It was about 10.30 pm at night and suddenly a call came.My
friend on the other side said that they have decided to go arunachal and wheather
I would be able to go.Unable to resist the temptation of arunachal I accepted
the proposal and took out my small car and headed for club where 3 of my
friends were waiting. I had no spare tire and heading for arunachal at this
time of intense landslide and thunder showers would be real stupid without it.So
we went to anirban’s place and while he diverted his mother’s attention we stole
the spare tire from his car and headed for our destination.Nitu drove the whole
night and in morning when his eyes were at the threshold of shutting down I
took to the steering wheel.At about 7,30am we reached balipara and had
breakfast and waited for the studio and xerox shop to open.We procuered our passport
photos and photocopied our documents and headed for Bhalukpong where we shall
apply for our ILP for arunachal at 10.00.At about 10.30 am our permit was ready
and with renewed vigor we headed uphill.
We drove ahead below the
shades of forest trees on either side ,occasionally getting the glimpse of
kameng river running down and Nameri wildlife sanctuary on both sides.From
distant the mountains called us queued one behind the other.The local langurs
criss crossed our paths ,jumping from one tree to another.Light drizzles made
the weather shady with clouds running in
the wind forming various imaginary shapes.We crossed tipi and witnessed the
force of water leaped from peaks of the mountains forming numerous waterfalls.Out
of them the Lumum falls shaped out majestically splashing out its water jets at
our face as we haulted to come closer to it.
Finally the road detoriated
and eroded patches with heaps of landslide mud on either side slowed down our
march.at some points the streams dissected the road violently and our car being
a smal light weak medium shivered with fear of being washed downhill but
bravely it passed with occasional hiccups.But the most problematic was the
heaps of mud and the car would stop, cry out loud with the wheel spinning vigorously
and we had to push with our might,our face and clothes splashed with
dirt.finally at about 6.30 we reached Dirang.
We hopped into the hotel and
the next morning a local boy took us to a nearby village .the whole dirang town
was visible like a hamlet of tranquil inhabitants.The dirang monastery sood
imposingly at the distant,pine trees towered the sky,clouds putting a veil over
the peaks.The prayer flags spoke of the serene existence.The Dirang river
passed the town with settlements on its bank.
We packed up and headed for
our much awaited destination of sangti valley.Through the serpentine muddy
paths we climbed altitude passing through the alpine forest with fruits gardens
all around the slopes of the mountain.One striking feature of the vegetation
was the large presence of cannabis trees all around reminding me of parvati
valley.Finally we reached the regional Sheep breeding farm and enquired if we
can stay there on which a person told us to wait and he will send Daju or elder
brother in Nepali.
Daju came to the farm and took us to an
elevated Assam type cottage.The house was majestic with several rooms and
kitchen and he told that it was ours for that day making us elated.The regional
sheep breeding farm was a large area nestled on the inclined slope of the
mountains.There were pigs rearing fields and ponds.The whole slopes of the
mountains were doted by thousands of sheeps
grazing on fresh alpine grasses .The farm has a plot where there are
rows of pear trees and all of them were loaded with fruits .with greed for
freshly plucked pear,we started plucking ,shaking,jumping and in a matter of
time their were plenty and we ate till our belly was full.On the other side of
the road the cultivations of corn dominated the topography.
The sangti
village has a total population of 630. There are about 155 houses in the
Village.
With an altitude of about 1500 m, the winters here are cold and dry. The
landscape is that of a wide, open valley with paddy fields, some of which are
marshy along the river on one side. The Morpa community which inhabits this
area are mainly Buddhists and also followers of the ancient animist tradition.
Rituals involving sacrifice are still prevalent amongst the animists.
Agriculture is one of the occupations practiced by the villagers, in which most
agriculturalists grow paddy and maize. Besides this, horticulture, rearing of
hens, sheep, cows, goats, pigs and horses is also practiced.
We followed the sangti river
upstream and at the location where the road passes over a spectacularly located
steel bridge,we decided put our camps.On the banks of the sangti river on an
open wide grassland we sat circling enjoying the silence of the valley.The
clouds covered the peaks of the mountains,the river rushed down with thunder
and on the distant horizon mountains guarded the valley taking in its arms
numerous apple gardens.The pine trees towered to the sky and we immersed ourselves
I the cold waters of the river trying to keep our bodies afloat. Soon we lost
the count of time,totally emptied our minds from the usual existence.it was now
a shanty valley or a valley of peace. After some time few men with hunting
rifles approached us,bedazzled to see us lost in the beauty of the valley.One
of them invited us to his house as a guest and we reciprocated by promising to
visit him.
We wandered around the village
overjoyed to see their peaceful existence.There were prayer wheels after
regular intervals and we stopped at each of them and turned the wheels hoping
to get the blessings of Buddha.Pomegranate trees stood firmly along the length
of the road .The kiwi fruit gardens with small cottages in between made us
wanting for them but there was still time for their harvesting.
This open valley has been an
ideal habitat for the wintering black-necked crane, now an endangered species.
These birds have been regularly visiting this valley since the early 1950s. It
is an ideal breeding ground for these avian visitors and the marshy lowlands
act as a good source of food supply for them. The black-necked cranes arrive
towards the end of November or early December and leave the area by early
February.
Back at the Breeding farm
cottage daju dined our meal.He was extremely proficient in cooking.Late at
night we went out searching for Letro,the man who invited us at the banks of
santi earlier in the day.We soon found his homestay and people there rushed to
call him.It was an one storied cottage .below in the kitchen a lady was
preparing wine from freshly fermented corn,a specialty of this valley.Letro
came and took us upstairs and we were amazed to see the arrangements .there
were wooden sofas positioned in a rectangular way ,wooden railings that would
have provided a view to a stream below if it was day time.He entertained us
with his funny tales and future plans to make this valley a travelling
hotspot.there were mithun meat,local corn wine,local chutneys and Letro’s
humourous company.our bodies were flying with the influence fresh corn wines
and we laughed loudly in each other’s funny tales. Letro told us that this was
on of the place which hosted a famous travel series kalki’s great escape in
which Kalki Koechlin and her father documented the amazing places of
arunachal and the sangti episode was shot in this house.We were amazed by his
humble nature.We bade him farewell and asked how can we pay him for his
hospitality and delicious food and wine.He pointed us to a room in the home stay
and told us jokingly that the father daughter duo after battles of wine
drinking will lay in that room laughing and high on the local strong wines. I also
suddenly realized that we are also very high probably on the clouds of sangti
but I had no wish to come down.We bade
him farewell and asked him how we can pay him for his hospitality,on which
replied “kitna doge?? Ek laakh??” and continued laughing loudly.
The next morning with heavy
heart we said good by to the valley of peace promising to return soon.
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