The strainsofDr Bhupen Hazarika’s Kopili Kopili Rangdhali Suwali seems to hang in the air as you journey from Guwahati via Lanka to Umrangso. And passing through Panimur, you know exactly why. The Kopili River plunging into breathtaking waterfalls shifting colour from cerulean to kerosene blue, appears much like the young girl of the melody whose radiant beauty embodies a lively energy. Down from the Borail and Meghalaya plateau, its waters reflecting the changing seasons, and the monsoons enhancing its spirit, Kopili, a tributary of the Brahmaputra flows through a basin rich with limestone caves and mysterious caverns. It also boasts of the Khandong and Umrong dams of NEEPCO’s Kopili Hydro Electric Project—marvels of engineering integrated with the landscape and a project that consciously relocated the dams to protect extensive caverns upstream. With its arrival, the valley thrived, with communities like Dimasas, Jimi Naga, Hmar, Kuki, Biate, Hrangkhal, Khelma, Jaintia and the Karbis enriching the cultural tapestry. Today, elders also tell of an enterprising Nepali Mahajan who once dominated trade with his fleet of horses, transporting ghee from Umrangso to distant markets, and whose descendants now add to the area’s charm.
In Umrangso, the damming has created a serene lake that conceals the remnants of an old British road beneath its surface—a picturesque setting for water sports. Magnificient expansive views of damsite and the Kopili itself from the higher reaches of APGCL’s pcoming 120 MW LKHEP offer another potential tourist site at Panimur.. During October-November, the landscape transforms as Amur Falcons roost enroute to South Africa, coinciding with the migration of dragonflies, their vital source of sustenance during this arduous journey. On Magh Purnima again, Panimur emerges as a sacred site, where the Dimasa community gathers to take holy baths, honouring their profound cultural and spiritual connection to the land.
Beyond this, roughly a two-hour drive away from Umrangso, you find the Lungzubel Archaeological Site in Khobak, where centuries-old stone jars, locally referred to as “stone jars of rice beer”, intrigue visitors with their unique design. Scattered throughout Biate-inhabited areas, these ancient relics bear a striking resemblance to the stone jars of Laos’ UNESCO World Heritage site. Scholars have explored their importance ever since the time British Officials J. P. Mills and J. H. Hutton first documented these pear-shaped jars across six villages in the North Cachar Hills. In their publication Ancient Monoliths of North Cachar, their research tracing back to 1928, these researchers proposed that they were used to hold cremated remains.
While scientific dating or excavations have yet to be conducted at the Lungzubel site, the similarity of the jars found in Laos with those found here indicates that Assam’s stone jars and those found across South East Asia are part of a broader cultural heritage of equal significance. You come across another major jar site, the largest in the district with a vast collection of jars of varying sizes, in Bolosan (Nuchbunglow), 30 km northwest of Haflong, that can be reached by travelling through a motorable road constructed recently by villagers to improve access to this significant heritage site.
Travelling through the Panimur-Umrangso-Khobak region in Dima Hasao is more than a scenic adventure; it’s a gateway to history, culture, and nature. Here, rivers sing, stones tell stories, and landscapes whisper secrets of ancient civilisations and legends—reason enough to protect these sites, especially the stone jars. Stepping into this heritage, surrounded by vibrant landscapes, you become part of a timeless narrative. Stand by the Kopili River, listening to Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s melodies, or marvelling at the ancient stone jars, you connect with a legacy that transcends time.
