Things to do in Dhubri

Dhubri district lies to the Easternmost part of the state of Assam bordering internationally with Bangladesh and nationally with West Bengal. It is one of the most populous districts of the state. Dhubri is filled with scenic beauty and is a heaven for fish lovers. There are a few hotspots around the district and are explorable for first-timers to the district.

• Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib Gurdwara Dhubri is one of the famous pilgrimage sites in the district. It is located in Dhubri town itself. The first Sikh Guru Guru Nanak Dev visited the place in 1505 AD and he met Srimanta Sankardeva on his way from Dhaka to Assam. Sahidee-Guru-Parav is one of the renowned festivals which his held here every here. The place although holds importance for people of Sikh religious beliefs, but it attracts people from all religions.

• Mahamaya Dham is located at Bogribari, between Dhubri and Bilasipara town. The temple has its significance from past 400 years and it was also the presiding deity of the landlord of Parvatjohar. There is a bathing river bank nearby the temple, which is believed to be the bathing site of the Goddess. Every year a Shakti Yogya is performed by the priests of this temple.

• Panbari Mosque, Dhubri is located at Panbari and it has its roots from the era of the Mughal Era. The mosque holds its importance because of its architecture. One of the remarkeable facets of this mosque is the volunteer involvement. People are present round the clock near the donation box to facilitate donation from the bus passengers to the Mosque donation box.

• Panch Peer Dargah, which is located at Dhubri Town is a Mazar Sharif of five Sufi Saints who accompanied Raja Ram Singh during his Assam Invasion. The Dargah attracts people from all religious backgrounds and is a perfect exemplar of religious harmony.

• Netai Dhubunir Ghat at Dhubri Town is also a nature lovers paradise. It is a port connecting Dhubri Town with Medettari and Fakirganj. There is a small park attached and it a hotspot for Morning strollers of the town. It is one of the famous spots in the dusk to go on a date with your better half with the beautiful river breeze gently kissing you.

• The park at Gauripur also holds its significance. One can sit beside the pond and enjoy his day. Mostly cricket tournaments go on the beside field and one can stop by and enjoy the cricket while sipping his evening tea. To add to the list, there are several fast food joints nearby.

• The Hawamahal or Pratima Pandey Baruah's palace is also a noteworthy place to visit. The palace is now maintained by her relatives and the charm of its architecture has faded. However one can find the beauty and glory of Koch - Rajbangshi's hidden amidst the old walls.

• The marketnear the Panbari Mosque often holds beautiful Bangladeshi cotton sarees. One can stop by and take a look. There aren't too expensive, but obviously they hold significance.

• The Indo - Bangla border can be visited near Satrashal. There is also a Satra at Satrashal and it attracts a lot of tourists who hail from the religious beliefs of Sankardeva.

• For people who enjoy bike rides on deserted roads, there is beautiful road which is enveloped by nature. The road stretches from Rupshi to Barjan, passing through Bashbari, Kokrakhar District. The road stretches amist forests on both sides and the road is well maintained for bike rides. One can also stop for a fag at Bashbari and continue his ride. However late night rides through the road isn't advisible. I haven't faced anything wrong as of now, but its better to be safe than to dwell around danger.

• Gauripur is also a beautiful place for sweet lovers. Agarwal Sweets and Tridev Sweets are renowned for their 'Kheer Curd' and other sweets. Interstingly, sweets are cheaper at Gauripur than at anywhere else. It is perhaps because of the abundant milk availability.

• Local fish is abundant at most areas of the district and is also cheaper as compared to others because of near river location. Fish lovers must stay in the district for a few months and enjoy their taste.

For people who have been to Dhubri, they shall always be broken once they leave the place.

Secularism

I don't get it why even there is a need to declare yourself as a secular? If you are secular, you are and its perfectly normal to be one. If you aren't secular than you aren't fit enough to be a social animal. Even if you are or even if you aren't, why is there a need to declare?

 

The first known person who took me in the lap just after I was born is my Dad. Just after him, his childhood friend, who took me in his lap is a follower of Islam. My parents recall that he occasionally gifted me the 'Kufi' skull cap and even I was too fond of it. They never hesitated me wearing that. In fact, they proudly recall that a few times I even insisted on going with him to the Mosque for offering the Magrib Namaz, and that was when I barely understood what was religion.

 

I inherit a lot of religious beliefs from my Dad and my family members. The 27th day of Ramadan is considered sacred among Islam followers and for the last 37 years my father has had the oppurtunity to arrange the Iftar at our village Mosque and he wants me to continue that. He has also been doing the same for Hindu festivals like Durga Puja. He says he finds a lot of peace when he watches people celebrate. Perhaps that is the essence of religion for him.

 

My Dad has a small wooden book shelf. There stands with dignity, the three sacred religious books - The Madbhadwad Gita, The Quran and The Bible. The Bible was guifted to my Dad by one of his friends Dad who wanted my Dad to know the preachings of Jesus. The Quran was gifted to my Dad by one of his Islam following seniors. He got the Mad Bhagwatgita as a birthday gift from one of his college mates. The three books stand together, supporting as walls, not for differentiating but for upholding the dignity of human belief, preaching good deeds and inspiring great deeds.

 

I have grown in a society where people hardly try to dig in to a persons name and surname to find out their religion. It disappoints me when I see some doing that. The only time when I saw my near and dear ones digging in to a persons name was when they tried to know the persons gender and a few times they miserably failed. Some names, belong equally to both the gender. Religion is a personal thing and I don't understand why it should be bothered about. All that should matter to us is who the person is and not which religion he beliefs it.

 

My thoughts on secularism doesn't indicate that I am an atheist. I am religious and I strongly belief religions brings discipline to our lives.

Madhupur Satra

In the year 1489, when Sankardeva reached Kochbehar, the then King of Koch - Rajbangshi dynasty Maharaja Naranarayan requested him to preach and spread the teachings of the Neo-Vaishnava cult. In his honour, the king built the Satra in the 16th century. Guru Sankardeva breathed his last at this Satra in the year 1568.  The present Satra has been innaugrated by the then Cheif Minister of Assam Bimala Chandra Chaliha in the presence of the then Cheif Minister of West Bengal Prafulla C Sen. Lakshmikanta Mahanta is the present Satradhikar of the Satra.

 

We started our journey early morning from Beparipatty, Gauripur. We anticipated a huge rush and hence started early. We were excited to head towards the place with such religious sanctity. We reached Kochbehar after a journey of 3 hours and headed towards Madhupur More in a shared tempo. To our astonishment, there wasn't even a single gate showing the entrance to the Satra. After being dropped by the tempo, we enquired with several local shops if we were on the correct path or not. We never imagined a place with such religious importance without a gate. We headed towards the Satra in an electric rickshaw, locally known by the name 'Toto'.

 

The view of Madhupur More. There isn't any gate to welcome you to the Satra. Electric Rickshaws stand there to facilitate your conveyance to the Satra.

The gate just outside the Satra

There are a couple of bookstalls outside the Satra which has books of Sankardeva and his teachings. These stalls also hold several things for worship at the Satra.

Book stalls and hand carts outside the Satra.



The view of Madhupur Satra



 



The Kirtan Ghar of MadhupurSatra

Some preachings of Sankardeva inscribed on the walls of the Satra

A side view of the Satra
 

Another view of the Satra walls

The Satra also holds a lamp which has been lighting since about five hundred years

With an young priest of the Temple

 

We were disappointed to see only few devotees there. The Satradhikar and other priests of the Satra welcomed us whole heartedly and they also asked us for an overnight halt. The Satradhikar spoke to us on various religious issues and also shared various facets and memoirs associated with the Satra. We were really motivated to hear him speak. We sat beside him and listened to him; an aura of positivity soon surrounded us.

Satradhikar Lakshmikanta Mahanta speaking with devotees who visited the Satra

Satradhikar Lakshmkanta Mahanta speaking to one of the devotees

The famous Gunamala (গুণমালা) which was written by Sankardeva in one night as per the request of Koch King Naranarayana  is also preserved in this sacred place. The book contains rhyming and sonorous verses and it is considered as a handbook of Bhagwata Purana. The historical significance of the book goes back to a debate between King Naranarayana and his pandits. When the court poets asked for a condensed version of the entire ten cantos of the Bhagwata Purana overnight, all the poets refused. However Sankardeva took the challenge and accomplished it. The booklet was kept in a wooden box, painted yellow and red and elephant was drawn within the circumference of the circle. He signified that he had squeezed an elephant into a lime pot (হাতী মাৰি ভুৰুকাত ভৰোৱা). He exhibited his extraordinary skills of breivity and impressed King Naranarayana.

The last remains of Sankardeva and Madhavdeva are preserved here. There are also certain important things like the Paduka's of Sankardeva and the bronze pen used by him. These last remains are displayed twice in a year. Once in the time of Rash and the next in the anniversary of the first Satradhikar, which is two or three days before Saraswati Puja. Another important fact of this place is that the first ten Satradhikar's of this place left for heir heavenly abode on the same day.

 

Satradhikar Lakshmikanta Mahanta also spoke about the various problems the Satra was facing. He was disappointed that there were very few visitors to the Satra. He expressed that he would have been delighted if more visitors visited the place. He also said that the financial support towards a place that holds high historical importance of Assamese culture is very low and that it needs more support from  the government. The Satradhikar is suffering from kidney ailments and he also expressed his disappointment that nobody visits the Satra to enquire about his health. He was hospitalized a few days back in Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (G.M.C.H) and there were handful of visitors to visit him.

Madhupur Satra is one of those places which holds high importance, both for the followers of Hindu Dharma as well as for the Assamese culture. The place with such sanctity is now facing scarcity of recognition. This place is also important hotspot for tourism for people from Assam.

Human Notions Under-Rate the Spirit of a Religion

"Aren't you a Hindu", asked my uncle.

Actually this question was a result of a long conversation between me and one of my kin's. He has always been devoted towards Hinduism and temples. Very recently there was a big 'Puja' at one of the big temples near his place. He took responsibility of most of the duties and also raised mickle amount of fund. One day evening when I was at his place, there was a good assemblage of ample number of known and unknowns. He started blabbering and boasting about his effort and accomplishment of raising such a great fund for the temple. Everyone around started appreciating him for his deed. I felt something wasn't right.

"Can you donate five thousand bucks  from that collection towards an orphanage and an old-age home?", I asked out of embarrassment. 

"What do you mean? This is the money of God", he replied.

"Isn't the service to humanity considered as the service to God? Why are you reluctant to give this money to the people who need it the most than on people on his feast you are more bothered now?", I asked him.

He couldn't control his temperament and then he barked his question of doubt on my religious orientation.

"I am a Hindu and I am a human too. I am a Hindu and so I am concerned for the humanity", I replied to his doubt on my religious orientation.

Why have people forgotten that service to humanity is service to God? I am a Hindu and I love my religion. I am not towards the spirit of the temple but I am always for humanity. It is not religion that speaks against humanity but it is the act & deed of some preachers & followers the demoralize the morale of the commons towards religion. Religion is utmost purity, serenity, bliss and is always for humanity.

Submitted for Indispire

Religion - Sanctity or Insanity

What does the base and existence of any religion define?

I believe benevolence, humanity, peace, love and brotherhood builds the base of any religion.  Religion marks the threshold of eternal serenity in everyone's heart. Religion also marks  the belief that everyone is equal and establishes the  prevalence of concord. No religion ever demands slaughtering or butchering humanity. 

There is actually nothing called religion in a society where people are marked as untouchables and are impeded from entering holy places. There is actually nothing called religion in a society where a thousand Goddesses are worshiped but the girl child is always vulnerable to infanticide, foeticide, dowry deaths. There isn't any religion in this world where the world itself is divided into two worlds of poor and rich. Prevailing differences and consequent clashes between religious group marks the base of wars.

I don't believe it is even necessary to fold hands and fall on our knees in any place which is believed to be holy if we have been practicing to keep the upliftment of the morale of humanity. There is religion in everybody's heart. There is religion in the belief of every child's heart. Religion is something which defines love in our heart.