Itanagar, the capital of
Arunachal Pradesh, is a beautiful historic city, also known as ‘the Land of the
Dawnlit
Mountains
’. It is located to the east of Tawang and has been identified with
Mayapur, a
city of the 14th or 15th century A.D. The new township has
modern buildings, bazaars and traditional homesteads. Important attractions
include old brick fort (Itafort),Buddhist Monastry,
Jawaharlal
Nehru
Museum
,
Ganga
Lake
(Geykar Sinyi) and Zoo. On the banks of the Bharali river at an elevation of 190
mtrs. Is Tipi, an orchidarium with over 7500 orchids.
On display are some of the
finest species with names like the Dainty Lady’s Slipper or the more formal
sounding Dendrobium. Arunachal has the largest range of orchids in
India
and at Tipi, scientists are creating new, hybrid species using the latest
techniques of biotechnology. Another 40 kms. is the
Orchids
Park
at Sessa.
The journey onwards is most
adventurous and perhaps the most difficult as Bomdila,
the headquarters of the West Kameng District is at a height of 2,530 mtrs,
offering wonderfully panoramic views of Himalayan landscapes and snow clad ranges.
The scenery is spectacular but there is a tingling sense of fear too-it is a long
way down !
There are apple orchards and
Buddhist monasteries, for travellers are
now entering an area that has had strong Tibetan and Buddhist influences over the
centuries. The area has many Buddhist monasteries called ‘Gompas’ and there is
also a crafts centre producing very fine carpets of colourful designs. Around the
area are good trails for trekking enthusiasts.
A 10 km. Drive from Bomdila takes
you to Tawang, a Buddhist pilgrimage site, where the Dalai Lama, the spiritual
leader of the Tibetans, goes to preach and pray. The most striking building in
this Buddhist village is the tall central monastery, the Tawang Gompa.
The 400 year old monastery
dominates the valley with a grand view of the
Himalayas
. The Tibetan influence here is unmistakable, with the elaborately painted wooden
windows and other motifs. Prayer flags flutter in the breeze and inside, the
monks- there are some 500 lamas –
light lamps, rush about their chores and drown in joint prayer. An 8
mtr. High
gilded status of the Buddha is here, as are numerous ancient Thankas r traditional
paintings and manuscripts.
Losar, (Feb.-March) the main
festival is fixed in consultation with the Buddhist calendar.
The best time to visit :- The best
time to visit Itanagar is between October
to March
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By
Air |
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The nearest airport is at Tejpur in
Assam 228 km |
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By
Train |
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Nearest Rail head is Harmuty in Assam (
33 Km from Itanagar) & North Lakumpur is 60 Km from Itanagar . |
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By
Road |
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There is vast network of bus services |
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