Kwid in the Hinterland Series: Exploring Meghalaya

Kwid in the Hinterland Series: Exploring Meghalaya

The Reanult Kwid is city car and would be out of place in mountainous Meghalaya. That, in fact, may not always be true. Familiarity and habit are, in fact, the modern world’s worst enemies. So much research goes into every commodity, sold with the aim to not just make you like it but also repeatedly buy it. When people and the world around you are influencing you so much, a drive to this village on the Bangladesh border in Meghalaya feels so refreshing. The latest in our Kwid to the hinterland series has us starting off in Guwahati and then we set course for Dawki.

A town lost in time

Dawki is a small village on the border between India and Bangladesh easily accessible by road and even has a trade route between the two countries. However, ‘modern’ civilisation hasn’t reached here. You won’t find the burger joint known to make the most average yet popular burgers or that coffee shop with the most overpriced coffee. You won’t get high fashion brands anywhere within a few hours from this village or hotels and resorts for a luxurious night’s stay.

This is the true hinterland of India. Those ‘essentials’ for a good modern life don’t exist around Dawki, and that’s part of its charm. Here, life is simple like the good old days when travel was entering the unknown and embracing a different way of life to yours.

Once upon a time when there used to be no Google or Google Maps, you asked for directions if you didn’t have a map book and yet, rarely got lost. You watched the road attentively and landmarks were more of a photographic memory than digitally inscribed on a memory card. A cutting chai was the energy drink of choice, parathas and biryanis were meal breaks and sugarcane juice by the side of the road was a moment to be happy about.

Small car, big deal

A major part of the simple life back then were small hatchbacks with big hearts that took us anywhere and everywhere. The Kwid may be a modern car but it feels like it’s got that old-world charm with its tough suspension and even tougher looks. It feels like it was made for the hinterland and finding so many of them here in the North East tells us a story much the same.

A car’s real test is the countryside. The folks out here are no-nonsense people. They will only buy a car that’s reliable, can take a beating and is easy to use. Spotting Kwids in such far flung places as often as we did on our drive to Dawki proves it works well here. That 1-litre engine is strong enough to maintain good pace on the winding highways of Meghalaya and the suspension is tuned to perfection for bad roads. There aren’t many in this side of the country however, you do find a lot of trails in many towns and villages here and even on these trails, the Kwid feels at home. It’s light, the steering is quick and overall, the hatch feels nimble for these places. In this pleasant shade of silver, the Kwid looks beautiful under the blossoming cherry trees around Meghalaya.

The pink landscape is so refreshing to the eye on our way to Dawki, it feels unique and brightens up our day. Dawki is no more than a six hour drive from Guwahati and when you reach there, a slightly busy main street leads you to the Dawki bridge, a suspension bridge over the Umngot river to the other side of the river. This bridge was built by the Britishers in 1932 and is still motorable.

Picturesque and appealing

The Umngot threads its way through the Khasi and Jaintia hills of Meghalaya and leads into the plains of Bangladesh. In fact the border is clearly visible from Dawki and the landscape changes too as you cross the border. The fishermen here catch fish on either side of the country and trade them too. The locals walk in and out of the country like it’s their own as border policing isn’t strict here. You could look at it as a sign of peace when there are fewer restrictions on travel. The river itself is unlike anything I’ve seen before.

Many rivers with fast flowing water are clear enough to let the rays of the sun penetrate its surface. The Umngot, however, is relatively still yet the water is so clear, you can see the shadow of the boat on the river bed when the sun is high in the sky. Locals in their canoes actively use the river for tourism, fishing and even a swim on a warm day. Yet you can see the sense of responsibility among them. Even tourists in this village to keep the area clean. There’s no litter anywhere, plastic is used minimally around town and everyone from kids to senior citizens put in an effort to keep the place clean.

We wrap our journey after a simple lunch on a roadside. It’s the tastiest meal we had on our drive, full of local flavour, fresh vegetables and fish. Fitting on a drive to the hinterland. Dawki is just any other regular village with beautiful landscape and virgin natural beauty. Yet in Meghalaya, it’s one place you must explore.

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