By Debopam Purkayastha
Born and brought up in Lalabazar, 2010 to 2014 was a memorable period in my life. Due to my career, I tried to settle in many places in eastern and North Eastern India. The places where I tried to settle included Kolkata, Jamshedpur, Siliguri, and Agartala.
Finally, I chose Guwahati for settlement, which is also known as the “Gateway to Northeast”. There are various reasons why I am fond of Guwahati for I never found an intimacy like this in other cities. I have come a long way from starting my journey in 2015 when I did not know a single person here to have almost a large majority of friends and acquaintances who are always supporting me in 2022; this city, for me, stands as a pillar of hope, solidarity, and cooperation.
A photogenic city
This city may be called one of the famous cities for a photographer as it has hills, temples, plains, and rivers. All these features make her one of the best attractions in the North East, especially for photography. Do not miss the opportunity to capture the mesmerizing sunsets on the river Brahmaputra.
Festive seasons
The most notable festival season here is the Bohag Bihu, which is the beginning of the Assamese New Year and falls on 14 and 15 April every year. This festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and to encourage the traditional culture of the people of Assam. If you stay in Guwahati never miss this season. Apart from this, the city is also known for its celebrations of Durga Puja, Holi, Christmas, and Eid.
Never miss the sporting action
If you stay in Guwahati, then you cannot miss all the sporting action. The city boasts of hosting various national and international sporting events from time to time. From ISL to international cricket matches, the city is known for hosting some of the biggest sporting extravaganzas in the country.
Having mentioned these, I also do feel that Guwahati does need a few more upgrades as a city. Some of them may are:
Need more toilets
When I stayed in Kolkata, I found public toilets in every 200-300 meters, thanks to Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Comparatively, Guwahati can do with more such clean and hygienic public toilets.
Artificial floods
This is one of the main problems of this city. With only a couple of hours of continuous rain, many streets and localities of the city are waterlogged. But this is more of a self-created problem, than an issue, as we are constantly clogging our drains with plastic and garbage due to which water drainage becomes a major issue. But the people and the administration are working hand in hand in spreading awareness about the same, and probably the issue can be resolved in the coming future.
Traffic problem:
Though this is nothing new for any major city, but the traffic in Guwahati can be a major frustrating point for any daily commuter. With the city now aiming to become smarter, as we see new traffic lights and traffic management systems being upgraded, I hope that the people of the city will be more aware of their civic sense in traffic.
All in all, we must remember, that this is our city. Hence, it becomes our responsibility to take care of her and speak up wherever we see a fault. Educating each other about civic sense and taking care of our public property will help us take our city to reach newer heights. For we all must be the change and work for the same, we want to see. As this will be the beautiful legacy we will keep for our future generations to come.
