is a porous variety of limestone deposits formed on waterbeds when calcium-rich water bodies create carbonates which form sticky layers on moss and algae present in the water. Over the years, these deposits form tower-like formations

Thermogene Travertine in Yellow Stone National Park

 Meteogene travertine (Tufa) vs Thermogene travertine

The main difference between meteogene travertine and thermogene travertine is that one is formed in unheated conditions and one is formed in a heated condition. Meteogene travertine is highly porous and spongy and is formed in cooler temperatures while thermogene travertine is less in porosity and needs very high temperatures for its formation. Meteogene travertine is a result of atmospheric and epigeal activities while thermogene travertine is a result of volcanic activities.

Source of image: Link The Plitvice region receives abundant rain feeding a continuous supply of water to the lakes and rivers which are rich in moss and algae which in turn supply carbon dioxide. The rich forest cover provides an abundance of oxygen which helps sustain life forms in the region. The Dolomite and Limestone rich soil supplies a high volume of calcium-rich ions. 

Process of Tufa creation

Ca++ (calcium ions in calcium rich water and soil) + H2O (water) = Ca(OH)2  (Calcium hydroxide)

Ca(OH)2 +CO2 (carbon dioxide from atmosphere and the aquatic life) = CaCO3 (calcium carbonate limestone / tufa) +H2O

In simple words, quicklime when mixed with water forms calcium hydroxide. This in turn converts to calcium carbonate when Carbon dioxide released by the aquatic organisms reacts with calcium hydroxide. The carbon dioxide released by the underwater organisms gets released to the surface in the colder seasons. The calcium carbonate deposits which are insoluble in water then start depositing on the moss and algae on the water surface eventually forming porous, spongy tufa. 

Tufa towers eventually form small tower-like structures creating barriers in the flowing water thus forming a series of lakes and waterfalls.

Karst in South Thailand

A landscape rich in tufa is called Karst. The main features of Karst topography are the abundance of soluble calcium in the form of limestone, dolomites, gypsum, etc,  clean water full of aquatic organisms and lifeforms, and a landscape with sink holes, fissures, underground streams, and caves.

Picture source: Link

More about Plitvice Lakes and Waterfalls

Plitvice National Park And Its Legends

 

A: Veliki Slap Waterfall (The highest waterfall in Croatia at 78 m)  B: Korana River C: Sastavci Waterfall D: Novakovica Lake

The Legend of the Black Queen

Legend has it, the Plitvice Lakes were magically created by the Black Queen of Croatia. The Black Queen was a cruel, mean-spirited ruler, who reigned over the region a long long time ago during the dark ages. During those times, this region was fed by the Black River, and the forest surrounding it was called the Devil's Garden (Vražji vrt), inhabited by magical creatures. As the dark ages grew darker, a long, deadly drought dried up the river and brought the people to the feet of the Queen begging for water and life. For once, the Queen gave up her mean spirit, showed mercy, and magically created a large Lake, promising that it will never dry.  The Lake was named Proscansko after the Croatian word Prositi which means "beg for".

How were the Plitvice Lakes and Waterfalls formed?

Schengen Visa:

As of January 2023, Croatia is an official member of the Schengen Countries and a Schengen Visa is required for entry to this country. We traveled to Croatia from Italy. More precisely, we were visiting Venice when we decided to head for the lakes in Plitvice, Croatia. We traveled to Italy from India on a multiple-entry Schengen tourist visa. Getting a Schengen Visa was not very difficult. It can be applied through VFS in Delhi. The VFS office is located at the Shivaji Stadium metro station. It took about a week between applying for the visa and receiving it. 

Mode of travel:

While there are multiple modes of travel to Croatia from Venice, we opted for the Bus. The bus ticket was booked online through Flix bus. We faced no issues getting the tickets, boarding, and traveling. The route was via Ljubljana, Slovenia. It took us about 5 hours to reach Zagreb.

The other options to travel to Croatia from Venice are, train, air, and ferry. While air travel is the quickest, it's the most expensive as well. Rail and waterway were long overnight journeys, hence we chose the bus.

Day 1: 

We were in Zagreb for a day. Our short stay was made deliciously memorable with freshly baked yummy pastries and a music festival, which we luckily got a chance to attend at the Zagreb square.

Day 2:

On day 2 early morning, we took another Flix Bus from Zagreb to Slunj. It took about 2 hours to reach Slunj. Zagreb has a good network of tram services and we didn't have any problem traveling around the city. Small tobacco stores near the tram stop/stations sell the tickets. When we traveled to Croatia in 2019, they were still using the Kuna as their currency. So, we exchanged some Euros at the bus station on our arrival the previous day. In January 2023, Croatia adopted the Euro as its official currency making life easier. 

Slunj is a small quiet quaint little town or maybe a village. I regret not planning a longer stay here. We booked a bread and breakfast here with a lovely river view room and lawn. I could have spent weeks here amidst nature's quiet beauty. Will share details of Slunj in another post.

 

Day 3:

On day 3 we booked a Flix bus to Plitvice Lakes. We waited at the bus stop at the said time, but the bus passed by without stopping to pick us up. We tried to enquire about the next bus or any other transportation options to the park but language proved a barrier since the locals were not well-versed in English. Most tourists travel to the park in rented cars or their own vehicles. After wasting almost 3 hours, we met a lady who understood English and helped us get another bus to the park. Our initial plan was to start early to avoid the afternoon sun. It was one of the warmest summers in Europe that year. Unfortunately, we started post 12:00 pm.

We finally arrived at the Lakes at 1:00 pm. The bus dropped us at the Ticket Office at entrance 1. They mentioned that the last bus left around 6:00 pm and if missed that, it might be a very long wait till late at night before we can get another bus. All restaurants closed around the time the park closed. There were very limited places of accommodation. This meant we had to ensure, we were back at the bus stop much before 6:00 pm since the buses here didn't quite follow the correct timings.

Entry Timings:

Summer timings (June and August) : 

7:00 am to 8:00 pm 

Last entry at 6:00 pm

Autumn/Fall (September and October) :

7:00 / 8:00 am to 6:00 / 7:00 pm 

Last entry at 4:00 / 5:00 pm

Winter timings  (November to March) :

8:00 am to 4:00 pm

Last entry at 2:00 pm

Spring timings (April and May) :

8:00 am -7:00 pm

Last entry at 5:00 pm

Ticket Prices are shared on the official website. Prices vary by season, entry timings, and age.

We entered the park around 1:00 pm and were out by 5:00 pm. We didn't want to risk missing the bus back but as a result, we skipped a few viewpoints and shorter treks. 

My suggestion is to pre-book the hotel at the park which is right across from the entrance 2 ticket office. It is a bit pricey and gets booked pretty fast in the peak summer season. Plan ahead and save the stress of missing buses. There are a few local taxis, at entrance 2, but they charge exorbitant rates.

The Lakes and the Waterfalls:

Must say the lakes, the waterfalls, and the park was gorgeous. All the trouble to get here was definitely worth it. 

There are about 8 trails that the visitors can take depending on how much they choose to see in a day. Details are available on the official park website. Since we planned a day trip and had wasted half a day thanks to the bus that ditched us, we opted for the C program with a slight change. Instead of going back to the starting point, we cut our hike short at ST2 and returned via entrance 2. We had to forgo some good views between St2 and Entrance 1. However, we managed to cover the entire park and took the boat ride on Lake Kozjak

I assume, starting the trek at entrance 2 is a wee bit better than entrance 1. Entrance 1 is close to the lower lakes and it's a climb all the way up to the highest lake, Proscansko. While from Entrance 2, it's a short climb to Proscansko and then a climb down to the lower lakes. 

Source of map: Official website https://np-plitvicka-jezera.hr/en/plan-your-visit/istrazite-jezera/activities/lake-tour-programmes/

The highest lake is at 637 m above sea level and the lowest lake is at 503 m above sea level 

Climbing up towards Lake Kaluderovac. The boardwalks are comfortable and safe. We went during peak summer when the boards were dry. They might get slippery during wet seasons.

Lake Kaluderovac at 505 m above sea level. The turquoise waters are clean and one can see the fishes and plants under water.

Lake Gavanovac at 514 m above sea level. Swimming is prohibited in the lakes. Water from the rivers and the lakes at the park is supplied as drinking water to the municipalities of Rakovica and Plitvicka

The Legend of the Gavanovo treasure

Local legends suggest,  at the bottom of Lake Gavanovac lies the hidden treasure trove of a magician named Gavan, after whom the lake gets its name. Gavan, the wizard had a treasure box of fairies and spirits with magical powers. Gavan was a kind and honest person and used this power for the welfare of his people but one day the Black Queen, heard about his treasure and sent her men to capture him. Fearing, the queen will misuse the powers, Gavan gave the box to his faithful servant Juraj and asked him to hide it in the deep forest. While escaping the Queen's men, Juraj fell into the lake releasing the fairies and the spirits. The fairies saved him, Gavan, and they kept the lake protected from the reach of the Black Queen. It is said the box still lies in the bottom of the lake and the fairies are heard singing in the stillness of the starry nights at the lakes.

Milanovacki slap Waterfall and Lake Milanovac at 524 m above sea level

Slapovi Milke Trnine Waterfall was named after Katarina Milka Ternina a famous Croatian Soprano (1863-1941)

Lake Kozjak at 535 m above sea level. It is also the deepest (47 m) and the largest (81.5 ha) lake in the national park. We took a boat from P1 boat point to P3 boat point. There is a rest area and a gift shop with ice cream and snacks near P1.

Veliki Pstavac Waterfall seen from Lake Burgeti at 545 m above sea level

Gradinsko Lake at 554 m above sea level 

Veliki Prstavac Waterfall (28 m high)

Milino Jezero Lake at 576 m above sea level

Galovacki Buk Waterfall and Galovac Lakr at 585 m above sea level

Bird's Eye view Picture clicked in 1937 Source: Link There are 6 small lakes between Proscansko and Galovac lakes at different heights. Vir at 500 m asl, Malo at 605 m asl, Veliko at 607 m asl, Baltinovac at 610 m asl, Okrugljak at 613 m asl and Ciganovac at 625 m asl

Proscansko Jezero at 627 m above sea level the highest lake. 

 

We took the shuttle back to entrance 2 from ST3 shuttle point near Proscansko. We were short on time, hence, chose to cut short a part of the trail between ST2 and Entrance 1. Perhaps will plan a visit in winter or fall. I heard the colors are grander in fall and the frozen lakes in winter are a surreal experience.