Arunachal Pradesh (Articles)

• 2003 A Trek in Tawang Tract – Arunachal

  Whenever I am visiting New Delhi, I love to spend an afternoon with the famous writer Bill Aitken over a lunch. We go to our favourite restaurant, watch cricket and spend a leisurely time with this master who knows Himalaya well and writes about them with deep affection.   more details…

• 2004 Tsangpo -The Final Exploration

  For earlier explorers, journeys towards the Tibetan highlands from India began in the plains of Assam, arranging supplies, mules and porters. Now roads have been built leading many kilometres towards the mountains, so the journey begins with hiring a taxi. We hired a big one for the 985 km journey from Dibrugarh, in the valley of Assam, to Tuting high in Arunachal Pradesh (formerly NEFA), heading towards the Tsangpo bend.   more details…

• 2005 Secrets of Subansiri- Arunachal Pradesh

  “Say Hi 2 snakes 4 me,” was a short SMS message on my mobile. Keeping up the modern time, the remote town of Daporijo had a mobile tower and we were about to give up the comforts of civilization. But the message was not too wrong for within next two days we travelled to Tame Chung Chung, aka, (‘also known as’) ‘place of snakes’, in short ‘TCC’  more details…

• 2006 The Promised Land -Dibang valley

  As it is said in every news bulletin, first the headlines.  We trekked in the upper Dibang valley, eastern Arunachal Pradesh (formerly NEFA). We followed in the footsteps of F. M. Bailey and H. T. Morshead to Yonggyap la  and in the Dri valley.   more details…

• 2007 Lohit Valley -The Eastern Frontier of India

  We were  standing in front of what Mishmis called a ‘bridge’. It was thin tree fallen across the Sat Ti river. To cross, one had to jump with light foot from a branch to another. To make matters exciting the river was flowing above the  bridge at centre.   more details…

• 2009 Pemako -Yangsang Chu Valley

  For centuries the forbidden gorges and inaccessible ravines served as an ideal refuge from invasions and wars which shook Tibet. This was perhaps the starting of the legends of Pemako.    more details…

• 2010 The Riddle of Kangto

  Traditionally people from the northern villages in the Himalayan range always travelled to the Tibetan plateau, be it for trade, pilgrimage or even spying. This holds true for Kumaun, Nepal, Bhutan and Himachal Pradesh. more details…

• 2011 Treks to Passes on India – Burma Border

  The Patkai range, in the eastern India, divides India and Burma, with Pangsu pass as a low point on the ridge. Both side of the range is thick jungle. The range is much smaller in height compared to the Himalayan range, but it is no less difficult in terms of difficulties of travel.   more details…

• 2012 The Epic of Chaukan Pass

  One of the groups fleeing the Japanese army consisted of the  British who were trapped at Fort Hertz (now known as Putao) in north Burma.  Advancing Japanese troops may overrun Fort Hertz if they waited till the monsoon period passes.  So in heavy rains they left Putao with Mishmi guide and porters to cross the  Chaukan pass, nearest to their location.

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• 2015 An Autumn Trek to Bangajang Monastery

  We were standing at Chomjuk lake. It was surrounded by flora, impressive in its stunning autumn hues and the lake’s water reflecting an intense blue colour in the bright sunlight.   more details…

• 2016 On Apatani Plateau – Subansiri Valley

  We were standing on a small hill overlooking the valley of Ziro, home of the Apatanis.  Fields stretch out on all sides of a flat valley surrounded by forested mountain ridges. At different corners of the plateau, were seven villages, large and small, where the Apatanis lived.   more details…

• 2012 Hidden Land of Pemako – for (The Alpinist)

  The journey of the river Tsangpo as it weaves its way through the Tibetan plateau is as fascinating as the story of its exploration. more details…

• 2014 Arunachal Pradesh – Land of Rising Sun

  The problem of the tribal area is to make the people feel that they have perfect freedom to live their own lives and to develop according to their wishes and genius. more details…

• 2018 Enigmatic Takpa Siri – The Holy Mountain

  A mountain is simply an inanimate object, a monolithic mass of stone whose size and features inspire awe and admiration. When a mountain is worshipped in any manner it assumes the form of God, the divine.    more details…

• 2018 The Kamala Valley

  Sources of ideas for a trek are many. The usual culprits being a book, a talk or an article suggesting a new area, or perhaps the distant view of a mountain one has seen.   more details…