S 3 | Sohra, Sandakphu & Sikkim

[sajalsheth]

Just great.

Thanks @mousourik ji....

Now at Page 7....heading towards Sohra.. Mesmerising photos as well as narration. Nice share.

Thanks @manucares ji.... for liking my travelogue... coming updates will be more better.

lovely pictures....getting better

Thanks @asheshr ... it will became more better with next update...

The most scenic shots of the t-log in this update-beautiful roads indeed!

Thanks @Gaurav Chopra ji.... roads were indeed best part of this ride.

 

[manucares]

Awesome ! Waiting for updates....

 

[Shekar Reddy]

Awesome and Awesome

 

[Neel The Striker]

Beautiful landscapes, water falls, roads, mountains

 

[AnupamR]

Sajal da, hats off to you... beautiful pictures and wonderful narration...

 

[sajalsheth]

8. Day 6 = 1st Oct., 2015


Around Sohra (Cherrapunjee) .


Total km traveled 65. Ride time 6.30AM to 5.30 PM.
We rode around to Sohra (Cherrapunjee), covering Kynrem Waterfall, Nohsngithiang / Mawsmai / Seven Sister Waterfall, single & double decker living root bridge, Laitkynsew view point.

Yesterday night, before sleeping we discussed about double decker living root bridge. We know that it won’t be easy to trek 3 km with 3000 steps. It may take 5 hours to trek that difficult route. We got ready early and were ready to leave at 6.30 am. Mr.Chander, who was our room mate, was joining us for Nongriat double decker root bridge trek also. But he will not come back same day with us. He will stay there for a day.

Mr. Haprit, owner of By The Way home stay had different looking two and four wheelers in Sohra.

All marked “HARD CORE”

Maruti 800 is king of road at Shillong as well as Sohra. But Haprit had modified it into differently looking vehicle.

We started riding at 6.30 am. We carried some dry fruits and biscuits with us along with sufficient water. Only back pack was taken to carry all this snacks with camera. We also took bathing trunk and towel.
We rode via Mawmluh-chera cement factory road. Our plan was to ride up to Tyrna village and then park our bike and then start trekking.

At around 7 am we entered a road, which was looking like a green tunnel. And a loud sound was coming out everywhere. It sounded like too many small temple bells. It also sounded like omm.
We stopped there and feared at first.

I recorded that sound on my mobile. Here it is :-

Chander clicked few pictures of Harsh and me on that green tunnel type road.

Then there was this diversion towards right. The info board was showing motorable road of 1.63 km from there after that foot road for 3 km.

Dots are erased, don’t worry it is not 300 km
We reached last point of motorable road at 7.20 am. This was Um-Sohpie village.

This info board showing 3 km of foot path. Another info board ahead shows “Jingkieng-ri-tymmen, the single root bridge, was also in same path.

Harsh & Chander had breakfast of noodles at a local shop of Um-SohpieVillage, but I moved ahead as I wanted to eat biscuits while trekking. It was 7.20 am that time.
The foot path from UmSohpie village to Nongthymmai village is full of concrete steps.

Foot step path was looking good.

There was greenery on both side and concrete steps in between.

Foot step path was partly having sun light.

Steps were steep and going down the mountain. There were dustbins in many places.


At 7.45 am I saw this waterfall on the top of mountain. This water goes down and passes below double decker living root-bridge at Nongriat.

At some places there is support for trekkers for climb or go down on these steep steps.

Local villagers were climbing these steep steps easily and that to bare foot! And some of them carried luggage also.

Imagine if you fall from here then you just go tumbling down!

At 7.55 am I saw a road bifurcation at a small village.

Right one goes to long root bridge Rittymmen and it is 5 minutes walk from there.

Right side also shows “Jingkieng-Ri-Tymmen “ a single decker living root bridge ahead. A villager took Rs.10 as entry fee and Rs.20 as camera fee.

The left foot step path goes to Double decker living root bridge at Nongriat, and it was 30 minutes away as per that info board.

But one should NOT go right via this way. If you walk towards Left side, little ahead there is another bifurcation and then you walk right. This right foot step path also goes to single decker living root bridge.

This way you can avoid paying entry and camera fees!
Anyway I moved ahead and heard sound of water stream. Looking ahead I saw root bridge’s far view.

There were lots of tree and greenery around.

Moving ahead I saw this scenic place with small foot bridge.

Then I saw this “under construction” living root bridge.

I went down towards water stream to see that bridge. Sun rays were falling on that under construction bridge and I saw another living root bridge.

It was 8.05 am and that was “Jingkieng-Ri-Tymmen” single decker living root bridge.

Looking up I saw how this under construction bridge is being developed. It may take another 10-15 years to compete this. This is made from aerial roots of living banyan fig trees.

This Ritymment is longest living root bridge of that area.

I saw Chandar coming here. I left Harsh and Chandar at the beginning of trek. He told me that Harsh had gone ahead towards double decker root bridge.
I was happy to see him as we can click each other’s pictures at least.

This is the entry

After walking in middle, view of bridge I walked.

And this is yet to walk

View of that under construction banyan fig tree bridge from Rittymmen bridge.

That’s me on the starting right side of bridge.

What a feeling to walk on root bridge….! I am walking for the first time on such living root bridge.

Happy Chandar and me….. we clicked a selfie using mobile.

Water flawing down was nice n clear.

This Rittymmen living root bridge was 30 m long.
This is view from left end to right end.

This is view from right end to left end of bridge.

Now it was time for a last click on middle of that bridge. It was 8.30 am and we moved ahead.

That is Chandar trekking ahead.

At around 9 am saw this iron road and wire bridge on a clear water stream.

Walking on that was an awesome experience due to water stream flawing below it.

I was tempted to take bath on that crystal clear water.

Looking right from that iron, I saw another root bridge. But it did not look like under construction. It might be damaged that’s why this iron wire bridge might be build.

That was view of bridge after crossing it.

An old fallen tree on the way.

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[sajalsheth]

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[AnupamR]

Beautiful greenery...

 

[sajalsheth]

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Then I saw some houses in dense greenery. That waterfall was also visible.

Trekked ahead

Then another iron wire bridge was visible.

A hut was also visible on the other side

This iron bridge was built in two parts

Looking down I saw a true blue water stream flowing

Who will not be tempted to take bath in this clear water.

This was the first part of that bridge.

And this was second part.

Just imagine walking and crossing this bride with a blue water stream flowing below you.
This was a natural swimming pool with purest water.

View after crossing that bridge. You can see local villager carrying so much luggage and crossing it.

I was tempted to walk on it again.

The sound of water flawing below was adding to its beauty.

That hut was actually a tea stall.

I climbed ahead. View looking back there.

Then I crossed an old living root bridge. It was very thick. It must be oldest one there.

At 9.35 am, I reached Nongriat village.

This info board was at entry point of village. But there were more steps.

There were many info boards there. This one welcoming us to NongriatVillage & DoubleDeckerRootBridge.

There was another home stay with lots of facility and food. Chandar went for search of home stay as he wanted to stay for a night here. He will trek ahead and come to Sohra via Nohkalikai waterfall. It must be a 4 km trek.

At 9.45 AM, I reach at Double Decker Living Root Bridge of Nongriat after crossing 6 big & small bridges. This was first view.

I paid Rs.10 as entry fees and Rs.20 for camera. The village girl there issued this slip, but with wrong date.

That waterfall we saw on top of mountain was coming down here. There were two small waterfalls there.

I could not stop myself from walking on that root bridge.

View of both decks.

This was left side view of aerial roots of living banyan fig trees.
Amazing art by villagers.

Full view of both side of bridge.

The waterfall was tempting me to take bath.

Some say that a species of Indian rubber tree with botanical name of FICUS ELASTIC is used for making this root bridge.
It takes 10-15 years to built one living root bridge and it life span is more than 200 years.

This double decker root bridge is only one of its kind in entire world.

I met Harsh there. He reached before us and was taking bath in the water stream. I was also tempted to take bath in that cold water stream.

It is refreshing to take bath here after 2 and half hours of trek.

What a feeling to take bath in that fresh water.

One can see happiness and joy on my face.

Another view of bridge with water stream, from the point, where I was taking bath.

But the first waterfall pond was not deep. All trekkers were coming and taking bath in second waterfall pond as it was little deep.

I also joined there. Swimmed there fun.

I felt like sleeping and floating on that fresh cold water pond with view of bridge.

It was around 5 – 6 feet deep.
I floated there for some time closing my eyes and felt the sound and be part of mother nature.

It was 10.45 am, I ate some dry fruits and biscuits. Now was the time to pose with double decker root bridge.

What a view and feeling standing there on top deck of bridge.

I shouted loudly “Hari Bolo” and Thanked God for allowing me to reach there.

Also posed with bottom deck of bridge.

I also felt proud of myself to reach this place by riding bike all the way from Odisha.

This is view of left side of bridge.

This is view behind the bridge from top deck.

See the base of bridge. Wood base is made to keep it light. Some say that this bridge can carry weight of 50 people also. See how roots are tied up.

View of right side entry.

It was 11 am and more & more trekkers were reaching here. Many of them were international tourists. It was time to trek back. This was my last view of the Nongriat Double Decker Living Root Bridge.

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[sajalsheth]

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