Places of Interest in Arunachal
Pradesh
Naharlagun
Polo Park: An interesting little botanical garden atop a ridge overlooking
the town. Visitors should notice the cane thicket: it looks a bit like a palm,
with spines on its stems, but growing as a bush. There is also a small zoo.
Handicrafts Centre run by the Industries Department offers a good range of shawls,
carpets, carved caskets & the beautiful cane & bamboo work in which
the north-east excels. Behind & to one side of the showroom, is the workshop
where cane is trimmed, cut and woven by tribal artisans with great skill.
Pachin River: This rivulet providing a fine fishing spot passes by Naharlagun.
Zoo: 18 kms from Naharlagun and near Banderdewa police check post. Providing
glimpses of uncommon Himalayan fauna.
Itanagar
It is located to the east of Tawang and has been identified with Mayapur, a
city of the 14th or 15th century A.D. Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh,
is a beautiful historic city, also known as 'the Land of the Dawn lit Mountains'.
The new township has modern buildings, bazaars and traditional homesteads. Important
attractions include old brick fort (Itafort), Buddhist Monastery, Jawaharlal
Nehru Museum, Ganga Lake (Geykar Sinyi) and Zoo. 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 Denfrobium,
Arunachal has the largest range of orchids in India and at Tipi, scientist are
creating new, hybrid species using the latest techniques of biotechnology another
40 km is the orchid park at Sessa.
The journey onwards is the 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 wonderful panoramic views of Himalayan landscape 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 travelers are now entering
an area that has had strong Tibetan and Buddhist influence over the centuries.
The area has many Buddhist monasteries called gompas and there is also a crafts
center producing very carpets of colourful designs. Around the area are good
trails for trekking enthusiasts.
A 10 km drive from Bomdils 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 light lamps, rush about their chores and drone in point prayer.
An 8- mtr high gilded statue of the Buddha is here as are Nemours ancient thanks
or traditional paintings and manuscripts.
