Magazine

volume no. 03 | issue no.
01 | 100
fBIG
est Season
come and Join the festivities
48 Mark of a woMan:
the khasi tradition
of wearing the Jain-
54 the elephants and
the waterfall:
kaziranga’s less-
74 a solo journey
to walong—one
of the best kept se-
sem and the dhara known surprises crets of arunachal
visitmanipur manipurtourism @TourismManipur manipurtourism.gov.in
undiluted joy: WHAT FOUR
COUPLES DISCOVERED WHEN
THEY OPENED THEIR HEARTS TO
NATURE AND THE NAGAS
a gift of
faith
the city
the celebration of
kathina civara dana in
the small town of pen-
charthal, tripura
a twist of
orange abode of
the gods
hills
be a part of the change that is happening timeout on mizoram’s

in the land of orange. Juice up your life highest mountain peak,
with some great music, food, adventure and the beautiful and re-
motorsports during the four-day orange vered blue mountain
festival of adventure and music at dambuk
1
2 6
4
3
8 5
the region comprising the

‘8 wonders’ of the country.
the gateway to southeast
asia. the ‘final frontier’ for
nature lovers and those
with itchy feet
CeleBrating kinship:
One of the oldest living
festivals of the world,
Mera Houchongba cel-
ebrates the bond among
natives of Manipur
our neighbours
sangai + hornbill wishing lake indonesia

two of the biggest a soothing trek to some amazing raw
fests of northeast—the mulkarkha lake that destinations that
manipur sangai festival basks in the glory do not figure in
and the hornbill festi- of the khangchend- popular tourist
val of nagaland zonga destination list
56
ExplOrE thE
FiNAl FrONtiEr
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Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura — and
get in-depth information about a region that is aptly called ‘The
Final Frontier’.
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hu 46
74
Mizo
head a raindezvous
ief in
:
ntin is somethin
there
g da
g dance with the
seat
of thfly with
sangai,
through the lens
of a landscape
photographer
about chasing
ys shak hornbille
the rain in ti Cu
the
kama lt:
meghalaya kh
on ni ya temp
Tel.No.………………………..................................Mobile…………………………………..…..............
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57
7
editor Kishore Seram

dePuty editor Prabanee Sarmah For Those Who
contributors
Gaurav Kataria, Charanjiv Kalha,
Ronel Seram, Aditya, Bengia Mrinal,
Came in Late
D
Abu Tayeng, Sanjay Mosing, Jenita
Khumukcham, Munindrajit Aribam,
Dibyendu Chakma, Byron Aihara, URINg MY SChOOL DAYS, I was fascinated by the Phantom—the Ghost
Aimesha Kurbah, Snigdha Bhowmick, who walks. I still like him, though I now have reservations about the
Pralay Lahiry, Sushobhan Roy, pink colour of his costume. My brothers and I used to pick up every
J Vanlalliana, Debjani Paul, Neelima new release of the Indrajal Comic hero. What used to irritate me was
Mishra, the introductory strip “For those who came in late” that used to appear in newer
releases once in a while. I knew the Phantom, and for me, the introductory strip
design Vikram Nongmaithem on the Ghost who walks was repetitive and wasted space.
Publishing consultant Now that I have taken up the mission of presenting the Northeast’s story, I
MT Creating Tomorrow understand the need for telling the story from the very beginning—the more
people that I come across and converse with, the more I realise that the majority
All rights reserved. Reproduction in
whole or part without written permission is are rather late on arrival when it comes to what the Northeast is all about.
prohibited. We take care in fact checking all So, on the 2nd Anniversary of Discover India’s Northeast, let me start from the
articles and regret any error inadvertently beginning for those who came in late.
done. All opinions expressed by freelance
writers are their own and not necessarily Geographically linked by the Chicken’s Neck to so-called ‘mainland’ India, the
those of Discover India’s Northeast. region comprised Assam and the two princely states of Manipur and Tripura
Editor : Kishore Seram. Printed and pub-
lished by Kishore Seram for and on behalf
at the time of Independence. Subsequently, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland,
of Outdoorpeople Tourism Promotion Pvt Meghalaya and Mizoram were carved out of Assam, which together formed the
Ltd. Printed at G.H. Prints Pvt Ltd, A-256, 7 Sisters of the Northeast. And then in 2002, Sikkim joined the family. Together,
Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-1, New
Delhi-110020 and published at C/o
they have 98 per cent of their borders adjoining five foreign countries—China,
Questrails Adventure Pvt Ltd, 5-L, 2nd Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal. An ancient Silk Route still exists in
Floor, Shahpurjat, New Delhi-110049. Sikkim and the Stilwell Road—a strategic supply route between India and China
Phone: +919810699771
during the Second World War—is awaiting restoration, while the India-Myanmar-
travel consultant Thailand route via Manipur will be soon fully operational. This part of India has
Manishankar Ghosh also been the scene of critical international events—the Kohima-Imphal sector
+91 9810299733
witnessed fierce battles during WWII.
Within this region, there are the Eastern Himalayan ranges, the Patkai range
advertising enquiries:
Niraj Dubey and the Naga Hills. This region is home to the mighty Brahmaputra (the 10th
largest river in the world by discharge and the 15th longest) and also sees many
+91 9810068372
+91 9810699771 other great rivers like the Lohit, the Teesta, the Barak and the Siang criss-
customercare@outdoorpeople.in crossing the land.
subscriPtion enquiries:
There are over 20 types of forest vegetation cover in the region, host to
subscribe@outdoorpeople.in thousands of flowering plant species. Of the 1,300 species of orchids documented
worldwide, 700 are found in the Northeast, with 550 species of orchids in
editorial enquiries:
editor@outdoorpeople.in Arunachal Pradesh alone. The Northeast is part of the Indo-Burma hotspot,
the 2nd largest in the world. The region has some of India’s last remaining rain
forests. And understandably, the Northeast is among the world’s highest bird
diversity regions. There are 16 National Parks and 55 Wildlife Sanctuaries in the
Northeast.
volume 03 issue 01 Inhabiting this naturally gifted region are over 220 distinct tribes and
communities. That means that there are a vast number of languages and dialects,
November-December 2017
a huge variety of cuisines, festivals, dance and performing arts, and more.
Total No. of pages 100 This is the goldmine that is the Northeast. Come and explore this amazing
region.
FOR quERiES
AnD FEEDbAcK
feedback@outdoorpeople.in
Ph. no: +91 9810699771
cOvEr phOtO kishore seram
A STILL FROM MERA HOuCHONGbA FESTIvAL
Editor
PHOTOGRAPH by rONEl SErAm
Join us on www.facebook.com/discoverindiasnortheast
Discover inDia’s northeast november-december 2017

56
8
coming soon
here’s a list of events to
help you maximise your
travel experience
nagal an d
ngadah festival
Meghalaya to Joonbeel in Morigaon
november a festival of thanksgiving and rejoicing, ngadah is
district of assam, in the third week of
a post harvest celebration organised towards the
January every year. it is a legendary
end of november. the rengma tribe celebrates
mela that owes its origin to the days of
eight days of the festival which also marks the
the ahom kings. the titular king of the
end of the agricultural year. the village high Priest, called the
erstwhile Gobha kingdom located in the
Phensengu, announces the date of the festival and after that
region, presides over this very popular
as s a M fair and his representatives collect
villagers, in Kohima district, prepare themselves for the main
festivities.
subscription from the traders taking
part in the fair. the tribal participants
bring lac, indigo, ginger, vegetables,
majuli raas
mahotsav dried meat, etc. which they exchange
december hornbill festival
november with traders from the plains for organised by the government of nagaland, the
november is the month traditional items like sweet rice cakes, 10-day hornbill Festival is an annual extravaganza
when the island of Majuli on roasted rice, grounded rice and dried looked forward by music and food aficionados.
the mighty Brahmaputra river fish. Community fishing is also part of starting on 1 December, this year too, the event promises to
gets ready to celebrate the raas Mahotsav, the three-day mela. showcase the rich culture of the tribes of the states under one
an annual event held to commemorate the roof. the venue will be Kisama village, 12 km away from the
life of Lord Krishna. the island is the seat state capital Kohima. here, traditional dwelling places, called
of neo-vaishnavism where the various morungs are built for the many tribes who come all the way from
monasteries or satras play host to the far-flung districts to take part in the festival. the aim of the event
four-day extravaganza starting on raas M e g hal aya is to acquaint tourists to the food and culture of the nagas and
Purnima day. For tourists, this is the best to that end, the festival has been a huge success in the past as
time to visit the island and witness the visitors can actually watch the traditional cuisine of the nagas
various interpretations of Lord Krishna’s tysim festival being cooked at the venue and also interact with elders to know
life through folk plays, puppetry, song and the beaches of simsang about their culture. ethnic performances during the day and rock
dance. the devotional feelings generated december
river at Baghmara town shows in the evening are huge crowd-pullers.
by the plays are such that even the in south Garo hills come
satradhikars (or head of the monasteries) alive with a mela-like
bow down before those playing the role of atmosphere as exhibition stalls are put bushu
Lord Krishna. up for local artisans and entrepreneurs January Bushu or Bushu Jiba is widely celebrated by
to showcase their products during this the Dimasa kacharis of Dimapur district. a
festival in mid-December. Last year, the
joonbeel mela games that got people interested were
post harvest festival, it falls in the month of
January after the paddy is thrashed and stored
January the unique fair that gives inter locality tug-of-war, boat race, inter in the granaries. the exact date and place of the festival is not
a platform for barter of block folk dance competition, folk song generally fixed, people see to it that it is celebrated when there
goods, just like in olden days, competition and beach sports, among is moonlight because it is believed to be auspicious. cultural
draws tribal participants from assam and other events. dances, folk songs, etc. are held during the festival.
november-december 2017 Discover inDia’s northeast

photo: ronel seram
57
9
Manipur
sangai festival
november every edition of the sangai Festival showcases
sik kiM the tourism potential of the state in the field of
arts & culture, handloom, handicrafts, indigenous
sports, cuisine, Music and adventure sports
red Panda of the state etc. indigenous sports will be a major highlight of
dec/Jan winter carnival the state’s biggest tourism festival this year (21-30 november).
Manipur’s famous martial arts- thang ta (a combination spear
red Panda Winter & sword skills), Yubi-Lakpi (a game played with greased coconut
Festival previously known like rugby), Mukna Kangjei (a game that combines hockey and
as sikkim Winter carnival is organised in the wrestling), and sagol Kangjei—Modern Polo (believed to have
months of December/January annually. Like evolved in Manipur) will all form part of the festival. Besides, there
most festivals, the red Panda Winter Festival are a number of adventure activities that one can indulge in while
showcases the traditions and culture of the visiting the state. adventure sports activities like trekking, white
sikkimese people. the festival integrates
MizoraM the locals as well as the tourists with events
water rafting and parasailing etc. will also form a major part of
the festival.
and activities themed on a typical himalayan
winter. From food stalls that serves exquisite
and delicious cuisines of various ethnic
thalfavang tribes and communities, to cultural carnival
gang-ngai
december/
december
kut showcasing the diverse culture and traditions January
Celebrated for five days in the month
of the sikkimese people, the carnival also of December/January, Gang-ngai is an
Like most of their important festival of the Kabui nagas.
has flower shows, handloom and handicraft
festivals, thalfavang the festival opens with the omen taking
exhibitions, adventure sports, photography
Kut, is also a harvest ceremony on the first day and the rest of the days are
contests, rock shows, karaoke and dancing
specific festival of the Mizos, celebrated associated with common feast, dances of elderly men and
and many other attractions like tandem
after the weeding of the fields. It is a women, of boys and girls, presentation of gifts etc.
paragliding, quad biking, trap shooting,
significant festival, usually organised
rafting & kayaking, zorbing, treks and other
during the second week of December,
activities.
which provides tribal participants of
far-flung places to showcase their
cultural knowledge. People dress up in
their best, and sumptuous feasts mark a r una C hal
the culmination of the festival. ENTRY
PERMITS
dambuk
t r i pur a december orange
festival *Entry permits are not required for Indians or
foreigners to visit Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya.
the event
*Inner Line Permit (ILP) is required for Indian
orange that promises to combine
citizens to enter Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland
november adventure with music
festival returns to Dambuk this
and Mizoram.
Jampui hill in tripura December—to be held from *RAP: To visit Sikkim or Arunachal Pradesh,
is orange country and 15-18 December at Dambuk. foreigners must obtain Restricted Area Permit
is the only hill station of the state. every Last year saw some (RAP).
year in the month of november, the adrenaline pumping *Foreigners are no longer required a RAP to visit
orange and tourism Festival is organised events both in Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur. However they
here and a good number of tourists, both the off road must register themselves at the local Foreigners
domestic and international participate competition and Registration Office (FRO) of the districts they
in the festival. a big fair is organised for the live music visit within 24 hours of arrival.
the festival where oranges, tea leaves, performances on *ILP is not required for Indian tourists visiting
coffee beans, ginger, tibetan woolens, stage. this year Sikkim or Manipur, but Indian tourists visiting
local handicrafts, artefacts, trekking kits, too, the festival Manipur via Dimapur/Kohima require an Inner
potteries and food articles are sold to will have all that Line Permit to pass through Nagaland. This is
the tourists. the eden tourist Lodge in and more to keep available from any Nagaland House, or Govern-
the Jampui hill is well equipped with all you rocking. ment of Nagaland office.
modern amenities. homestays are also
available.
photo: bengia mrinal
an idu igu (shaman) at the
dambuk orange fest
november-december 2017
56
10
dambuk orange Festival

1 text by aBu tayeng
photographs by Bengia Mrinal
JuiCe uP your life wiTh SoMe greaT

MuSiC, food, advenTure and MoTorSPorTS
during The four-day orange feSTival of
advenTure and MuSiC aT daMbuK

57
11

56
12
b
ack in the 1980s, a tiny hamlet in Arunachal itself provides.
Pradesh that gets physically cut-off from Surrounded by blue hills that reach as far as the
the rest of the country every year for six farthest corners of the Eastern Himalayas, Dambuk
months after the annual monsoon floods is a small town untouched by the pollutants of 21st
the waters of the Dibang and Sisar rivers, century life. Floods aside, the town and its sur-
a revolution happened. Close to four decades later, rounding areas has been famous since the 1980s
there is another revolution taking place. for the orange orchards that dot the nearby hills.
If you look up Dambuk in Google maps, you’ll Back then, oranges weren’t grown natively. That
learn that this thinly-populated sub-divisional changed when a pioneering native by the name of
town in Lower Dibang Valley district in the east- Pangkeng Pertin returned with a few orange sap-
ern-most state of India is over 600 km away from lings that he bought from Assam and planted them
Guwahati—the port of entry for any visitor to the on his ancestral land. Soon enough, his entrepre-
Northeast. Time and distance however, have little neurial initiative was noticed by others around
meaning when one is travelling to and within this him, and now over a 100 medium and large-scale
unexplored region. For while Google’s creators in progressive farmers grow oranges in the area
Palo Alto may tell you that it will take around whose produce are sold across the country.
14 hours by road to reach Dambuk, nothing can Pertin’s endeavour helped in the growth of
really prepare for the adventure that the journey Dambuk becoming an important horticultural
baskets of oranges
sanjay mosing

57
13
hub and helped the local economy. Now, the local hometown to people from across the world to
economy is experiencing a second wind. From explore the pristine natural beauty of the place and
December 15 to 18 every year, the hills come alive experience the local way of life and culture in an
to the sound of not just music but to the roar of unexplored destination.
modified engines as well during the Orange Festi- Music and adventure activities aside, a major
val of Adventure and Music. part of the festival is the JK Tyres-organised Or-
The adventure part of the festival begins even ange 4x4 Fury, a three-day national level off-road-
before reaching Dambuk. Even before reaching the ing event that has brought unprecedented atten-
venue of the festival, a drive on the bed of a mostly tion to Dambuk and helped generate an interest in
dry river is a must—not for the sake of adventure motorsport among the youth of the state.
but because for the moment there is no other op- The festival has also recently helped fuel an
tion. A new bridge, however, is under-construction interest in the place and its most famous product,
and should make travel a little easier (although it oranges, the sale of which was earlier confined to
will also mean cutting down on the pre-festival neighbouring Assam only. Interest however, has
adrenaline rush). grown over the past three years as the oranges
The festival is my brainchild; myself being a grown here are undoubtedly some of the juiciest
Dambuk native, and an adventure enthusiast, I and sweetest one is bound to find.
initiated it with the objective of opening up my Cultivators aside, the festival also provides local
streak spiderhunter

14
snapshots of men with their

mean machines; an idu igu (shaman)
performs at the fest
residents with the opportunity to make a quick
the indigenous Adi

buck selling oranges to revellers during the day
when they wander around taking in the scenic
beauty of the place.
While decent accommodation is still difficult
to come by, campsites set up during the festival
And idu-MishMi peo-
ensure that visitors are well taken care of.
And although still in its initial stage, the indig-
ple of dAMbuk are
enous Adi and Idu-Mishmi people of Dambuk are
opening up to the idea of opening their homes to
opening up to the
visitors as home stays are becoming increasingly in
vogue across much of the state offering travellers a
idea of opening
chance to glimpse humble tribal life.
Last year’s edition of the festival brought in a
their homes to visi-
large number of people who thronged to see the
Swedish guitar God, Yngwie Malmsteen, shred his tors as home stays
way into the hearts of seasoned and seasonal fans

orChards galore
surrounded by blue hills that reach as far as the farthest corners of the eastern
himalayas, Dambuk and its surroundings areas have been famous since the 1980s 57
15
for the orange orchards that dot the nearby hills
swedish guitarist yngwie

J malmsteen at the
orange festival
sanjay mosing
as on-stage pyrotechnics dazzled the crowd. selves with the place.

These are of course, collateral benefits that And as it happens with all festivals, food stalls
spill-over as an impact of the festival’s growing play an important role in the festival to ensure
success. For the festival itself provides employ- there’s plenty of local delicacies and rice beer
ment to a large number of youths from the state. available. Incidentally, most of these stalls are run
For example, rafting on the Dibang River is organ- almost exclusively by the women of Dambuk.
ised by local residents who have been trained by It may still take a few years before the festival
experts from Uttarakhand on the turbulent waters actually turns into a profitable venture, but it
in the higher reaches of the Ganges. Youngsters certainly appears as though it is in the path to do
from the area are also employed during the festival so. As long as the festival grows organically, it’s a
who act as guides to help visitors familiarise them- win-win for everyone.
by flight:
0
km From Delhi
2:30
hr Pasighat
Path by train: 7 90 DAMbuK
Finder From Delhi Dibrugarh hr min
27:40
hr

56
16

57
17
2 adventure @ mechukha
text & photographs by a@M
an eCleCTiC blend of
advenTure SPorTS, MuSiC,
TradiTional CuiSine, CulTure
and faShion

56
18
n
ow in its 5th edition, the annual adventure the festival offers each year under its Air, Wa-
sports gala, Adventure@Mechukha, held ter, Earth and Fire categories. These events are
amidst the scenic splendor of Mechukha, targeted at tourists and locals alike and have an
returns in a grander scale this year. exciting lineup, including tandem paragliding, quad
This year will see various special biking, trap shooting, rafting & kayaking, zorbing,
events that have been included into the Festi- treks and other activities.
val: the International Paragliding Accuracy Open From this year onward, the festival will be held
Competition, the Mechukha Downhill Mountain from 23-25 November instead of 7-9 November.
Bike Championship, a cycling tour from Aalo to It is expected that a larger number of tourists will
Mechukha, a Riders’Meet cutting across brands attend the festival as it has now been spaced out
and makes of motorcycles and the Indo-Bhutan in relation to other festivals. According to officials,
Friendship Car Rally that will drive the distance this will also ensure a greater participation in the
from Thimphu to Mechukha and back. Special Events and we hope to fill the skies of
These will be in addition to the lead events that Mechukha with paragliders, and the hills with rid-

57
19
ers and other adventure lovers. Arunachal’s own Soul of Phoenix, Jeli Kaye and
It is estimated that about 50 paragliding pilots the Siang Stars, along with traditional folk per-
and an equal number of downhill racers, motorcy- formances by the tribes that live in and around
cle and bicycle riders and rally drivers will attend the valley.
the event. The event will also showcase attire and
The festival, which offers an eclectic blend accessory collections of Nabam Aka under her
of adventure sports, music, traditional cuisine, label Aka Creations, Apoong Bagang of the
culture and fashion, this year will feature India’s label Pretty Woman and Amung Tadu Lollen of
premiere rock band Parikrama, who return to AMG Accessories. The showstopper for the
Arunachal after 7 years. apparel event will be Ms. India Arunachal
Also performing at the festival are Indian Idol Pradesh 2017 Licha Thosum in her specially
star Khudabaksh, The Fifth Dimension (a band designed traditional attire, which won the best
of musicians from the UK and India), Pulse Pun- national costume at the f bb Colors Miss India
dits (who are India’s top tribute band to AC/DC), Contest 2017.
basic info
nearest airPort: Dibrugarh
445 km
nearest railway: silapather 391
km or Murkong silak 327 km
Distance from itanagar to Mechuka:
546 km
for enquiries: query@adventure-
atmechukha.in
tel: +91-94029 31658

20
56
3 Sangai photographs: ronel seram
21-30 november 2017

Source: Manipur Tourism

21
57
t
he maniPur Sangai Festival promises the festival.
to display a plethora of cultural and This year, the main venue for the festival
indigenous sports events and mouth- will be at the Hapta Kangjeibung (Palace Com-
watering cuisines of the region. The pound) and Bhagyachandra Open Air Theatre
festival is named after the endangered (BOAT). These venues will host a number of
brow-antlered deer Sangai (also called the cultural programmes as well as showcase
Dancing Deer), which inhabits Keibul Lamjao the rich culture and tradition of Manipur.
National Park, the only ‘floating’ national park The venue at Hapta Kangjeibung will feature
in the world. the indigenous huts of the varied tribes of
Every edition of the festival showcases Manipur.
the tourism potential of the state in the field The venue for indigenous sports and water
of Arts & Culture, Handloom, Handicrafts, sports activities will be at the Khuman Lampak
Indigenous Sports, Cuisine, Music and Adven- Sports Complex at Imphal and Takmu Water
ture sports of the state etc. Indigenous sports Sports Complex at Loktak, Moirang, respec-
will be a major highlight of the State’s biggest tively. In addition to these venues, the Trade
tourism festival this year. Manipur’s famous & Permanent Exhibition Centre at Lamboi
martial arts—Thang Ta (a combination Spear & Khongnangkhong will also serve as a venue for
Sword skills), Yubi-Lakpi (a game played with various stalls and host other cultural pro-
greased coconut like rugby), Mukna Kangjei grammes and sporting activities.
(a game that combines hockey and wrestling), With increasing participation from neigh-
and Sagol Kangjei—Modern Polo (believed to bouring and other countries, this year the
have evolved in Manipur) will all form part of Manipur Sangai Festival expects to witness
the festival. Besides, there are a number of ad- participation from several countries like Nepal,
venture tourism activities that one can indulge Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar,
in while visiting the state. Adventure sports Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Cam-
activities like trekking, white water rafting bodia, Vietnam, Singapore, Maldives, Malaysia,
and parasailing etc. will form a major part of Mauritius, and Zimbabwe.

22
56
Sangai

the cultural performances and
entertainment programmes
present the state’s diverse cultural
heritage. during the 10-day cultural
 extravaganza, visitors will also get

to see some competitive, thrilling

international polo matches on the
very polo ground where modern
polo is believed to have originated.

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4 Hornbill photographs: munindrajit aribam
1-10 December 2017

Source: Nagaland Tourism

24
56
Hornbill
t
he hornbill Festival dates back to in these Morungs by the beating of huge log
2000, and was first organised to drums in perfect synchronisation.
coincide with Nagaland Statehood The festival bouquet is arranged to ac-
Day, which falls on 1 December. commodate all kinds of activities, like indig-
Each year, the extravaganza touches enous games, craft bazaars, music events,
upon the heritage of the tribes of the state, fashion shows, downhill cycling, motor
showcasing their way of life through dance sports, kids’ carnivals, floral gallerias, food
and food. The festival aptly got the tag- courts, a film festival, and a series of com-
line ‘Nagaland Hornbill Festival: Festival of petitions in various activities. Night bazaar
Festivals’ to celebrate the spirit of unity and comes alive in Kohima during the festival.
brotherhood among the Nagas through their Besides the popular cultural dances,
colourful attires and vibrant festivities. The wrestling, racing and eating competitions,
tribes and sub-tribes of Nagaland come to this year’s International Rock Contest is
the foothills of Mount Japfü where the Naga expected to be the best one held so far
Heritage Village, Kisama—the venue of the with around 26 Rock Bands, including
festival—is located. one each from Singapore and Bhutan, slated
Morungs are built for the tribes, and to perform.
tourists can interact with tribesmen and Tourists can add more to their bag of
learn of their rich heritage. It is fascinating experiences with a visit to the beautiful
to see how the local architecture of these village of Khonoma. Just 45 minutes’ drive
huts is attuned to the ecology of the place. from Kohima, this Angami village is known
One can even see how the drum beats of the for being ecofriendly and self-reliant. The
olden times were used to send out mes- World War II cemetery in Kohima is another
sages to far flung villages. This is replicated historic place of interest.

festival highlights
the festival bouquet is arranged to accommodate all kinds of activities, like in-
digenous games, craft bazaars, music events, fashion shows, downhill cycling, motor 25
57
sports, kids’ carnivals, floral gallerias, food courts, a film festival etc.

dances of the various
tribes regale spectators in
the mega event; the festi-
val also sees a number of
indigenous sports played
by tribesmen dressed in
traditional costumes; at
kisama, visitors can inter-
act with elders of various
tribes at their respective
morungs

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26
monks releasing sky

lanterns with message
of world peace

57
27
triPura
text anD photographs by diByendu ChakMa
5
A gift
of Faith
the celebration of
kathina civara dana
in the small town of
pencharthal

whereaBouts
Pencharthal is town in Pencharthal tehsil in north tripura district. it is located
56
28 27 KM towards south from district headquarters Kailasahar. Kailasahar, Dharmana-
gar, Khowai, hailakandi are the nearby cities to Pencharthal.
t
riPura may be the third smallest state in
India, but it is filled with rich culture and
tradition. Religion plays an important role in
our state—it is home to Hindus, Buddhists,
Christians, Muslims, Sikhs and Jains, besides many
other religious communities. Every religion has
its own festivals with their own distinct flavours.
This story is about a religious festival organised by
the followers of Buddha: it is called ‘Kathina Civara
Dana’, which literally means ‘offering the robe to
the Buddhist monk’.
In my town, Pencharthal, located in the north-
ern part of Tripura, we have celebrated this festival
for the last three years. This time around, I was
able to attend from the very beginning to the
absolute end—and it was a fascinating experience.
Though this festival is celebrated in many Buddhist
temples across India, here in Pencharthal, it is cel-
ebrated in an elaborate and open manner. Usually,
the rituals and performances are done within 24
hours, but in Pencharthal, we celebrate it for three
days. This time, a few monks from other parts of
the world had also travelled here to participate.
As a Buddhist and a freelance photographer, I
have always wanted to document this festival. So,
on the first day of the festival this October, I was all
geared up and excited. When I entered the temple
premises, what I saw filled me with energy and
positive vibes. The venue had been done up beauti-
fully, and devotees had gathered in huge numbers.
The day began with the hoisting of the Buddhist
flag— first hoisted in 1885 in Sri Lanka—which is a
symbol of peace and faith and used throughout
the world to represent the Buddhist faith. The
six colours of the flag represent the colours of
the aura that emanated from the body of Buddha
when he attained Enlightenment under the
Bodhi tree.
Soon after the opening ceremony, the monks
were welcomed to the stage by the people. First, day, the temple ceremonies ended with a candle
the monks offered sermons and stories about rally for a peaceful world filled with love and care.
Buddhism to the gathered devotees. Then, the The next day also witnessed a huge turnout.
entire gathering chanted the Panchashila prayer After a prayer for the wellbeing of all living beings
together. The word ‘Panchashila’ comes from the in the world, the same schedule of sermons, Bud-
Pali language, and literally means ‘five principles’. dha Puja, offerings etc. was repeated. However,
The Panchashila of Lord Buddha is comprised of the second day had something special—the main
the basic teachings: No lying, no stealing, no sexual ceremony of this festival, also known as ‘Kathin
misconduct, no killing and no intoxicants. Civara Dana’. As a part of this ceremony, a few
After the chanting, we shifted to the next ses- groups of women are invited to prepare robes
sion, in which the followers performed Buddha (Civara), to be presented to the monks, within 24
Puja and devotees offered the Buddhist monks ‘Ata hours. At 5.30pm on 14 October, the robe making
Parikara’—the eight important items used by bhik- house was inaugurated by the Buddhist monks
kus (monks). After that came the ‘Sangha Dana’, with a recitation and chanting of prayers. The mo-
which is interpreted as ‘Charity to the Sangha’, or ment they left, the women chosen to prepare the
the community of monks. The next ritual was an robes began working in earnest. It was overwhelm-
offering of food to the Buddhist monks who were ing to see this part of the festival for the first time.
present at the festival. And finally, at the end of I would also say that this robe making was one of

57
29
clockwise from above: monks

offering sermons, devotees pray-
ing for the wellbeing of mankind;
in the evening, devotees lighting
candles in front of the buddha
statue

56
30
women weaving
robes (to be completed
within 24 hours and pre-
sented to the monks)
the toughest tasks I have ever seen. There were

between 9 and 11 Buddhist monks for whom robes
needed to be prepared within 24 hours. Even at 1 foR ThE CLoSING ACT,
am, when I had felt tired enough to go home and
get some sleep, the ladies were working all out to SKy LANTERNS WERE
meet the deadline.
I woke up early and prepared myself to record
the last day of the festival. I reachedthe temple
GIVEN To ThE MoNKS—
premises around 6 am, as had many other follow-
ers from various places, who had already begun
whO, rElEASED thEm
preparing for another Buddha Puja and a rally.
Everyone looked so beautiful in their traditional
tO SOAr iNtO thE NiGht
clothes. The ambience of the huge crowd that had
gathered to celebrate this festival really made the
Sky with A mESSAGE
day a memorable one. This is probably the one day
in my town when everyone’s family, relatives and
FOr wOrlD pEAcE
friends get together. A few rituals are also enacted

57
31
(clockwise from left)

kalpataru, the wishing
tree; an art competi-
tion for kids; weaving
the robes; a session of
devotional songs
on this day, like the acceptance of Panchashila by tion between the followers and the monks—the
the followers, the Buddha Puja, the ‘Sangha Dana’ dedication, love and respect shown to each other.
and the offering of food to the Buddhist monks. After that followed lectures (Dharma Deshona) on
Just after these ceremonies, all the devotees Buddhism by the monks, in which they repeated
present on that day were also fed. And after the and explained the message of constantly striving
meal, a session of religious/devotional songs to be better people, with a peaceful mind and
followed. no hatred.
Finally, the big moment of the festival arrived— The closing act of the festival was the offering of
the offering the robes to the monks amidst the sky lanterns to the monks—who, lighting them and
chanting of prayers. As a follower and also a view- releasing them to soar into the night sky, sent out a
er, I was really moved to see the beautiful interac- beautiful message for world peace.
by flight:
0
km From New Delhi
3.35
Path by bus: hr 4.23 PEN-
Finder From Kolkata Dhaka Agartala hr CHARTHAL
300 200
km km

32
56
90
maniPur
6 photographs by RoneL SeRam
one of the worlD’s olDest living festivals

57
33
 (facing page) meidingoo

leishemba sanajaoba, his
majesty, king of manipur on his way
from the royal palace to kangla;
(above) procession of participants.
T
hERE ARE many different er in one place. The word ‘Hou’ means associated with it.Communal feast-
stories about the origins of ‘to happily rise-up’ or ‘a surge of people’, ing is one, as is the establishment of
Mera Houchongba. Accord- while ‘Chongba’ means ‘to leap forward’, deep friendships (called Ngai) and the
ing to the most commonly or ‘to jump’. ‘Houchongba’, therefore, exchanging of gifts. Dance and music
accepted version—which means a happy rising—literally, many are also important parts of the festival.
comes from the Puyas, the ancient in- people jumping together out of joy. The chieftains of the clans make sure
digenous manuscripts of Manipur—the Mera Houchongba, essentially, is about to bring their best dance and music
festival was first celebrated during the the coming together of the seven clans troupes to perform and compete with
reign of the emperor Lord Meidingu and a celebration of the age-old bonds their counterparts from other clans.
Pakhangba (33 AD) of Manipur. It was that make them into one family. Games and sports are another integral
ordained to commemorate a grand Since its inception, Mera Houchong- part of the festival. Sportsmen compete
get-together of the seven salais (clans), ba has been held at the royal palace to prove their skill, strength and endur-
which had dispersed and settled far premises, or at a place selected by the ance and to win handsome rewards
and wide in both hills and plains, in and king/king-in-council. As a matter of from the royal authority. For exception-
beyond the country. convention and custom, the seven salais ally skilled performances, sportsmen
During the festival, held in the month chieftains, with their entourages, par- sometimes even win promotions in the
of Mera (September-October) the heads ticipate in each and every festival. civil or military establishments.
of the clans and sub-clans come togeth- The festival has many distinct rituals Mera Houchongba also serves

56
34
90
  (clockwise from facing page top)

chief minister of manipur n biren
singh addressing the participants at
kangla; dance performances by various
communities; a reflection of the happy
mood; a display of horsemanship

35

56
36
90

57
37
another function—it provides an oppor- state. The introduction of ‘untouch-

tunity for the young people of the many ability’ based on religion and caste,
salais to meet and fall in love. In matters and the divide-and-rule policy,
of marriage, there is no distinction drawn created rifts between the natives of
between the people of hill and valley. The Manipur.
  (above) a beautiful collage of
portraits of some of the natives
of manipur; (facing page bottom)
only restriction is that it is prohibited for Seen against the backdrop of
the most significant part of the Mera
people to marry within their own clan the strained relationship between
houchongba festival is the ceremony or same sub-clan. It is believed that a the natives of the state today, Mera
wherein ‘brothers’ hug and exchange marriage between two people from the Houchongba is not just a simple fes-
gifts—a reminder of the age-old
legacy of unity and integrity among same clan/ sub-clan is akin to a marriage tival—it is a joyous, living reminder
the natives between a brother and sister. of the beautiful bonds that exist
In recent times, the advent of Hindu- between the seven salais.
ism in Manipur in the beginning of the This year, the festival was organ-
18th century, and the British conquest ised from 4-6 October.
of Manipur in 1891, brought about major
changes in the socio-cultural fabric of the Source: Mera Hou Chongba Committee

38
90
PROOF
OF LIFE
mera waayungba, a heart-warming
signal of the traDitional bonD of
unity anD brotherhooD
text by jenita khuMukChaM
photographs by ronel seraM

57
39
m
era-tha, the month of festivities and celebra-
tion, is the seventh month of the Meitei lunar
calendar and usually falls between September
and October. It marks the end of summer and
beginning of autumn, when paddy, fruits and
vegetables become ripe for harvest. More importantly,
Mera-tha also represents harmony, peace, love and broth-
erhood among the people of the state especially between
the hill people and the valley people. If you are wondering
how and why it is so, I’ll share with you a tale of
our ancestors, which has been passed down for many
generations.
It is believed that a very long time ago, when our an-
cestors arrived at the surrounding hill ranges of Manipur,
they found it a cold, barren and hilly terrain surround-
ing a valley filled with water. They settled in the hills and
continued to survive as hunter-gatherers until the water
level in the valley began to fall. They then left the hills and
descended to the valley, but when they started settling
the valley floor, they had a tough time. There were many,
many times they had to face severe floods. Each time the
floods came, the people had to flee to the hills to survive.
It was a very difficult task as there was no proper road
leading to the hills. Then, a flood came that was so mas-
sive that two-thirds of the Langol hill area was submerged
in water. The people fled to the higher reaches, but many
died in the process. Those who survived stayed in the hills
till the flood water had subsided. After that, they scat-
tered and settled in different parts of the hill range.
In one particular group of ancestors, there were two
brothers who lived together. One day, a pig belonging to
the younger brother went missing. Searching for it, the
younger brother followed the trail left by the pig, which
led him to a valley far away from the hills. There he found
the pig, which had, in the meantime, given birth to a lit-
ter of piglets. Since the piglets were very young, the man
couldn’t return immediately to his home and brother.
Some time passed. At home, worried over the long ab-
sence of his younger brother, the elder also left the village
to search. He eventually found his brother settled in the
valley—but when the elder asked the younger to return
to the hills, the younger brother said he had decided to
settle in the valley itself. He had become well-settled, he AT DuSK, ThE youNGER
said, and he felt it would be difficult to go back and adjust
to life in the hills once more. BRoThER WAS To LIGhT
The elder brother said he respected his brother’s deci-
sion—but before he bid adieu, he offered a suggestion. A LAMP AND hoIST IT
Since travelling from hillside to valley floor (or vice versa)
was very difficult, they wouldn’t be able to meet often. So, uP oN A TALL BAMBoo
they would signal to each other on the full moon night
of Mera-tha. At dusk, the younger brother was to light pOlE tO SiGNAl thAt
a lamp and hoist it up on a (very) tall bamboo pole in his
courtyard to signal that he was doing fine, free of disease
or hardship—that he was alive and thriving. The elder
hE wAS AlivE AND
brother would also signal his wellbeing, by performing
a Lamei Thaba in certain areas of the hill for his brother
thriviNG
to see from the valley below (lam = area, mei= fire and

40
90
thaba= set fire. Lamei Thaba is essentially a controlled hosts banquets and honours the guests with presents. The
burn of a forest area, for example to clear land for jhum people from the hill also bring food, fruits, vegetables and
cultivation. In this case, it was used as a signal). From the clothes, etc., to the gathering.
next full moon day—Mera—onward, the hoisting of lamp The festival goes on for fifteen days, and is timed so
on the valley floor came to be known as Mera Waayungba that the fifteenth day coincides with the full moon. That
(waa = bamboo and yungba= to erect). day is celebrated as Mera Houchongba—on this day, the
It is believed that the elder brother and his people later people enjoy traditional games, dances, boat races, etc.
came to be known as the Tangkhul tribe. Their name was At dusk, lighted lamps are hoisted on bamboo poles—
derived from the words Tada-gi–khul, or elder brother’s the Mera Waayungba is carried out. Soon after, the hill
village (tada = elder brother, khul = village). It is believed peoples return to their homes. From then on, for the next
that the Tangkhuls are the ‘elder brothers’ of the Meiteis, month, every household in the valley hoists up lamps in
the descendants of those who settled in the valley. Even their courtyards at dusk, signalling to their families in the
today, there are many roles played by the Tangkhuls in the hills that all is well.
Lai Haraoba ceremony, or other Meitei rituals involving With advent of Hinduism and Christianity in Manipur,
Sanamahism. the tradition and meaning of this festival has altered
Since ancient times, the first of Mera-tha is celebrated somewhat. Nevertheless, the meaning of such a beautiful
as Mera Chaorel Houba. During this time, the people of tradition of unity and brotherhood will always remain
the different hill tribes are invited to the valley, where the close to the hearts of Manipuris. Mera will always be a
Sana Konung (the Royal Palace of Manipur) organises ritu- month which rejuvenates ancestral ties between people of
als for bountiful harvests, peace and prosperity and also the hills and valley.

57
The Land of foresTs and Myriad WiLdLife
visit: Betla NatioNal Park * Udhwa Bird saNctUary * hazariBag NatioNal Park * Birsa dear Park * dalma wildlife saNctUary * saraNda forest
GOVERNMENT OF JHARKHAND Website

DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM www.jharkhandtourism.gov.in,
M.D.I. Building, 2nd Floor, Dhurwa, Ranchi 834004 www.facebook.com/jharkhandtourismdepartment
Secretary Ph.: 0651-2400981, Fax : 0651-2400982, Email : govjharkhandtourism@gmail.com Twitter:https://twitter.com/visitjharkhand,
Director Ph. : 0651-2400493, Fax : 2400492, Email : dirjharkhandtourism@gmail.com, YouTube : https//m.youtube.com/channel/UCKD-
JTDC Email ID : jtdcltd@gmail.comw HUzseKwkESQLzOliVOA
Discover inDia’s northeast july-august 2016

42
56
90
7 maniPur
text anD photographs by Byron aihara
The SaCred danCe riTual of Maha raS

aT Shri biJoy govindaJee TeMPle
t
he november full moon of ‘Hiyangei’ (Kartika) is the time for the
Maha Ras Lila, the most famous dance of Manipur’s classical
performance traditions. The Maha Ras portrays the ecstatic
dance of Radha, Krishna and the gopis of Brindavan. This ritual
event is performed every year at Manipur’s two main Vaish-
nava Hindu temples, a night-long celebration of music, song,
and dance. The main venue is the Shree Govindajee temple in
the royal palace grounds. Manipur’s second Maha Ras is held at the Shri
Bijoy Govindajee in Sagolband, West Imphal. It was here that, throughout
an incredible and fantastic night, I was able to photograph and record the
events for this photo essay.
I have been studying and researching Manipur’s traditional arts since
2003. When I took these photographs in the winter of 2014, I had been
living in Manipur for over a year. The November before, I had attended
the Maha Ras at the Shree Govindajee temple—so, in 2014, I was intent on
attending the equally grand Maha Ras at the Shri Bijoy Govindajee. I had
also heard that there were two different versions of the Maha Ras—one
danced at the Shree Govindajee temple, the other at the Shri Bijoy Govin-
dajee—which had been born at these two temples, situated at opposite ends

57
43

56
44
90
of Imphal. Both Maha Ras have their roots in the yachandra, in the 18th century, had intended to be
18th century monarchy of Rajarshi Bhagyachandra performed at village temples and localities.
Maharaj. After having a religious vision, the king To witness the Maha Ras at its place of creation,
conceived, planned, commanded and directed the in its original setting, is a rare and special event.
first productions of the dances. Many know the history of the first Maha Ras
The Maha Ras are open to all, and are meant Lila to be held at the Shree Govindajee in the
to be a community event. The performance at the palace grounds. The history of the performance at
Shree Govindajee could be considered the ‘royal the Shri Bijoy Govindajee at Sagolband is a lesser
version’ of the dance, while the style developed at known but just as intriguing story. As the tale goes,
the Shri Bijoy Govindajee could be called the ‘peo- after king Bhagyachandra had a religious vision
ple’s version’. The Bijoy Govindajee version is the and began preparations for the Maha Ras Lila, he
one seen at cultural programs and stage events. commanded that an idol of Krishna be carved from
The main difference between the two is this: At the wood of a sacred jackfruit tree at Kaina Hill.
the Maha Ras held at the royal palace grounds, the When the carved idol was presented to the king,
performance uses statues/ idols to play the parts he said that it did not match the idol he had seen
of Radha and Krishna, with only the Gopis dancing. in his vision—and so, the king commanded that a
In contrast, at the Sagolband Bijoy Govindajee, the second idol be carved. This second idol, which bet-
parts of Radha and Krishna are enacted by a young  sankirtana ter matched the king’s dream-vision, was installed
musicians perform
boy and girl, who are not professional dancers at opening rituals at the Shree Govindajee temple on the palace
all, but members of the temple community. It is inside the ras grounds. The first idol was then presented as a gift
this version of the Maha Ras that the king Bhag- mandal to the king’s uncle, Anantashai Punsiba, at Sagol-

57
45
band, where it was installed in the temple there. people and the history of Manipur, the complicated
This temple was renamed the Shri Bijoy Govindajee social, historical, and cultural impact the Maha Ras
temple. To mark the occasion, a boat race was held has had is an essential—and much longer—story.
at the nearby artificial lake—this celebration still What follows is an account of my experience of
takes place every year, in September, with a great this rare and magical event, which has survived
boat race called Heikru Hidongba. A few years over 240 years and continues to this very day in its
after the first royal Maha Ras was held at the royal authentic, traditional form.
palace grounds, king Bhagyachandra then had cho- At the time, I was staying at a friend’s home in
reographed a new version of the Maha Ras for the Uripok, the lekai (locality) adjoining Sagolband,
Bijoy Govindajee. The king then decreed that this with the Shri Bijoy Govindajee temple a ten-minute
version, with children dancers portraying Radha walk away. On the evening of the Maha Ras, I
and Krishna, would be performed at local temples strolled from my place to the temple. On entering
across the kingdom. the tranquil temple compound, one finds a large
Initially meant to be a unifying force for the grassy field adjacent, where festivals like Yao-
Meitei, the Maha Ras has become entwined in the sang, Halangkar, and the boat racing of the Heikru
struggle between the state religion, Hinduism, and Hidongba are staged. (Sometimes volleyball and
the much older indigenous faith, Umang Lai. Over a dancer in soccer tournaments are also held on the grassy
the centuries, the dance has become steeped in the role of a gopi field.) The temple itself has two large main struc-
intrigue and argument. It is a very complicated is- pays obeisance tures—the sanctum proper, where the idols are
to young dancers
sue, one that is well described in the history books. playing the roles of housed, and a large spacious “mandap”, a Manipuri
For anyone who wants to understand the Meitei radha and krishna style pillared hall where the Ras Lila are performed.

46
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90
For the event at the center of the pillared hall a Ras performed to bless the occasion. It is then that
“Mandali” (Mandala) is constructed. This Mandali the actual Ras dancers appear to take the stage.
is built on the same principles as the “Laibung”, The dancers, fully dressed as gopis, make their
the ritual four sided, eight direction space where entrance into the temple grounds, first stopping
the Meiteis’ indigenous Lai Haraoba is worshipped. to take a blessing before the idols of Radha and
The design was appropriated by Bhagyachandra Krishna. Then they wait outside the Mandali for
to fit the Ras’ needs. Like the Laibung, it is within their musical cue to begin the sacred play.
the Mandali’s space that all the events of the ritu- The Maha Ras starts with a solo performance
als and dances take place. Around the Mandali are by the dancer portraying the gopi Chandravali,
set mats for seating the audience. One side of the which is meant as a blessing and benediction.
Mandali faces the temple doors so when opened Then comes the first entrance of Krishna. Here,
the idols can watch the proceedings. This is the at the Sagolband Shri Bijoy Govindajee, is where
ritual setting for the Maha Ras Lila of Manipur. the tradition of the young dancer dressed in the
In legends, the Ras Lila, the ecstatic dance of distinctive Krishna costume began. The youthful
Radha Krishna and the Gopis takes place under the Krishna then enters the mandali to give his solo. It
t(clockwise): in-
full moon. So night must come before the ritu- struments accom-
is from this performance that the staged recrea-
als can begin. And this being Manipur, all things panied by singing tions seen at cultural events of Manipuri dance are
run on what is playfully called “Manipuri time”— a form a crucial part taken. Here in the ritual setting, the two children
of the maha ras;
leisurely two to three hours after the announced shri bijoy govin- who play Radha and Krishna are not professional
time. The first rituals therefore begin well af- dajee temple; a or even trained dancers. But they have most surely
ter nightfall, at about 9.30 or 10.00 pm. Before ras dancer takes taken lessons for months from their dance guru to
darshan before
the dances can start, a Nat Sankirtan of Sanskrit the radha krishna learn the steps. Here, skill is not the most impor-
chants, drums, cymbals, and conches must be idols tant feature—Bhakti, or devotion, takes precedence.

57
47
As the dance drama progresses over the whole performance.

night, the different parts of the Ras are played out. After the Maha Ras, I walked home from the
It takes hours for the drama to unfold, and each temple. It was about 5 am, the hour before the
step is precisely followed. The dance here is a rit- dawn. It occurred to me that this would most
ual performance for the pleasure of the deity. The surely also be an intoxicating hour for the gopis—
Manipuri Ras Lilas could very well be the last true the cowherd girls who must have returned to their
formal Hindu temple dance that is still performed homes filled with the afterglow and bliss of their
in the authentic setting before and for the pleasure sacred dance and union with their God. I felt hon-
of the gods themselves. ored to have been able to witness such a true and
The Maha Ras is played far into the early morn- authentic mystery drama—an actual sacred temple
ing hours—and the conclusion must come before dance, something which once prevailed every-
sunrise the next morning. Finally, an Aarti is per- where across India and Asia, and is now vanishing
formed. The two children take their pose as Radha (left to right): from the face of our modern world.
Krishna, in the same positions as the carved stat- the young girl who
will dance the part
ues at the Govindajee temple. The Aarti incense is of radha; another
byron aihara lives in santa cruz, california and
lit and burns in a high fiery flame and the pair are young dancer as has published a book on his research titled
worshipped as the gods themselves. This ends the a gopi dance music and ritual in manipur.
by flight:
0
km From Delhi
3.35
hr IMPHAL
Path by train:
Finder Dimapur
From Delhi 39 6.30
hr hr

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48
8 meghalaya
text anD photographs by aimeSha KuRbah
mark of a
Woman
THE SENSE OF DIGNITY AND RESPONSIbILITY THAT
COMES WITH WEARING THE JAINSEM OR THE DHARA
the jainsem is a beautiful

ensemble that can be worn
on a daily basis

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49

56
50
90
materials shops sell all kinds

of clothes that can be tailored to
a jainsem or dhara
A
LMOST EvERY weekday morning, my —although some women prefer to wear it at a higher
mother wears the traditional Khasi attire, length. To all the Khasi women who are able to dress
called the jainsem.I can only admire how themselves in the jainsem without needing anyone
wonderfully my mother is able to carry it else’s help, I salute you, because let me tell you, it is
off. She wears it with grace, whereas if I try not as easy as it seems—especially the pinning part,
and wear one, I look like a potato. I’ll explain in a bit. hence me ending up looking like a potato.
The jainsem ensemble—exclusive to women—usu- Having to wear a jainsem everyday seemed ages
ally consists of a blouse (with various sleeve lengths), away when I was a young student. In conversations
an underskirt (more traditionally, a jainpien, which is with my friends about the ensemble, the one thing we
a cloth wrapped around the waist hanging down to all were unanimous on was that it was something that
the ankles); and two large rectangles of cloth which proper adult women wore. There is a sense of dignity
a woman drapes, one over the other, across her body and responsibility that comes with wearing it. As one
and pins the top ends on either side of her shoulder friend put it, “Whenever I wear a jainsem, I feel like
onto the blouse. It usually hangs to a woman’s ankles I’m kind of officially an adult; like I’m carrying forward

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51
a piece of our culture that has been passed on for

generations. I feel a kind of responsibility is on
KhASI WoMEN hAVE
my shoulders to be an example to younger Khasi
women, as others who have worn the jainsem be-
ThE ChoICE To PICK
fore me were examples for me.”
The aura of dignity is a visible characteristic of ouT ThEIR oWN EM-
the jainsem. As it consists of two pieces of cloth
(more commonly made of synthetic material) that BRoIDERy PATTERNS
hang down from the shoulders, there is no clear
visual of a woman’s contours which is considered ThAT thEy wOulD
in our culture to showcase a sense of decency. This
is further emphasised when a Khasi woman drapes likE tO bE StitchED tO
the traditional tapmoh (a kind of shawl) over her
shoulders and over her jainsem. thEir jAiNSEm
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52
90
A different form of the

jainsem is the dhara which is
worn on special occasions;
(facing page) a jainsem/dhara
tailor shop
ThE DhARA IS MADE of While the jainsem is something that is worn on a

daily basis, some Khasi women, on special occasions,
MuLBERRy SILK AND IS wear a different form of it called the dhara. The dhara
(which is also sometimes called the nara) is made of
WoRN, SIMILARLy To mulberry silk and is worn, similarly to the jainsem, by
pinning the two pieces of silk cloth onto the shoul-
ThE JAINSEM, by piN- ders. The dharais thicker and, therefore, heavier and
will usually have some form of stripe designs along
NiNG thE twO piEcES the border—which also has tassels running along the
bottom—of the two pieces making up the ensemble.
OF Silk clOth ONtO Similarly with the jainsem ensemble, the dhara is usu-
ally worn with an underskirt (or jainpien) and a blouse.
thE ShOulDErS
Although, in both cases, some women prefer to not
wear a blouse at all if the weather is too hot. The

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53
terns and prints hanging on rods in rows, those are

usually jainsem pieces which have been tailored.
While dharas usually come with embroidery
designs already sewn onto them, with the jainsem,
Khasi women have the choice to pick out their
own embroidery patterns that they would like to
be stitched on to their jainsem by a tailor. This
leads me to another point: also in tailoring shops,
you might see a sheet of cloth with a number of
embroidery patterns on it hanging at the front
of the shop. It is from this kind of embroidery
display that Khasi women are made known what
embroidery patterns the tailoring shop offers.
Helping my mother as a young girl choose which
embroidery pattern was to go along the border of
her jainsem was a responsibility I quite enjoyed.
There were different kinds of embroidery available
depending on whether you were picking a pattern
for the trimming of the bottom of the jainsem or
for the space a little further above the bottom of
the jainsem, where these patterns were usually
embroidered.
The dhara is a piece that is held as being highly
valued and meaningful in our society. It is usually
given as a sign of respect to women during special
occasions or when one is grateful to a Khasi wom-
an. There is also usually as special reason behind
the gifting or purchase of one and personally, it is
these stories and reasons that I think about when-
ever I have ever had an occasion to wear one of
my mother’s. I don’t really own any of my own,
which is quite common among younger Khasi
women. We usually share or inherit dharas from
our mothers.
The only dhara I own (which is being kept safely
in my mother’s wardrobe) is a wedding dhara that
was gifted to me—believe it or not—on my first
birthday by an aunt of mine. In a time of globalisa-
tion where our society has adjusted to a lot of what
makes up Western culture, including in our way of
dressing, that one wedding dhara—which is so
beautiful, white and pristine—poses the question of
whether I will follow the tradition of wearing it on
blouses are usually made up of the same pattern and my wedding day or whether I go the other way of
material as the jainsem or the dhara. wearing the traditional Western concept of a
I have fond memories of going to the market with wedding gown. It is seemingly innocuous choices
my mother as a child to shops that sell clothing mate- like these that I think face a lot of young Khasi
rial to help her pick out different prints of jainsem ma- men and women like me. For the most part, I
terial to be later taken to a tailor to get properly sewn. think as a society we’re doing as best as we can.
If ever you are in Shillong and you spot tailoring shops Besides, who says a bride can’t have more than one
with random folded pieces of cloth of all kinds of pat- wedding look.
by flight:
0
km From Delhi
1:30
hr
Path by train: 100 SHILLONG
Finder From Delhi Guwahati km
29
hr

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54
on the way back from

kakochang waterfall

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55
assam
text anD photographs by parlay lahiry
9
the extreme emotions Kaziranga can evoKe—when you are

accosteD by a herD of wilD elephants anD when you have a
waterfall all to yourself

56
s
itting in my camp in Kaziranga, I watched
the rain sweeping over the tree line of the
forest, across the open field in front of me,
and getting blown across the banks of the
Brahmaputra. The camp was quite empty
in late April. Only a few tourists were expected,
from Arunachal Pradesh, and I was waiting for
them that drizzly day, sipping a hot cup of tea
liberally laced with mint leaves. My camp is some-
what isolated, being situated on the banks of the
Brahmaputra just across the core area of Kaziranga
Eastern Range, or the Agoratoli Range. There is no
Wi-Fi and there are no geysers at camp, but there
is plenty of pure wilderness, with elephants and
hog deer regularly passing by,sometimes followed
by the striped cat.
As I sipped my cuppa, two headlights appeared
in the distance. A few minutes later, two Enfield
Himalayas chugged into the camp through the
rain. The riders seemed aliens to this landscape—
you seldom see people decked up in motorbike
rally gear, complete with high boots, Grand Prix
jackets and helmets like MIG pilots wear riding
across the banks of the Brahmaputra. Taking off
their helmets, they were revealed as an Indian and
a blonde man. Shahwar Hussain and Ian Neubauer
were travelling across the Northeast, testing out
the Enfield Himalaya. Shahwar was from Assam,
settled in Delhi, though settling is probably not
the right term for a person running a motorbike
tour company that takes clients to remote areas.
Ian was from Australia,a former freelance reporter
who had taken up travel writing for a living.
The following day, their third partner, Sanjeev
Monga, who rather resembled a bamboo pole
decked with a lot of hair, arrived riding his
Enfield Bullet.
The next day, in the afternoon, we entered the
National Park in our open top Gypsy. Ian, Sanjeev
and myself went inside while Shahwar stayed back gentle giants of
kaziranga
at the camp to nurse an injured leg (a small pile
of cow-dung on the road in the town did him in).
Khogen, my trusted lieutenant and forest guard,
accompanied us. Kaziranga was her usual self, with
elephants and wild buffaloes loitering around and tracks, and if you park your vehicle at a particular
grazing. Hog deer were having a gala time feed- spot, you can stay almost hidden and watch the
ing on the tender grass which had grown after the animals crossing to and from their watering points.
first showers drenched the areas that had been We still had about half-an-hour of sunlight left.
control-burned by the forest department (so that While we waited, Ian promptly fell asleep. His
new grass would flourish). Eastern swamp deer gentle snoring mingled with the whispering of
kept their distance. The rhinos, for some inexplica- the wind in the grasslands. The sun set fire to the
ble reason, stayed hidden. waters of the nearby beel (a local word for a large
As we were not on a photography safari, we water body). A herd of elephants grazed placidly,
did not take long to cover our zone. The sun was far away on the bed of the swamp. Sometime later,
almost nearing the horizon when we reached a I woke Ian up and asked him whether we should
particular tri-junction. At this particular spot, leave. I told him that if we waited there was a
the Gypsy track converges with two large animal chance that something worth watching might

57
happen, but then again,it was also possible that the bones of rodents which had been consumed
nothing would happen. However, if he was feeling by some resident owls. Over the years, I had spent
sleepy, we could also leave. many hours happily sitting on the staircase, watch-
Ian said that he had a headache but would leave ing life in Kaziranga flow by. However, the path to
the decision to me. Sanjeev was good for any of the the bungalow was no longer accessible.
options. While all these whisperings were going I decided to wait. Ian went back to sleep. The
on, I noticed that the elephant herd was on the elephant herd was in no hurry. The adults tore up
move. Turning around I saw them emerging from bunches of grass and chomped on them while their
the swamp and turn towards the bhootbangla babies frolicked. Then, they began to move.
(ghost bungalow), a derelict and defunct forest There is a tree near the bhootbangla which is
checkpost built on stilts adjacent to the water dead and bereft of any leaves. After crossing the
body. I had given it that name many years ago, tree, the herd suddenly swerved towards us. It
after finding the floor of the room strewn with was then that I realised that they were about to

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58
(left to right) camp owner

gautam, shahwar, ian, sanjeev and
pralay at the kaziranga camp
take the elephant corridor next to where we were
the elephAnts now

parked instead of taking their normal route, which
was further up the track. A prod in Ian’s backside
converged fAst
from Sanjeev woke him up and by the time he
turned around things were rapidly turning frantic.
The elephants now converged fast and sensed
us. They broke up into two groups and one group
came directly from behind us while the other
And sensed us. they
came from our right flank. I told our driver not to
move, but being a rookie, he had already switched
broke up into two
the engine on. He shut it off quickly, but now the
elephants rapidly closed in. I had left my camera
groups and one
for my cellphone cam, and whispered to everybody
to keep very still. The elephants were so close now
group came direct-
that that the big matriarch probably could have
reached out her trunk and taken a swipe at me
ly from behind us
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59
pralay and anupam at

kakochang waterfall
sitting in the back seat. They shielded their babies, escaped Ian was probably of the same intensity as
and I could make out that they were as afraid as that of Churchill after the Battle of Britain. San-
we were. They kept themselves bunched tightly jeev’s eyes were doing their best to pop out of their
together and kept on touching trunks with each sockets. I myself was over the moon, with my relief
other as a gesture of reassurance. The rumbling fighting a running battle with my elation on getting
from their lungs made the very earth tremble, but a short video clip of the elephants (without any
it was not the piercing trumpeting that heralds a telltale shaking of my hands, which were certainly
charge. We stayed put…absolutely still…not daring feeling quite detached from the rest of my body).
to breathe. At times, I thought that the driver had The driver had to be resurrected with some thor-
stopped breathing altogether. ough shaking.
I would have said that the stalemate lasted We still had not got our rhino, but when we
for about a year-and-a-half, but practical people arrived at the exit gate next to the road, we saw
would probably peg it at closer to five minutes. As a big male chewing grass peacefully next to the
the herd sensed no threat from us, they began to forest camp. Though the light was already dim, the
move off down their well-trodden corridor and majestic beast was in all his glory with the big horn
soon were out of sight. The breath which then sticking out as a proud reminder that Kaziranga

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60
the isolated and

peaceful camp on the
banks of the brahmaputra
was a success story.

A few days later, after the biker gang had reced-
ed over the horizon, the rains started in earnest.
kAkochAng wAter-
Clouds bellowed over the Brahmaputra spewing
water like a fountain and the river started rising in
fAlls is ActuAlly in
response. It was time to visit a waterfall.
Waterfalls are not exactly what you associ-
kArbi hills and the
ate with Kaziranga, but there is one about 20 km
from my camp. However, it is only approachable
road leading to it
in either a Gypsy or a long hike on foot. I had the
luxury of our Gypsy and my friend Hari was a bet-
meanders through
ter driver than me. My friend Anupam joined us.
Kakochang waterfalls is actually in Karbi Hills beautiful assam
and the road leading to it meanders through beau-
tiful Assam countryside resplendent with green countryside
61
57
the last village before

kakochang waterfall
paddy fields, betelnut plantations and bungalow a rather steep incline, where both Anupam and I
style houses. Just as you reach the foothills, you huffed and puffed due to the added luggage of our
enter into verdant forest covered hills all around. If tummies, but Hari almost breezed upwards. The
you are not on a Gypsy, you would have to prob- path was not too long and as we gained altitude
ably leave your vehicle here and start walking. the roar of the waterfall became audible at first
We drove on and soon the road was nothing but and then overwhelming as we reached the crest.
a mud track. The rains had soaked the soil, but had On the crest stood a small thatched hut where
yet to make the stretches impassable for a Gypsy. a couple of the local village lads were selling much
Trundling on, we found torrent after raging torrent needed water, the usual munchy packets, some
barring our way. The rains had swelled the flow- vegetables and a few bunches of bananas. The hut
ing water and were dashing over the smoothened overlooked a 360 degree panorama of the sur-
boulders. The Gypsy took them all in its stride, and rounding hills, and there below us…way below us…
in about 45 minutes, we cleared the last torrent foamed Kakochang waterfalls. The extremely nar-
before the track ended. row and steep path leading down to the waterfall,
From there on, a walking track led up the hill in under usual circumstances, would not pose much

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 Water buffaloes, elephants

and wild ducks by the beel; (top
facing page) the little ‘supermarket’
on top of the hill in kakochang
of a problem even to a geriatric, but the rains had

turned it into quite a challenge. We negotiated that
path, if it could be called that, with extreme cau-
tion and finally stood under the waterfall… and the
wAter foAMed And
effort was worth it.
Water foamed and frothed,dropping down from
frothed,dropping
a height of about 200 feet at a rough guess, and fell
like an avalanche in front of us. Three sides were
down froM A height
blocked by steep and heavily forested hillside while
the flow of water rushed out towards the plains
of About 200 feet,
through the open side. Even a slight breeze would
blow the foaming water into myriads of rainbows and fell like an
till you felt like sitting in a rainbow coloured hall.
The water was clear and as I plunged in, all the avalanche in
aches of the short trek vanished in a jiffy. The only
thing that marred the beauty were the ubiquitous front of us
munchy packets and empty plastic water bottles

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and even a few empty whiskey and rum bottles. the darkening hills, a tiny bird came and sat just
Trudging up the path was much easier and below us and looked suspiciously like the Cachar
soon we were back at the shack on the crest of the Wedge-billed Babbler which I consider to be one of
hill in our soaked clothes. We sat on the wooden the Unicorns of the Indian Birds, being so rare. But
bench outside the shack to catch the sunset over I could not be sure in the rapidly fading light.
the hills. Though I am not too fond of bananas, the Soon the light vanished as we drove back. The
last remaining bunch caught my fancy. I tasted thatched hut owners returned to their villages. No
one and soon polished off the bunch. Rarely have more human footprints would be seen till the next
I tasted bananas tastier than those, which did not sunrise. The night belonged to the wild elephants
have hint of pesticide of any kind. Hari and Anu- roaming the hills and leopards on the prowl.
pam helped me out though. As the sun set across
pralay lahiry is the founder of my wild india.
by flight:
0
km From Delhi
1:30 hr
Path by train: KAzI
4 hr RANGA
Finder From Delhi Guwahati
29 hr

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64
10 mizoram
text & photographs by j vanlalliana

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65
TiMeouT on MizoraM’S
higheST MounTain PeaK, The blue MounTain
camping on the farpak

level ground

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66
t
he blue Mountain (Phawngpui to it. This cliff is believed to be haunted the number has multiplied. Farpak is a
Tlang) of Mizoram is a highly by spirits. On the peak, there is a level huge grassland adjacent to a cliff area
revered peak, considered to be ground of about 2 square kilometres and you can spot birds like the Perigren
the abode of the Gods. Phawngpui in area called the Farpak. The name falcon, Blyths tragopan, Sunbirds, Grey
Peak is the highest mountain peak in Farpak comes from the Lai language sebia, Golden throated barbet, Mrs
Mizoram, rising to about 2,165 metres, (Lai being one of the many sub-tribes of Hume’s pheasant, Hornbill, Dark rum-
near the Myanmar border in Lawngtlai the Mizos) and means Single Pine Tree. pedswift, Mountain bamboo patridges,
District. This single pine tree was believed to and Black eagles, among other avian
Famous for orchids and rhodo- have been presented as a token of love population.
dendrons, this revered mountain has to the Queen of Phawngpui by the spirit From the peak of the Blue Mountain,
a beautiful semi-circular cliff on its of the King of Chiriang Tlang of Burma. one can see the Chin Hills on the Myan-
western side called Thlazuang Kham, A lone pine tree stood forlorn at this mar border, the mist laden mystic val-
which has a sharp and deep gorge next particular area for a long time, but now leys beyond and the beautiful Myanmar

MyanMar view
from the Peak of the Blue Mountain, one can see the chin hills on the Myanmar
borders, the mist laden mystic valleys beyond and the beautiful Myanmar ranges on 57
67
the eastern horizon
(Clockwise) The cliff

face of blue mountain
seen from a vantage
point; camping in peace;
one for the album
how to reach
From the capital city of Mizoram, aizawl, you
can book the trip to the Blue Mountain at ever-
green tours & travels—it is the sole provider of
tour to Phawngpui tlang. the tour vehicle will
take you to south vanlaiphai or sangau where
you may lodge for the night. aizawl to sangau
is 230 km and south vanlaiphai and sangau are
ranges on the eastern horizon. shrouded by mist, with Myanmar and just 10 km from each other—you have the op-
The most common activities in the India on either side. In this place, you tion to lodge at either of these two villages. the
area are camping, trekking and bird can experience the heavenly sensa- next day, you need to take a four-wheel-drive-
watching in the Blue Mountain National tion of the cool fog embracing you—as jeep to get to Farpak, which is at a distance of
about 17 km. no ordinary car would be appropri-
Park. Tourists who come to visit this though you are walking with the spirits ate for this drive. When you reach Farpak, you
unique place are generally those who attached to the very history which set up a base camp or you may also lodge in
favour adventure, and want to experi- shrouds this beautiful mountain. the Forest rest house, which is conveniently
ence some outdoor thrill and excite- The fresh clear air, the beautiful blue situated there itself.
ment in peace. sky above and the breathtaking sur- For tour details, contact evergreen tours &
An early morning trek to the top is roundings are sure to soothe a weary travels: 91-9612080159 / 91-8974029449 /
highly recommended. At daybreak, the soul of all its stress and anxieties. It has e-Mail: enquiry@evergreenazl.com / ever-
greenazl@gmail.com
view from the top is breathtaking—a a rejuvenating atmosphere and is cer-
mesmerizing sight of the Kolodyne river tainly a photographer’s delight.

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11 trekking
text & photographs by sushoBhan roy
the
wishing
lake
a TreK To MulKarKha laKe, whiCh baSKS
in The glory of The KhangChendzonga

56
70
h
ave you seen Khangchendzonga? its glory?”
It’s the most beautiful mountain “Wow! That sounds terrific.”
in our country” asked a fellow This conversation stirred me up to
local sitting in one of the shared such an extent that I couldn’t resist
 the homestay at
mulkarkha where
the writer stayed; (facing
cabs from New Jalpaiguri (NJP).
“Yes! I have seen it. I have been to
finding an answer to the puzzle of this
‘reflection’.
page top to bottom): Jhus- Sikkim umpteen number of times and Mulkarkha Lake, at an altitude of
ing village on the outskirts
of lower neora valley
the towering presence of this mountain 7,500 feet is the answer. The lake is
national park; servang is hard to ignore.” considered sacred by the locals and is
waterfall in the interior of “But do you know the reflection of given the name of Manokamna (Wish-
Jhusing village
this mountain adds a different charm to ing) Lake. The enchanting moment

when to visit
the ideal time to visit Mulkarkha Lake is from the month of october to December.
It is at this time of year that the serenity of the lake is at its magnificent best.The 57
71
month of March brings the villagers to this lake to celebrate ram navami
From Rhenock, I trekked through the

small villages of Jhusing, Tagathan, Mul-
karkha—all in West Bengal—and finally
to Aritar in Sikkim. I stayed at home
stays in Jhusing and Mulkarkha, and I
can vouch for the warm hospitality of
the people in this part of the region.
I completed the trek to Mulkarkha
Lake in 3 days and found the overall
trek easy.
The ideal time to visit Mulkarkha
Lake is from the month of October to
December. It is at this time of year that
the serenity of the lake is at its magnifi-
cent best. The month of March brings
the villagers to this lake to celebrate
Ram Navami, culminating in worship-
ping of the lake and praying in earnest
that the waters of this lake never
dry up.
day1
RHENOCK TO LINGZEY VILLAGE
TO JHUSING VILLAGE
The trek starts from Rhenock town on

a 2 km-long motorable road to Lingzey
village. There is a temple in the village
which is considered the second larg-
est in Darjeeling district. There is also
a Sanskrit Vidyalaya opposite to the
temple, where I relaxed for some time
in the courtyard before moving on to
the next village of Jhusing, approxi-
mately 3 km from Lingzey. The road
that runs behind the temple in Lingzey
village goes towards another village
called Pitamchin. At a walking distance
of about 2 km from Lingzey, there is a
diversion to the right which leads to
Jhusing. At Jhusing, I spent the night at
a homestay before proceeding onwards
the next day. The homestay was very
aesthetically maintained with a splendid
garden full of blooming marigolds in the
front leading to the porch of the house.
when I saw the glowing reflection of at the corner of the lake, basking in
the Khangchendzongaon the shim- the glory of the imposing mountain. day2
mering waters of the lake is hard to The temple, it seemed to me, serves JHUSING VILLAGE TO TAGATHAN
describe. At that moment on the day, as the guardian deity of my idol, the VILLAGE TO MULKARKHA VILLAGE
I was the only person there—standing Khangchendzonga.
at an altitude of 7,500 feet, experienc- For this trek to the ‘Wishing Lake’, I After a night in the cozy atmosphere
ing something mystical in the humbling took a shared Sumo from Rangpo, the of the home stay in Jhusing, with the
company of tall fig trees and mighty gateway of Sikkim. Rangpo is about 80 silhouette of Khangchendzonga as
deodars. I felt a spiritual connection km from NJP, the nearest railhead for its backdrop, I got up early and
with the natural surroundings. Then, Sikkim. The Sumo took me to Rhenock, went fora30 minutes trek that led
I noticed a small, dilapidated temple a small town about 50 km from Rangpo. me through a forest to a hidden treas-

56
72
ure—an amazing waterfall known as ing some time admiring the surround- and culture of this region. There is a
Servang Falls. ings, I returned to my homestay for school before Mulkarkha village which
A U-turn at the end of a gravel path breakfast. serves as a resting point for tired travel-
led to the interiors of the thick forest After a quick bite and grateful fare- lers. Thick verdant bushes and shrubs
of deciduous trees. Walking along the wells to my warm hosts, I headed out line the trail on both sides and nature
narrow trail, I soon got a glimpse of a for Tagathan. As I walked further on, seemed to encourage one to walk the
huge canyon that seemed close at an the chirping of the early morning bird less trodden path.
arm’s length. Within an hour of my trek, lent a musical jingle to the wonderful Finally, I reached Mulkarkha, a village
I got to hear the roar of the waterfall atmosphere. The narrow trail through of 10-15 families, at around 2 in the af-
gushing down nearby. Soon, a small the forest finally led to a wider road ternoon and checked into a homestay.
clearing in the bushes revealed the entering into Tagathan Village—it took The hospitality was as heart-warming as
mighty spectacle of white cascading me about an hour to cover the 3 km dis- the food was refreshing and delicious to
sheets of water crashing down on the tance. The trail turned a bit steeper as taste. I spent the rest of the day walking
ground below. The Servang waterfall I trekked on towards Mulkarkha village. around the village. Mulkarkha Lake is
ultimately meets the river which Small houses that dotted the route pro- above this village and takes around an
flows through the canyon. After spend- vided a glimpse of the rural landscape hour’s trek to reach.

trek details
for the trek to the ‘Wishing Lake’, one has to take a shared sumo from rangpo,
the gateway of sikkim. rangpo is about 80 km from nJP, the nearest railhead. after 57
73
reaching rhenock one has to trek through Jhusing, tagathan, Mulkarkha, aritar
(facing page top to bottom): villagers

at tagathan. sanskrit vidyalaya at lingzey.
clockwise from left: rhenock town, interior of
the mulkarkha homestay; sel roti made of rice
flour and potato curry, family of the homestay
in Jhusing
day3 ling the beautiful view. me to a cluster of hotels in Aritar.

MULKARKHA VILLAGE TO After returning from the lake to Mul- There is an artificial S-shaped lake
MULKARKHA LAKE TO ARITAR karkha village, I had a hearty breakfast in Aritar known as Lampokhari Lake.
of sel roti (pancakes made out of rice On the way to the lake, the tastefully
The next day, I hiked up the narrow trail flour) and potato curry. With my energy decorated houses with flower pots on
to Mulkarkha Lake, which lies above the recharged, I took the downward trail the terraces presented a picturesque
village. After an hour or so, I reached all the way to Aritar in Sikkim. I took tale of the place and its denizens. After
the lake. The early morning sunlight a diversion to the left after a good 30 spending the night at Aritar, I took the
enhanced the beauty of the lake by minutes jaunt on the route—the easiest 8km downhill road to Rhenock. There
inundating the placid water with the part of the trek with minimal physical are regular taxis and cabs available from
reflection of Mount Khangchendzonga. effort. Along the way, I came across a Aritar to Rhenock, but I walked an hour
There were Buddhist prayer flags lining few houses that peeked out from the to reach Rhenock.
the periphery of the lake and a small thick undergrowth every once in a The effect of the place lies in its
temple served as a home for the guard- while. After a good 1-2 hours, I saw the simplicity and the gratifying feeling of
ian deity of the area. One can spend town of Aritar up on the horizon. A fur- having wished well for all at the beauti-
hours around this lake in peace, marvel- ther 3 km down the motorable road led ful lake perched on the top.

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12 ArunAchAl PrAdesh
Walong
text anD photographs by deBjani paul
the only connection with the outsiDe worlD

is through a satellite phone Kept in a shop

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a valley kissed by clouds on

the way to namti

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i
t was a rainy morning in May when I walked to
the local taxi stand in Tezu, my third attempt
over a span of three days to check for transport
to Walong. I was third time lucky, and got
a seat in a shared vehicle (a Sumo) that was
filled up fast by locals, chickens, pigs, vegetables
and almost everything a village might need to
survive! I was not surprised by my companions,
as having travelled solo for months through this
easternmost state of India, I was already used to
such an experience. And thus began my journey
to Walong—probably the best-kept secret of
Arunachal Pradesh.
After travelling a distance of 204 km—includ-
ing a lunch break at Dett Salamgam, a small Army
camp and the only food stop on the way—9 hours
later, we reached Walong.
the journey
Situated on the fringes of the Indo-Tibet border,
Walong is best visited during the winter months
for the clear skies and dry roads at that time.
However, it is nothing short of paradise in the
pre-monsoon months. It lets you create poetry
with floating clouds, hidden sun rays and mystic
mists on the green canvas of Mishmi Hills.
After leaving Tezu and crossing over the first
big mountain, there is a beautiful view point from
where one can see the huge, stream-strewn basin
of the Lohit river and its numerous tributaries. The
view is best seen at sunset, when the panorama
becomes a surreal landscape.
On a clear day, you can also spot the famous  lohit basin as seen from
a hill top on the way to
Parasuram Kund in Lohit. The road condition is walong
good, for the most part of the journey. One inter-
esting observation is a lot of women from Odisha
work with BRO in these sectors. Working in such
harsh and unfamiliar condition, they still offer a
cheerful smile to onlookers.
The sight of the mountains, covered in shades of
green, and the blue water of Lohit took my breath
away. Approximately 30 km before Walong I saw
a spectacular sight—a fierce river from Myanmar
meeting the Lohit on its eastern side. We crossed
an intersection called Swami Camp, where a
beautiful blue river named Dalai meets the Lohit
and the road along the river takes you towards the
famous Namphada National Park.
By the time we reached Walong, the small
settlement was fast disappearing into the even-
ing darkness. It was time to bid goodbye to my
co-passengers, who had become almost like fam-
ily, sharing food, stories and laughter during the
journey.
When I look back, I know it is the warmth of the
Arunachali people which has been my biggest take
away from the trip.

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left to right: a tree stump

shows directions, a view of
walong, a bunker on the
way from walong to dong

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78
the inspection bungalow of piping hot tea in hand, I sat on the balcony for
I had not made any prior bookings, but as is hours gazing at the layers of floating mist above
customary in this part of the state, the Inspection the river. A sudden break through the monsoon
Bungalow (IB) caretakers at Walong are happy to clouds and one could see a snow-capped mountain
give visitors a room, as long as one is available. at a far distance on the northern side which adorns
Being the only visitor in Walong, I got the whole IB the valley like a jewel in the crown.
to myself: a beautifully constructed wooden build- Walong is filled with orange orchards—my room
ing with huge rooms, with balconies and windows opened to one such—and there were orchids in full
overlooking the beautiful valley. I could appreciate bloom along the roads. Amidst all these beauties,
the true beauty of the place only the next morn- the huge Army camp spread around the Advanced
ing when light seeped in through the windows Landing Ground (ALG) at the centre of the val-
early at 4 am. The caretaker is the Man Friday of ley reminded me of the proximity of a disturbed
the IB—he is the cook, cleaner, gatekeeper, guide international border. Guided by an Army man, I got
and story teller. He prepared basic but delectable a chance to look around the ALG, read its history
meals each day I stayed there. It rained throughout and saw a small canopied memorial with a beauti-
my stay and there was no electricity. It was spooky ful poetry inscribed on the cenotaph commemo-
to walk around with a candle in hand at night, rating the brave men of 1962 Indo-Sino war. A
knowing that there was no one else staying nearby. bigger and newer war memorial has been erected
But then, those evenings without anything to do, on the main road towards Kibithu overlooking the
watch or read added much to my solo travelling valley southwards. It has names of the soldiers
experience. Walong gave me that space to pause along with a history of the war.
and look within.
There was no mobile network available in tiger’s mouth
Walong, especially for GSM SIM cards. Only old Walong is mostly remembered for a fierce battle of
generation phones with CDMA SIMs work (some- the 1962 Indo-Sino war. But I did not want to focus
times), I was told. The only way to connect to the my exploration in that direction only. So, I started
rest of the world was through a satellite phone to explore the area on foot and hitchhiked with
available in a shop in the marketplace. They charge a kind hearted local man to nearby Namti plains,
you Rs 5 per minute. The best way to talk more for around 10 km away from Walong. The landscape on
less money is that you call your close ones and ask the way was breathtaking. The kind of mountains,
them to give a call back to that number. They do plateaus and table-land I saw there are unparal-
not charge for incoming calls. leled to anything else I have ever seen. Namti plain
is a visual treat with deep gorges on the eastern
topography, history and tribal side, towering ridges on the western side and the
details of walong mighty Lohit river flowing north to south. Also
As they say, a blank slate is the best as it lets you known as the Tiger’s mouth, this plain witnessed
scribble your own story. Walong was that blank the fiercest battle in the winter of 1962 when
slate to me. I had no prior information about the thousands of Indian soldiers fought against an
place, nor had I seen any photographs of the place. enemy four times their number in adverse weather
Thus, it was with the feeling of discovering a new conditions, limited ammunition and almost no sup-
place that I undertook the journey. As a traveller, I ply of rations or drinking water. Bullet marks could
have always been fascinated by this exploration, be still be seen on the conifer tree trunks high up on
it of people or nature. the ridges. A small canopied memorial is erected
Inhabited majorly by the Miju Mishmi tribe, right in the middle of the valley to commemorate
Walong is surrounded by thickly forested Mishmi the valour of the Indian Army. The effect of the war
hills with diverse flora and fauna—from alpine veg- has persisted long after the war was over. Many
etation in the higher reaches to more subtropical groups of tribes staying high up in the mountains
thick forests in the lower regions. The hills are rich and forests are still not recognised as part of the
with rarest of the medicinal plants, rare animals population of either of the two countries.
like the Mishmi Takin and birds of diverse species. A hilltop, 14 km away from Walong, is named
It’s a paradise for both nature and wildlife lovers. “Helmet Top” for the huge number of military
My first morning in Walong was the most gear—especially helmets—found strewn in that re-
special. It had rained throughout the previous gion after the war. There is a small memorial at the
night and anearthy smell still lingered in the air. top which houses those helmets and other gears.
White sheets of clouds came down and spread in
the middle of the high mountains giving a stark Kibithu, Kahau
contrast to the lush green surrounding. With a cup Another 20 km to the north of Namti Valley lies

nomenclature
also known as the Tiger’s mouth, Namti plain witnessed the fiercest battle in the
winter of 1962 when thousands of indian soldiers fought against an enemy four 57
79
times their number in adverse weather conditions
how i did it
oPtion1: Flight or train to
Dibrugarh - to Pasighat (5
hrs) ferry across Brahmapu-
tra included - to tezu (8 hrs)
includes crossing 3 rivers - to
Walong (9 hrs)
oPtion2: (via newly inaugu-
rated Dhola-sadiya bridge)
- Flight or train to Dibrugarh
-> to roing by road crossing
the newly built Dhola-sadiya
bridge over Brahmaputra (2
hrs) - to tezu by road (3hrs) -
to Walong (9 hrs)
cclockwise from right):

the new war memorial on the
main road towards kibithu; war
memorial on alg area; the writer
showing the way to dong

journey to kiBithu
the tibetan trading town of rima can be seen on the other side of the border from
56
80 Kibithu. situated on the last road head in the extreme northeast of india, the journey
to Kibithu from Walong is one of the most scenic ones in this region
 clockwise from above: hot

spring beside the lohit; the
writer’s companions to dong;
the alg in walong valley

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81
Kibithu, a tri-nation point between India, Tibet (to under the bridge, it was scary to cross it. The
the north) and Myanmar (to the east). This is also vibration of my footsteps made the bridge sway
the place where the Lohit river enters India from sideways and, stopping to take pictures in the mid-
Tibet. The Tibetan trading town of Rima can be dle of that bridge gave me a huge adrenalin rush.
seen on the other side of the border from Kibithu. One gets stunning views of the Namti plains and
Situated on the last road head in the extreme the whole valley from the bridge. The Dong river
northeast of India, the journey to Kibithu from Wa- flows down from Myanmar and meets Lohit at this
long is one of the most scenic ones in this region. junction, where the village is located.
Generally, the shared Sumo taxis coming from Dong is mostly uninhabited, with only a handful
Tezu goes until Mussaeri (only if there is a pas- (roughly eight houses) of farmer families settling at
senger travelling to that point), which is a junction the start of the hills just after crossing the bridge.
point from where Kibithu lies 6 km on the western The stepped rice fields and small wooden cot-
side and Kahau lies 7 km away on the eastern side tages surrounded by rose gardens gave this small
of Lohit river. There is no year-long permanent settlement a charming look. Monsoon is not the
bridge over the river for vehicles except for a sus- right time to witness a proper sunrise, but during
pension foot bridge. Every year the Army remakes the winter months, travellers can come here with
the motorable bridge over the Lohit after the a guide, climb to the plateau and experience the
monsoon season ends. During my visit, the BRO moment when the first sun rays fall on India. After
road construction was in full swing and non-Army exploring Dong and meeting with the few fami-
vehicles were not permitted to go up to Kibithu. lies, witnessing their lifestyle, farming and cattle
And so, I steered my way away towards Dong, the raising, we came down to the hot spring for which
first Indian village to witnesses the sunrise. my companions were all excited. The icy cold river
water of Lohit overflowed the hot spring water
dong and the hot spring making it easier to swim although the temperature
Dong, a little hilly hamlet on the eastern side of difference at places made us shiver in cold.
Lohit, is famous for being the first place in the It is interesting that the first sunrise in India
country to witness sunrise. Some 7 km away from happens here around 4 am and the westernmost
Walong, Dong appears after crossing another small part of India, Bhuj in Gujarat takes almost 2.5 hours
and beautiful village, Tilam, on the eastern bank. more to see the light of the day!
The entire roadside had numerous hidden Army
bunkers. There is also a major Army camp in the the people
area. I loved the walk from Walong to Dong, along Back in the town, I was welcomed by parents and
with two local girls who were more than excited to families of the girls who were my companion. We
come with me and enjoy the hot spring at the river had a nice chat sitting in the cosy warmth of the
side. It was a fun game of discovering a hidden open hearth in one of the few tea and momo shops
bunker every now and then and entering a cou- in the marketplace. I was amazed to know how
ple of those just to get a feel of the place. The hot hunting is, till date, one of the major activities for
spring was just beside the river and right there was both Mishmi men and women, for both serious and
an iron suspension bridge that connects Dong to recreational purposes. Fishing in the Lohit river
this part of Walong. With the river flowing fiercely is also popular among locals. In spite of staying
in such a far corner of the country, most of the
children study at private high schools in Hawai or
Pasighat. The overall societal structure seemed
DoNG, A LITTLE hILLy the same like in other parts of Arunachal Pradesh
where apparently the women shoulder a heavier
hAMLET oN ThE EAST- duty than men.
The sight of the Mishmi hills as seen from the
ERN SIDE of LohIT, iS spartan setup of the inspection bungalow, the
friendly chats with locals while taking a stroll on a
FAmOuS FOr bEiNG drizzling day, the interrogation by an intelligence
bureau officer, the party by the river with locals—
thE FirSt plAcE iN thE and all these at the farthest corner of the country—
will be etched in my mind forever. Although a part
cOuNtry tO witNESS of me wants more people to witness this magical
area of India, a part of me is also concerned about
SuNriSE possible upkeep of this paradise which is highly
dependent on responsible tourism!

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Daniel Tjernberg and

Priyanka Nanda
Anup Kar and Santosini Panda
Anuradha Das and Tapan

Patnaik
Neelima Mishra and

Janmejaya Mohapatra

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13 nagaland
text & photographs by neeliMa Mishra
four anxious couples visit
nagaland and return home after
an enriching and humbling experience

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84
the hills around the

dzukou valley
a
s has been the norm with my friends, one would definitely have led to some frantic calls from
trip always leads to the next. Our trip to the Swedish Embassy to their Indian counterparts
Nagaland was no different, plannedin the to ensure the release of Daniel, our Swedish friend
midst of spotting tigers at Tadoba in May and co-traveller. But no such misadventure took
this year. Once we figured out who would place: and here we are, describing an experience
be coming along, the only planning we had to do that was humbling, to say the least.
was to drop a mail to the highly recommended After an overnight journey from Guwahati and
‘Alder Tours and Travels’ for a group of 4 couples Kolkata, we reached Dimapur, Nagaland, a city
(newly married, travellers, seasoned travellers of yellow cabs. A breakfast of momos, chili pork
and an Indo-Swedish couple). While some of us and freshly baked chicken puffs almost made us
felt a tinge of apprehension and anxiety about forget the weather: hot, humid and dusty. Cramped
what could go wrong, the rest looked ahead with between Assam and Nagaland, the city of Dimapur
excitement. is the gateway to Nagaland. A dirt track without a
Here are the experiences of the four couples: single stretch of proper road, this neglected city
gives you absolutely no sense of what lies 68 kilo-
The Newlyweds (Anup Kar and Santosini Panda) metres ahead on NH68.
For three months before the trip had even begun, Kevi, a smiling Naga man, drove us up north in
we spent our time worrying about what might go his yellow Sumo SUV to the cooler, cleaner and
wrong. What if we were kidnapped in Nagaland? prettier city of Kohima, the capital. It was unlike
Or if a landslide blocked the roads? Or even worse, any other mountain drive. No nausea, no head-
what if there was an ambush by insurgents? That aches and no mountain sickness. Some hot coffee

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85
at a thatched cafe, a few smiling vendors selling II battle between the British/Allied forces and the
delicious pineapple on the way, no air condition- Japanese. The battle actually took place on a tennis
ers—we knew we were getting closer to nature. court, which today is marked out with concrete
The East Gate Hotel is where we checked in late in lines. When you walk through the cemetery and
the evening. The hotel balcony presented an un- read the lines on the tombstones, the heart almost
adulterated and moist view of the city—just right to weeps for the senseless violence that ended so
invigorate the senses after a long, bumpy journey. many young lives.
As we planned the rest of the trip with our friendly Our next stop was the local Naga bazaar. Ro-
English speaking guide Vime, we were slightly sad dents, frogs, worms and insects, mushrooms, dried
that Day 1 of such a long-awaited trip was about fruits and the world´s spiciest chili called Bhut
to end. Jolokia or ghost pepper were some of the local
delicacies we saw there.
The Expats (Daniel Tjernberg and Priyanka Later, we visited the Naga Heritage Village, Kisa-
Nanda) ma, where the Hornbill festival is held every year.
Waking up to a misty, cloud covered Kohima, with The main attractions are the different morungs
its serpentine city roads filled with kids in red and the various clusters of houses of the differ-
uniforms, was a delightful sight. The day was to ent Naga tribes, like the Angami, the Chakhesang,
explore Kohima and its surroundings. First on the the Sema, the Tangkhul etc. The Hornbill Festival
list was a visit to the War Cemetery, maintained is essentially a one-stop shop for a wholesome
by the Central War Graves Commission—a peace- Naga experience, hence known as the “Festival of
ful place constructed on the site of a World War Festivals”.

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early morning view of kohima;

(facing page) the visitors and their
english speaking guide vime
We were also invited to our driver’s house in

Jakhama village, where we got to taste homemade
our tents were rice beer. The rain, local beer and friends gave our
Kohima outing a special taste for sure.
pitched At the edge The Travellers I (Anuradha Das
of one of the hills and Tapan Patnaik)

There were many special moments during our visit
And we reAlised to Nagaland, but the trip to Dzukou Valley was

close to our hearts for more than a few reasons.
that sometimes, Dzukou was a trek that we had anticipated would

be difficult, and all of us had come prepared with
the best things

all sorts of equipment and clothing that might be
required. Heavy rain made sure that we skipped
in the World are

the more treacherous route via Jakhama, and took
the relatively easier route via Viswema. However,
‘easier route’ is an entirely relative term on a trek
indeed free to Dzukou.
At the base camp, we were excited to be going

kisaMa village
the main attraction at the heritage village, Kisama, where the hornbill festival is
held every year are the different morungs and the various clusters of houses of the 57
87
different naga tribes, like the angami, the chakhesang, the sema, the tangkhul etc.
on a trek after such a long time, but were also both to skip it. The trekking gathered pace once we
worried about not being able to complete the trip got a grip on the terrain—and then suddenly,
since we were not in the best physical shape. we realised that we were literally ‘walking in
The initial part of the trip was an antithesis of the clouds’.
what we had imagined it to be—the steep climb Covered in mud and shivering with cold, we
through the forest had us huffing and puffing all reached the summit. There, a cup of hot tea and
the way. A trek has an unforgiving way of expos- instant noodles was just what we needed. At 2,552
ing one’s fitness levels. One ‘aha’ moment of the metres above sea level, and somewhere in be-
Nagaland trip was on that steep incline—we both tween Manipur and Nagaland, we were sitting by
promised to spend some quality time at the gym. a fire warming our aching bodies. The view from
Our slightly sagging spirits got a fillip as we saw the Guest House was pristine and of unparalleled
the misty views from the hills. The first thing that beauty. Our tents were strategically pitched at the
struck us about the valley were the small bushes edge of one of the hills and we realised that some-
through which the path cut through. Most of us times, the best things in the world are indeed free.
were prepared for the rain, but none perhaps were The ever-friendly porters arranged a fantastic
prepared for the muddy and slippery route ahead. bonfire and entertained us with some lively Naga
After a few slips and landing on our butts, every- songs. After a hearty meal, we went to sleep.
one figured out the best way to navigate the route The next day, the climb down the valley was
was by walking through the mud rather than trying less demanding, at least psychologically.

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(clockwise from left): tents

with a panaromic view of dzouku
Valley; green fields below Khonoma
village; dzukou valley guest house;
trekking to dzukou valley; where
the trek starts
part of Indian Union’. Anger, you may think, would

The Travellers II (Janmejaya Mohapatra and be the natural reaction. But it was a mixed feel-
Neelima Mishra) ing. Here are a group of people trying to keep alive
After the arduous trek down from Dzukou, our their age-old struggle of independence through
driver took us to Dawn Homestay, whose compound fragmented groups and rebellion. Whether their
also hosted a boys’ hostel in Kigwema. There,the rebellion against the Indian Union is correct or not
Yhosii family ensured we were well taken care of, depends on which side of history you belong to.
with homemade food. After a meal of sticky rice and Khonoma, Asia’s greenest village, is also one
pumpkin leaf soup, we slept very well that night. of Asia’s most beautiful villages. Forts, resorts,
The next day, while entering Khonoma, Vime made community training centres, playgrounds, live-
it a point to stop at the Naga War Memorial. A pic- stock, flowers, fruits, clouds, stone packed walls
turesque viewpoint with a large stone engraved with and roads—we could go on and on. As Neikedolie
the words ‘Nagas are not Indians, Nagaland is not a Hiekha, general manager of Dovipie Inn, where

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(clockwise from top): Janme-

jaya with a naga mother; riot of
colours at a naga market; sticky
rice and pumpkin stem soup; pork
momos at dimapur; a visibly tough
trek to dzukou valley
we stayed overnight, explained, the philosophy in the about Nagaland in advance? Not much. A remote state
area is not about being green, it is about sustainable in India, where the tribes have been headhunters for
all-round development without exploiting nature, us- generations; a region that some countries advise not
ing traditional indigenous techniques of conservation to visit at all. However, we didn´t feel any fear being
and growth. A visit to the buffer area of the Tragopan there, rather we came across a friendly population liv-
Bird Sanctuary is definitely advisable—there, we saw ing in the middle of green and beautiful nature.
mithuns (Bos frontalis), wild apple trees and a few Nagaland is a part of India, yet so different. It´s a bit
birds too. of a forgotten place. If the roads and communications
When you rearrange the words N-A-G-A-S, you get were better, many more tourists would find their way
the word S-A-N-G-A, which, in our native language to Nagaland. Maybe it is the reason that Nagaland is
Odiya means ‘Friends’. And friends they are and the not exploited and touristic today. The Sisters will
best of the lot. Nagaland touched us with honesty, definitely see more of us for sure. Thank you, Naga-
self-sufficiency and sprightliness. What did we know land, for enriching our lives.

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indonesia text & photographs by snigdha bhowmick
The Best
lake toba in
northern sumatra

91
Raw Deals
Try These amazing raw and prisTine
desTinaTions ThaT do noT figure in The
popular TourisT desTinaTion lisT

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90
T
here is no denying the fact that Indone- We begin our journey in Northern Sumatra,
sia is one of the most exotic countries where lie the crystal blue waters of Lake Toba.
to travel to. With a favourable foreign There is something really soulful in the sight
exchange rate, sun kissed white sand of the sun reflecting off the water as my ferry
beaches and crystal clear blue wa- races towards my destination, the serenity of early
ters, this nation of islands has become a favoured morning broken only by the sound of the diesel
destination for Indians, the visa on arrival (VOA) engine. The lake spreading out as an expanse of
being merely the cherry on top. However, with deep blueis located within the volcanic mountain
most tourists heading to Bali via prepackaged ranges of Northern Sumatra. The scenic beauty is
tours, Indonesia’s many other islandsbecome sadly one which makes a city person feel overwhelmed,
overlooked. For people looking to escape the com- the soft musical rhymes of the water singing to
mercial packaging marring foreign travel, to enjoy your sound-parched city ears. Though the shores
the scenic and cultural beauty of Indonesia in its have been occupied by hotels and es-
raw and pristine state, we take a detour to some of tablishments, the lake’s characteristic
the most off-beat destinations in the country. Our quietness can still be enjoyed in the wee
journey will take you through four cities in three of  (below): morning
ferry ride in lake
toba; a view of a street in solo;
hours of the morning.
the islands; Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi. Deep within the lake lies Samosir
(facing page) tnan houses with
their distinctive boat-shaped Island, home to one of Indonesia’s origi-
lake toba and samosir island roofs nal tribes, the Bataks. A half hour ferry

93
participate in the Si Gale Gale dance. Complete

ride brings us to Bataki village as the sun begins to with traditional headgear, it involves the whole
break clear of the horizon. Time seems to come to community.
a standstill as I walk along the streets and the nar-
row alleyways. Colourfully dressed Bataki women, solo
wearing their traditional attire, go about their daily
life: darting glances at the host of cameras clicking Solo, also known as Surakarta, is the royal and
pictures of their homes, while trying to maintain cultural capital of central Java. Its royal lineage and
the impression of normalcy. The red brick Rumah its traditions shape Javanese culture even today.
houses are intermixed with modern structures In the 18th century, the bustling city was once the
and converge upon a common town centre. This home of the royal family of Susuhunan Pakubu-
is where all the villagers congregate to celebrate wono. The main tourist attractions to look out
their rituals, particularly marriages and deaths. for here are the Keraton Sukarata Palace and the
The marriage customs begin in quite an elabo- Mangkunegaran Palace. These places showcase the
rate way, with white clothes for the groom and red residence of the royals and display the heirlooms
for the bride. These customs draw heavily from of the royal dynasties of yore.
the Christian and Muslim religious traditions, and But royalty is not the only reason you should be
celebrated over a full day, with a lot of fervent heading to Solo. It is also home to one of Indone-
dancing and lots of food. To involve yourself fully sia’s products, the indigenous dyed fabric, Batik.
in their culture, there is no better way than to A visit to Solo is not complete without visiting

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90
the Danar Hadi Batik Museum, which displays semarang

this beautiful handmade fabric in all its glory
from all across the country, and also gives you a While the Dutch influence is sprinked around
crash course in its history. Being a street explorer, on Solo, Semarang is the city where one witnesses
one thing that fascinated me was the many ways the granduer of the Dutch Colonial architecture.
the locals have to commute. Walking down the Semarang is a port city on the north coast of Cen-
streets, you cannot miss the old tram line run- tral Java, founded by the Dutch in the 19th century.
ning along the roads of Solo. It’s a steam train from One of the first places where the influence of
the colonial era and runs between two very small colonial power led to urban growth was the Dutch
points. One can still ride on the train to recreate East Indian Railway Company Headquarters in the
the experience of the city in its colonial times. The 1800’s. Today it is known as Lewang Sewu, which
Dutch influence on architecture is spilled across means “Thousand Doors” in Javanese. Although the
Solo, with European style signposts and street building doesn’t have a thousand doors, it is the
lamps living amicably with post-colonial aspira- similar looking Dutch doors and windows which
tions of a developing nation and its people. But if got the locals confused. Due to its major influence
you’re planning on exploring the street markets, on the city’s skyline, Semarang is also known as the
then taking a rickshaw (locally called as Becak) ride Little Netherlands of Indonesia.
and making a stop at Pasar Gede for shopping will And it is not just Lewang Sewu—walking down
be a good choice. the streets of Semarang is like travelling back in
time. The entire city is filled with wall anchors,
alleys of semarang

95
which are very characteristic of Dutch architec-

ture. There are uninterrupted alleys, made of cob-
blestone, merging with wide city roads, with build-
ings from the early 20th century on either side,
WhILE ThE DuTCh IN- with high rise ceilings and huge wooden doors and
windows, possibly as a show of strength by the
fLuENCE IS SPRINKLED Dutch colonialists. However, because Semarang is
a port city, there are influences of many cultures
ARouND oN SoLo, IN apart from the Dutch. With minority populations
of Chinese, Indians and Arabs, small pockets in
SEmArANG ONE wit- the city flaunt their respective lifestyles. The city’s
China town is one of the must visit destinations.
NESSES thE GrANDuEr tana toraja

OF thE Dutch cOlO- The final destination of our journey is Tana
NiAl ArchitEcturE Toraja. The only means of transport available to

reach here is by air, via Makassar. Toraja means
“people of the highlands” and is home to an in-
digenous group called the Torajans, or as locals
call themselves, Tanah Toraja. The tribe is one
a batik factory in solo
a torajan house batak houses

56
96
90
of the few left in Indonesia free of any European

influence. The two-hour-long drive to the village
from the Sulawesi airport is a refreshing journey,
featuring a lush and green landscape dotted with
paddy fields and cattle farms with fog rolling uphill
completing the picture. The moment you step in
Toraja village, city life is consigned to oblivion—the
native lifestyle of the people makes the noise of
the city a distant memory. The houses which are
known as Tnan in the local Bahasi instantly caught
my interest. One of the most peculiar things about
the houses are the boat-shaped roofs, deriving its
structure from the complex belief systems of the
tribe. The exterior of the Tnan is piled with buffalo
horns, signifying the wealth inherited by the fam-
ily. The bigger and more in number, the richer you
are and the higher your status in the tribe.
But the major reason that the Torajans are
known for are their complex funeral system. Each
of these ceremonial funerals cost a whopping ten
thousand dollars. You can experience the complex-
ities of the funeral by taking the tour of the village
and Londa caves. A local guide will take you on a
tour through the dark grave caves by oil lamp.
The Londa caves are natural uphill caves where
the tribe keep the coffins inside them. These caves
are always at a level higher than that of the village,
because it is believed to be closer of the realm of
the gods. Many of the graves are so old that the
coffin has rotted away, leaving a pile of bones cov-
ered with cigarettes and liquor bottles that family
leaves when they come to visit. Some of the caves
give a rather nerve chilling experience, as I truly
(clockwise from top
experienced.
left): headgear of the
Indonesia’s powerful mix of culture, centuries torajans, a batak tribal
old traditions, stunning vistas continues to amaze woman, si gale gale
dancer; ferry ride at
us and if you are visiting the country for the first samosir island
time, then you are sure to get an enthralling
pilgrimage like experience that will leave you
wanting for more.
inside the londa caves

w w w .t o
u ri sm th
a il a n d .o
rg
Discover Amazing Stories

Experience a magical place where Sun, Sea and Sand are at
their best, alongwith amazing food and warm Thai hospitality.
Come and collect memories of a life time.
For more information Contact, Tourism Authority of Thailand
New Delhi: (91 11) 4674 1111, tatdel@tat.or.th
Trang, Andaman Sea
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tawang monastery
, Ziro
Paddy field
theravada buddhist vihara, tengapani, lohit
dite dime, east siang

sangti valley
loCated in part of the eastern himalayan ranges, and at the top of northeastern india, arunachal pradesh is the most pristine
and picturesque tourist destination of india. there are 5 major himalayan rivers and innumerable perennial smaller rivers
crisscrossing its vast 83,743 sq. km area. it has 9 wildlife sanctuaries and 2 national parks teeming with rare and endangered
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pradesh has it all and more. come and experience its rich diversity.

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volume no. 03 | issue no.

be a part of the change that is happening timeout on mizoram’s

the region comprising the

sangai + hornbill wishing lake indonesia

Subscription amount for

SAvE Kindly attach a copy of the payment along with your

Outdoorpeople, Flat No 601, Samvad Apartment, Sector Alpha-1,

I am enclosing cheque/DD No…………………….................drawn on (specify bank)

editor Kishore Seram

Discover inDia’s northeast november-december 2017

november-december 2017 Discover inDia’s northeast

dambuk orange Festival

JuiCe uP your life wiTh SoMe greaT

november-december 2017 Discover inDia’s northeast

Discover inDia’s northeast november-december 2017

november-december 2017 Discover inDia’s northeast

Discover inDia’s northeast november-december 2017

snapshots of men with their

residents with the opportunity to make a quick

the indigenous Adi

november-december 2017 Discover inDia’s northeast

swedish guitarist yngwie

as on-stage pyrotechnics dazzled the crowd. selves with the place.

Discover inDia’s northeast november-december 2017

november-december 2017 Discover inDia’s northeast

Discover inDia’s northeast november-december 2017

november-december 2017 Discover inDia’s northeast

Discover inDia’s northeast november-december 2017

3 Sangai photographs: ronel seram

21-30 november 2017

november-december 2017 Discover inDia’s northeast

Discover inDia’s northeast november-december 2017

 extravaganza, visitors will also get

november-december 2017 Discover inDia’s northeast

4 Hornbill photographs: munindrajit aribam

1-10 December 2017

Discover inDia’s northeast november-december 2017

november-december 2017 Discover inDia’s northeast

Discover inDia’s northeast november-december 2017

monks releasing sky

november-december 2017 Discover inDia’s northeast

Discover inDia’s northeast november-december 2017

november-december 2017 Discover inDia’s northeast

clockwise from above: monks

Discover inDia’s northeast november-december 2017

the toughest tasks I have ever seen. There were

november-december 2017 Discover inDia’s northeast

(clockwise from left)

Discover inDia’s northeast november-december 2017

one of the worlD’s olDest living festivals

november-december 2017 Discover inDia’s northeast

 (facing page) meidingoo

Discover inDia’s northeast november-december 2017

  (clockwise from facing page top)

november-december 2017 Discover inDia’s northeast

Discover inDia’s northeast november-december 2017

november-december 2017 Discover inDia’s northeast

another function—it provides an oppor- state. The introduction of ‘untouch-

Discover inDia’s northeast november-december 2017

november-december 2017 Discover inDia’s northeast

Discover inDia’s northeast november-december 2017

november-december 2017 Discover inDia’s northeast