Silchar: the Barak Valley between tea and jungle

In the Barak Valley of southern Assam, Silchar remains surrounded by tea plantations and tropical jungle nature reserves.

The center, in the Barak Valley among tea plantations and jungle, is visited comfortably by motorized rickshaw.

The tea plantations of Barak Valley, which surround Silchar, produce premium varieties exported throughout India and abroad.

Just minutes away, the Borail Wildlife Sanctuary protects rainforest with Hoolock gibbons, India's only anthropoid ape species, along with numerous rare birds.

Moving toward the Barak River you observe traditional vessels used for river transport between villages of the region.

In the evening, Silchar markets sell freshwater fish and agricultural products typical of the Bengali cuisine of the region.

The Hoolock gibbon, the only great ape found in India, survives only in a few protected forests of northeastern India, including the Borail Sanctuary near Silchar, where rangers organize guided observations at dawn.

The Barak Valley, linguistically Bengali-majority unlike the rest of Assam, maintains a distinct culture and cuisine, reflecting its history as a border region between different Indian and Bengali traditions.