Dawki

Dawki

Dawki also is known as Dauki, is a town located in West Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya, India. This town is a must-visit destination for travelers and nature lovers. Dawki is located on the border between India and Bangladesh. It is really hard to ignore the crystal clear water of the Umngot River of this town. The boat ride and camping is a major tourist attraction.

From Guwahati to Shillong and the serpentine roads that took me all the way to Dawki were no less than the enchanted ones that might have taken many adventurers or dreamers on their exciting journeys. The sun rays filtering through tall palms and betel nut trees on one side and rocky hills on the other en route to this little paradise of nature could have anyone feeling calm in head and soul. The jeweled emerald waters of Umngot River, popularly called Dawki River owing to its location, looked as if belonging to another world. Standing on that 1932 suspension bridge, with magnificent Jaintia hills around, the boats below looked as if floating in the air. The water that looked so clear from above was all the more pristine and perfect from within a touching distance. As the clear waters of Umngot didn’t run deep, hardly 12-15 ft, the pebbled bed of the river with stones in myriad shapes and colors, and the fish aimlessly swimming around added to the overall enchantment factor. The cool breeze that gently stroked the hair as the boat moved, the glistening river and the alcoves on both sides, coupled with the sound of rippling water and calls of the birds can give one a heavenly feeling. The fairytale setting, however, had more to stun. Further up the river, the riverbank full of naturally chiseled round and shapely pebbles were inviting me to take a stroll on them. As I sat on a big one, dipping my feet in the cold water, I could not stop wondering at the purity of the environment all around and its calming and refreshing effect on me.