open square

Source: Inam Ahmed

The cabin where we halted for the first night.

Our boat was getting stuck. I could hear the bottom of the boat grating against the sandy bed. So I had to make the stopover here at Dochhara, a small hill settlement of a few Chakma families. The river Gangaram has bifurcated here to give a name to this place — Do meaning two and Chhara meaning stream.
A bamboo mat was laid out in the open square when we reached Dochhara and I spread myself on it, every inch of my body wanting some rest. A few plastic chairs were produced from somewhere and my guides sat on them.
We discussed our next day’s plan as food was being cooked in a hut. A chicken was killed and soaked in boiled water to skin it. Cabbage chunks were boiled. Flame hot chilli paste mixed with strong smelling Nappi. Small and rounded aubergines grown only in the hills were boiled to go with Dochowani, the local drink.
After nine hours of journey, we were still far away from our destination – Lakhkhichhari Reserve Forest. We had heard this is one hell of a place with giant trees and rare animals and birds. But the problem was even our Chakma guides had not been there before.