The Hindu Business Line : A climb to the clouds

Standing in solitary splendour, overlooking a grand view of the snowy Himalayas, is the Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh, which draws visitors throughout the year, with pilgrims coming from as far away as Japan.

The Monastery in Tawang

First a warning. The journey is tough, steep and peppered with hairpin bends. If you are not a hardened traveller, by the time you reach Tawang, your head is likely to be spinning. Add to it the gentle breeze which pierces through protective clothing makes you wonder why you attempted this arduous trip to such Himalayan heights.

So, for an unacclimatised fresher going from the plains to Tawang, the recipe is simple and strict — take it easy for the first day, lest you find yourself out of breath and panting. Tuck yourself in a warm bed and sip some thupka (Tibetan noodle soup) and begin your sightseeing the following day.

In fact, when you get up the next morning, you will scarcely believe what you see. The picture-postcard beauty of this hill station in Arunachal Pradesh will simply take your breath away. The scenery is alpine and the Himalayan ranges are lush with pine, oak and rhododendron forests. There is also an abundant growth of bamboo, which is the favourite food of the red panda found in these parts of north-east India.

Magnificent, in a word

Located 3,400 metres (about 10,000 ft) above sea level, Tawang is the second oldest monastery in Asia, which explains the rush of tourists to this remote settlement. The magnificent monastery overlooks the valley and is surrounded by mountains that seem to be towering around it like guards. The monastery's enormous yellow roof and white walls stand out like a beacon. The place is completely isolated from the world.

The monastery has elaborately painted wooden windows and other motifs. Prayer flags flutter in the breeze. The three-storeyed Dukhang (assembly hall) has a magnificent eight-metre (26-ft) high gilded image of Buddha that attracts scholars and pilgrims from as far away as Japan.

The ancient library, leading on to the Parkhang (main courtyard) has an excellent collection of old scriptures, images and thankas (traditional paintings and manuscripts) depicting the Buddha and tutelary deities in different poses. The monastery or Gompa (in local language) is over 350 years old and is an important pilgrimage for Buddhists.

Founded in 1645 by Mera Lama, a contemporary of the fifth Dalai Lama, this Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) establishment is home to a community of 500 lamas who live in its 65 residential buildings and do their daily rituals of chanting, praying, meditating and propagating Buddhist thought. The sixth Dalai Lama was born here. Also known as the Galden Namgyal Lhatse, the monastery is a repository of Tibetan Buddhist culture.

By divine hand

The town is home to about 500 lamas and their families.

Our guide, Namgayal tells us that this divine site was chosen by the celestial white horse. According to Buddhist legend, Mera Lama saw the site of the Tawang monastery in a dream. He dreamt that a white horse pawed the ground, which, upon awakening, he earmarked as the site of the monastery. It took 40 years to complete the structure.

Tawang is located in a remote part of India amongst the lofty Himalayan ranges. It does not have an airport or railway station of its own. It is connected by road with other towns in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

Getting to Tawang from Kolkata means braving a long but rewarding journey. The drive through the picturesque mountain country is spectacular and can leave you breathless, as you wind around steep hill-roads and manoeuvre sharp hairpin bends. In parts, the road can be rather treacherous. This certainly is not a drive for the faint-hearted!

The actual journey to Tawang starts from Guwahati, the capital of Assam. Here one can avail a bus or a taxi to Bomdila. Past the Dirang Valley with its old dzong (fort), the road climbs sharply to the Sela Pass. At 4,249 metres (13,940 ft), this is the second highest motorable pass in the world (the highest, incidentally, is in Ladakh). This barren, desolate landscape is softened by a serene lake that lies below the Sela Pass.

Historically, the area around Tawang was one of the disputed regions between India and China. When the Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959, his route into India was through Tawang, and he still visits the area regularly to hold special prayers. The monastery was badly damaged by the 1962 Chinese invasion, and priceless Thankhas destroyed.

Namgayal shows us a memorial to a valiant Indian soldier who held up the advancing Chinese army during the India-China war of 1962. The road near the memorial descends to a beautiful, wide valley. The monastery, dramatically located on a spur surrounded by snow-capped peaks, dominates the valley.

Tawang has one main street and a warren of alleys to the houses that climb up the hillside towards the towering monastery. It also has one quaint little bazaar, which sells products ranging from talismans and prayer wheels to garish sunglasses and transistor radios. The snack stalls are aplenty offering solja, the yak butter tea, thupka and hot momos, the delicious steamed meat dumplings.

This is virtually the last frontier, strategically placed between China, Tibet and Myanmar but very Indian. Medicinal herbs grow in abundance in Tawang. The locals believe that many of these have magical aphrodisiacal qualities. Though it may be difficult to authenticate that, what can be endorsed is that there is magic all around in this ancient region. For, standing atop the Tawang Monastery the landscape can truly take the breath away. This is really the land of the moon.

Fact file

How to get there: Tawang is connected by road with other towns in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam via Guwahati and Bomdila.

Where to stay: Accommodation in the middle-to-low budget range is aplenty. Tariffs start at Rs 200 to Rs 500. There is a modest Government Tourist Lodge and a Circuit House as well.

When to visit: The best time to visit Tawang is between March and August.

What to buy: Tawang is known for its traditional handicrafts and exquisite woollen carpets depicting Buddhist themes and motifs.

Tips: Any Indian tourist coming to Tawang has to obtain an Inner Line Permit. The permit is granted as a routine. Foreign tourists intending to visit Arunachal Pradesh require restricted area permit. The application should be made to the Home Commissioner, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar, or the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi.

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