NAHARKATIA, Dec 29 - A 30-foot-tall fibre statue of Jalkonwar, a water deity, will be erected on a boat-shaped plinth at Merbil as part of the Sasoni Merbil Eco-Tourism project to keep alive the mythical tale revolving around the genesis of the 1,550-bigha island.
The foundation of the Jalkonwar statue was laid on Thursday at the Sasoni Merbil project site collectively by representatives from various faiths and communities. The representatives who laid the foundation included Sattra Adhikars Gojen Mohanta and Mukutananda Goswami, chief Buddhist monk from Namphake Gyana Pal, Fr Albert Hembrom, senior reporter Ikbal Ahmed, Pandit Bhairav Upadhyyay, Pramod Todi, Subrata Dey, Naharkatia MLA, Naren Sonowal, social worker Taranga Gogoi and Chief Manager, Public Relations and Corporate Communications, OIL, Duliajan, Tridip Hazarika, among others.
Sasoni Merbil is fast developing into a tourist destination in the district here as its uniquely shaped island is richly endowed with biodiversity comprising various birds, butterflies, aquatic creatures, medicinal plants, orchids and other forest resources. The site is some 10 km from the nearby Naharkatiya town and about 70 km from Dibrugarh.
According to a study, there are around 200 species of birds, both local and migratory, over 200 species of plants and several rare species of animals, reptiles, insects, butterflies, fishes, etc.
According to the promoters of the project, the objective of erecting the mythical statue of Jalkonwar is also to remind people of the importance of water as a source of life for all living creatures and its need for preservation and also to attract people, irrespective of faith and ethnicity, to the venue to promote brotherhood and harmony among the people.
Monimanik Gogoi, the working president of the Sasoni Merbil Eco-Tourism Project Committee, said that the promoters or the committee members are not promoting any particular religion or culture but trying to assemble all. �The site will also have a museum to highlight the rich culture, tradition and entire diversity of the region,� said Gogoi.
The local villagers believe that a priest whose name was Sri Sri Ram but was popularly called Gusain of Mahamari, had a beautiful daughter named Dite. Once Dite�s mother had a dream in which the water deity asked the hand of Dite for marriage. She told her husband and neighbours about her dream, but all paid little or no heed to it. But to everyone�s surprise, the same night all the villagers, including Dite�s father, saw the dream where the Jalkonwar was asking Dite for marriage. The villagers immediately asked the priest to hand over her daughter, but he ignored the matter and the village witnessed the rage of the deity who flooded the whole village.
The priest then left Mahamari and with his disciples, moved to Merbil in Sasoni where he started a new Sattra. But again they saw the same dream here. When he ignored the proposal yet again, the whole area was circled with water and they were marooned inside the newly-formed island. Dite�s father gave in and surrendered her daughter to the deity, who came on a golden boat with full of ornaments and carried her away after a ceremonious marriage.
Post marriage, Sri Sri Ram implored upon God to redeem them from the island and God separated the water and one end to connect the island with a road.
This is the legend about how Merbil was formed, that has been transmitted by word of mouth among the local villagers. However, scientifically it is said to be an oxbow lake of the adjoining Buri Dihing river.
Oil India Limited, Duliajan, District Rural Development Agency, non-governmental organisations and several individuals have been extending their support to the task of converting Merbil into a most sought after tourist destination.
