Beautiful Bangladesh: Birisiri

Shahed Latif

Bangladesh has a total land mass of 56,977 square kilometres and quite rightly it is called the land of the rivers. It has about 700 rivers including tributaries which flow through the country constituting a waterway of a total length of around 24,140 kilometres.

This country has its own unique diversity and culture and you can just see that as you cross from one district to the next. There are regions which are covered by hills and swamp lands and rain forest. It is very rare to find such kind of unique diversity in such a small country like ours but yet it is present.

My next visit in this beautiful land was to Birisiri, Netrokona which falls under Mymensingh district and borders Assam of India.

It was the month of October. The skies were bright blue and it was just after the end of the monsoon. There was an aroma of freshness in the air. We took the local bus ride from Mohakhali. The bus started at around 8 am in the morning. You may also go to Birisiri by train, but that would mean that you would have to go to Mymensingh by train and then change to catch the next available train which would stop about 30 kilometres away from Birisiri. From there you would have to hire a rickshaw which might take you 1.5 hours to arrive in Birisiri.

We did not want to go into that. So the bus ride was the best option as it would stop right in Birisiri. The bus fare was about taka Tk250 per person. Thus, our journey started. After a few stops over to pick passengers till Tongi, the journey was smooth. As the bus started leaving Dhaka and as the serenity of rural Bangladesh was coming into view, the journey became much more enjoyable.

The Dhaka-Mymensingh road is awesome and after almost seven hours of bus ride we arrived in Birisiri. Lush green fields full of paddies and in the distance houses and the clear blue sky of Birisiri and the distant hills of Assam soon greeted us. It seemed like a portrait drawn by the artist.

It was around 3 pm when the bus stopped at Birisiri bus stand. There are couple of local hotels in Birisiri but we did not stay there for obvious security reasons despite our hunger and I won't reckon my readers will do so either.

There are some Christian Missionary Rest Houses likewise (YWCA and YMCA) and they are quite very much adorned. It would cost you about Tk 500 to Tk 1500 every night relying on which room you incline toward. 

These rest houses additionally have their own particular eating yet you have to arrange before hand in the event that you need to feast there. 

As I said before, Birisiri is exceptionally tranquil and remote. It is a tranquil spot. After sunset there is nothing to do but to meander around the neighborhood sit in your room. In any case, my companion and I were not there to lounge around. 

After supper, we went out to investigate Birisiri. The nearby bazaar was energetic and brimming with new vegetables, fish, dry fish and other neighborhood indulgences. As it is near the Garo Hills, the vegetables were new. In any case, lamentably there were only one eatery of a Garo lady where we ate our nourishment and there was another shop that had a place with another lady offering Adivasi dresses. 

Whatever is left of the shops were generally Bengali possessed. It just shows how intense life is for the plain land Adivasi's of our nation. 

The following day we set out on our central goal to see the magnificence of this spot. The principle vacation spot of this spot is the Shomeshwari – Kongshow River, the Bangladesh-India Border of Assam, Garo Village, Ceramic Lake, Hajong mata dedication, royal residence of Shushang Maharaja, Ranikhong Church and school. We secured each one of those ranges in two days and we delighted in every single spot we went to, particularly the life and occupation of the plain land Adivasis pulled in us the most. 

From Birisiri you can procure an electric rickshaw for the entire day and they will take you to each one of those spots and the admission is additionally exceptionally shabby, about Tk 500 every day. Yet, do recollect that you need to cross the Shomeshwari River so as to go to these spots and that is the main obstacle and for Tk 50 you will be crossed on a pontoon with individuals, goats, cycles, motorbikes and everything installed. 

The Shomeshwari River has a special qualification. As it descends from the slopes which most streams do in Bangladesh, the water of this waterway turns out to be spotless to the point that you can really see the amphibian life underneath the water's surface. The fish swimming around make it appear like a major aquarium. I simply experienced passionate feelings for the waterway and had an opportunity to swim. Be that as it may, know: whether you are not a decent swimmer it is not a smart thought to bounce into the waterway since this stream is entirely profound and the momentum is quick. 

Among every one of the spots that I went by in Birisiri, I truly preferred the street prompting Ranikhong. Ranikhong fringes Assam and you can really see the spiked wires and BSF posts out yonder. The street runs straight down and with open fields and an excellent splendid blue sky, life can not feel better. 

The Ranikhong Church is situated up on the slope and it is entirely lovely and tranquil. There is a rest room from where you can see the slopes and the stream underneath and see individuals gathering stones in knee profound water. 

Following two days of tumultuous visits, we completed our outing to Birisiri. Be that as it may, yes obviously sustenance is a major issue and this is something voyagers need to live with and I am willing to as well. The best time to visit Birisiri is amid the winter. In any case, in the event that you are into difficulties and affection streams, possibly the blustery season would be a superior time for you to see Shomeshwari's magnificence. As the colloquialism goes magnificence lies subjective depending on each person's preferences.