The serene riverfront evenings of Guwahati, the silent flow of mighty Brahmaputra and a dreamer.

Year 2006. I reached Guwahati with a broken heart as I received a temporary job posting for 2 years just within one month of my marriage. But I never knew that my new posting in Guwahati will be a blessing in disguise and a turnaround in my career.  For me, Guwahati was like a woman with an average look and not so impressive in the very first instance. Yes, Guwahati was never my love at first sight. But then I have gradually fallen in love with the city. Here's the story of a dreamer who set his new dream at the bank of Brahmaputra and made a new beginning in his life. 

My beginning of the journey in Guwahati was set through one of the toughest phase of my career. I lost my father within one month of reaching Guwahati. Those days, I was staying in a small guest house at Silpukhuri. And I was earning just a decent salary good enough to deal with my day to day struggle. In the evening, I used to take a walk from Silpukhuri to Ujaanbazaar Machkuan towards the beautiful bank of river Brahmaputra. For me, the place was just like a pair of beautiful eyes of a woman which started attracting me with the progress of time. I never imagined that there can be such a beautiful calm and quiet riverbed within the vicinity of a crowded city.  I could identify myself with the small lonely islands inbetween the river raising their heads and trying to speak to the river water and the birds flying back to their home at the backdrop of a reddish blue sky with a setting sun promising a new dawn and a new sunrise. And I was gradually falling in love with the river.  Every evening I started visiting the riverfront to feel the tiny waves of mighty Brahmaputra causing vibrancy within my tired soul and the reflection of the sprinkling sunlight on the river water raising new rays of hopes in my mind just like the way, the ray of light thrown from a light house near a sea shore shows way to a ship lost on its way. 

And thus, the Brahmaputra river became a lifeline for me. I started visiting the riverbank thrice in a day during morning, afternoon and evening. In my subconscious mind, I started speaking with the river water and the trees. The rippling waves fluttered in my ear and rustling of the leaves whispered the pathos of even mighty Brahmaputra flowing during summer with the water level pushing hard across the sediments in the middle of the river and then changing courses to regain it's strength. And then during monsoon, the river shows it's prowess with the outrageous flow and does good for the mankind inspite of devastation. And it was all about a person down by his fortune and desparately trying to win his battle in life will have to change his direction and move ahead with the hope of a new beginning and then using the new opportunity to raise his head high with pride. I could relate myself with the river. The boats of the fishermen returning home signified the day to day struggle of our mankind which starts with the sunrise and ends with the sunset only for a new beginning next day. I spoke to some of them and came to know that they set out in the midfle of the night or in the early morning and at times they are blessed with plenty and at times they return empty handed. Even then, they have to smile and sing to move ahead in life. Sometimes we get the most extraordinary lessons of life from the most ordinary people. I never realized that I have started to weave a new dream at the bank of a river with the waves, fishermen, and the rattling leaves as the witness to a dreamer.

My relation with Brahmaputra grew stronger with time. I started taking a walk up towards Nabagraha temple located at the top of the Nabagraha hill. You get a nice aerial view of entire Guwahati and the long stretched course of Brahmaputra from Nabagraha hill. I used to sit at the top of the hill during raining evenings and watch the array of lightening emerging from dark clouds and striking the city and the stretch of the river and the sudden flash of light would make the whole city look so beautiful like a shy woman with a sudden flash of light on her face. And these were all signs of sudden infatuation of a lonely soul towards a new city arising hope for a new beginning. 

And thus I became a fisherman in the river of Guwahati waking up early in the morning and then sailing on my boat for a new career and then sailing back at the riverfront to rejuvenate myself for the next day. Guwahati taught me to take risk in my life. The flow of mighty Brahmaputra piercing through the crowded citylife made me optimistic about getting success out of every competition in the surroundings. The river taught me to push every hurdles away on my way towards success. And the river taught me that there's no end to our journey of success just like the never ending trail of a river. That's the kind of impact the Brahmaputra had in my life. I will never forget the hospitality of my local Assameese friends who stood beside me always during my tough time and always extended their cooperation like the way the the pelicans and the birds keep flying with the steamers to guide them towards Umananda, the world's smallest river island. 

And it took the shape of a complete love affair with my slow and steady venturing into the amazing night life of the city. I will never ever forget the jazzy evenings I have spent with my friends at Kamikaji, Illusions, Downtown, Lounge bar , Terra Maya and other places. Guwahati was like a fresh bit of oxygen in my career. I am grateful to the city which had taught me to walk towards success. Even today, I consider Guwahati as the most lucky city of my life.

For the beginners coming from other cities to start their career in Guwahati, my advise will be that please take your time to understand the city and the people living here. Guwahati has many surprises for you which you may not find even in big metros. Enjoy every bit of your moments in this lovely city. And in return she will never allow you to return empty handed.

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