Come in the summer, and Silchar and its neighboring areas would be burning in the Sun’s scorching rays. Men have always been known to be lovers of cool water bodies in which they find ultimate solace especially during the summer season. It is not known to many that Cachar district and the district of Karimganj of Silchar are home to two wonderful wetlands which provide relief, employment, economic opportunities and entertainment for all. In addition to the two main wetlands known as Shon Beel (Beel means lake in local Bengali dialect), and Chatla Beel or Hawar or Anwa, there are other wetlands and water bodies like Rata Beel, Bakri Hawar, Ramnagar Anwa and Hakaluki Hawar.
Shon Beel, situated in the district of Karimganj, is one of the most colossal lakes in the entire Southern region of Assam, which also enjoys an exalted status of being the largest wetland there. Shon Beel is special in more than one way. During winters, it is used as a farmland for cultivation of rice (Buro Rice). It remains a lake through the rainy and summer seasons. The Beel is also popular for the existence of both lotic and lentic ecosystems. The Singla River flows through the middle of the Beel, enriching its fauna.
During the summer season, a large number of people visit the Shon Beel for enjoying its charming, serene scenic beauty. Here professions change with conditions. Fishermen plunge into fishing during the summer season, and cultivate rice during winter season. Very few people know that it is the second largest wetland in Asia. In fact, it is the second water body in the state of Assam which has been accorded the status of being a wetland of National importance. Shon Beel, the confluence of two streams; Singla and Kachua, is the home to a large of fishermen from Kaibortas, Namashudras and Patnis.
They still continue to live near the lake. It is astounding to note that the Beel waters are full of chela baiyya, moka, mrigel, kathla and rui fishes. Like Shon Beel, Chatla Beel attracts and allures people, and likewise Chatla Beel also fully becomes a farmland where rice cultivation happens during the winters. From March and April, the land gets filled with water and transforms into a lake. Chatla Beel is also known for its fishery and serves as a producer of all types of fishes. The Beel is renowned for its Bhujia fish. The water body, though not that deep in its level of water, serves as a pastime for the people of Silchar.
