After
entering Arunachal Pradesh, I was expecting the road would start
climbing up immediately with a simultaneous drop in temperature. To
my surprise, we are actually descending downhill, towards a valley
bottom, surrounded by tall mountain ranges covered with semi-ever
green tropical rain forest vegetation. Weather also is turning
warmer. Car driver says that this is how the weather is in the Tipi
valley, during this season of the year. We stop near the gate of a
neatly laid out large property with number of single storied
buildings spread well apart.
Picturesque campus of Orchid research station
Bamboo Orchid
This
is the Orchid Research centre at Tipi, a Government of Arunachal
Pradesh endeavour. The research centre, located about 6 Km from
Bhalukpong is spread over a large tract of about 11 hectares of flat
land, something rare in these narrow wooded valleys here. It is
supposed to have a large collection of orchids as Arunachal Pradesh
is known to have more than six hundred species of Orchids. I start
walking towards, what looks like a glass house. On my way I see some
bamboo clusters with beautiful blue and purple flowers. These are
actually not bamboo clusters but something rare, Orchids that look
like bamboo .
The glass house
A beautiful orchid blossom
The
visit to the glass house proves to be generally disappointing. Very
few of the orchids are blooming in this season. Probably we are
there at the wrong time of the year. I was actually expecting
something that compares with Singapore's Orchidarium, located in the
famous Botanical gardens. It may be that my expectations perhaps are
set too high. I do see some unusual flowers but nothing much to
describe. Being a Government institution, the staff is also not
particularly helpful. As a little consolation to my general
disappointment, the scientist in charge suggests that we have a look
at a plant kept in a wire meshed shed towards the entrance. The
plants in that tin shed, turn out to be “Pitcher plants.” An
insectivorous variety. These plants are endemic to Khasi and Jaintia
hills of Meghalaya. The leaf tips of this plant are shaped into a jug
like structure called pitcher. The lid of the pitcher attracts
insects like ants and bees. When an insect moves on the mouth of the
jug it slips inside. The toxic liquid at the bottom kills the insects
and digests the proteins. Having recently seen couple of such plants
during my visit to Kaas Plateau, near my home town Pune, watching
this plant is really interesting. Sadly, I find it difficult to get
any snaps through the wire mesh, though I make some efforts. As walk
along, the campus of the centre looks well developed in a way
conductive for research work. The facilities include a glass house,
museum, herbarium and so on.
Kameng river in Tipi valley
A waterfall on way to Bomdila
Soon
we are back on the road and in no time start climbing towards the top
of the first mountain ridge or rather foot hills. It is just 2 PM,
but the sun has already disappeared beyond the Himalayan foot hills.
We cross few waterfalls on the hillside, water drained out from
pipes buried under the road to the valleys on the other side of the
road. We decide to break for tea at a roadside dhaba. There is a
little and neat temple by the side. A very comforting place for many
people.
Tea Break
Dusk
has started falling and there is not much to see. The enthralling
green forest of the morning is gone now; its place now taken by woods
that look dark, grim and reserved. We keep driving through the
spreading darkness. I see a village name signpost flash by, which
says the name as “Dedza.” After this, the road again starts
descending into a valley and I doze off. I wake up again as the car
stops at a checkpoint, somewhere in one of the valleys at a place
called “New Kaspi.” After this, we are passing through series of
military camps one after another. After “Tenga” camp and a
direction signboard that says “Rupa” camp, the road starts
climbing again. There seems to be some major road widening work going
on because the road is in very bad condition. It has been a very long
drive and I am feeling quite tired. At long last we reach the top
and I see a board welcoming us to Bomdila. I know we have arrived.
Situated
on a Himalayan ridge known as “Piri,” Bomdila is a typical dusty
hillside town of about 8000 people, with houses built on sloping
grounds, narrow and bad roads with sharp bends. The car stops near a
hotel and I get out. After the warmth of the valleys, I am hit with
the chill outside with temperature already in single digit Celsius.
Perhaps I am feeling it more so, because I have been travelling
throughout the day, through the warmth of the valleys and the change
is too sudden. I rush to the hotel, find my room and switch on the
heater. I am too tired now to think about anything else. It is time
for a warm dinner and sleep.
I wake
up and peep through the curtains. Outside, the hillside town is
bathing in brilliant sunshine. The terraced houses, continuously
curving roads and all pervading green simply enchants me. Regardless
of what I thought yesterday night, Bomdila is a beautiful place. The
green foliage around however, looks quite different. Yesterdays's
semi-tropical rain forests have all disappeared and have been
substituted with groves of conifers with their sharp pointed leaves.
I get ready, have a quick breakfast and step outside in the warmth of
the sunshine. The cool brisk air has a magical effect. Gone is the
tiredness of evening and I am ready for another day's sight seeing.
Bomdila Monastery
Our
first stop is the Bomdila monastery. One needs to climb up more than
200 meters to reach the place. As we climb up, I see a little road
sign on left that says “Circuit House.” This was the very place,
where two tanks were stationed by Indian army during 1962 war for
defence against Chinese infiltrators attacking Bomdila from a pass
near the monastery high ground. The road to monastery is of good
quality and leads to the forecourt, where enough parking places are
available. I alight from the car and walk towards the main prayer
hall. The monastery is actually a modern institution founded in in
1965-66. It is believed to be a replica of Tsona Gontse Monastery in
Tsona, south Tibet. On closer look, I find that instead of usual
wooden construction, it has been built from RCC concrete pillars and
beams, though shaped to look like wooden beams. For Bomdila's monks,
modern construction probably means much better comfort and ease but
for visitors there is lack of interest as there is no antiquity or
old world comfort around. Since the main prayer hall is closed for
construction work, I just go around, turn the main prayer wheel few
times and enjoy the fabulous views of Bomdila.
The south valley; Bomdila
As I
look at the south valley, it becomes crystal clear to me, why fall of
Bomdila on 18th
November 1962 to Chinese, was a huge disaster for Indian army. The
“Piri” ridge is the nearest major Himalayan ridge, that separates
the Tezpur plains from hilly areas in the north. Bomdila pass,
(roughly at an altitude of 2600 meters) is one of the lowest passes
in this “Piri” ridge, where rest of the passes are at much higher
level. Bomdila is therefore the easiest gateway to Tezpur plains.
Whosoever controls Bomdila, would control the entire area up to
Brahmaputra river. (There is actually another road, which starts from
“Rupa” village situated near about Tenga camp on the road to
Bomdila and goes through “Manda La” pass to connect to the
Bomdila-Se La road at Dirang. But this route is longer and not so
well developed as reported by a source.)
Hills behind Monastery; Rib La pass is located in these hills
After
enjoying the views, we decide to leave. The actual Bomdila pass is
about 2 Km north of the town. It is actually at an lower altitude
than the town. While passing through, we see a glimpse of a snow
clad peak, which our drivers says is the mountain ridge near Se La.
The other route in to the Bomdila town is from the west and enters
the town from another pass known as Rib La, which has a higher
altitude of about 2900 meters. Though no one uses this route now,
Chinese had attacked Bomdila from both the routes. Th e westerly
route enters the town from near abouts of Bomdila monastery, we had
just visited.
After
passing through Bomdila pass proper, the road descends all the way to
a deep river valley and runs along the river lowing at the bottom.
The road is undergoing major reconstruction and is in a fairly bad
condition. The valley of Dirang is perhaps one of the best tourist
spots in this sector. I am not sure about the name of the river
flowing next to us. It is being commonly referred as Dirang Chu or
Dirang river in commercial literature, but the maps describe it with
various names such as “Khouma River” or “ Tommapka Chu.” What
is certain is that this river originates somewhere near Bhutan border
and is called as “Pubrang Chu.” there. It flows eastwards through
Dirang town and ultimately merges with “Kameng river.” taking
several names on way. In Dirang valley itself, several rivulets such
as Sangti, Dampu and Chouhhow join this river from both north and
south. Another rivulet flowing from south has been indicated in one
of the maps as “Dirang Chu” making the confusion supreme. I would
therefore just call this river as Dirang river (whatever may be the
correct name!) and leave aside the controversies.
Dirang River
The
driver points out to a road branching off towards left. He says that
this road goes through a pass known as Manda La and directly
connects with the Tezpur road near “Rupa” village, signboard for
which I had seen yesterday. I immediately recollect something about
this road I had read earlier. This road was also infiltrated by the
Chinese soldiers in 1962 war and they had taken positions at a
monastery known as Lagyala Gompa near the village of Morshing about
20 Km from here. They had turned the direction showing road sign in
opposite direction at a road branching to mislead and confuse
retreating Indian soldiers so as to ambush them. An army column lead
by Lt. Col. Bramhanand Avasthi had reached this spot and sensing
something wrong, had split themselves in two groups. Group led by Lt.
Col. Avasthi had taken the wrong route towards Gompa and they were
ambushed by Chinese. What followed was an epic, hand to hand battle
in which all of the 126 Indian soldiers including Col. Avasthi ,were
killed along with 200 Chinese. Perhaps Chinese might wanted to use
this road to Tezpur plains subsequently. We shall never know the
truth.
Dirang town
As we
approach the river bed, I can see crystal clear Himalayan spring
water rushing through the river bed making a roaring sound. The river
bed is filled well rounded stones and the rushing water creates
heaps of white foam at every obstacle in its way. Though the river
appears to be rather shallow and perhaps may not be suitable for
water sports.
Dirang Basti
The
first signpost on the left says that we have passed “Munna camp”
obviously an army camp. Dirang valley is stretched over a distance of
about 15 Km to from here to another army camp known from another
signpost as Sapper. The valley is at a much lower altitude of 1497
meters/4911 feet as compared to Bomdila. This ensures that the
weather of this hill station is placid, breezy along the river valley
besides being very comforting and pleasing. I see number of small
picturesque villages situated by river side till we arrive at a
bridge. The cars stop and I get out. As I look towards the other
bank, I see some old dwellings. This habitat is known as Dirang
Basti. This was a township established by tribal Monpa people, who
had migrated here from Tibet some 400 years back. There is an old
fortalso, known as Dirang Dzong on the hill but we just do not have
time for it. Behind
me is the Dirang town.
Confluence of Chouhhow and Dirang rivers
A Kiwi Orchard
We
move ahead. The car stops near the confluence of Chouhhow and Dirang
rivers. The view from here is just superb. As the blue waters of both
the rivers meet and mix, the bright yellow and yellowish brown, paddy
and corn fields in the vicinity, dazzle in the blinding sunlight. The
crops are ready for harvesting and look at their best from this
distance. Upstream is an old steel bridge and beyond stands the
huge elephantine mountain branch projecting out from the “Se La”
ridge. Behind me are some orchards that look very similar to grape
orchards with their tubular steel support frames. They however turn
out to be Kiwi fruit orchards. I buy a bagful for Rs. 70/-, an
unimaginably low price. We proceed further. Since the old still
bridge is under repairs, we take a detour and go through the Dirang
town, a buzzing marketplace. We also face even a major traffic jam.
On way, I see many signposts such as National Research Centre on
Yak, The Regional Apple Nursery, Orchid centre and some monasteries.
Dirang with a population of 4000 people, appears to a busy little
place complete with traffic jams even.
An old steel bridge
A wooded valley near Dirang
Soon,
we are out of Dirang town and are on highway NH229. We cross over the
river to the other side after travelling about a distance of 8 to 10
Km. Road now passes through a beautifully wooded valley with Dirang
river on the left and the mountain side on the other. Our car comes
to an halt. On the steep slope to the right, I see a board saying we
have reached the “Nyukmadung” war memorial. A stop we must have,
to hounour the brave Indian soldiers, who died in 1962 war.
(To be
continued in part VI)
24th
November 2014
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