The mysterious land of Mayang

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On Sunday afternoon, two brothers and I were reading a newly bought story book with great enthusiasm. At that time, Sonada entered the house. Our cousin Sonada comes to our house every Sunday and returns to the hostel after dinner after finishing his story.
As soon as Sonada entered the house, he asked, “What are you two reading?”
Looking at the two books of Harry Potter series in our hands, Sonada said, “Don’t you want to go to Hogwarts like Harry in that book?”
Mayang village is located in Morigaon district on the banks of the Brahmaputra River, about 40 km from Guwahati, Assam.

To reach Mayang, you have to cross a bridge. That bridge is the only link between the real world and the super natural world.
The word Mayang originates from the Sanskrit word “maya” – which means illusion or magic. Many claim that the region was named after the “mother”, meaning the part of the goddess Shakti, who fell into the region. According to some people, the place has been called Maihong or Myang since the Mairang people started living here.
The king of Pragjyotishpur mentioned in the Mahabharata was particularly skilled in Mayavidya or the knowledge of illusion. Ghatakkacha, the ruler of the Kachari kingdom, used his magical powers in the battle of Kurukshetra. That why the word ‘maya’ has been used to name this land.

There is black magic in the aura of this place. This region has been invincible for ages. It is said that the Tantrics here once prevented the invasion of Islam. Rumour has it human sacrifices were practiced here for strength. Recent excavations have found swords and other sharp weapons, which were indicative of human sacrifice.
I wandered all day on the roads of the village. There are innumerable idols of gods and goddesses on the rocky arrow touching the Brahmaputra. Some of the giant statues are decorated with vermilion. Almost every house has very rare Tantric manuscripts, which they are reluctant to give to any museum. But there are also several manuscripts in the villages’ own museum.

Very close to Mayang is the Pavitra Wildlife Sanctuary, which has one horned rhinos.
During the day, Mayang’s wind whispered many stories. I didn’t have the courage to spend the night there. Before evening, I left the mysterious Mayang and went to Guwahati.
If you want to go to Mayang, you can reach Guwahati by any train or plane going to Guwahati. You can visit Mayang in one day. There are different types of hotels in Guwahati, the capital of Assam. There are many other places of interest in the vicinity of Guwahati.
“Do you want to go to Mayang?”, saying this, Sona da handed over two chocolates to us.

-Chumki Bhattacharya

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