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| ARUNACHAL PRADESH
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Tucked away in the far north-east,
wedged between the borders of Bhutan,
Burma and Tibet,  Arunachal
Pradesh isIndia's newest and least-known
state. Prior to attaining statehood
in 1986, Arunachal Pradesh was known
as the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA).
Aside from a few forays by administrators
and anthropologists, the area remained
largely ignored by India's British rulers,
and its isolation was legally safeguarded
by India's own government - and before
laws permitting limited tourism were
passed in 1995, even Indian citizens
requires Inner Line Permits.
Had it not
been for thefact that the NEFA'sstrategically
valuable location made it the ideal
base for theallied airmen flying the
treacherous Himalayan route over "The
Hump" into China during World War
II, this lush, lonely area might have
been entirely ignored by the outside
world. Even now, the frontiers of ArunachalPradesh
are blocked by military checkpoints.
Entry for foreign nationals to the state
is only possible with a Restricted Areas
Permit US $ 50 per person for maximum
of ten days stay  in
Arunachal Pradesh, and all visitors
must travel in groups of four or more.
For the first proper sense of Arunachal
Pradesh's remove from the rest of India,
and the rest of the world, it is necessary
to travel seven hours by road from Itanagar
to the hill station of Ziro or from
Tezpur to Ziro or from Bomdila to Tawang.
As one progress through the villages
and settlements along the road, the
people start looking less Indian and
more South-East Asian. The drive itself
is an adventure, inching steadily upwards
along palm-sweating treacherous roads
cut out of the sides of richly forested
hills..
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While Ziro, though remote, is recognisably
a 20th century city, the nearby Hong
village would be a theme park vision
of what mediaeval Asia might have been
like - except for the Apatani tribesmen
who live here, it's real life. Hong
is a collection of a few dozen grey
houses, built from bamboo and roofed
by palm leaves. Some of the houses have
one or more constructions lashed to
their porches that resemble giant wooden
television aerials which are, in fact,
animist totems denoting the birth of
a male child to the household. Hong's
two squares are each dominated by much
bigger versions of the same thing -
at the great village festival, held
every three to five years, the tradition
among the young men is to steel themselves
with rice wine and swing from them.
The only traffic in Hong consists of
pigs, chickens, dogs and people. As
is the case anywhere, it is the older
people who cleave hardest to the local
traditions. The men carry short swords
in blunt-tipped scabbards slung around
their necks, wear their hair in topknots
and sport complicated, swirling facial
tattoos. The women also have the permanent
face-paint, but also distend their noses
and ears with really quite alarmingly
large wooden plugs. All these together
makes a trip to Arunachal memorable.
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Tawang,10650 fts above sea level, in
Arunachal Pradesh, is bordered by Tibet
in the North, Bhutan in the South-West
and the Se la ranges separate West Kameng
district in the East.It is commonly
 believed
that the name TAWANG was given by Mera
Lama in the 17th century. The inhabitants
of the districts are all of Monpa tribes
except Shyo village which is dominated
by people of Tibetian origin. The Monpas
belong to Mongoloid stock. They are
well built and fair in complexion. Their
houses are built with stones and timbers.
Agriculture and Animal Husbandry form
the essential means of the Monpas' occupation.
Tawang is also home to the Tawang Monastery,
one of the most important element in
Social and Religious life of the Monpas.
This Monastery, also known as "GALDEN
NAMGYEL LHATSE",is one of the largest
Lamaseries of the Mahayana sect in Asia.
Lamseries comprise of several sections
ranging near about four hundred years,
devoted to Love, Learning and Purity
of life. This fortified complex, dating
back to the 17th century AD covers an
area of 2350 sq. meters enclosed by
a compound wall of 610 meter long. Within
the complex there are 65 residential
buildings and 10 other structures. The
library have valuable old scriptures
mainly Kanjur and Tanjur numbering 850
bundles.
 The
two major religious festivals of the
Monpas, are Losar and Torgya. Both festivals
are celebrated once annually. The LOSAR
s celebrated to the commencement of
New year. Every third year of Torgya,
the festival of Dungyur is celebrated.
Both Dungyur and Torgya festivals are
celebrated in the premises of the Monastery
with traditional gaiety and enthusiasm.
There are beautiful lakes around Tawang.
Pankang Teng Tso (P.T. Tso ) lake, 17
KM away and a few 1000 fts above Tawang
is a beautiful natural lake that forms
when the snow melts in summer. A must
see location.Other sites include Sangetser
and Banggachang lake and the breathtaking
Jong (Madhuri) falls.
One can reach Tawang from other parts
of the country via Guwahati and Tezpur
in Assam. From Guwahati(Assam) or Tezpur(Assam),
one has to go to Bhalukpong in West
Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh
and from there via Bomdila and Se la
Pass to Tawang by road. Se la pass,
at 13700 fts above sea level, incidently
is the second highest motorable pass
in the world. |
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