An Idyllic Isolation

Arunachal Pradesh:

If you prefer to be in a place which is less crowded by the "hyper" tourists, North East India would offer you  exactly what you want. And for me, Arunachal Pradesh is the right pick. The Land of Dawn-lit Mountains or  often known as the Land of the Rising Sun is located at the easternmost part of India. Positioned critically, it is an army-populated area as it shares its borders with the People's Republic of China. It has been at the heart of the Sino-Indian boundary dispute for a long time. China often refers it as "Southern Tibet" and wants  Tawang to be transferred to China. As a traveler, such national issues are better to be kept aside and focus more on the place and its local people. Much of Arunachal Pradesh is covered by the Himalayas. It is mainly inhabited by tribal communities.

As we drove through the vast expanses of  greenery, we reached Bhalukpong, a small town located along the river in West Kameng district of Arunacal, around 60 kms away from Tezpur. It is rich in natural beauty and one can just take a walk down the riverside. There are not many sight seeing spots over here. But the very beauty and calmness of the place is enough to mesmerize you and the pleasant climate makes it a very favourable place to stay. As the sun set down, we visited the town which is a few miles away from the tourist lodge. It was in the month of October and it was just the day after Dashami, a very significant day for Bengalis when the immersion of Goddess Durga takes place. We got the opportunity to watch several immersions into the river at Bhalukpong. It was a wonderful experience to see Bhashan at such a remote place with the backdrop of the Himalayas covered with forests and the river streaming down. 

To be continued. 

Consumed by Wanderlust

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” – Mark Twain

I have come across this quote several times. It is true. Indeed. And as the title of my blog suggests, travelling is my passion. I have been travelling with my family since childhood, mostly in India and even outside the Indian boundaries. I have also traveled quite few a times with my friends. And no, I am not the kind of "typical" tourists who just travel for the sake of travelling to popular destinations. 

 Why do I travel? What is so special about it? To ignite the senses, to see, to hear, to feel, to explore the unknown, to learn, to grow and to foster appreciation for both the outside world and the same old small world where I live. My home. The excitement of travelling lies in these. As the journey ends and you return to your home and lie down on the bed in your room, you attain mental peace and a sense of joy even when you are jaded of the tiring journey. The sense of belonging to your home, to the city and to the people where you live often strengthens. 

 Travelling is like taking a detour from our same old boring lives and the daily routines attached to it. Even a small gateway to a nearby countryside freshens up the mind. It helps me to keep aside all the personal problems. Away from the hustle and bustle of a metropolitan city! Spending few days at a secluded rest house in a forest or a small hilly town, experiencing silence like never before, gazing at the clear sky, listening to the cricket sounds at night instead of the irritable honking of automobiles, breathing in the fresh air! Oh and the greenery which has a soothing effect on your mind.

That is not all. Travelling also helps me to know about a place and its inhabitants. Before making an itinerary, I study about that place and its history, culture flora, fauna and climate. Thanks to the Internet and travel guide books! You get detailed information on just anything that you want to know about a place. One can just go through  the reviews of other travelers and then plan accordingly. But then beauty lies in the eyes of beholder. Until and unless you experience it by yourself, it is not advisory to form preconceived notions about a place. At times, you just need to follow your heart. 

Anyways I have just made a small attempt to jot down some of my travel experiences here. There is a lot more to explore. Stay tuned for more updates.