KarbiAnglong is the heart of Assam; but surprisingly, it is least visited. A picturesque land of Anglong – homonym noun for hills and mountains – and home to the Karbi tribe, your first stop here would be Umswai Valley, 100 km from Guwahati and Assam’s very own bamboo county. Spend a night amidst these groves surrounded by hills, an experience like no other, and then continue on to Kangthilangso waterfall near Den Arong (Dengaon). Cupped tenderly by the walls of verdant hills, this waterfall is a gem that is only about 10 km away from NH-36. Once on the highway, yet another milky waterfall will come up after a drive of 60 km, at Silveta—a strong flowing stream scattered with splendid-looking age-old rocks and boulders.
And, then about 20 km away from Longnit—a small town with a rather thrilling eco-tourism park on the bank of River Longnit—through a scenic road, you are then led to the Langvoku waterfall in Manja-Dilai, a place perfect for nature lovers, students, zoologists or lovers of butterflies. Karbi Anglong, in fact, is home to more than 400 species of butterflies, with the Karbis weaving piplis, as butterflies are locally known, as motifs into their traditional attires. Symbolising freedom, joy and merriment, piplis exemplify the tribe. So does the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, their sacred bird, whose tail feathers ornament a gear called Vojaru Ani worn during cultural festivals.
Thereon, as you drive into Diphu, the district headquarters, you are charmed by the delightful blend of old and new, the ethnic village at Taralangso and Nothengpi, the Karbi heritage museum. Taralangso is historic for it is here, every year since 1974, that Karbis gather from February 15-19, to celebrate Karbi Youth Festival, one of the largest and oldest of such festivals in the Northeast. The festival is more than entertainment; it is a showcase of heritage and change. Also, with other tribes and states joining in, it is truly a mosaic of unique traditions that makes the Northeast so incredibly incredible.
To promote Karbi Anglong as a tourist destination a familiarization trip was organized recently for the tour operators of Assam by the Deputy Commissioner and Tourism Department of Karbi Anglong so that the destination can be promoted in a holistic manner.
