Chandubi Lake | tourism

India / Assam / Palasbari /
 tourism, lake
A large Lake and wet land, created by the devastating earthquake of 1897. It is around 65 Km from Guwhatai city, Assam. The lake is at the base of Garo hills bordering Assam and Meghalaya. The place is surrounded by deep forest, tea garden and small and discrete villages. An ideal place for a day out and picnic. There are some efforts of development of eco-tourism at the lake. Average width of the lake is 400 metres and length is more or less 4500 metres.

A place to look for migratory birds, raw jungle, undulating tea garden, peaceful road side tea stalls, a fast flowing mountain river and the serene lake.

From Guwahati > toward Airport > Go toward Mirza> From Mirza Charali (or police point), take left turn toward Mirza College > Go toward Kulshi> Go toward Barihat> Loharghat> Chand dubi or Chandubi lake (Chandubi Beel). At the last stretch you have to drive through a jungle road.

From Mirza the road is single lane but in good condition. Just drive slow as there are lots of speed breakers and animals sleeping/loitering on the road. If possible take food along as there's nothing available at the lake site.

Even if you stay at the government tourist lodge, must carry full ration including kerosene and petrol for genset. Not recommended for family's, specially with young children for overnight stay.

(Ther's a eco camp on the other side of the lake but i havn't visited it yet. Once i do i will add information on it.)

Warning: Mobile phones don't work here (Not even BSNL network) and there are no land telephone lines as well. You won't be able to charge your camera batteries as well. So bring extra batteries for everything. The nearest petrol pump is in Mirza almost 40 km away, so come full tank.

If you want to see more pictures of the lake and adjoining areas you may visit the following web page:

www.panoramio.com/user/4435077
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   25°53'4"N   91°25'25"E

Comments

  • SEEMA KAUR Deptt of Zoology Pragjyotish College Guwahati Chandubi
  • LIVING WITH NATURE by KABITA DUARAH A lake that is crystal clear at certain places and covered in other places with thick growth of the arali grass that keeps changing its location is all set to change a nondescript area inhabited by Rabha community. Not too far from the bustling capital city of Guwahati, this place is trying its best to emerge as one of the hottest eco-tourism spots in the entire Northeast while providing the city dwellers with a rejuvenating retreat. The invitation to visit this place called Joramukhuria, some 60 km from Guwahati and surrounded by the famous Chandubi lake, had come from Niranta Gohain, a member of Wave Ecotourism. With his relentless efforts and the whole hearted support of the forest department officials, DFO Hridesh Mishra, range officer Ranjit Konwar and the Borduwar Bholagaon Anchalik Rabha Students Union, an eco-camp that is completely vegetarian has been set up here. The road link to this eco-camp that has three cottages built above the ground with support of the sal trees is quite good. What the true nature lovers will cherish about this picturesque spot is the awareness of the local populace to save nature by giving up their old habits of felling trees and killing birds for delectable delight. On the day when we had started to this place, the sun had been merciless since the early morning. The journey was remarkable for many reasons, but more so for the numerous modes of transportation that we were compelled to seek because a bandh had been called by a student body and we in Guwahati were not aware about it. Otherwise, it is not a problem to reach this place. Once we had reached the Chandubi lake by taking a route through a deep forest stretch of the Loharghat range under West Kamrup division, we noticed a boat anchored near the bank. The Chandubi eco-tourism camp would be using country boats to take the tourists to the camp as well as for sight-seeing. The camp surrounded by hills with a green canopy and the forest evokes a feeling of awe and also generates some exciting anticipation as the area is often visited by herds of wild elephants. The openness of the cottages with each having the capacity of accommodating six individuals establishes an immediate rapport with the vastness of the skies, the egrets and with every small creature that has a distinct role in the world of nature. The food served at the camp is another memorable experience. Not only for the homely taste and the way of serving on plates made from banana plantain, but also for the warmth of the hostess who is a Rabha woman. The traditional food tasted so sweet after the arduous journey that each one of us finished the servings in a matter of few minutes. What we will be cherishing for the rest of our lives is the boat ride over the Chandubi lake. Though the skies were blazing when we had left Guwahati, the weather had changed by the time we reached Joramukhuria. So when se set out on a boat again on the Chandubi lake, it started drizzling. The panorama that slowly unfolded before us took our breath away. With two majestic hills of Assam and Meghalaya in the backdrop, clouds sauntering above the hills and the hills trying to reach the skies, we on the boat, drenched and happy, felt there never were a more beautiful moment than this when time seemed to have come to an infinite standstill. Even on sunny days, the boat ride over the Chandubi lake is not uncomfortable because the wind coming from the forest always plays with the waters of the lake. And on a rainy day, the ride is even more unique as the song of the rain and the song of the boatman’s oars creates an unforgettable sonata with a divine touch. The entire concept of ecotourism here has grown around this Chandubi lake that is also a sought after picnic spot, but forgotten for the rest of the year. People of Joramukhuria, a forest village inhabited by nineteen families wait for the picnic season as they get to see people near the lake and also make some money by giving them boat ride. Promoting the beauty of this lake that has so much to offer is one of the prime objectives of Niranta and the rest. The beauty of the lake which emerges in various moods at different time of the day and season cannot be described in words. That there is such a retreat so close that establishes communion with the universe and infinity for concrete Guwahati that keeps struggling with the burden of its own drudgery of life, should be considered a boon. Without mentioning the road that took us to the destination this write-up would not be complete. All the nature lovers, who are desirous of visiting this place, will remember this road too that is zigzag and adorned with tea gardens on both sides, changing paddy fields and rustic dwellings. Again the feeling of an unending journey of life comes while passing through this road. For details, one can contact wave_ecotourism@yahoo.com. Kabita Duarah
  • The destruction of Chandubi lake The rich biodiversity of the State has sustained a serious blow with the growing strain on forest resources. Organised illegal logging Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, purchase or sale of timber in violation of national laws. The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission or from a protected area; the cutting of in particular is taking a toll on the forest landscape, causing rapid shrinkage of habitat with the consequent detrimental effects on the foodchain which is imperative for wildlife's survival. Here at Chandubi, a must-see destination for naturalists and nature lovers, biodiversity has come under tremendous pressure. The wetland measuring 190 hectares surrounded by undulating hills has epitomises the mesmerising beauty of nature. The two reserve forests-Borduar and Mayong under Loharghat range- with Chandubi in the lap are bestowed with floral and faunal diversity. According to local denizens, the then dense forest landscape in and around Chandubi boasted of the Royal Bengal Tiger and the clouded leopard clouded leopard which even killed humans around 1950. But with the core habitat disappearing fast, the population of the principal prey of the carnivores has reduced drastically following sustained presence pulling the flagship species at the receiving end. 'Prey density is a matter that determines the future of the tiger population,' Ranjit Konwar, the range forest officer of Loharghat range said. The yearly requirement of live prey for a single Royal Bengal Tiger the forest landscape of Chandubi is no longer capable of providing. Wild pigs, swamp deer, barking deer Himalayan black bear, Hoolock gibbon, capped langur, porcupine ,Indian pied hornbill are but a few of the species reportedly found in Chandubi's forest. Reminiscing the days of significant concentration of wildlife, Nalini Kr Rabha, a retired headmaster told this correspondent: 'deer which were then endemic used to fall to the hunter's gun.' Habitat loss has put the wildlife diversity in perilous state, he said. Meanwhile, pointing to a plot of highland at Kathalguri facing the Kalahi tributary the headmaster informed that crocodile then sighted in considerable numbers used to take rest. Encounters with crocodiles on the bank of Chandubi lake was a daily phenomenon when he was in school. 'The last crocodile was sighted way back in 1968 which was clubbed to death by some people at Ramshupara,' Rabha disclosed and was of the view that there is no stopping people being hostile to wildlife unless they are tought the necessity of their survival. The tectonic wetland is an ideal habitat for fish also. Besides being the abode of critically endangered fish species Nandhani and ornamental fish like phutiki-puthi the wetland has earned fame for the significant presence of the lucrative chital. Dr M M Goswami, Professor, GU who reportedly discovered the fresh water jelly fish in Chandubi in 1978 told this correspondent that the fresh water Colenterate Limnocnida indica initially reported from the western ghats in 1950 was found in Chandubi. Mentionably, Dr Goswami presented the report of the discovery of fresh water jelly fish at the 6th Colenterate conference held in Netherlands in the year 1996. The lizard species and butterflies of Chandubi are reported to have also come down. Declaration of Chandubi as an Important Bird Area by Bird Life International, an ngo speaks volumes of the former's rich biodiversity. As far as the waterbody of the Chandubi is concerned siltation has posed threat, making it swallow. Charaikhorong reportedly the second best inlet channel through which stream water falls into Chandubi is virtually non-existent following the practice of paddy cultivation. The wastage left by the picnickers on the bank of the waterbody has made the aquatic environs susceptible to degradation. Taking serious note of the present status of the wetland, the wetland development project report for desiltation of Chandubi beel was reportedly submitted, a proposal to declare the beel as a wildlife sanctuary has also been submitted. Seeing the prevailing situation of the territorial forest, massive afforestation and economic development of the people living in the forest vicinity is a prerequisite for making any bid effective. The conscious people of the locality have been emphatic on the awareness creation beside generating eco-friendly source of livlihood. The need of the hour is discarding of the decades-long sheer inertia of the government which, according to local people, is accountable for the sorry state of biodiversity in the area.
  • I like this place very much.
  • I like this place very much.
  • user 'Guwahati' You rock man! what a nice unique description. not just copied from Wikipedia. keep going. voting for you.
  • nice place for journy \
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This article was last modified 6 years ago