Now for the Happy part : I finally made it to Basar for Basar Confluence or BasCon 4.0 from 1-4 December 2019. I was contacted by Karyom Basar in advance and he had sent an invite for the festival. Hence there was no confusion as my dates were already blocked before any other assignment elsewhere could be discussed!

Where is Basar?

Basar is a small town and headquarters of the newly formed Leparada district of Arunachal Pradesh. Arunachal Pradesh is the biggest state in Northeast India in terms of area and Basar lies in the central part of the state. Basar is located amidst an evergreen rainforest. The indigenous tribe of Basar is Galo; Galo tribe is one among the 26 major tribes of Arunachal Pradesh.

It was shocking to know that before the Bogibeel bridge was built, people would cross (that part of the road) the river Brahmaputra on boat or ferry. In that case, one cab would drop you to one side of the Brahmaputra river and another cab would be waiting on the other side of the river after the boat crossing is done. Some ferries are big enough to accommodate two-wheelers and cars as well. The boat crossing would take around 1 hr 30 mins.

However, since Bogibeel bridge has been thrown open for vehicular traffic in end of December 2018, travel time has reduced considerably. It now takes hardly 10 minutes to cross the Brahmaputra river via the 4.94 km long Bogibeel bridge. Bogibeel bridge is the 2nd longest road-cum-rail bridge in Asia.

Dibrugarh to Basar – The Journey

We were on one of the direct flights from Delhi to Dibrugarh (Only Indigo and Vistara operate direct flights from Delhi to Dibrugarh). I had read somewhere that it would only take around 4 hours from Dibrugarh to Basar, for a distance of 150 kms. I took that with a pinch of salt. Regular visitors to the Northeast would know exactly what I mean!

The roads in Northeast India have become better over the years, but travel still takes time and one can expect to cover 25 km/hr as an average speed. Thus, even though we had left from Dibrugarh Airport by 1:30 pm, numerous breaks meant our Scorpio only rolled into Basar at 9:30 pm.

There were two SUV’s waiting for us at Dibrugarh Airport; our Scorpio was the one to leave early since we deemed it was better to try and seek an experience on the road rather than waiting at the airport. The highway in Assam was a breeze; views from Bogibeel bridge were nice and expansive and as we were crossing Silapathar I noticed the stilt houses that reminded me of the Mising tribe in Majuli.

I was instantly in a reverie and dreamt about the Poro (Apong or rice beer) that was served in a very authentic way by the Mising tribe (Also spelled as Mishing Tribe). Everyone in our vehicle got excited as I asked the driver to stop outside a house that looked like a Mising tribal’s home. Alas, the family wasn’t there but a passerby informed the driver (in Assamese) that we could find the Apong hardly 100m from there at another Mising tribal’s home! And thus started our Basar Confluence trip

Poro (Rice beer) at a Mising Household

When our car stopped, I jumped out and shouted ‘hello, hello’ for attention. A tiny girl was scribbling a painting in the notebook, her mom came to my rescue and asked me what was I looking for? I asked her if Apong (or Poro) would be available here. She confirmed yes and said it was Rs. 40 per bottle. We quickly polished off a litre of the happy liquid (light black in colour); I was glad to have made everyone taste this simple cultural delight of the Mising tribe in Assam. 

We thanked the lady profusely, in return she made a tamul (betel nut and paan) for me and I gleefully accepted it! It was nice to be treated like a local in this faraway land. For most city-folk, every interaction is a transaction involving money. My travels across the years have gone farther and farther away from that reasoning; for me ‘Every interaction is an opportunity to share some happiness and love by making a nice conversation.’

It was time for us to continue our journey to Basar. While some of us had eaten in the flight (thanks Vistara for good food), others were hungry and wanted to make a lunch stop. We stopped somewhere around Silapathar which the driver said was a recommended place to eat. The aloo pithika was delicious and we loved eating the freshly made chapatis. It took us almost an hour for us to get done with lunch. In the meanwhile, the drivers had communicated that the other car was also about to reach the same spot as they also had to make a lunch break.

Reaching Basar in the Dark

It gave me a chance to drink some red tea (lal cha), as I really relish it after a hearty meal. In fact I am fond of lal cha so much that I have the tea leaves from Assam to make it at home! We sat outside and chatted and relaxed when suddenly from nowhere, hailstones started pouring down. First the hailstones were small and then they got bigger in size. They might have been as big as mid-size lemons. I almost as much thought that the glasses of the vehicles might be in trouble if it continued pouring hailstones!

Thankfully nothing untoward happened and after a while we scampered towards the cars. There was more than half the distance left to cover and it was already past 4 pm. The sun sets really early in these parts, especially in the winters and we saw beautiful evening colours around 4:30 pm and it got dark by 4:45 ish. Our permits were also checked at a check-post after entering Arunachal Pradesh and if all of us had not noticed a slight sliver of the crescent moon at 5 pm, it might have been considered a joke to have been in darkness at that time.

We rejoiced breathing in the fresh, aromatic air made rich in oxygen by the bountiful mountainous jungle surrounding us. Recent rains had resulted in a pitiful state of the roads and we laughed that rally enthusiasts need not go anywhere for adventure! It felt quite cold as the night went on. Most roads in the Northeast are in a constant phase of widening and ongoing construction but the work never seems to get completed. This is not to berate the authorities but the make the reader aware of the general sense of corruption that exists across this region.

Basar Confluence 2019 or BasCon 4.0

As we finally rolled into Basar at 9:30 pm, Karyom Basar and other locals were already waiting for us and quickly took us to our respective homestays. I was delighted to be staying in a local’s home instead of a hotel. It was nice and comfortable and had the added warmth of a family. Even though it was very late in the night, the family quickly made dinner for us and we finally slept after what felt like forever on the road!

Mist floated effortlessly in the green and yellow paddy fields dotted with pretty wooden huts, and it was only the chill in the air that confirmed the fact that I was awake, and not dreaming!

After a long night’s sleep, it was a surreal sight at 8 in the morning. It was foggy and cloudy and the sun seemed to have no plans to greet us, at least that day. I was lucky that my room had a balcony with an open view of the fields of Basar. The family allowed us to use the kitchen and I was glad to make masala chai since ginger and bay leaf were available in the homestay!

Nyomar Nyodu, our homestay owner declared that the performances at the Indigenous Celebration of Galo Tribe at Todak Basar Stadium were about to start and we should rush! This was another location where traditional dances are held on the same day as Basar Confluence and it served as a nice precursor to BasCon.

An interesting fact – Almost everyone’s surname in Basar is Basar! 

When someone offered to drop us to the grounds, we preferred to walk. The landscape was lush green with plentiful rain around. Young girls and boys played football; Northeast India has always been leading the way in terms of female empowerment (Some states here are a matrilineal society, e.g., Meghalaya).

First tryst with Poka – The Magic Potion

It must have been around 11 am when we entered the ground where the Indigenous Celebration of Galo Tribes was being held and immediately met school kids dressed up in traditional Galo attire. As we sat and were enjoying the local dances, someone thrust a glass of dark coloured liquid ‘Poka‘ in our hands. Poka is rice beer/wine made after a process of fermentation and it is widely understood in entire Arunachal Pradesh that Galo tribe makes the best Kala Apong (aka Poka). It is a little sweet in taste and in my opinion, Poka is delicious.

Process of Making Poka : Husk of the locally grown rice is roasted and is mixed with ash. This mix and yeast begin the process of fermentation. It is kept in a bamboo-cane basket, and stored in outer covering of wild leaves for more than 2 weeks. The final product, ‘poka‘ is filtered like a funnel after hot water is poured over the fermented mix and the result is delicious sweet and slightly potent brew – poka collected beneath the bamboo basket.

After this wonderful start to the Basar experience, we rushed to the venue of Basar Confluence after a call from Karyom who said that BasCon 4.0 was about to start. We hitched a ride and quickly reached Basar Confluence parking. Thats the thing about festivals and people in small towns, everyone is super helpful and ready to help. The guy who dropped us was a local and he had come to Basar (from Itanagar) only to attend BasCon 4.0 (Thanks Mie). It was heartening to hear this.

Basar Confluence already was living true to its promise of being a proper local festival organised by the locals, for the locals. 

At the entrance, it was captivating to notice the really cute direction mascots for BasCon 4.0. The mascots were designed by the extremely talented Jene Hai from Basar. The entrance registration hut was made from bamboo and entry was a smooth process. Taking plastic of any kind inside the festival venue was forbidden. The locals had set up some stalls outside their homes; selling oranges, tea, coffee, chicken, pork and rice pancakes. Since it was the orange harvesting season, the oranges were sweet and of really good quality. Price of the oranges at these stalls sold by the locals was 10 Rupees for 4 pieces.

It was fun to walk with the local performers who asked us ‘Aldure?’, which means ‘How are you?’ in Galo language. To which we were told to reply ‘Alruudo‘ which means Thank you in Galo. We were a bit jumbled with these confusing words but had a great time using them with locals over the course of the 4 day festival. Or hang on, wait … (Have I just confused both these words as they might be only one?) Blame it on the poka, you see!

Once inside Basar Confluence venue, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the entire festival was eco-friendly and that everything was made from bamboo.

Basar Confluence – Eco-friendly & Plastic Free Festival

The welcome absence of plastic was one of the defining features of Basar Confluence Festival. The futuristic locals and organising committee GRK (more on GRK later) have used the locally found abundant bamboo in all the constructions of Basar Confluence Festival. Right from the main stage to the food stalls, the official BasCon photo setup, benches, bridges and stairs (in short everything) had been made of bamboo.

The seating enclosure for the invitees & VIP Guests was also constructed wholly of bamboo. And hold on… yes, the toilets were also entirely made of bamboo and huge leaves. Not to leave the dustbins behind, which were also (yes, you guessed it!) made from bamboo.

The venue of Basar Confluence was nothing short of a mythical paradise; set in a natural hillock amidst lush paddy fields. Even though we were long into the winter in December, the shade of green would’t give away this fact. The sun was in a constant battle with the clouds and whenever it managed to peek out of the dense cloud cover, the colours were a treat to the eyes. I couldn’t wait to experience the tribal life of the Galos during the four-day cultural spectacle of Basar Confluence to immerse deeper into the art, culture, and music of Arunachal Pradesh.

The Main Stage at BasCon 4.0 was set up in a sort of depression in the open air festival venue so that maximum number of people can witness the performances. It was a brilliant move by the organisers that ensured that at any point of time the visitors can have a glimpse of the stage to enjoy the traditional dances and performances while enjoying Poka. A limited seating space would have resulted in everyone scrambling to get the best views or missing out on the entire performance altogether.

In a move that could be called a masterstroke in chess, huge bamboos were spread out across the terrain and people could sit and watch the performances happening on the main stage from everywhere! Indigenous and brilliant.  

Traditional Attire of Galo(s) and other Tribes at BasCon 4.0 

Most of the festival attendees were curious locals; they were excited and pleased that their traditions, culture and heritage were being preserved and appreciated. They were especially happy to see visitors from far off places (like us) were having a great time celebrating Basar Confluence. Their eyes sang with happiness when they saw us with bamboo tumblers filled with poka in our hands and when we told that we loved it!

Men were dressed smartly in their traditional costumes and donned a bamboo hat which was intricate and cost as much as INR 15000 when I saw it at one of the stalls selling traditional bamboo products. Women were dressed in their traditional and colourful finery as everyone sported a ‘Ghale‘, which is an embroidered skirt. The locals and other visitors from Arunachal Pradesh were having a jolly good time roaming around the food stalls and meeting their relatives over poka and authentic local delicacies.

Experiencing Basar Confluence

Karyom took us around the festival venue on the first day; and handed all of us a complimentary glass of poka! A glass here in the Galo country of Basar means a huge bamboo tumbler with a capacity of 1 litre. It was to be just the start of a long affair with these bamboo glasses. Plus they also had a cute sling so you could carry it on your fingers or hang them on your shoulders as a style statement! I loved them so much that they now serve as bamboo planters at home!!

At Basar Confluence, food stalls serve their delicacies in Toro leaf (looks similar to banana leaf) and the cutlery is in the form of bamboo plates and spoons. The food & souvenir stalls itself are made from bamboo and the roof is made from thatched leaves. It is like being back to nature and the way we might be able to keep earth in its natural form.

The Food stalls’ chief offerings were roasted chicken, pork, fish and mithun in different methods of preparation. The vegetarian dishes on offer included noodles, rice, puri-sabji, mushrooms, sweet potato and steamed rice cakes.

Sustainable, Rural & Environment-Friendly Festival

I have long maintained that the only way forward is local and Basar Confluence is a shining case of the same. To ensure that visitors to the festival do not have to resort to buying / carrying plastic bottles for water, the stalls have put filter water dispensers and people can drink water from there. Almost every local carries their own bamboo tumbler in Basar! These are the little things that matter, and by making such small changes Basar Confluence is setting a great example for other traditional festivals held across entire India.

Why should you attend Basar Confluence ?

Among the events held during 4 days of festivities at Basar Confluence are – Folk songs and dances, traditional music, festival & folk presentations, community sports like archery and tug of war, live guitar performances, traditional fishing, hiking and trekking, nature trails, adventure sports, hot air balloon rides, exhibition on biodiversity conservation, selfie points and the in-demand latibule (a hidden place!), enjoy the cool breeze at the treehouse with a vantage view of Basar Confluence.

For shopping there are stalls selling traditional bamboo products, textile and weaving stalls, colourful and metallic jewellery, nature trails, ladies selling oranges, organic tea from Along, stalls selling rice pancakes, paintings and art, bamboo exhibition stall, Agri tourism, ATV rides, fruits like kiwi, pineapple, starfruit, and a multitude of food stalls from various tribes and areas of Arunachal Pradesh. I must mention that the prices at the food stalls at Basar Confluence is very reasonable as compared to other festivals like Ziro Festival of Music and Hornbill Festival in Nagaland.

Another interesting place to visit was the EB Project Hill. Stalls – ITBP Sweet Gallery. Bamboo baskets and poka glasses for sale, Khamti Stall handicrafts, textiles and jackets, bracelets at Nocte tribe stall.

Top Memories of Basar Confluence

Stunning colours in the evening overlooking the golden rice fields in the mellow winter sun; coupled with the joy of witnessing authentic tribal performances in this incredible setting!

On one of the days, there was a dedicated Agri Tourism section setup amidst the paddy fields where women were harvesting the crop and men were husking it. It was nice to hear the harvest songs of the Galo Tribe of Basar. 

The Textile Stall was located in a separate section of Basar Confluence. Since I have a habit of wandering around everywhere, perhaps I got lucky to explore this live demonstration where women were weaving ‘ghale‘ and fabrics using the traditional weaving methods. A brief conversation ensued and resulted in me buying a set of 6 woven table mats in gorgeous Arunachal design!

Rice cooked in a special hollow bamboo at Khamti Tribe Stall. First the sticky rice is soaked overnight in water. Then the rice is stuffed in a tender bamboo hollow and roasted over an open fire. The final dish is eaten by scraping the edges of the bamboo and the rice comes out in form of a cooked bamboo imbibing the delicious flavours. We were served this dish called ‘Khau-laam rice‘ with spicy aloo pithika, and the very friendly staff also gave us complimentary two steamed jaggery rice and peanut cakes as dessert!

Feeling the breeze at the treehouse at BasCon 4.0, and the beautiful location of the Soi Tree House. It felt very adventurous to climb up to the top of the treehouse and chat up with the locals and indulge in singing and dancing with them, overlooking the festivities and goings on at Basar Confluence over a bamboo tumbler of poka.

Visit to Joli. Joli is a mysterious place that is known to be haunted and sacred at the same time. It is around 4 kilometers away from BasCon venue and involves a very scenic walk through a stream. It is interesting to hear the locals’ spine-chilling narration of their experiences at Joli. The legend of Joli is that – ‘Yapoms are spirits who are the main inhabitants of the forests. In the old times the spirits would throw pebbles at locals who were passing through their area.’ We went to Joli and had a great time revelling in the pristine beauty of nature. The water level keeps increasing as one keeps walking and is around the thigh level, when you come across a waterfall in the stream in the end.

Undoubtedly, Poka in Basar is among the best local alcohol(s) I’ve ever tasted. It tastes sweet and there are two qualities of Poka on offer at Basar Confluence Festival. Poka Class I and Poka Class II are priced at 300 and 200 Rupees respectively. They might seem a bit overpriced but once you drink a bamboo tumbler you realise the quality is worth the price. We tried cheap poka elsewhere but it wasn’t worth it.

Don’t get misled by its sweet taste, poka is quite capable of getting one high. So drink slowly and enjoy the high without getting drunk! Another positive thing about poka is that it doesn’t give a strong hangover. Hence, even if you get drunk you don’t have much to worry about since the locals will give you a ride back to your homestay (as I did on 2-3 days of the festival, when hitching rides to get back to the homestay!)

Witnessing some unique sports & competitions like fastest bamboo pole climbing, swinging on a rope attached to a pole, archery competition which was super fun, the fiercely contested Tug of War among the different villages of Basar, and the funny competition where men had to run with their wives on the shoulder! It gave us so much joy to cheer wildly for the competitions with the locals.

The fishing venue setup in Ego Valley was perfect in every sense. From the weather being nice and sunny, to a wide and expansive landscape with the Ego river flowing. The best part was that families from all the nearby villages had decided to turn up. A picnic-like atmosphere prevailed; a bamboo bridge had been constructed to go to the other side of the river where we witnessed traditional fishing that is no longer practised.

In the old times – A tree bark was released in water which numbs the fish for some time, making them easier to catch. This method is not used anymore because the tree bark is difficult to find these days. Elsewhere families were fishing with their hands and bamboo baskets and it was unreal to see them catch fishes so easily. There were food stalls also at the fishing venue and it was nice to see the Basar Confluence method of bamboo construction being practised here as well.

Ego Valley was around 1 hour away (27 kms) from Basar and on the drive there were small stalls selling fresh pineapples. I immediately jumped out and picked a yummy pineapple for only 20 Rupees! It was tasty beyond words. I tried the bananas too at another stall. The fresh fruits in the Northeast are too good to be true!

Paintings, portraits and art on canvas made by a very talented young artist who was hearing and speech impaired. His eyes shined with happiness when we communicated through hand gestures and told him his work was exemplary! This stall was in a separate enclosure of Basar Confluence right at the entrance of the festival. A portrait of an Apatani lady made by him hangs proudly in my room at home! 

Adventure sports, hot air balloon ride, ATV rides, the lights installed in all the seating areas and entire festival ground (except the stage) were warm lights and gave a pleasing feel to the eyes. I was especially in awe of the bamboo lampshades and even wondered asking Karyom if I could carry back these simple lampshades that made even the mundane yellow bulbs look so beautiful!

Among the Galo performances – Galo Ponu which is a welcome dance performed by the women. Nyoho Honam was the (Galo valour dance) Nyida Parik Galo ceremonial wedding dance. Erap Chanam – Galo ritual dance. Galo Mopin performance, Ho Delo performance from Galos and also Galo Folk ballads. Apart from that, there were other tribal performances and Folk presentations from tribes across Arunachal Pradesh –

Sherdukpen Tribe from Shergaon in West Kameng District, Bamboo dance of Nocte Tribe from Patkai Hills of Tirap district, Tai-Khamti (Tai-Khampti) from Namsai, Singpho Tribe from Changlang District, Apatani Tribe from Ziro Valley, Mishmi Tribe from Dibang Valley in Lohit & Anjaw Districts, Tagin Tribe from Daporijo in Upper Subansiri District, Nyishi Tribe from East Kameng District, Yobin Tribe from Changlang district, Miji Tribe from West Kameng District, Adi Tribe from West Kameng District, Memba Tribe from Mechuka in Upper Siang District. (In addition, I also spotted a few men donning Monpa hats (Monpa Tribe is from Tawang), ITBP performance was the icing on the cake.

Places to see in Basar & Around

Villages Walks to villages Gori-1 & Gori-2 that are close to the venue of Basar Confluence 4.0. The locals will make you feel welcome and village walks are a great way to immerse yourself in getting to know Galo lifestyle in a better way. The villages are pretty with colourful flowers and greenery. Almost all the old houses are built on an elevated structure (like stilts) and are made of bamboo.

Trek through a dense jungle to Bat Cave (Tapen Penru) in Padi village around 20 kms from Basar.

Deke waterfall (20 kms), Bumchi Waterfall (7 kms), Dime Diite waterfall (5 kms) at Pagi Village.

Odii Putu viewpoint is located close to Sago village and has a fabulous view of Basar. It is around 15 kms away from Basar and reaching here requires a stiff ascending hike of around 2 hours. According to the locals, the sunrise that we see from Odii Putu viewpoint is the first sunrise of the country!

Click to view slideshow.

EB Project Hill (3 Kms from Basar) – A unique project of biodiversity conservation through rainwater harvesting. It is the brainchild of Egam Basar and is located near Soi village and involves a hike through a dense jungle.

Click to view slideshow.

Joli – As mentioned above.

How to reach Basar?

Fastest option to reach Basar but may not be the most economical : Flight to Dibrugarh, then shared sumo to Basar through Silapathar. Or flight to Guwahati, then train to Naharlagun and then bus / shared sumo to Basar.

On a phone call with Manash sometime in July, he invited me to experience the Ziro Festival of Music with his company Discover Northeast where they put up a campsite by the name of Camp Zingaros. I am not exactly a ‘music festival person’ but having heard praises of ZFM from other sources as well, it was almost a must that I attend it. ZFM (Ziro Festival of Music) is usually held in the last week of September, and the dates for 2019 were from 26 to 29 September.

The nearest airport to Ziro is Lilabari airport near North Lakhimpur in Assam. Dibrugarh airport isn’t very far in terms of distance from Ziro Valley as well. The most preferred airport with frequent connectivity is Guwahati and my flights were booked to-fro from Guwahati. Guwahati airport isn’t close to Ziro Valley at all but can be said to be the most convenient for people travelling to Ziro for Ziro Festival of Music.

From Guwahati there are numerous day and night trains to Naharlagun station in Arunachal Pradesh. From Naharlagun, Ziro is only 100 kms away and shared cabs ply in the morning hours coinciding with the arrival time of the train – Donyi Polo Express.

Hearing about my ZFM (Ziro Festival of Music) plans, I was joined by 2 of my friends. We landed in Guwahati just after noon and were promptly welcomed by a downpour. I was very keen on sampling authentic Assamese cuisine at Khorikaa Restaurant and had ample time since our train to Naharlagun was only at 9 in the evening.

First we headed to the waterfront on the banks of the Brahmaputra river and had just ordered a jhal muri chat when it started pouring down. We scampered for cover under the green trees and were disappointed when there were no sunset colours in the waters of the Brahmaputra in the evening.

Khorikaa was a delight with its delicious Assamese Thali that comprised of many dishes and the aromatic Joha rice. I liked the rice so much that I ended up carrying a kilo back home on my return journey. It was a fabulous early dinner at Khorikaa restaurant and since Guwahati train station was very close from there, we ended up reaching the station early.

That left me with some time to pick up a souvenir from Manipur at the small shop at Platform No.1 just after you enter the Guwahati Railway Station. I got a small muffler; on my third visit to this shop and realising the authenticity of the woven woollen products since it was owned by a Manipuri local.

Himanshu from Discover Northeast waved us goodbye at the station and we met some co-travellers as well. Manash had already informed me the number of the sumo driver who would drive us to Ziro Valley from Naharlagun Railway Station. Although ZFM was starting from 26 September, we had opted to reach one day early to arrive before the crowds and rest a little.

There are limited sumos in this region and the influx of festival goers to Ziro means that the demand for seats becomes more than the supply for these few days. Coupled with the horrendous roads it results in the cab guys quoting whatever price that comes to their mind!

It is best to book the comprehensive package provided by Camp Zingaros wherein they take care of the entire transportation after arriving in Guwahati, including the Pass for Ziro Festival of Music. The usual per seat price from Naharlagun to Ziro is INR 500. I also noticed a solitary bus on this route Itanagar – Naharlagun – Ziro, the bus leaves after the train arrives and the ticket charge for the bus is only INR 150 to 200. I enquired that the bus from Ziro leaves early in the morning and reaches Naharlagun by around 1-2 Pm.

It was daylight by the time we reached Naharlagun. It was foggy and misty since Naharlagun is surrounded by lush green hills. We were six travellers in the sumo and the rate had been agreed by Manash – INR 4500 for the entire sumo; since the 6th guy who had joined us was from a different campsite the taxi guy took some extra money from him to make it over 5000 for the sumo from Naharlagun train station to Discover Northeast’s campsite deep inside Ziro Valley.

I’m sharing this information since there were reports that sumo’s were charging approx INR 7500 next day when the mismatch between supply and demand was at its most skewed.

The road to Ziro (as expected) is in a terrible condition (as always); but I must add that it is better than I remember during my earlier visits. We stop numerous times according to the whims and fancies of our sumo guy! Thanks to Discover Northeast’s efficient work style, our ILP (Inner-Line Permits) are in place and checked at the Check Post near Potin. We have our breakfast at a ramshackle dhaba with a stunning view.

I spot some juicy pineapples at a nearby stall and rush to get some for us. A child is in charge of the pineapple stall and refuses to cut it. I beg a lady from the next shop and she takes pity and asks the kid to cut 2 pineapples in small pieces for us! Sweet Joy! Hollowed out bamboo roots are kept for selling as well, and almost every vehicle that passes by buys the bamboo shoots kept in the bottles. The pineapples are heavenly and I am left wondering about an entirely different world that I am in. India’s North east surely feels like an adventure and Arunachal Pradesh is at the forefront of it.

The road winds and winds and as Yazali approaches I am apprehensive that Ziro Valley is like a mirage that is much farther away than the 95 kilometres that the signboards indicate. When the valley finally opens up, I can’t help but feel that I am in dreamland in the midst of misty rolling hills. The swaying paddy fields have turned golden and I finally begin to appreciate the wonder of Ziro Valley, on my third visit! We keep bouncing on the road for what feels like an eternity and the sumo finally rolls into Ziro Valley at around 1 pm in the afternoon.

Camp Zingaros

Hapoli is the modern town in Ziro Valley and we cross it to make our way across the verdant golden valley. The road in Ziro runs right through the middle of the valley and is flanked on both sides by swaying paddy fields. During the Ziro Festival of Music, traffic is made one way in many sections so that there are no traffic jams and proceedings are smooth for the festival. Since we had arrived one day before ZFM’s official dates, there was no such one way issue and we smoothly made it to Camp Zingaros’s vantage location of its campsite.

While most of the other campsites were located close to each other, Camp Zingaros campsite was in a different location and overlooked the golden paddy fields and green misty hills in the distance. The most important part was that the campsite was dry and we didn’t have to buy gum boots to navigate. Ziro Valley had received its fair share of rainfall over the past few days and weeks and mud and slush was the norm in other campsites (other ZFM attendees were privy to this information).

Camp Zingaros campsite was at a 10 minutes walking distance from the festival grounds of ZFM. That ensured that we could have our calm whenever we wanted! Camp Zingaros campsite had ample open space, there were numerous sit-outs made in the form of bamboo benches. There were 2 sets of areas where around 30 odd people could enjoy the live guitar performances along with bonfire. We could see the clouds floating past and the distant sound of music during the day added a lot of character to the proceedings.

The campsite was huge and there was an onsite restaurant/café as well where one could order snacks, meals and other refreshments like tea and coffee. The land of the campsite had been leased from a local and their home was on the premises too where an annexe was converted into the café space.

Charging points were in a separate enclosure and the reliable electricity supply in Ziro meant that phone charging was never a problem, even though there were around 180-200 people at Camp Zingaros campsite for Ziro Festival of Music. Filter water was available in a bamboo filler, although some pipeline issue meant that most people had to forcibly buy water bottles due to no other option.

It was a joyous atmosphere at Camp Zingaros. The tents were spacious and were in close proximity to each other. The fencing of the boundary was done with wooden sticks and that doubled up as a space for drying clothes and towels! Thankfully, the rain didn’t create havoc during the festival and only on one of the days did it actually pour down.

Washrooms for men were portable bamboo ones while the women had theirs done in concrete. It was anyway too cold to have a bath but some adventurous ones braved the queues and emerged victorious!

The defining and most memorable memory of Camp Zingaros is the guitar sessions in the night over free flowing apong (rice beer-wine). Roktim from Guwahati was the in-house guitarist for Camp Zingaros and everyone sang and huddled close to the bonfire for warmth. New friendships were forged as the crowds swayed to the mellifluous voice of different singers. The chorus continued well into the night everyday and I even heard the singing at 4-430 one morning which indicated that the revellers hadn’t let the bonfire go off all night!

Ziro Festival of Music

The festival grounds of ZFM were a short 10 minute walk away from Camp Zingaros. On the way, we passed some food stalls selling snacks and local apong (rice beer-wine). Entry to Ziro Festival of Music (ZFM) had the requirement of either a day pass or a composite festival pass that granted entry for all days. The per day pass cost INR 2000 while the Composite ZFM pass for all days cost approx. 5000-6000.

There were huge queues on the first day of entry since the passes had to be collected; thanks to Manash’s excellent organisation our passes had been brought in advance and we didn’t even have to stand in a long queue.

The entry tag for ZFM was RFID enabled and entry was smooth after extensive checking. Carrying plastic bottles was totally banned, which was a great step. For those who had a Composite Festival pass for all days, they didn’t have to stand in the ticket queue everyday while the day pass holders were required to stand in the ticket queue everyday which made the Composite 4 day pass a great buy. Filter water dispensers had been installed in numerous places in the ZFM festival grounds and that ensured plastic waste was not created unnecessarily.

The main act – Music at ZFM was magical and I was insanely happy with the knowledge that the crowds were well behaved and I was actually witnessing a European style open air music festival right here in India in the northeast. The festival goers swayed and danced in the open grounds and everybody made friends with everybody.

Day Stage & Night Stage (Danyii – Piilo) 

ZFM typically began at around 2 pm in the afternoon where the performances would be held at the day stage. It overlooked the paddy fields and was a gorgeous location to soak in the sunshine and enjoy the picnic sort of atmosphere created by the local crowds. The night stage performances would begin by around 6 pm after a break of an hour or so from the time the day stage performances ended. The sun sets early in the northeast and we could witness stunning evening colours everyday at around 430 to 5 pm.

Stalls at Ziro Festival of Music

There are food stalls set up by tribes from across the state of Arunachal Pradesh and also other states and cuisines at ZFM. These food stalls offer a variety of local liquor in the form of Apong, Kala Apong, Marwa and different types of home-made wines like peach, pear, kiwi, pineapple etc. Prices vary between 100-300 per bamboo glass and 300-500 for a half litre bottle. Meat lovers were in for a treat with every stall having their own speciality. Homesick North Indians were not to be left behind as a Chole Bhature stall was doing rousing business having identified this opportunity!

We had got really lucky with the local alcohol during Ziro Festival of Music. In my customary style, I had asked for a ride to Ziro when a lady was heading to Hapoli and over conversations in the car, she took us to her sister’s home near Hapoli. Her sister was a master brewer and we had all the varieties of apong and wine laid out in front of us! We went berserk and brought around 20 bottles for 200 Rupees per litre! It was to stand us in good stead since the same alcohol was priced at over 500 per litre in the festival stalls. Thanks to the lady in Ziro who came like an angel!

There are also unique stalls near the Day Stage Area where a model tourism village showcased its agri-products like pineapples and other fruits. Another stall sold t-shirts with local designs, while another one sold baked goodies made from grains like millet and barley. AP Tourism also had a small stall where they had signboards of other festivals. Official Ziro Festival of Music merchandise was available for sale at one of the stalls.

A central area had one huge bar where one could buy bottled beer (and maybe other bottled alcohol too). There was European (Lithuanian or Liechtenstein) wheat beer Ponaa being sold for very cheap prices thanks to almost negligible taxes on alcohol in Arunachal Pradesh. City folks were super excited by the prospect of cheap beer and had their bellies full. In the wine shops in Ziro, one could try even Korean beer! Surprise surprise it was super tasty too.

The stalls space had 8-10 huge tables constructed under a canopy and everything was made of bamboo. It had a nice eco-friendly feel about it since everything was so connected to the earth. ZFM could prove to be a great example for other festivals for lessons in sustainability and using local materials while keeping the setting authentic.

Eco-friendly bio toilets were setup in two separate areas and the volunteers were efficient in handling the festival goers. There were separate loos for men and women and manageable queues. Only on the Lucky Ali day did the crowds actually become humongous and the toilets had such huge queues that we had to actually go back to Camp Zingaros campsite to relieve ourselves!

When I had made up my mind for attending the festival, I was a little apprehensive thinking if I might get bored at ZFM for the entire 4 days. Funnily enough, I have no idea how the 4 days of Ziro Festival of Music went by in a jiffy. Maybe it was the pear and pineapple wine, which started our day in the absence of filtered water; or it was the musical and fragrant air of Ziro Valley.

Whatever it was, during ZFM 2019 I had finally fallen in love with Ziro. 

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About Dambuk : Dambuk is a small village in Arunachal Pradesh nestled in Lower Dibang Valley district and hosts what must be the most far-flung music festival in entire India.

Fast forward to 2018 – I had only 3 days to spare in mid-December between assignments and my tickets had been booked to Dibrugarh. Only a few weeks ago, I was scheduled to attend a local village festival and was utterly disappointed at not being able to make it for the flight for Dibrugarh. Nevertheless, this time Arunachal Pradesh’s little utopia called Dambuk had sounded too appealing for me to change my plans at the last moment.

Drive from Dibrugarh Airport to Dambuk

There is only one direct flight everyday from Delhi to Dibrugarh (In Assam) and since it was delayed, it meant we reached Dibrugarh at 3 in the afternoon. We were all famished and decided to eat whatever was available at the only restaurant outside Dibrugarh airport. After a hearty round of snacks, we sat in the vehicles that had come to pick us up.

The road in Assam is flanked by Tea estates on both sides, and with the fading sunlight we are treated to a delightful sunset across the green tea gardens. Days in the northeast end quickly and it was pitch dark by 4:40 pm. The train track to Tinsukia ran parallel to the road, life continued as usual at a slow pace in Assam – Arunachal Pradesh. The distance from Dibrugarh Airport to Dambuk was 180 kms and we were supposed to take 4-5 hours to cover it. When the driver stopped to eat something, I quickly rushed to instruct the dhaba guy in making ‘lal cha’ (black tea is referred to as red tea in Assam) just the way I wanted.

We were informed about the Dhola-Sadiya Bridge when we were close to Dhola village. The bridge is India’s longest at 9.2 kms and is built across Lohit river which is a tributary of the Brahmaputra river. The Dhola-Sadiya bridge is also called Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Setu and it connects Dhola Village with Sadiya Town. The Arunachal Pradesh Border is not far from the bridge and we finally enter Arunachal Pradesh.

I was shocked to know that until 2015, the remote town of Dambuk did not even have electricity, and mobile connectivity was a far cry! Instead, like a grand success story, infrastructure had improved and now Dambuk hosts Orange Festival of Adventure and Music to delight thousands of adventure and music lovers.

Slideshow of the dining area and life in Bomjir, near Dambuk

We reached a place called Bomjir at around 8 in the night which was approx. 16 kms before Dambuk and were informed that our stay had been arranged here. Bamboo cottages on stilts were scattered on a wide plain and a river was flowing nearby. The cottages were basic and rustic but served the purpose. It was pretty chilly since it was the middle of December and we were in the countryside in the mountain state of Arunachal Pradesh. Three single beds had been laid out in the bamboo cottage and the bathrooms were nearby.

The dining area was close-by too; it was shaped like a traditional two storey structure with the upper floor serving as a drinking den. Apart from the cottages, Bomjir was also home to the Artists’ Village. Tents had been laid out in a separate area for the performing artists and other participants. It was a pleasant surprise to have sticky rice served in leaves. Food was tasty and after a hearty meal we slept in peace. The beds and linen were clean and the blankets somehow did their job of keeping the December cold at bay.

We woke up the next morning and spotted a basket of oranges near the dining area and were opportunistic enough to take full toll of the oranges at Dambuk! After all we were at the Orange Festival of Adventure & Music (OFAM) and it was a must to taste the juicy oranges. We had breakfast early in the morning but due to some miscommunication we were still in Bomjir rather than being at the festival venue at Dambuk. Thats why I was a little perturbed to know we weren’t staying at the site of Orange Festival of Adventure & Music in Dambuk.

Welcoming the dignitaries at OFAM, Dambuk

We finally reached the festival site in the afternoon and what a spectacular setting it was! The road from Bomjir to Dambuk was in tip-top condition and it hardly took us 20 minutes to reach the festival grounds. The venue for OFAM was surrounded by greenery and the proceedings looked well organised. Parking of vehicles was in a separate area and attendees were supposed to walk to the festival venue. This ensured there was no traffic jam at the festival grounds.

The formal inauguration of OFAM festival had began and Arunachal Pradesh’s Chief Minister Pema Khandu gave a small speech. A breathtaking war dance of the Galo tribe was performed by the locals in the traditional attire. With the setting sun, it was indeed a sight to behold. It was the turn of Festival Director Abu Tayeng to make a speech.

Excerpts from the wonderful and practical information that Abu Tayeng gave :

‘Dambuk is famed for its oranges. Hundreds of acres of orange orchards on the mountain slopes of Dambuk transform the scenery of the region during the harvesting season. This inspired the idea of a festival with an orange theme for music and adventure lovers.’ Abu Tayeng also said that the idea behind the Orange Festival of Adventure & Music is to bring people from around the world to explore the Arunachal Pradesh’s wild natural beauty and experience the local way of life.

And with that, the festival was thrown open. The 4×4 vehicles vroomed and set out for one leg of their race. On the other side of the music stage, around 20 odd food stalls were set up serving different cuisines from Arunachal Pradesh and other parts of the North-east. I’d especially liked the bar – it was a painted ASTC bus (Arunachal State Transport Corporation) and served as a bar! In the middle of the ground at OFAM was a stall put up by the horticulture department for showcasing the oranges and also putting them up for sale.

When we entered inside, a farmer made us taste the sweetest oranges from his orchards and informed us that Dambuk had exported oranges worth more than Rs 50 lakh that year. The performances had also started and the crowd was in high spirits. It was inspiring to know that Dambuk had come a long way from 2015 when the OFAM had its first edition. Apparently that year there was no proper road to Dambuk and one had to cross a river to reach Dambuk. There are serendipitous experiences narrated by the participants of OFAM from that time when even reaching Dambuk was a crazy adventure!!

I had decided to go for the Orange Festival of Adventure & Music in Dambuk chiefly for the reason that Bipul Chettri would be performing! I am a big fan of his soul-stirring Nepali music and when the music line up indicated Bipul Chettri and The Travelling Band’s performance was scheduled for the end, I started ambling around the stalls and tasting the local alcohol!

Experiences at Orange Festival of Adventure & Music, Dambuk

Staying in the Huts at Bomjir 

As mentioned earlier, our accommodation huts were at Bomjir, around a half-hour drive away from the festival venue. The view outside the bamboo hut was beautiful, full of stark and natural colours. There was a river flowing by flanked by the mountains in the far distance. Its easy to say this in hindsight that it may have been best to stay closer to the festival venue to document the many activities at OFAM Dambuk, but I think the accommodation and food at Bomjir served the larger purpose.

Buying Tribal Accessories 

Outside the festival venue at OFAM Dambuk, there are tiny stalls set up by women selling oranges, accessories, trinkets etc.

Adventure Activities

Among the many adventure activities at Orange Festival of Adventure & Music in Dambuk – there are off-road racing events like JK Tyre Orange 4X4 Fury, ATV Rides, dirt biking, white water river rafting, zip lining etc. The adventure activities at OFAM Dambuk are organized by National Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports (NIMAS).

It could be called a small glitch in organisation but next day when we were supposed to go for the adventure activities and rafting, nobody seemed to know the exact location. What ensued was a wild goose chase across magical scenery, unknown hamlets near a town by the name of Bizari. It was a little disappointing to have spent around 3 hours without actually reaching the rafting place, but the jolly nature of the group made it a nice experience! After all, whats the fun at an adventure festival without getting lost!

Experimenting with the Local Liquor 

The different food stalls have local alcohol ranging from rice beer to kiwi wine, red rice wine, potent kala apong, homemade rice wine. My love for local alcohol is no secret and I had a great time making my acquaintances taste this magic potion! It also helped in breaking the ice and pepping up the audience in the right mood!

Food Stalls at the Festival Grounds 

A must experience at OFAM Dambuk is trying the various cuisines from different tribes of Arunachal Pradesh and the Northeast. Chatting with the jolly locals and trying their flavourful dishes is a great idea. Freshly squeezed orange juice is also available, for Rs. 100 per glass and 200 per bottle. One could also buy oranges at the horticulture hut in the festival grounds.

How to Reach Dambuk?

By Air : Dibrugarh is the closest airport and driving to Dambuk takes 4-5 hours from Dibrugarh airport.

By Train : Dibrugarh is the closest major train station to Dambuk.

Where to stay in Dambuk?

There are many camp sites set up and run by locals in close vicinity of the festival grounds. The location is spectacular as most of them are set amidst orange orchards. I enquired at two-three campsites and the prices are reasonable at 800-1000 Rupees per person. There are bonfires at every campsite and a festive atmosphere prevails since music is played at every camp’s dining space that lends it a warm and inviting feel.

Typing this as I listen to Bipul Chettri Songs! 

Weather in Dambuk during Orange Festival of Adventure & Music (OFAM)

The dates for OFAM are usually in the middle of December and Dambuk can get quite chilly in the nights or when the clouds roll in. The temperature in Dambuk ranges from 9 degrees to 24 degrees Celsius during OFAM.

Even though I could only experience the OFAM Dambuk in 2018 for 3 days due to paucity of time, I do hope that this blog post serves as a basic guide for Dambuk, Arunachal Pradesh. I also wish that the organisers put more focus on responsible tourism and take care of simple yet important things at the festival so that it is better organised.

Note : I was invited for the Orange Festival of Adventure & Music at Dambuk but the views, opinions and photographs are always mine. 

Check Other relevant posts :

Photo Stories from Hornbill Festival, Nagaland

Pang Lhabsol Festival in Gangtok, Sikkim

Celebrating a Traditional Festival in a village in Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh

A Winter in Ladakh : Masked dances at Spituk Monastery

Diwali Celebrations in Jaipur, in Pictures

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Photo Story : Snapshots from Tawang Festival

As was customary during the trip, we woke up early but did not leave till very late. After breakfast, we sat in our respective cars and left for Bumla at around 9 am (If memory serves me right). We were later told that the reason for our getting late was due to the permits which felt a little strange considering that Bumla had always been on our original schedule of the Arunachal Pradesh itinerary. Nevertheless, we were finally on the long and lonely road to Bumla and were greeted with a fabulous change of scenery as soon as we left from Tawang.

Since some of us hadn’t had our breakfast, we stopped along the way for some roti sabzi and black tea in a restaurant. After a quick break, we continue the drive to Bumla. A local Tata Sumo has been hired from Tawang specifically for the purpose of us visiting Bumla and around. I spot a lot of bunkers on both the left and right side of the road and am perplexed why there are bunkers so deep into the Indian territory. There don’t seem to be any permanent dwellings and I can’t spot any locals nor is there any sign of a village. There’s a chilling answer that awaits me!

Why are there so many bunkers on the Tawang to Bumla road?

Because the Chinese had intruded as far as Tezpur during the 1962 China-India war and the bunkers were made in a hurry to combat the enemy troops. 

I gawked wide-eyed at the driver when he remarked that these bunkers were constructed by the army due to the Chinese aggression. Inspite of having read my history lessons in school, I had no inkling of this fact from 1962. It gave me the chills to realise that the whole of Assam might have been vulnerable to Chinese occupation. I learnt that the Chinese were in Tezpur during October-November 1962.

It was a mind-numbing fact for me to understand that a foreign power had almost captured a town 400 kilometres inside Indian territory! Along the way, there were signboards indicating that photography wasn’t allowed and hence we didn’t stop anywhere along the route till a point called Y Junction. We were in what could be said as ‘lake country’; the region from Tawang to Bumla has more than 100 lakes in total. It was magical to say the least, as lake after lake kept appearing on our drive.

The first lake that we came across went by the name ‘P T Tso’ and was a sizeable water-body with a small hut by the side of the lake. It wasn’t a clear day and hence we were unable to see the reflections of the surrounding mountains in the lake. After that we crossed a pass called Nagu La as the road kept climbing towards Y Junction. The condition of the road was bearable till the Y Junction; where we saw another lake called Nagula Tso.

The roads bifurcate at Y Junction : The road to the right leads to Bumla and the road going to the left leads to Madhuri Lake (Shungatser Lake or Shungatser Tso). Our plan was flexible and we were supposed to visit Bumla first. There was a timing issue due to visit of some officials that meant we would only be able to go to Bumla after 2 pm. After waiting for some time at Y Junction in the fog and cold, we started our 16 kilometre journey towards Madhuri Lake. (I couldn’t help but laugh whenever this name was mentioned; but there was a good reason for it!)

Shungatser Lake appeared different than usual lakes and indeed had a big reason for the strange appearance. It was formed after an earthquake in 1971 which had caused the damming of the river. After that, a flooding in the forest meant that the trees were submerged in the water. What happened after this phenomena is that the trees died and in the present situation the trunks of these dead trees are visible in the water lending Madhuri Lake a distinct feel. The water is placid and clear and on a clear day the reflections in the lake can be really photogenic.

A lot of credit has to be given to the army for creating the excellent infrastructure around Shungatser Lake. There is a lovely park at the entrance of Shungatser Lake with plenty of framed photo opportunities. Among other interesting activities, I personally liked the walk along the periphery of the Madhuri lake courtesy of the proper paved footpath on one side of the lake. There’s also a bridge to cross the different streams and I must say that the infrastructure has enabled this to become a nice picnic spot for the locals of Tawang and around.

The sunshine was abundant once we reached Shungatser Lake; it must have been at an altitude of approx. 4000m and in the fag end of October it was nice to see the clouds part and bring some much needed warmth! There was also a well-equipped canteen in the Park near the lake serving tasty snacks, maggi and tea / coffee for visitors for a nominal charge. Toilet facilities are also available for tourists in a nearby building. Chairs and tables are laid out in the park near the lake and one can take the foodstuffs from the canteen and have a tranquil time enjoying it in pristine surroundings.

What really surprised me was the presence of a gorgeous wooden chalet on the banks of the lake; it was named ‘Shungatser Hut’. Although the door was locked, that didn’t stop me from peeking inside and seeing a perfect home, with warm interiors and furniture. I want to go back and stay in that hut someday, although I have no idea how to book it! The chilly wind even in the stark sunshine caused us to scamper for cover as we kept exploring and walking around Shungatser Lake.

Why is the lake named Madhuri Lake?

Although the official name of the lake is Shungatser Tso (Tso is lake in Tibetan), it is locally popular as Madhuri lake. The entire region used to be a pasture land and was a grazing ground of Shok-tsen village before the earthquake of 1971. A song of the Bollywood film Koyla starring Madhuri Dixit was shot here and that has caused the (almost) renaming of the lake! So while the signboards will all denote Shungatser Lake, the locals and driver used Maduri Lake for the same! In this post, I will use both names Madhuri Lake and Shungatser Lake interchangeably.

After spending an hour or so at Madhuri Lake, it was time for us to head back to Y Junction and resume our journey to Bumla. On one of the signboards, I had spotted the name ‘Zemithang’. I had heard of Zemithang from intrepid travellers and jumped at the thought of us visiting this enchanting place. It wasn’t to be that day, as we were on a fixed plan and had no chance of diverting from Bumla! The signboard at a crossroads also had some other interesting names of a monastery and other passes but I am not sure if civilians are allowed to visit those in this region around Tawang.

We are back at Y Junction from Shungatser Lake. On the way back, we spot some frozen waterfalls too! So, no wonder we were freezing at the lake because end of October means it is actually quite cold! The terrible condition of the road means we take almost an hour to traverse the 16 kilometre distance. We reach Y Junction at 1 in the afternoon and quickly move towards Bumla as the Army waves us on.

The road to Bumla reminds me of Ladakh with the incredible scenery. What distinguishes Bumla from Ladakh is the presence of numerous lakes that keep appearing every 10 minutes or so. The clouds are back again and we have no choice but to close our windows due to the cold winds. We are tottering along the road at almost 4200m and reach a place called Klepta from where Bumla is only 8 Kms away. My stomach grumbles, I’m hungry again after having just had breakfast in the morning and nothing thereafter.

While maggi may be the choice for many who travel in the mountains, I am old fashioned when it comes to food and prefer proper meals rather than eating anything packaged. The hunger pangs would have to wait longer as we weren’t getting any food on the high altitude pass – Bumla! The driver advised us to not click any photographs after Klepta as the army has a strict watch and literally enforces the ‘no photography’ signboards. Our sumo was brought to a halt just before the buildings at Bumla appeared.

Importance of Bumla

In 1959, the Dalai Lama on his way from Tibet to India is believed to have escaped via Bumla (Also spelled Bum La – La is pass in Tibetan). In the India-China War of 1962, the Chinese Army invaded across the Bumla pass. Hence, it can be said that Bumla lies at a strategic location in Arunachal Pradesh. The pass itself is buried in snow for most of the year due to the high altitude location. There were efforts to re-open Bumla pass for trade in 2006. Apart from Chushul in Ladakh and Nathu La in Sikkim, Bum La is the only place where the Border Personnel Meetings are held.

We were supposed to walk the rest of the distance. The ice cold wind hit us as soon as we got out of the Sumo. It was insanely cold and the howling winds only exacerbated the chill! Some Army officers were there who asked us to walk towards the Reception Hut. There was warm water, tea and biscuits in the reception hut. I was pleased to drink the hot chai. After 5 odd minutes an Army officer came and asked us to walk in orderly fashion towards Bumla Pass. He also told us to not click any photographs, especially of the establishments on the Indian side.

Apart from us, there were 3-4 other tourists at Bumla. On the Indian side, the buildings were ‘Bumla Hut’ also called ‘Hall of Friendship’ where the meetings between the Chinese officials and the Indian officials were held. The Army officer walked with us till the border which had a ‘Thank You’ board and informed us that 6 meets between China and India are held at Bumla every year; out of which 4 are organised by India and 2 by China. When we reached the border, there was a ‘Heap of Stones’ that demarcated the border between India and China.

It was a strange feeling. There was no barbed wire or Military with Guns manning the Bumla border and at one point of time we felt it was funny to put our feet in Chinese territory and come back to the Indian side instantly. How stupid of us human beings to make partitions in the land we all should be privileged to inhabit. Won’t all of us be happier to call the entire world our Home?

The ‘heap of stones’ is a symbol of peace which began when the Army Officials of both countries started placing stones as a measure of trust when they started meeting many years ago. Now the heap of stones has grown higher but I wonder if the stones actually impart any trust on either the Indian or Chinese side! There was no one on the Chinese side – apparently their border installations are 3 kilometres away. In the far distance, we could notice an Observation Hut and paved roads in China.

Funnily enough, we are told that photographs of the Chinese side can be taken at Bumla but not of the Indian side! After few more gusts of the cold breeze and some laughs later, we walk back to the Reception Hut and I fill some hot water to drink later. I want to pee before the drive back; there’s a toilet but the water has already frozen and a terrible stench sort of ensures I stay away. There’s a souvenir shop too at Bumla; one of us enters the same. The fridge magnet is priced at 100 Rs, and the cap at 250 Rupees.

We decide to hop into the car and start our return journey. It is already around 3 and we are all famished. There’s still some energy left to click pictures of a lake en-route when the light makes it irresistible for us to enjoy the sight. The Y Junction appears in no time; we huddle inside the warm canteen and order tea and some pakoras; others prefer maggi and momos. There’s also a store inside the canteen that sells Army bags and accessories. I buy warm looking huge Army socks for 100 Rupees.

The lights of Tawang greet us as we roll into town at around 1630. Days end early in the North-east and this being the last week of October, the sunsets happen even earlier. As we enter the freezing hotel room, I wonder if Bumla was colder! Perhaps its the concrete construction of the hotel, or maybe the fact that the entire building never seems to receive sunlight.

Whatever it is; I can’t take my mind off the signboard that mentioned Zemithang!

Details for Travel between Tawang and Bumla

Distance between Tawang and Bumla is 37 Kms. The road is paved and metalled till Y Junction which is at a 22 km distance from Tawang. After Y Junction, the condition of the road is horrible and the drive can be said to be a real adventure! The distance from Y Junction to Bumla is 15 Kilometres and the road is open for only around 6 months in a year.

The altitude ranges from 4000m to 4600m from Y Junction to Bumla and there is snowfall usually from November to March. There is a permit required for travelling beyond Y Junction and onward to Bumla and it is advisable to only travel in SUV’s to Bumla because of the bad condition of the road.

Check other posts from Arunachal Pradesh & Northeast India :

A Mixed Experience – Mechuka in Arunachal Pradesh

Photo Story from Ziro Valley, Arunachal Pradesh

Must Have Experiences in India : Loktak Lake

Cherry Blossoms in Nagaland, India

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We’d reached Tawang in the late hours of the night and it was quite chilly with the temperature surely around 0 degrees. The hotel was close to the old market in Tawang and the entire street was covered with colourful prayer flags. It was already a very festive atmosphere and signboards and placards announcing ‘Tawang Festival’ greeted us.

Check : Celebrating a Traditional Festival in a village in Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh

Next morning, we quickly had breakfast and wandered right out of the hotel to reach the festival venue. It was around 9:30 and a huge crowd had already gathered in anticipation. After a quick walk and clicking photographs across the streets where people had congregated in their finest clothes, I walked back to the designated sitting area. Around 10 am would be the time when the CM Pema Khandu was to officially signal the start of Tawang Festival.

This was the street carnival with traditional dances and performances which was held at the Old Market in Tawang. There was a lot of army presence as well, and a rope had been laid out as a marker on the streets. We were not supposed to cross the rope under any circumstances due to the heightened security measures. The traditional dances began and we found our space too, to try and click pictures :

Photo Story : Snapshots from Tawang Festival, Arunachal Pradesh

The running commentary was in the local Tibetan language and hence we were unable to understand what tribe was performing what activity. Yet, I presume Adi, Nyishi and Monpa tribes performed the yak dances and other traditional dances.

Apart from the street festival, there was a separate venue for the night festival and musical and fashion shows as well. The whole ground was lit up and youngsters thronged the area. Food stalls in the form of bamboo huts were erected in the periphery of the night festival venue. Traditional foods, delicacies and local wine and liquor of all the major and minor tribes of Arunachal Pradesh were available. I remember going to the Adi food stall, Nyishi food stall for millet beer and wine and then the Apatani food stall for more liquor and some food!

Read : Portraits that speak, from Turtuk

The most heartening fact was to see women mingle with men and be carefree even in the wee hours of the night. Lighting arrangements were adequate and the public announcement repeatedly stated that the youngsters, men and women can enjoy the festival all night dancing, drinking if they maintain peace and harmony. The rest of India has much to learn about behaving with women – based on Tawang Festival’s crowded scene and fearless attitude for women. Slow claps for that.

About Tawang Festival : Tawang Festival was first started in 2013 to celebrate Arunachal Pradesh’s culture in Tawang. It is a 3-4 day festival when people from across the state come for the festivities. Local performances, food and drinks are on show. Tribal clothes and accessories can also be bought from the shops and stalls. Tawang also has one of the biggest Buddhist monasteries in India.

Check : A Mixed Experience – Mechuka in Arunachal Pradesh

Read : Photo Story from Ziro Valley, Arunachal Pradesh

Read : A Winter in Ladakh : Masked dances at Spituk Monastery

Also read : Brokpas of Ladakh – Culture & Portraits

Read : Travel to Spiti Valley in the Winter

Also check : A Day at Karsha Gompa, Zanskar Valley

Note : I was on an assignment with Arunachal Tourism; the words, views and photographs are entirely mine.

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After looking at various maps, it was understood that I would first have to reach Daporijo and then somehow get to Along (Aalo). A shared sumo ride began from Itanagar for Daporijo and Ziro (Hapoli) was a stop on the way. I bought 10 kiwis for 100 Rupees in Ziro for breakfast. The shared sumo drive was really uncomfortable, thank God for the leftover Kiwi wine for proving to be a good companion for a part of the journey. The drive was lovely and passed through wild banana plantations and orange orchards.

We began from Ziro at 10 in the morning and meandered into Daporijo town at around 5 pm. As soon as I reached, I was greeted with bad news when locals said that there was no way I could go to Along, on the next day. Daporijo is a notorious town and I could see unscrupulous elements on the road. It was already close to getting dark and I still had no idea about a safe hotel to stay for the night. A ramshackle room was found and I quickly had some dinner, which turned out to be inedible.

Read : 7 roadtrips for adventure junkies in India

Daporijo is an important stop on the highway in Arunachal Pradesh and the main reason for its notorious nature was said to be the incidence of prostitution. There was a shutter which effectively sealed off entry to the hotel and I slept in peace. I made some phone calls to my contacts in the north east and it was confirmed that there was indeed no way to reach Along. There are no shared sumos that run from Daporijo (called Dapo in local parlance) to Along and there is only a bus service that runs on alternate days.

Although the journey next day onwards was quite crazy and very very long, I attempt to reproduce words from the diary that I carried on the trip. It is a sincere attempt to keep it short :

Wake up at 6. Foggy morning. Sleep again. 7 am – Walk out. Shutter closed. Get out by 7:30. Have decided that hitchhiking is the only way out of Daporijo. Quick breakfast – 20 Rupees. Want to get to the Along highway as soon as possible. Cross Subansiri river by crossing bridge Tadak Dulom Shom. Buy oranges, 20 Rupees for 5 pieces. No luck with a lift to the main road. Cross the bridge, pretty Subansiri river and lovely landscape. Wait at dhaba. Phone call. 5 km ride in a sumo. Asks for 20 Rupees. Walk past Dumporijo town. 2nd phone call. Private Scorpio Assam Number stops. Really comfortable drive. They think I am a foreigner with a backpack, and hence gave me a ride. 20 odd kms.

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My immediate target is reaching the town of Bame, from where Along is only 60 kms away. Bame is still 80 kms from where I am, and its already 10 am. 3rd phone call. GREF Truck. Sit in the back. 5 kms to reach a Camp. Near Mare village. Maratha café. Finally some food. Eat a lot, drink chai and chat up with the officers. 50 Rupees. An auspicious omen knowing that I will get a ride if I am on the phone, lucky again. GREF gypsy drops me another 8 kms, they are surveying a prospective helipad. Stand with the army guys on the road. Stop a Assam number truck, already 4 people inside. They think I am an army guy who needs help and ask me to get in!

Next village stop for food. I try hitching a ride in a car. Truck people tell me ‘Arunachal people won’t give you a lift.’ I get back in the truck. Painful drive, hardly any place to sit. Share oranges with them. Lunch stop in a small village. Lovely bamboo homes overlooking a valley. Superb architecture, locals chilling and drinking. Adi tribe, which is said to be a clan of Apatani tribe. Feeling a little bit worried, we leave around 4 and Bame is still 45 kms away.

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Immaculate valley views and sunset colours from the window of the truck but can’t try and click photographs and show them my phone. Terrible road, lunch break has taken more than 1 hour. Tirmin village comes, sizeable town. Darkness in the jungle by 5-530 pm. Loo break, a bit scared just in case something goes wrong. Slightly tipsy driver, chewing some intoxicant it seems. All the four people in the truck are from Lakhimpur in Assam. Bame checkpost reach at 630, no place to stay for the night. Along only 49 kms from here. Just 3-4 dhabas at Bame Checkpost.

Suddenly the possibility of reaching Mechuka tomorrow seems alive. The shared sumo taxis from Along to Mechuka leave at 5-6 am in the morning. Decide to continue in the truck till Basar town, 8 kms from Bame check post. Dropped in front of a Petrol Pump owned by a Rajasthani. Locals also suggest better to contact this person for trucks going to Along. Think about finding food first, because very hungry. But first have to find about how to reach Along. Already 730 pm.

Go inside the petrol pump office. Immediately welcomed. The owner is from Sujangarh in Rajasthan and the manager belongs to Nawalgarh in Shekhawati. We exchange introductions and he asks his staff to find out about truck drivers headed to Along in the night. I’m invited to his home for dinner. Immediately say yes. Very tasty chapati and mix vegetable. Eat to my heart’s content. Also more good news, truck guy has been found. He will leave at 9 pm. I should therefore reach Along by 2-3 in the night.

We finally leave before 10 and the progress after Bame check post is painfully slow. 5 kms an hour. Worst road I’ve ever seen, this is worse than Spiti, Ladakh, Zanskar and all of them combined together. Another local boy given a ride, his home is in Along and wants to reach there. Very talkative. 1145 pm make a stop in jungle. I notice drunk truck driver. Ask to stop. Stops. Decide to sleep for some time. 1 hour. Uncomfortable like crazy. Stinking feet and claustrophobic feel with the closed windows.

0115 am. Decide to get down from the truck for some fresh air. Pitch dark. Beautiful skies and misty jungle. Lovely aroma of nature. Big surprise. A bus goes past. My bag is inside the truck, otherwise I would have gone in the bus. Another bus goes by. I decide to throw caution to the wind and wake the boy up and ask him to also stand outside. To our luck, another bus comes. We stop it and haul our bags and jump inside. Really really comfortable. 30 Rupees ticket to Along, bus is going ahead to Kamban. Reach Along at 0415 am. Sleep for 15 more minutes in the bus.

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No sleep. Strange feel. Already daylight. A new day has began even before the earlier one ended. 

I am sure I wouldn’t have faced such a huge problem if I had the chance to check the most comprehensive guide on Backpacking in Arunachal Pradesh written by the awesome guys at LostWithPurpose.

Stomach heavy. Walk outside Along bus stand and ask for shared sumo taxi to Mechuka. Get seat no. 8. I’m just in time. There are only 2-3 sumos that ply each day from Along to Mechuka and they all leave at sharp 5:30. My emotions are a mixture of relief, exhaustion and delight. 500 Rupees paid for seat. Along to Mechuka is 180 kms. It is said to be a 7 hour drive along some crazy roads. Another random backpacker from Bombay is in the same sumo as me! Happy to meet a traveller in the wilderness of Arunachal Pradesh.

5’o clock my allotted sumo driver comes, takes me directly to Sulabh Toilet and asks me to get done with my morning duties. Initial drive through gorgeous Adi Tribal villages like Pobdi, Kabu and Kamban. Their longhouses are huge, and are elevated structures made of bamboo and wood. The driver is a jolly fellow and the other passengers are quite affable too. Uneventful ride, lovely green landscapes. Breakfast in Kaying village. Terrible food. I eat oranges instead. Donyi Polo site nearby (temple kind of place.) See a small homestay board in Kaying village.

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Siko Dido waterfall on the route. Stop for a chai break. The road is in fact quite good. First sight of the Siyom river. Yancho Chu and Yorgam Chu in Mechuka, it is called Siang near Pasighat. Reach Mechuka at 2 pm. Just before the final bend to Mechuka, blue Siang river. Lovely scene. Rach village, huge village of 500 homes. Sheogat is another village near Mechuka; from here China border is around 30 kms. Also locals say there is a hidden lake away in the mountains. Even though the internet has confusing altitudes mentioned for Mechuka; keeping in mind the cold and gradual ascent from Along (250m); I think Mechuka’s altitude is around 1700 to 1900m.

Pretty monastery with a winding path with snowy peaks in the background. All homes in Mechuka are on an elevated level, are made out of wood and seem to have pronounced colours in the windows. Search for a homestay begins. Almost Heritage Homestay, seems costly. 1000/- Rupees for 2 people excluding food. We go to a place called IB-2. Lovely wooden room. Fresh aroma of pine wood in the cottage and the window opens to a fabulous view of the snowy mountains surrounding Mechuka. Price 600 Rupees for 2 people!

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Some kids have come giggling. The Bombay guy gives them some biscuits and they are happy. After a cup of chai, we go out for a walk on the banks of Siyom (later becomes Siang) river even though I am very tired and can barely stand still. Hanging suspension bridge on Siang, pretty scenes as the villagers walk across. White sandy beach, blue waters, houses on the other side; and a huge ‘Menchuka’ affixed on the top of a mountain. It seems that Menchuka is the local name used by the Memba Buddhists that live here. Tranquil time by the river.

It is a sleepy town. Most of the shops are closed. There is a State Bank of India Branch. Most activity only seems to be going on at the sumo counters. We walk across Mechuka and cross the army base of Kumaon Regiment, chat up with the Army people. There is also an airbase in Mechuka. I click many street shots in the village; of the chorten, of locals, of houses. We drink chai at a small dhaba and are overjoyed when it turns out to be tasty.

Maybe my standards have been set pretty high after slow explorations in the Himalayan regions; the so called ‘Last Shangri La’ of Mechuka comes across as a pretty average place. Even the Bombay guy isn’t impressed. He had been sold Mechuka as a must visit place when he went to Arunachal Bhavan in Delhi. The locals inform us that there is a very popular homestay in Mechuka but that it is quite costly.

It is getting colder and the wind is picking up too. We decide to go back to our heavenly cottage to enjoy the evening hues as dusk falls across Mechuka. I sit down and write the goings on in the diary. It is almost dark now, I instantly start wondering whether it was worth it to reach Mechuka after such an arduous journey? In the kitchen, we meet 2 guys from Kullu who are here for some work and have been awarded a construction contract. They are making dinner today, we sit in the kitchen itself because its warm here.

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They serve us dinner in a cozy dining room. It is piping hot and glasses of chhang accompany the food. Roti, dal, raipatta (green leafy vegetable), paata gobi and rice. Made on a wood fire chulha, tastes delicious. We have double helpings of everything! The owner of IB-2 is a very nice and friendly person. Black tea after dinner. 100 Rupees per person for food. Stay out watching the stars. Thoughtless mind. Maybe I should have skipped Mechuka and stuck to the popular circuit of Tawang, Bomdila and Se La instead.

Or maybe Mechuka is really pretty when it is green and I have just come here in the wrong season. My flight from Guwahati to Delhi has already been booked and because I am a long way away, it makes sense to go back. Sleep early at 9. Love the cold in this tiny village and also when the lights of the monastery come up. The sumos from Mechuka to Along leave at 530 am and charge the same 500 Rupees. This time I get a nice window seat.

Morning rush. Driver is staying in the same place as us. Leave for Along. Good tea. Terrible breakfast. Locals chatting up with me about Mechuka. They say there are 4 colours in Mechuka : White, brown, black and green – depending on the seasons.

Driver Rimo tells me the best and quickest way of reaching Guwahati. I need not go to Pasighat. There is an alternate way which is much easier and faster too!

Read : A Detailed Travel Guide for Chopta, Tungnath, Chandrashila Trek

Cross the hanging bridge at Pubdi before reaching Along. Reach Along at 1 in the afternoon. Horrible lunch. Have to get some printouts urgently – life of a travel writer, cum freelancer! Along – dusty town, barber lane, vegetables and spices. People in Arunachal haven’t exactly been friendly.

430 pm shared sumo from Along to Itanagar, takes around 14 hours. Lot of time. Get a head massage done. A local gets in a verbal spat with me. I quietly make my way to the shared sumo office and sit. Bame road is beautiful, it is a different road for sumo and private vehicles; and a different one for buses and trucks. Darkness falls quickly, en route Adi villages have tribal people selling fresh veggies and greens in small wooden open structures.

Till Silapathar, the road is in a bad shape. Then enter Assam, Likabali check post and Highway. All AR numbered taxis move together now. It is around 2 in the night. We make a chai stop in Assam. The shared taxi is going till Itanagar but my destination – Guwahati is closer to reach from Banderdewa. Here the road bifurcates, one goes to Itanagar and the other to Tezpur and Guwahati. The highway in Assam is like a dream, smooth and well metalled. Drizzle at Banderdewa Check post. I sit near a chai wallah. An old man wandering around informs me no vehicle or bus will come before 5-6 in the morning.

He is shivering. I notice his feet. He has no footwear. His job is to run and stop the trucks for a quick cup of chai. I experience a sudden rush of emotion. Remove my shoes and give it to him. I say that I can wear my slippers instead. As it is, this is the last leg of my trip to the north east and I just need to get home. Over watery chai, I cried and told him countless stories of the paths these shoes had treaded upon. That these were the very shoes that took me across the Shingo La from Lahaul to Zanskar. A wave of memories came flooding by, I narrated to him tales from Kashmir and of monsoon treks in Goa.

The poor man says that numerous people crossed the check post each day. If only the world could do with more kindness. The chai wallah, a sweeper and some truckers all have moist eyes by the end of this conversation.

Sitting on that broken wooden bench in Banderdewa, I felt free. I have learnt a small lesson, ‘The pleasure of life is in giving.’

Practical Information 

How to Reach Mechuka? The most recommended way is from Dibrugarh in Assam. Crossing Brahmaputra river on a ferry at Bogibeel Ghat is the next step to reach Kolajan Ghat. It should roughly take 45 minutes for the ferry ride. From here, there are two ways to reach Along : One is through Pasighat; and the other one is through Likabali and Silapathar. Along to Mechuka is 180 kms and roughly takes 7 hours in a shared sumo.

Shared sumo’s run on the entire route from Dibrugarh to Along and also from Itanagar to Along and then Mechuka. There are also a few buses that ply to Along from different parts of Arunachal Pradesh. Along (Called Aalo) is home to the Adi tribe and is a sizeable town with basic hotels and shops. I clubbed Ziro Valley with my visit to Mechuka and the result is this blog post!

For travellers visiting Arunachal Pradesh, it is essential to have an Inner Line Permit.

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Homestays : Tourism Department of Arunachal Pradesh and trying to promote and develop Mechuka as an adventure destination. Locals also spoke of Mechuka Adventure Festival being organised in November for the last 2-3 years. During the time paragliding, rafting and other adventure activities are organised. Hence, there are many places to stay in Mechuka in the form of homestays.

I stayed at a place called IB-2 by the locals and had a really nice experience! It is a small place with many eateries and shops but don’t think Mechuka has a hotel, although with increasing tourist arrivals it may happen soon.

When to Go? Although I went in November, I think summers should be the best time to visit Mechuka – with regards to the weather and landscapes.

There are a few functional ATMs in Along and maybe one in Mechuka. It is better to be armed with cash when you are travelling in Arunachal Pradesh. Most mobile networks work in Along but in Mechuka only BSNL works.

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I was lucky to be assisted by an unknown guy on a motorbike who drove me to the permit office near Lilabari airport that enabled me to make a dash to the shared taxi place in time. After a terribly tiring and bumpy ride of more around six hours, I was finally in Hapoli village (New Ziro).

It was local help from many Facebook friends that was instrumental in my explorations of the the many villages of Ziro Valley. I was very surprised to know that the Apatani locals practise sun-moon worship called as Donyi-Polo and there was also a small temple near the entrance of Hong village.

When I asked the informative locals regarding the legend of ‘Why the Apatani ladies were tattooed?’. Were they really so beautiful and the neighbouring Nyishi tribe used to take them away? It was quickly dismissed as a marketing gimmick that was initiated by Lonely Planet, one of the most respected locals there told me.

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Some kind people in Guwahati had presented me with a glass of delicious plum wine brought from Ziro Valley. It had made me aware that I must ask the locals regarding the various kinds of local liquor available here. Kiwi fruit was being sold for 10 Rupees per piece and I promptly bought 10 kiwis to enjoy! A board ‘Kiwi wine available here’ started a fantastic experience, it was really tasty and had the right amount of alcohol content!

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I was especially pleased when the homestay owners invited me for tasting some ‘Apong’ which is rice beer. The lady had warmed it a little bit and I asked for a second helping!

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Facts & Travel Guide : Ziro Valley is a scenic region in Arunachal Pradesh. It is located in the Lower Subansiri District but is a long drive away from the nearest airport and railway station. Reaching Ziro Valley from most parts of India will involve a flight to Guwahati and then a train. The roads in Arunachal Pradesh are in poor condition and hence take much time to traverse.

Also read : First impressions of Sikkim

Hong is the biggest Apatani village and has a few homestays to stay if you ask around. There are 6-7 villages in Ziro Valley and all of them are located very close to each other. I visited all of them and really liked Hija village for the location. Biirii village is home to the well known Ziro Valley Resort and Siri village also has some homestays – both these villages are on the other side of the valley. Hapoli village (New Ziro) has concrete hotels and is a rapidly growing town with ATM facilities and a market. The shared taxi stand is near the School gate in Hapoli. Talle Valley is an upcoming popular trekking destination in Ziro Valley.

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