Kukurmara: The dolphin beckons

 

l 40 kms from Guwahati, Kukurmara is a small fisherman village of West Kamrup district, Assam, situated on the banks of the river Kulsi, a small tributary of the Brahmaputra.

 

 

l Specially known for the River Dolphins, locally the Xihus (an endangered species under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972), present in the Kulsi. At present about 27 – 30 of these docile, adorable, yet highly endangered creatures are present in the Kulsi.

 

l The Merghar, a relic of the house of the mythological characters, Lakhindar and Beula is another attraction of Kukurmara. The near by ponds are pleasant to view.

 

·    Thirty kilometes from Kukurmara is a tectonic wetland, the Chandubi Beel (Lake) at Rajapara village formed due to the great earthquake of 1950. This Lake is home to a variety of different indigenous ornamental fishes and the breeding ground for some commercially important varieties. The wetland is also home to different migratory birds.

 

·    The village is one of the largest producers of Eri yarn the “vegetarian”silk endemic to the north east region. Almost every home here has a loom where eri garments are woven, displayed and sold.

 

 

 Contact details: 

 

• Mr. Debajit Choudhury runs tour packages for visitors. He can be reached at 9957185927 or 9435305425. A day – snacks, boat, and lunch—cost Rs500 per person for the local/Indian tourist and Rs. 1000 each for the foreign tourist.

 

• You can also contact the Dolphin Conservation Project team of the Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research(C-NES), Guwahati office at 0361- 2463962 & 0361- 2465330 for your trip.