Tawang, the alienated beauty in the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, is where Chinese troops entered India in the disastrous Indo-Sino war. Later, Tawang became the shelter for Tibetans exiled from their homeland. Bordered by Bhutan and Tibet , Tawang houses the second largest Buddhist monastery in the world. This article takes you to this less-talked destination in India.
Tawang is very difficult to access, more difficult than Ladakh, and is literally alienated from the rest of the country. If weather is good, a helicopter would take you from Guwahati in Assam to Tawang for 3500 INR, but you would miss the journey and the cherishable memories.
Start from the emerging metropolitan city of Guwahati. Buses run from Guwahati to Tezpur and takes at least four hours. The bus travels through Brahmaputra plains of Assam and reaches Tezpur. Tezpur is a small town and has hotels and restaurants. Shared taxis run from Tezpur to Tawang and it takes a long 12 hours. The taxis are limited in number, and one must book seats the previous day. Seats can be booked from government-run taxi stand or from private travel agencies. It costs 750 INR and the taxi starts early in the morning at 5.30 IST.
The journey started at 5.30 IST and the sun was already above our heads. This makes us re-think on the needs of separate time zones for India. The journey from Tezpur to the border town of Bomdila was a pleasing one, but it lasted only an hour. Then the road started changing behaviour. Broken roads and potholes, landslides and rocks decelerated our journey. Not to say further, the journey was a tedious one.
The road hardly changed for good, but the landscape did. The white flakes of snow started appearing and we proceeded through the Sela pass.
Then the descend started again and the landscape kept on changing. The nature can be seen in all its forms and the journey became the destination itself. As we neared Tawang, there were fluttering prayer flags everywhere, adding to the serenity of the land. By 18.00 IST, the taxi reached Tawang.
Mountain bicycles and motorcycles are available on rent in Tawang. And to explore this 8th least populated district of India, no public transport is available. Tawang is filled with beautiful gompas, statues and prayer wheels.
The second largest Buddhist monastery in the world is an experience to cherish and it is in proximity to Tawang town.
This war memorial is a tribute to the thousands of Indian army men who laid down their lives in defending our motherland during Indo-China border conflict in 1962.
Bum la pass is the international boundary between India and China, where the flag meet takes place. To go there permissions are required from District Administrative Office by submitting documents of our vehicles. Easiest way is to hire a cab and its driver will take care of all formalities and take you to the border. There are numerous lakes on the way, and since I went in retreating winter, all the lakes were still frozen. The winter also delineated the harshest conditions where our soldiers defend our country. The Bumla pass, indeed, is a sight to behold. The strategic international boundary will give goosebumps to every Imdian, and one couldn't resist shouting"Bharat mata ki jai" !
Back from the Bum la pass, I booked my return taxi for the next day. Tawang and its lovely people would fill every traveller's soul. Happy travelling!:-)
With love, from Tawang.
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