Tawang: no more in the bucket List

Two months complete shutdown of my brain is coming into a break with this post; written with not so smooth functioning brain cells, making sounds of when an old-abandoned machine is being tried to start.

Thinking to recap of this year so far, but it’s not yet December, so I spare myself and let it wait for its right hour.

Searching through my phone gallery covering these two months; I find myself working on a project called ‘Papum Pare Rising’ a government promotional video, visiting Tawang for research purposes, organizing freshers meet, and off course exploring good restaurants with delicious good Thalis. 

Ladies and gentlemen, let me write about my most fresh and unforgettable once in a lifetime experience.

Tawang, vibrantly welcoming everyone in its blessed land with its colorful and detailed gates; putting the tourist’s mind into wonder of how a gate can be made that beautifully.

 Mesmerizingly breathtaking landscapes,

innocent pure white color stone houses with other colorful modern painted house in between,

 colorfully dressed ladies in their dominant maroon color dress with detailed motifs in it,

 cheerful young novice monk wandering in the monastery, everything felt overwhelming.

Monpas and Buddhism in general, have always been a very intriguing tribe and religion for me, so the trip to Tawang has been a blessing in disguise of research paper for me, nothing more I could ask for. It is not only a place blessed with abundance of natural beauties but is also the land that witnessed one of the most important and historical war; Sino-Indian war 1962 / Indo-china War 1962, resulting in numbers of historical places. JaswantGarh War Memorial,

(the ground within the green border is where the left dead bodies of Chinese soldiers were buried)

Bumla pass (marks the Indo-China border),

 Shungetsar lake (famously known as Madhuri Lake), 

Tawang Monastery (largest monastery in India), Sela Pas (13700 Feet high altitude sacred mountain pass), and many more are located.

I completely fell in love with the hilly terrains lightly blanket with little smoky mist and blushed with pinky purple during the blue hour: just like an expensive alluring painting. 

Even though it’s sunny in the day, 

still the chill breeze touches the face and constantly reminds, that yes, I am in Tawang and it is indeed really cold here. By the evening when the sun sets, I am more convinced, probably colder than the winter in Ziro. 

The day starts with tea and Khyan, the traditional Monpa maize snack; 

unlike the regular market cornflakes, it is quite hard to chew, making your jaw tired, but trust me it is worth the taste.

Our team heads to Jang Kharsa Village in Tawang, goes for a transect walk, interviewing the ladies there and observing every detail we could intake. The one thing I could not help but notice is their pinky cheeks. All of them looked so welcoming and were indeed welcoming. It took me no time to helplessly grow genuine respect for them; their hardworking nature and enthusiasm to make a humble livelihood in such challenging and difficult geographic conditions are worthy of thunderous applause.

By the way, meeting the Chief Minister of the sate in his native place, in his house and being offered his precious time and energy to listen our presentation on our research was a prodigious moment.

( Me as a spokesperson presenting our findings of our research)

(explaining and showing our posters for the treatment of research's result)  

Also presented with traditional sling bag kochung, pen and my favorite, book called “MONPAS Buddhists of High Himalayas” by Vinay Sheel Oberoi; perfectly quenching my curiosity and interest about the tribe and their religion. 

The Followings are some of the pictures which I can't help but post for sure. 

(Inside Dorjee Khandu Museum) 

(Holy waterfall in Jang Kharsa Village ) 

P. S. Shout out to my two professional photographers, Takam Takar and Lope Romin for sharing me their photos and also for capturing my moments without any payment. Just kidding. Thank you.