We were planning to take a four-day vacation starting on May Day and immediately bought tickets to go to New Jalpaiguri. However, upon seeing a post on Facebook with pictures of Arunachal, my head almost started hurting. Without thinking much, we bought tickets for flights to Gauhati as an advance birthday gift for my husband. But the plan was disrupted afterward. Upon investigation, we found that including Tawang, the most beautiful place in Arunachal, in just a four-day trip would be very difficult. Besides, various travel agents were also quoting exorbitant prices. On the other hand, Shillong and Kaziranga had already been visited, so just going to Cherapunji wasn’t appealing. Finally, we decided to drop the idea and settled on Gauhati. Although I had wisely arranged for my husband’s Inner Line Permit from the Arunachal Bhavan, we only had one day to count for the trip.
First Day – Setting Foot
It was April 28th. We set out in the darkness of the night for the airport, just the two of us. We reached Gauhati’s Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport at 5:20 in the morning on a flight that lasted only an hour and a half. From there, we rented a car for four days for 20,000 rupees. Our destination was Bomdila and Dirang in Arunachal. Our driver was quite friendly and cool-headed. However, the whole day was spent eating snacks and spitting paan! Anyway, we traveled through a picture-perfect road for almost five hours. Tea gardens, dense forests of sal trees, coconut trees lined up like soldiers, and vast fields were our companions. The mountain road started from Balukpong. After covering nearly thirty kilometers on a very bad road, we had to stop. The road would be closed from twelve noon until five in the afternoon for construction work. We decided to return on the same route and visit Tipi. The driver, who resembled a madman, refused to go in the opposite direction. We thought we’d return and visit it later. Nonetheless, we had to wait for nearly four hours straight. Eventually we started again, the road till Tenga was very bad. We reached Bomdila when it was eight o’clock at night. The temperature was around five degrees, and it was freezing. I didn’t want to leave the warmth of the blanket once I sat down! We stayed at a Hotel overnight.
Second day – Journey Continues..
We braved the cold in the morning and checked out of the hotel to head to Dirang. On the way, we visited a small monastery in Bomdila and a couple of places. Nothing special to see, but there was no lack of natural beauty here. It took just an hour and a half to reach Dirang. Throughout the journey, we saw the Kameng River nestled between the mountains. Upon reaching Dirang, our car stopped at the foot of the mountain near Dirang Monastery. Our driver stopped the car at Dirang Monastery, perched atop a hill. Inside the serene environment, some children from the monastery were reciting mantras in the monastery courtyard. Their melodious voices echoed in the monastery premises. In the midst of them, I noticed one boy quietly chatting on WhatsApp on his mobile phone while occasionally blowing a conch shell. We spent some moments observing their activities. Afterward, we went to check in at the Hotel and then set out again to see the tourist spots here. The manager of the hotel informed us that there is a heritage of about four hundred fifty years here, but we had to check Google Maps to find it.
Dirang is incredibly beautiful. From the milk-white road to the lush green fields, everything around us seemed to be a scene from a painting. Houses nestled on the hillsides, a river flowing calmly through the middle, and on both sides of the river, houses looked like colorful toys! We reached a narrow road after a tiresome journey of about thirty kilometers as per the map. That road ended abruptly. Those we met there either couldn’t recognize us or told us that we would have to go back the same way. We felt cheated after craving to see the four-hundred-year-old heritage. I told the driver to drive to Sangti Valley. When we reached the plateau, I was immediately fascinated by the natural beauty. The mountains, rivers, and forests combined to create a heavenly landscape here. The entire village is surrounded by lush green mountains, and in the middle flows the noisy Kameng River. The hospitality of the local people here is as warm as their environment.
As there was no provision for food at noon, we had to order Maggi from a small shop. They allowed us to sit in their living room on their sofa. They brought water in glass cups and then served hot food on a warm plate. We were amazed by their hospitality. After finishing the meal, we asked the driver to wait for us and took a short walk by the river. The narrow mountain road was lined with small houses on both sides, with the noisy Kameng River flowing below, and beyond that, the jungle. We saw some orange trees in some houses, which were laden with bright oranges in a small, round shape. We returned in the evening to the hotel. The view from outside the hotel was very beautiful. Thick green mountains on all sides, a river flowing through the middle, and on both sides of the river, a picturesque scene of houses! The night in Dirang was also amazing. The lights of the houses seemed like small bulbs placed in the entire sky. If we had time, we might have stayed at the hotel all day and just relaxed.
Third Day – Meandering Through Arunachal
After having breakfast in the morning, I set out on the path to Sela Pass. It’s about a 50-kilometer road, and it took more than two hours to travel. Every road is exceptionally beautiful, with twists and turns. I kept feeling like capturing everything in photos. Sometimes, I felt overwhelmed by the beauty around me, wondering if I could capture it all with my camera. But then I reminded myself to soak it in with my own eyes. There’s no limit to the variety of trees lining the mountainsides. Their colors, shapes, and uniqueness are captivating. The combination of rivers, mountains, and rows of colorful trees creates an extraordinary tapestry, like scenes from a fairy tale. It feels like a fantasy world where you might suddenly encounter a prince on horseback or a mysterious princess wandering through the forest. Even the most barren landscapes inspire poets to weave verses of beauty.
As I climbed higher, the number of trees decreased, but I spotted small colorful flowers on the mountainsides. Sometimes, they had spread their colorful blankets on the ground. Further ahead, I saw patches of snow on the sides of the road. Seeing the snow-capped mountains made the passengers in our car excited! Amidst the gentle snowfall, we finally reached Sela Pass, at an altitude of around 13,700 feet. The Sela Lake shimmered in the sunlight amidst the snow-covered mountains. Some trees, partially covered in snow, stood proudly amidst the snowy peaks. Surrounding the pass were a few makeshift shelters for tea and coffee.
After soaking in the beauty of this picturesque place, we spent quite some time here. Then we traveled another twenty kilometers to reach the Jaswant Garh War Memorial. Here, we learned various heroic legends and stories. This brave soldier has been revered as a deity here. After that we headed back towards our destination – Bomdila, then Gauhati. On our return journey, we noticed that Sela Pass was completely covered in clouds. The charm from earlier was gone. Everywhere was misty now. The road ahead was only visible through the mist and rain. When the sky cleared up, we saw that the trees, refreshed by the rain, had become even greener and brighter. Their reflection made the surroundings even more delightful. Since there were no good food options, we stayed at the same Hotel in Bomdila for the night. We wanted to explore the local market a bit, but the heavy rain dashed our hopes as soon as we reached the hotel.
Fourth Day – A Joyful Heart
Today, we head towards the lower regions, but not as adventurers this time. Early in the morning, we left the hotel and took the road towards Orang. The car started to climb amidst the picturesque scenery. The road was bordered by a mix of red and green forests on either side. Different colored trees were arranged beautifully, creating a picturesque view. As we descended, however, the scenery started to deteriorate. The pristine mountains seemed to have been carelessly arranged. The pine trees and other large trees were no longer visible, replaced by bamboo and banana plants. But the distant mountains still maintained their beauty, standing tall amidst the greenery. The heat started to increase as we approached the plains. Occasionally, we came across signs written in Assamese, which were amusing to read words such as ‘police’ and ‘cement’. The journey became much shorter due to the lack of winding roads, and we soon reached Gauhati. Since our flight was in the morning the next day, we had to conclude our journey here.
Postscript –
Although we didn’t see any apples in the apple orchards, the small, puffy cheeks of the children in the mountains were more red and beautiful than the real ones.
Write-up and photos by: Sanghamitra Mondal
Translated by izifiso
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