Ingnam Kengkam: An adventurous journey into deep woods of Karbi hills for learning about human-nature relationship

Trekking brings a person and nature closer in such a way that the person will never come out empty-handed. There is always experience, realisation and learnings added for a lifetime to remember. Assam is a repository of biodiversity and natural resources. Each place has its own beauty and natural uniqueness. One such place filled with natural beauty is the Karbi hill chain near Kohora region of Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong landscape. The dense forests, wildlife, the call of various birds and animals, the rippling of creeks and streams gives an extraordinary experience.

Photo: Spotting of capped langur

Kohora is not just limited to Kaziranga National Park and fancy resorts. Diverting the road from the National Highway 37 to the south, one enters the beautiful Karbi Anglong district. The terrain and topography gradually changes from plains to slopes and one can observe the cultural diversity. Settlement of small villages near the Kohora river and dense forest in the hills and the natural environment has a completely different aura that fills one’s mind and soul with peace and tranquility. The co-existence of the Karbi or as they like to be called "Arleng", with nature and wildlife is truly phenomenal and inspiring. There are numerous scopes in the area for Nature based Tourism.

Aaranyak, a society for biodiversity conservation, has been working with the Karbi Community in the Kohora region and paving the paths for sustainable livelihood through tourism. It has come up with the Community based Eco-Cultural tourism model under the program Journey for Learning and introduced the concept to the local communities of the region. With the idea of experiential learning, the Journey for Learning or simply J4L, provides various activities and practical experiences to help people connect with nature and the culture as closely as possible. Eventually the connection between human and nature generates the cognisance of Nature and wildlife conservation. One of the unique experiences offered in the program is the Ingnam Kengkam.

What is Ingnam Kengkam?

Ingnam Kengkam in Karbi means Walking in the Forest. It is the name of the trek, along the Kohora river in the upstream area of the Karbi hills, given in the J4L Program. The trek is approximately 7 kilometres long and every step proceeds to more and more dense forest. The trek is challenging, and one needs to be adventurous to take the difficult and less trodden path to feel the wilderness. If you are thinking of experiencing Ingnam Kengkam, prepare yourself mentally and physically. It includes climbing and walking through steep inclinations, rocky boulders, narrow paths, crossing streams, crawling through slippery rocks and making way through the branches and plants. Now it’s not simply showing physical stamina but also fearlessness.

Photo : Nature soudscrapping activity

The hills are covered with dense forest and are cradle to various wild animals like wild boar, capped langur, hoolock gibbon, asiatic elephant, barking deer and a number of carnivores from the cat family. There is always a possibility that one may encounter any wildlife during the trek.

Now what do you do when you undergo such a situation?

No worries, as the experts and local people will guide you. The best part of the trek is, there is always an expert and some local people accompanying. The trek always starts with a briefing about the activity and dos and don'ts during the trek. The experts and locals will always be there to take care of the trekkers and help throughout. They also help provide knowledge and information about the diverse flora and fauna of the region.

Photo: Briefing at Ji Langsu by Wildlife Biologist of Aranyak Dr Firoze M. Ahmed

It takes a full day to complete the trek and return to the start point if you choose the difficult path. It's always safer to end the trek in the presence of daylight. The easier path takes a few hours. The trek starts from a point or a camp site known as Ji-Langso. As you ascend the hills, you will hear burbling of the Kohora river alongside, chirping of birds and insects, calling of hornbills and Hoolock gibbons and maybe sight them too. There are a number of streams on route that flow towards the rainfed Kohora river. One of the streams flowing through the dense forest is the Lang-Kiri. Once you enter the forest and take the offbeat path, you can hear the sound of water but not see it. The stream flows right beneath the boulders you are standing upon. Hence the name Lang-Kiri aptly connotes In Search of Water in Karbi.

What's the destination?

Trekking is a soft-adventure sport which is said to be one of the latest trends in the tourism industry. There has to be a destination to reach while trekking. So, what's the destination in the Ingnam Kengkam Trek? The answer is, the lunch point. Seven kilometres up the hills is a long trek and you definitely need to fuel up your body and mind to carry on. But have you ever thought of having a delectable, traditionally cooked meal with resources available in the forest? Probably no, right? But Ingnam Kengkam offers such meals. After the long trek when your body is almost giving up, you reach a point in the forest to witness the Karbi Community engage themselves preparing delicious cuisines for the trekkers. Traditionally prepared Karbi dishes cooked in the Bamboo, cut from the nearby areas, utensils and cutleries made on the spot with bamboo, water used from the streams flowing beside, sitting arrangements under the shades of trees, witnessing animal signs such as pug marks and footprints of leopard, elephant etc, guarantee to give you the best time and experience in life. The exposure to the rich Karbi culture and tradition through food amidst deep woods is itself an experience to treasure.

Photo- Preparation of traditinal Karbi meal

However, if one chooses the easier path, the lunch can be arranged after returning from the trek to the starting point, Ji-Langsu. The Community gets a chance to earn through this activity.There are many Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in the village that help in organising different programmes and activities in the villages. The Ingnam-Kengkam trek is coordinated and operated by the Lang-Kiri SHG through guiding, preparing of meals, cleaning or paving the paths of trekking etc.Such approaches and activities not only help the communities to earn their living with the help of forest ecosystem but also develop community awareness to protect the nature, forest, water bodies and wildlife of their area. This eventually results in the preservation and conservation of the values, beliefs, traditions and culture of the community associated with the nature and not lost in the amalgamation with the modernisation. Hence the community identity is secured.

This trekking is not just walking into the wild and coming back within a day. This trek is more for the wildlife enthusiasts, who not just want to experience but also seek to understand nature. Two important exercises are practised on the way back- "Hug a Tree" and "Nature Soundscaping." These exercises show their best effects while returning, when the body is tired and craving for some rest. Hug a tree allows the trekkers to hug a tree for a few minutes until one feels relaxed. Here the tree plays the role of a close companion sharing the emotional and physical pain of the trekkers. The feel-good hormones released during this exercise relaxes the body. The Soundscaping exercise helps to spiritually connect with nature, sitting in relaxed posture by the stream, closing eyes and silently listening to the sound of nature.

Photo- Pug mark of clouded leopard

This region is a treasure for conservationists and researchers. Not only in scientific terms, but also culturally and spiritually, this trek allows one to understand the different perspectives, beliefs and practices of the local community residing nearby and dependent upon the forests. If you really feel the connection with nature, then do consider this Ingnam Kengkam Trek where you can not only have a thrilling experience for a lifetime but also have a unique learning experience.

One can always contact the Aaranyak for further information and book the trek visiting the website of Journey for Learning.

http://journeyforlearning.org/what-is-journey-for-learning/

Bhargavee Rava

Photos- Bhargavee Rava

(Bhargavee Rava has completed her Masters in Tourism and Travel Management from Tezpur University. Currently she is working as a Trainee in Journey for Learning Programme (J4L) of Aaranyak. She can be reached at [email protected])