Hindustan Times
On a dunghi ride — Notes from a travel diary
On my first day in Mayabunder, far north in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, I went on a long boat ride. Now, I love boat rides and I’ve been on a zillion, in paddleboats or rowboats on placid lakes. But this ride in a dunghi on the sea was quite something else.
Under the bridge at Panighat, we found our dunghi waiting for us.
“ We drove to Panighat early in the morning and got into a dunghi. ‘Got into a dunghi’ – the ease of those words makes it sound far easier than it as. A dunghi is a thin long boat, the base of which is made from a single trunk of the paddock tree. It rocks crazily from side to side with every movement, making you feel like it could tip over any moment, plunging you straight into the water. There was a look of alarm on everyone’s face as they clambered on, and a couple of squeals as they crept along. Luckily, Sunil, one of the boys accompanying us as a guide, told me that the paddock wood base ensures that the boat wouldn’t topple, despite all the wobbling. With that little reassurance tucked away in my mind, I relaxed immediately and the 90-minute boat ride became quite fun.”
See why it was terrifying? Narrow, long, and so fragile at first look.
Squeezed in; backs pressed up on one side, feet on the other.
Fun just doesn’t quite sum it up; it was exhilarating. We sat with our backs to one side of the boat and our feet pressed up against the other; alternately facing opposite ways. When the boat would wobble, either the side where my head was would dip down or my feet, changing the perspective dramatically. When I leant back, my hair dipped into the water. We travelled through the channels of water that separate the islands, the roads between them if you will, and it was lovely. Sometimes hugging a shoreline so close that the mangroves echoed back the sound of the engine as though a thousand crickets were singing in unison. Sometimes, travelling in middle of a broad expanse of water, the little islands dotting the sea all around. And suddenly, in the space between two islands, the sight of the open sea beyond.
Islands, clouds and the sea make for the most perfect reflections.
Of course, the same trip back as the sun went down was a wholly different matter.
“The trip back was surreal. The light was fading by that time and the clouds glowed in the light of the setting sun. The islands stopped looking like forests of green and became dark shadows in a darkening sea. The breeze was cool, and cooler still as it dried our sweaty t-shirts and made us shiver. The tide had receded as well and, at one point, it was hard to navigate in the shallower water in the dark. Sunil stood at the bow and we all shone our head torches about, trying to look out for rocks. After that scary bit, the rest was smooth sailing and the only problem with the dark was that we couldn’t look out for the mangrove crocs like we’d intended to.
No loss, as far as I’m concerned. Floating on the sea, cutting through the water with salt spray on our faces and darkness all around was simply spectacular. The mangroves formed a tunnel of dark shadows on either side of us and, in the sky, stars began to be visible bit by bit until the entire sky was lit; a canvas of brilliant points of light. I think some of the others were a bit scared though, and there was some mumbling about lack of planning and life jackets. That tickled me for quite a bit.”
If you ever go to the Islands, you really must take a long dunghi ride; it is the best way to experience the magic of the sea. And while I’ve mentioned the absence of life jackets quite flippantly out here, it may not be a bad idea to ask your organiser to get hold of some. Personally, I feel that wrapped up in a lumpy jacket would have really killed my enjoyment. At the same time, I accept that my co-travellers would have probably been more relaxed if they’d had some on. Ultimately, to have fun you need to be relaxed, and whether that comes for you with a life jacket or without, should be a choice you’re able to make. And, no matter what it is, I promise I won’t call you chicken!
As we travelled to the mangroves, they whispered mysteries back to us.
(4 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
Loading ...
neha Reply:
April 6th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
[Charu]
I think it was the awesomest. Sometimes you mustn’t think too much about these things!
n
[Reply]
srbhardwaj Reply:
April 10th, 2010 at 12:43 pm
Loktak Lake in Manipur spread over an area of over 400 sq.miles is the largest fresh water lake in the country. It is also the only lake on which the 105 MW Loktak Hydroelectric Project has been set up and which is regularly supplying power to the people of Manipur since 1983, The lake has floating villages. People have been living on the lake water since time immemorial. People enjoy special variety of fish from this Lake. There is also a floating jungle where wildlife can be found. Hardly two hours drive from Imphal town, the capital of Manipur, Loktak Lake is visited by the nature lovers from all over the world. The environment is peaceful though activities of some of the outfits of Manipur some time discourage people visiting the Lake. boat ride is a unique pleasure. You can talk to people living on the floating grass with their simple houses. They are very happy. The nearby memorial of Subash Chandra Bose reminds us of the sacrifices people made for our freedom. One must visit Loktak Lake at least once in life. The love stories based on this Lake are regaled by the artists from Manipur. I love this lake though I am from Himachal Pradesh.
[Reply]