DIRANG

DIRANG

Dirang is a small town in west kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh. It is about 45 km away from the district HQ, Bomdila and is on the way of Tawang, Tawang is approx. 145 km from Dirang. Dirang is located on the bank of river kameng at an altitude of 4900 ft. and weather is quite pleasant throughout the year.

The scenic beauty of the Dirang valley is very mesmerizing in itself, the scenic landscape, river valley, paddy fields, sangti valley, Monasteries, diversity of flora and fauna and many religious cum sacred places.

The Dirang market can also be a good place to spent time to discover local artifacts and street foods. Dirang is famous for its kiwi and apple orchard and most of the orchards are located at Zimthung and sangti village. Sangti village is famous for its scenic beauty and black necked Siberian crane.

There are lots of places to visit in Dirang but some places to be considered are:-

1) Hot water spring : It is about 5 km away from the main town on the way to Lish village, it is considered to be a holy place since it is well known for its therapeutic actions. Hot spring contains sulphur and is known to have great medicinal properties.

2) Kalachakra gonpa.

3) Sangti valley.

4) NRC Yak.

5) Thubsung Dhargyeling Monastery.

LEGENDS OF TAWANG MONASTERY

LEGENDS OF TAWANG MONASTERY

Tawang monastery is also known as Galden Namgey Lhatse is located in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh. It was founded by Merak Lama  Lodre Gyatso in 1680-81 in accordance to the wishes of the 5^th Dalai Lama. Tawang monastery is the world’s 2^nd largest monastery after Potala palace.

Tawang monastery belongs to Gelug school of Mahayana Buddhism and has religious association with Drepung monastery of Lhasa, Tibet.

Three legends are narrated to the establishment of the monastery.

In the first legend it is said that location of the present Monastery was was selected by a horse which belonged to Merak Lama who was on a mission assigned to him by the 5^th Dalai Lama to establish a Monastery. After an intense search, when he failed to locate a suitable place, he retired into a cave to offer prayers seeking divine intervention to choose the site, When he came out of the cave, he found he found his horse missing. He went in search of the horse and finally found it grazing at the top of a mountain called Tana Mandekhang, which was the palace of King Kala Wangpo. He took this as a divine and auspicious guidance and decided to establish the monastery at that very location. Seeking the help of the local people, Merak Lama established the monastery at that location in the later part of 1681. Name Tawang derived from two words Ta means Horse and Wang means Chosen.

The second legend of the derivation of the name Tawang is linked to Terton Pemalingpa, diviner of the treasures. At this location, he stated to have given “initiations” of Tamdin and Kagyad, which resulted in the name Tawang. Ta from Tamdin and Wang means initiation.

According to the third legend, a white horse of the prince of Lhasa had wandered into Monpa region. People, who went in search of the horse found the horse grazing at the present location of the Tawang monastery. The people of that area then worshipped the horse and the location and venerated it every year. Eventually, to honor the sacred site, the Tawang Monastery was built at that site.

TAWANG MONASTERY

TAWANG MONASTERY

Tawang monastery is located in small town Tawang in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh and it is the 2^nd largest monastery after the Potala palace in Lhasa, Tibet.

Tawang monastery is known as “Tawang Galden Namgey Lhatse”. Ta means Horse, Wang means Chosen so, literally tawang means chosen by horse.  Galden means Paradise, Namgey means Celestial and Lhatse means Divine. All together it means “ Site chosen by the horse is the celestial divine paradise”.

It was founded by Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso in 1680-1681 in accordance to the wishes of the 5^th Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso. Monastery belongs to the Gelug school of Mahayana Buddhism and had a religious association with Drepung monastery of Lhasa in Tibet.

Monastery is three stories high and is bounded by 282 mtrs long compound wall, with in the complex there are 65 residential buildings. The library of the monastery has valuable old scriptures and idols.

Monastery is situated at the top of the mountain, at an elevation of about 10,000 ft. with view of the Tawang river valley, which comprises snow capped mountains and coniferous forest. Monastery is bounded by steep ravines on Southern and Western flanks, Narrow spur on Northern flank and gently sloping ground on Eastern flank.

Monastery is entered from the Northern direction along the sloping spur and through alpine vegetations. The monastery is built like a large mansion and is three storied with a large assemble hall, ten other functional structures and with 65 residential quarters for students, Lamas and monks. The monastery has a school and its own water supply facility and a centre for Buddhist cultural studies.

The rituals and dances are performed at the ground floor. The walls of the monastery also have a profusion of thangkas of Buddhist deities and saints. Curtains are suspended over the balcony and these are painted with Buddhist symbols. Within the precincts of the monastery there are residential buildings to accommodate about 700 monks, which now houses 450 monks.

On the walls of the front porch on the ground floor is a footprint on a stone slab. It is said that this footprint belongs to a resident of the monastery, who was a water carrier, known as chitenpa. This footprint is venerated as a miracle in view of a belief among the people of the region that such an imprint on a stone slab could only be created by a divine person who was a true devotee of the monastery.

The main temple or Dukhang is to the west of the entry gate. Du means assembly and Khang means building. It was built in 1860-1861. A large Idol of Buddha of 18 feet high is deified; it is gilded and decorated and it is in a lotus position. This image is on the Northern face of the assembly hall and is installed over a platform and its head extends up to the first floor. Next to Buddha idol there is a silver casket which holds a special thangka of the goddess Sro Devi, which is the guardian deity of the monastery. It is said that it was painted with the blood drawn from the nose of 5^th Dalai Lama. This thangka image is also known as Dri Devi, was donated to the monastery by the 5^th Dalai Lama. The main temple was renovated in traditional Buddhist architectural style in 2002 and has been exquisitely decorated with paintings, murals, carvings, sculptures etc.

JASWANT GARH

Jaswant garh is famous tourist attraction place in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh. Located 21 km from Sela pass towards Tawang. Jaswant garh is famously known as Jaswant garh war memorial and this memorial stand in honor of the brave Indian soldier late Jaswant singh rawat, who sacrificed his life for motherland during the 1962 Indo-Sino war.

This war memorial sets in a scenic terrain just below the Sela pass and above the Jang, standing in the glory of valorous soldiers, reflecting the pride and strength of the Indian soldiers and tribute to those brave soldiers of 1962 Indo-Sino war. This war memorial stands in memory of rifleman Jaswant singh rawat, Mahavir Chakra, 4^th Garhwal Rifles. Who bravely fought and hold the Chinese troops back for more than 72 hours all alone defending his post at an altitude of 10,000 feet and against overwhelming and over numbered invading Chinese troops till 72 hours before succumbing to an enemy bullet during that bloody war. The post that he hold to repulse the invading force till his last breath was renamed upon this great soldier in recognition of his bravery and sacrifice.

Jaswant garh is a temple like structure with camouflage pattern. There is a portrait of the martyr jaswant singh at the center of the hall along with his belongings including bed, shoes, rifles  etc. and one can ask for a record register for any message as a tribute to martyr. Just outside the hall on the both side of stairs there is graphite stone with golden names of those brave soldiers who sacrificed their life in 1962 war and a short story of the whole events of that battle.

Nowadays all the battalion of garhwal regiment are deployed or posted on western borders but one interesting fact about this memorial is that at least half a dozen of army personnel here,taking care of Jaswant garh belong to garhwal Rifles. These soldiers not only serve ‘BABA’ Jaswant garh but also provide help and service to travelers along the hazardous portion of terrain. Beside rescuing of travelers, they also serve free tea and snack like samosas to refresh tourist and travelers at a fair price that goes for the maintenance of the memorial.

This place is open to all to pay tribute to brave martyrs and is open throughout the year, Best time to visit is from April to mid of January heavy snow fall and rainfall may cause blockade but BRO and Soldiers try to resolve such situations at the earliest.

SOLUNG

Solung is the main Socio-religious festival of Adi tribe and it is one of the most popular agricultural festival of Arunachal Pradesh. Generally solung is celebrated in the month of September corresponding to Adi months of Tauno and Yio. However, solung is celebrated on different days of these months depending upon different villages. But usually date of festival is decided by village council (Kebang) considering the convience of village people in mind. Sometimes even the head men (Gam) can also fix the date of this festival along with village leaders consent.Festival continues for 7 days. On First day (‘Solung-Gidi Dogin’), Mithun and Pigs are sacrificed in early hours of morning. A family can sacrifice depending upon their financial capacity. Rice beer (Apong) is prepared in plenty and offered on the day of sacrifice of animals.Meat of all slaughtered animals are preserved for rest of the days of the festival.On Second day (Doreph-Long), preserved meat is distributed among the relatives and neighbours and relatives are invited for grand feast. Third day is ‘Binnayat Binam’ or worshipping the goddess of plenty and prosperity. Anyone of the inmates of the family goes to the field on the Fourth day and sacrifices a fowl. A women or a girl usually offers Etting and Apong. This day is called as Oinnyad.On the fifth day the Miri (religious leader or priest) is given a ceremonial send off when the girl’s sing and dance. During Solung festival, every evening the Miri sings ‘Solung Abung’ and through the song he relates the stories about the origin of man, animals and plants, ancestry of the Adis,On the last day of Solung festival, men assembles at village gathering hall known as Mosup to make bow and arrows, which are fastened on the doors of every house in the village, it is done inorder to resist the evil spirits from entering the house. This day is known as Ekob.

Myth:-               The ‘Solung’ is celebrated throughout the Siang district and also by the Adis inhabiting the Lohit district. The origin of the ‘Solung’ festival is related with a ‘legend’ i.e., the growth of paddy. The legendry narrates that the plant of the paddy originated from the life juice of ‘Yidum-Bote’ (Son of the God of knowledge) and the paddy plant was reared by ‘Kine-nane’ (the Goddess of the underworld). It was believed that a squirrel in the form of messenger of the human beings went to ‘Kine-Nane’ to ask for paddy.
However, the Goddess agreed to supply paddy to man if he sacrifices mithuns and pigs every year. The legend also says that one day ‘Kine-Nane’ caught the wild pig which was chased by man and it went to the region where ‘Kine-Nane’ had put some paddy in the ears of the wild pig. The pig went back to the earth and that is how, men started to cultivate paddy
However, the Goddess agreed to supply paddy to man if he sacrifices mithuns and pigs every year. The legend also says that one day ‘Kine-Nane’ caught the wild pig which was chased by man and it went to the region where ‘Kine-Nane’ had put some paddy in the ears of the wild pig. The pig went back to the earth and that is how, men started to cultivate paddy

However, the Goddess agreed to supply paddy to man if he sacrifices mithuns and pigs every year. The legend also says that one day ‘Kine-Nane’ caught the wild pig which was chased by man and it went to the region where ‘Kine-Nane’ had put some paddy in the ears of the wild pig. The pig went back to the earth and that is how, men started to cultivate paddy

However, the Goddess agreed to supply paddy to man if he sacrifices mithuns and pigs every year. The legend also says that one day ‘Kine-Nane’ caught the wild pig which was chased by man and it went to the region where ‘Kine-Nane’ had put some paddy in the ears of the wild pig. The pig went back to the earth and that is how, men started to cultivate paddy

BUMLA PASS

BUMLA PASS 

Heap of stone as tribute to Indian Army and Mighty Himalaya at bumla outpost.

Bumla pass is one of the most well known mountain pass of India. Located at about 37 km away from Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh at the Indo-China border above 15,200 ft. above sea level. It is an old traders route from Tawang via Milakatongla pass to Bumla and finally to Tsona Dzong in Tibet.

In 1962 Indo-Sino war People’s Liberation Army of China invaded India through this pass and in Bumla pass one of the most fiercest battle took place in 1962 war, therefore this pass is also important in terms of defensive strategy. After the cease fire this pass was closed for national security reasons.

In 2006, Bumla pass was re-opened for the traders for the first time in 44 years. Traders from both sides of the pass were permitted to enter each other’s territory in addition to postal workers from each country.

Sangester Tso :-

                              In tibetian language Tso means Lake. On the way to Bumla pass there is a lake called as Sangester Tso which is also popularly known as Madhuri lake which was featured in movie koyla. The lake is about 20 km away from Tawang and about 7km beyond the bifurcation of the road leading to Bumla.

Front view of Madhuri/Sangester lake.

Indo-China Border Personal meeting point :-

                                                                                 It is one of the 5 Official BPM (Border Personal Meeting) Point between the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army of China for regular consultations and interrogations between both Armies to improve relations. Bumla pass is under one of the three regions under the LAC (Line of Actual Control) between India and China.

Visit by civilians :-

                               Visit by civilian of India is permitted with permission of the Indian Army. A special permit is required to visit the Bumla pass. Permit can be requested at the office of the Deputy Commissioner in Tawang and same has to be approved by the Indian Army Cantonment of Tawang so, that permit is cleared to pass numerous Army check post on the route.

The condition of route to Bumla is very treacherous and prone to landslides and during heavy snow fall and rainfall the route becomes dangerous for travelling and sometimes road is blocked by landslide or snowfall. However, the Indian army tries keeps the route open throughout the year and they are always ready to help and rescue peoples in problems. Best time to visit the pass is during summer and between month of October and January.

Lake on the route to Bumla.

The Outpost of Bumla.

Patrolling on LAC.

TAWANG WAR MEMORIAL

 TAWANG WAR MEMORIAL

Front view of Tawang War Memorial

Tawang war memorial is a 40 ft high memorial dedicated to the martyrs of 1962 Indo-Sino war. This memorial is also known as “NAMGYAL CHORTEN” and it is similar to the design of a huge stupa. Over-looking the Tawang-chu valley, this memorial was constructed to remember those brave 2420 Indian soldiers who sacrificed their life for nation. Names of those brave martyrs are carved with golden letters on 32 black granite walls who laid down their lives in the Kameng sector

Tawang war memorial was blessed by the HH the 14 Dalai lama in 1997. Nestled among the picturesque snow capped mountains and overlooking the Tawang-chu valley, This scenic location ensures that the visitors get a chance to soak in the positive nature while admiring the martyrs.
The memorial is flatted by 2 memorial halls.-one, housing the personal artifacts and belongings of the martyrs, while other is used for a sound and light shows in the evening that depict the heroic deeds of the martyrs and the museum displays items used by the army during war, such as guns, bullets, helmet, mugs, pots etc. One can also learn more about the war from the newspaper clippings and maps marked with positions of both armies.
There is one black marble that reads “In the memory of those brave soldiers who made supreme sacrifice defending the frontier of the Mother Land during the 1962 Indo-Sino war.” It was dedicated by Lt. General, HRS Kalkat, PVSM, AVSM; GOC IN-C Eastern Command on November 2ND 1999. The structure signifies eternal spirit and was constructed in according with the local religious practices.

Black granite stone with names of martyrs

Items used by the soldiers of 1962 war

Replica of the tawang town and area of battlefied during 1962 Indo-Sino war.