Kaziranga National Orchard & Biodiversity park - Beyond an Orchard

     
      Northeast India has color, culture and charisma of abundant natural beauty. Especially my home state Assam is blessed with the most exotic flora and fauna. My recent visit to India this time, I visited Kaziranga biodiversity park. Entering the park after getting tickets, we were greeted by humble staff ready to help, wearing the most whimsical Assamese traditional attire.

      The park was inaugurated on 2015 October. It is 17 miles from Kaziranga national park and 137 miles from the Capital city Guwahati. The orchard and biodiversity park is a humble attempt by Akhil Gogoi, the founder Secretary of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), a farmer organization based in Assam India, to preserve the biodiversity of Assam and North East India.

      The park is a whimsical display of 600 orchids, greenhouse, seed bank, herb garden, cactus garden, a park for children, different variety of local food and a restaurant which offers local food and assamese style juice and snack bar. It also tries to conserve a variety of paddy seeds, medicinal plants, local flowers, sour fruits, cane, bamboo, a variety of fishes, photo gallery and a museum. Also, a vivid display of assamese culture and stage where you can enjoy cultural performances folk dance and music etc perform by local artist.

      It was almost lunchtime when we reached the park. We had our lunch in the park which offered an array of assamese local food. If you devour the local flavor, this is a great place to enjoy the assamese food.

      My children were excited to see the tree house and swung in the swing in the children park area. Along with everything, considering about kids entertainment and learning at the same time was the raving part.

      I took a long walk in the tiny alleys that lead to a natural lake and boating. And I visited the weaving center and museum that showcased exciting display of northeast India's rich handloom tradition.

      The park also sells souvenirs, handlooms and different types of rice, cereals, pickles and spices etc, which are only found in Assam or northeast India.
 

 
As I visited the park in cold January, orchards were not in its full glory but got hooked enough with the diverse culture. I went to visit biodiversity park but came back with great historical Assamese cultural insight and tribal heritage. And I experienced the orchard,  nature and diverse cultural unity and returned with the great feeling of seeing the effort of preserving things that are related to our roots which we all are proud of.