Digboi

"Dig Boy,Dig",is a famous quote that surrounds the name of the current place 'Digboi', as per local folklore. The earlier British India town for oil refining has over the years turned into a tourist hub. This petite settlement in Assam is between its plains and the hills of Arunachal Pradesh. Travelling through the tea estates, the smell of fresh tea leaves and the miles of greens as far as you can see; transport you to a more relaxed and calmer world. A strong sense of nostalgia kicks in as you enter the township.It seemed like life has been still in these parts since the early 40's.We started off from the 'Story of Digboi', its magnificent Oil Museum. uncovernortheast!!!

The tools and instruments used in the bygone era were displayed along with their stories behind them. It was quite fascinating to see large devices of those days meant to do menial jobs which could be done by hand held gadgets today.

The history of 'Digboi' is well exhibited in the museum building. The journey from the discovery of oil to the latest technology used ,is very well portrayed .Unfortunately cameras are not allowed inside. But nevertheless we could click a few pictures of some intriguing machinery on display outside the building premises; for example how a 'gallon' was used instead of a 'litre' in the fuel stations in the before times.

'Digboi has seen its share of the World Wars and an old air raid bunker can be seen beside the museum.We bid farewell to the town and headed towards 'Margherita' , India's own coal city.

We made a pit-stop at the restaurant of the 'Prashanti Wayside Amenities Center', Digboi. It is a Govt building that is leased out. The property is very basic but the refreshments on offer are delectable. You need to definitely try their local pork recipe which is prepared on a special request.

We headed towards 'Ledo', a small hamlet known for its coal mines. Out of the many collieries we went to the 'Tikok Colliery'.The bumpy ride took us to the famous 'Butterfly Park & Museum' situated atop a hill. The view of lush greenery and wet paddy fields from the park was refreshing.

It was getting dark and we still had to see how the coal mining process was done. We had already taken permission from the authorities to visit a nearby site. It was fascinating to see how small toy trains were used to transport the extracted coal from deep mines.

On the way back the roadside hoardings reminded us of the famous 'Stilwell Road'. A sense of nostalgia surrounded us. Time seems to stand still every time you visit such places. A chapter in our journey book came to an end.

VITAL STATISTICS :

Accommodation: 'Prashanti Wayside Amenities Center',Digboi.

Transport: It is advisable to hire a local taxi from Dibrugarh / Tinsukia or you can also drive down with your own car.

Refreshments: 'Prashanti Wayside Amenities Center',Digboi.

Nearest Railway Station: Digboi.

Nearest Airport: Dibrugarh.