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Winter Wonderland
The sinuous road to Tawang passes through the dragon gates on the awesome heights of the great Sela Pass. Fluttering prayer flags in myriad colours are a must see along the route. Tawang has a strong industrial presence with tourism being its heartbeat and it does not pull itself away when it comes to hospitality. Rich in culture and steeped in religion, every festival; immaterial of religion is celebrated with great zeal and gusto.
Adrenaline rush
The visit of Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram on 31st December 2010 accompanied by Minister of State for Planning V Narayanswamy to inaugurate the Deputy Commissioner’s office building and a ropeway connecting Tawang Ganden Namgyal Lhatse Monastery to Gyangong Ani Gonpa Nunnery marked a new era of development which started in this remote district. His visit to Tawang added much colour and vigor as the celebration of Torgya festival was just about to begin from January 2 to 5, 2011. With the inauguration of the ropeway and the DC’s office the people of the town were in a euphoric mood as this was like a New Year’s Gift. The ropeway was constructed by the state PWD at a total cost of Rs. 330.89 lakh. 90 per cent of the funds were sanctioned by DoNER ministry under the non-lapsable central pool whose foundation stone was laid by former President Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam in October 2002. The ropeway is 1,184 meters long, has a capacity of carrying 8 people and it takes 8 minutes to cross this ropeway from one end to the other.
Unending celebrations
Tawang is referred to as the celestial paradise city and a must see is the celebration of the Torgya festival which is a three day affair and takes place during the month of January. This festival can offer you primetime entertainment and an adrenaline rush, for Torgya, a traditional tantric-dance, is no small event. Be sure to find a vantage point from where you can view the great tantric dance because in most cases it is a blink-and-you-miss-it affair. His Eminence Guru Tulka Rinpoche, Abbot of the famous Ganden Namgyal Lhatse i.e. Tawang Monastery briefly says that this festival of Torgya signifies the destruction of evil spirits and harmful forces and seeks the rule of prosperity and happiness amongst the people. Torgya is an annual religious festival of the region and is celebrated in accordance with the Buddhist lunar calendar in different Monasteries. The major attractions of this gala event are the offering of day long mass prayer by the monks of the monastery, trade fair of traditional handloom and handicraft, cultural exhibition of horticultural and agricultural products by the local traders and traders from across India especially from Bhutan and Tibet.
Tawang is home to an important sect of Mahayana Buddhism and the only place where one can rejuvenate and simply pack off to the famous Tawang Monastery of the Gelukpa founded by Mera Lama Lodre Gyaltso during the 17th century. Its aura reflects the rich and cultural past of the second largest Monastery in Asia and the largest one of its kind in the country which controls 17 Gompas in the region. The most imposing part of the Monastery is the three storied assembly hall which houses the temple and the 28 feet high Golden statue of Lord Buddha. The monastery has a library having an impressive collection of ancient books and manuscripts where the famous Buddhist scriptures Kangyur and Tangyur inscribed in gold are preserved.
The other side of Tawang
Though known the world over as a destination for Buddhist Pilgrimage, Tawang has many other tourist sites and monasteries like the Urgelling Monastery which is the birth-place of the 6th Dalai Lama. Rigyalling Monastery is another monastery surrounded by lush green beauty. Toktsang Monastery which is located 45 kms away from Tawang is also called the Tiger’s Den which is believed to have been visited by Guru Padmasambha in the 8th century. The Gorcham Chorten situated 92 kms away from Tawang at Zemithang is a stupa looming high into the sky which was constructed in the 12th century and is the largest stupa in the area.
Tawang is also famous for beautiful natural waterfalls, hot spring and lakes like the Sangetsar Lake which is surrounded by splendid natural beauty. It is home to snow pigeons and musk deer. P.T.so Lake locally known as the Pankang Teng Tso Lake is surrounded by picturesque landscape. Apart from all this, the place is also suitable for trekking as it is surrounded by very attractive landscape.
Another must see place in and around Tawang is the War Memorial which is dedicated to the memory of 2420 brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in defending the frontiers of the motherland during the 1962 Sino-Indian War. The craft centre and the local markets where one can purchase beautiful masks, hand woven carpets, tangkhas, jewellery in silver, turquoise, coral and amber, delightfully affordable mementos and many other gift items are other great tourist destinations. Despite globalization putting its mark on the town, people here are quite traditional.
The hand woven woolen carpets made here and the Tangkha paintings are masterpieces in themselves. Normally bearing pictures of Buddhist deities, the paintings are a must in any connoisseurs’ list. The people are equally adept in making handmade paper from the bark of Daphne-Botanica plants.
Food for thought
The local cuisine in Tawang is not restricted to Momos, Thukpa (Noodle soup), Phing (Soya bean noodle) and Khap-Tse (traditional biscuits). The city is known for its Butter tea and Churpi. Butter tea is a popular beverage which is offered liberally to visitors who are expected to consume several cups of it. Churpi is a soft cheese that is used to flavour a variety of dishes ranging from meat to vegetable preparations. Its making involves hard work and generally churpi is made in large quantities for it has a long shelf life and can be stored indefinitely.
So, what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and do head to Tawang for a cultural extravaganza that is as filling to the senses as it is light on the pockets.
Adrenaline rush
The visit of Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram on 31st December 2010 accompanied by Minister of State for Planning V Narayanswamy to inaugurate the Deputy Commissioner’s office building and a ropeway connecting Tawang Ganden Namgyal Lhatse Monastery to Gyangong Ani Gonpa Nunnery marked a new era of development which started in this remote district. His visit to Tawang added much colour and vigor as the celebration of Torgya festival was just about to begin from January 2 to 5, 2011. With the inauguration of the ropeway and the DC’s office the people of the town were in a euphoric mood as this was like a New Year’s Gift. The ropeway was constructed by the state PWD at a total cost of Rs. 330.89 lakh. 90 per cent of the funds were sanctioned by DoNER ministry under the non-lapsable central pool whose foundation stone was laid by former President Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam in October 2002. The ropeway is 1,184 meters long, has a capacity of carrying 8 people and it takes 8 minutes to cross this ropeway from one end to the other.
Unending celebrations
Tawang is referred to as the celestial paradise city and a must see is the celebration of the Torgya festival which is a three day affair and takes place during the month of January. This festival can offer you primetime entertainment and an adrenaline rush, for Torgya, a traditional tantric-dance, is no small event. Be sure to find a vantage point from where you can view the great tantric dance because in most cases it is a blink-and-you-miss-it affair. His Eminence Guru Tulka Rinpoche, Abbot of the famous Ganden Namgyal Lhatse i.e. Tawang Monastery briefly says that this festival of Torgya signifies the destruction of evil spirits and harmful forces and seeks the rule of prosperity and happiness amongst the people. Torgya is an annual religious festival of the region and is celebrated in accordance with the Buddhist lunar calendar in different Monasteries. The major attractions of this gala event are the offering of day long mass prayer by the monks of the monastery, trade fair of traditional handloom and handicraft, cultural exhibition of horticultural and agricultural products by the local traders and traders from across India especially from Bhutan and Tibet.
Tawang is home to an important sect of Mahayana Buddhism and the only place where one can rejuvenate and simply pack off to the famous Tawang Monastery of the Gelukpa founded by Mera Lama Lodre Gyaltso during the 17th century. Its aura reflects the rich and cultural past of the second largest Monastery in Asia and the largest one of its kind in the country which controls 17 Gompas in the region. The most imposing part of the Monastery is the three storied assembly hall which houses the temple and the 28 feet high Golden statue of Lord Buddha. The monastery has a library having an impressive collection of ancient books and manuscripts where the famous Buddhist scriptures Kangyur and Tangyur inscribed in gold are preserved.
The other side of Tawang
Though known the world over as a destination for Buddhist Pilgrimage, Tawang has many other tourist sites and monasteries like the Urgelling Monastery which is the birth-place of the 6th Dalai Lama. Rigyalling Monastery is another monastery surrounded by lush green beauty. Toktsang Monastery which is located 45 kms away from Tawang is also called the Tiger’s Den which is believed to have been visited by Guru Padmasambha in the 8th century. The Gorcham Chorten situated 92 kms away from Tawang at Zemithang is a stupa looming high into the sky which was constructed in the 12th century and is the largest stupa in the area.
Tawang is also famous for beautiful natural waterfalls, hot spring and lakes like the Sangetsar Lake which is surrounded by splendid natural beauty. It is home to snow pigeons and musk deer. P.T.so Lake locally known as the Pankang Teng Tso Lake is surrounded by picturesque landscape. Apart from all this, the place is also suitable for trekking as it is surrounded by very attractive landscape.
Another must see place in and around Tawang is the War Memorial which is dedicated to the memory of 2420 brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in defending the frontiers of the motherland during the 1962 Sino-Indian War. The craft centre and the local markets where one can purchase beautiful masks, hand woven carpets, tangkhas, jewellery in silver, turquoise, coral and amber, delightfully affordable mementos and many other gift items are other great tourist destinations. Despite globalization putting its mark on the town, people here are quite traditional.
The hand woven woolen carpets made here and the Tangkha paintings are masterpieces in themselves. Normally bearing pictures of Buddhist deities, the paintings are a must in any connoisseurs’ list. The people are equally adept in making handmade paper from the bark of Daphne-Botanica plants.
Food for thought
The local cuisine in Tawang is not restricted to Momos, Thukpa (Noodle soup), Phing (Soya bean noodle) and Khap-Tse (traditional biscuits). The city is known for its Butter tea and Churpi. Butter tea is a popular beverage which is offered liberally to visitors who are expected to consume several cups of it. Churpi is a soft cheese that is used to flavour a variety of dishes ranging from meat to vegetable preparations. Its making involves hard work and generally churpi is made in large quantities for it has a long shelf life and can be stored indefinitely.
So, what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and do head to Tawang for a cultural extravaganza that is as filling to the senses as it is light on the pockets.
Chow Bilaseng Namchoom
