(Sela Pass, bordering China)
Our flight to Kolkata was
at 7.05, morning. We arrived Kolkata at 8, morning. Our next flight to Itanagar
was at 12.45 PM. If the flight to Itanagar departed on time, we would reach around
2 PM. We did not have breakfast at home before we left for airport as we had to
reach airport at least one hour before the scheduled departure. We decided to
have something to eat in Kolkata airport, and have our lunch in Itanagar. Food
in the airport was costly. We had plates of three idlis that cost us Rs. 350
per plate. We reached Itanagar at 2 PM.
The vehicles hired for us
did not enter into the airport. The drivers of the vehicles of the airport had
a union; they did not allow outside vehicles. The vehicles hired for us were
from Assam. We had to walk one and half miles to come outside the airport area.
We left Itanagar at around 2.30 PM. We were all hungry. The tour operator told
the driver to stop the vehicle near a hotel.
A standard hotel was not
to be seen. The road side hotels were mud walled thatched houses. The
driver stopped the vehicle near such a hotel. But the hotel did not have food. The
manager told there was no electricity since the night before, and they did not
have water to cook food. We approached another hotel; the manager there said
that they could not serve food for twenty-seven people at a time. We were a
group of twenty-seven including the tour operator.
At last, we reached a
hotel that agreed us to serve food; a simple meal of roti, dal and cabbage
curry. The food was tasty, perhaps, for we were hungry and it served us hot. It
was already 4 PM. We reached Tejpur at 6, evening, and checked in the hotel.
2
(Sela Pass, the lake behind is frozen)
We started our journey at
9, morning from Tejpur to Bomdila. Mountainous road; the roads have been made
cutting the mountains and forest. On the way we saw a small waterfall. Bus
journey, because of the road conditions, took time. We reached Bomdila at 4,
afternoon. Temperature in Bomdila was 9 degree, Celsius. The temperature
reduced in the night; in the morning, it was 2 degree.
(Paresh and I with Mrutyunjay Mohanty)
The bus we traveled had eight passengers. We four, Paresh and I with
our wives; P.K.Das and his wife, Dr S. P. Panda and Mrutyunjay Mohanty.
Mrutyunjay Mohanty is a lover of literature and he had read both Paresh and me.
He was pleased to meet us and we discussed literature and current affairs while travelling.
(Bumla Pass, Paresh and me, enjoying snow fall)
We had our lunch in a
road side hotel. Arunachal does not have many tourists. The hotels find it
difficult to serve to food thirty people at a time. The hotel cooked food and
served us. The manager and, perhaps, the owner also, was a lady. I noticed, the
shops and hotels in Arunachal are mainly managed by ladies.
We went to Sela pass,
bordering China. The temperature there was 1 degree Celsius. The mountains on
the way to Sela Pass were covered with snow. The lake near the Sela pass was
frozen. Biting cold, we did not have sufficient winter dress to beat . We shivered. On our way to Tawang where we were to stay
the night, we visited Jaswant Gadwar memorial. In 1962 was with China, Jaswant
alone had killed many Chinese soldiers. He is awarded Mahavir Chakra. It is believed;
his soul is present there, and still giving protection.
3
We went to Bumla Pass,
border with China. The distance from Tawang was 37 Kms. We calculated we would
return within four hours and have lunch in the hotel. But weather changed.
There was snow fall. The temperature was minus (-) 3 degree. The driver tied
chains with the back wheels for the vehicle to move on snow. First time I
witnessed snow fall. We went to the army base near the border. Had hot noodles
and bought woolen caps and hand gloves. It was difficult to drive on snow. We
had left the hotel for Bumla Pass at 8.30, morning, and returned at 4.30,
afternoon. The to and fro journey took eight hours.
It was drizzling in
Tawang. The temperature was 6 degree Celsius. We were hungry. We gobbled up
roti, cabbage curry and egg omelets the hotel managed to prepare and serve us
in haste. We did not go anywhere in the evening.
4
(Near a monastery)
We left Tawang at 8.45,
morning and reached Tezpur at 8.30, night. Twelve hours bus journey, I
undertook first time after many years. I was afraid of such a long journey, but
for Paresh and other co-travelers; time passed gossiping and merrymaking inside
the bus.
The main religion practiced
by the people is Buddhism. We have seen large Buddha statues and monasteries in
Bomdila and other places. The pattern of the building of all monasteries is
almost the same. On our way back to Tejpur we also visited one Buddha statue
and a water fall. The water fall originates from Sela Pass and the river that
flows nearby originates from China. Hydroelectricity is generated from the
water fall. A beautiful sight.
(With Paresh)
We witnessed snow covered
mountains and snow fall on the way; snowflakes hung from the branches and
leaves of the pine trees. Back home, I had posted a short video of the scene in
my Facebook timeline; some people mistook the place Switzerland.
******
