Tourism: A travelogue to ‘Twang’- the confluence of inimitable cultures Visit

Reaching up to Twang is undoubtedly full of tiresome experience but all your fatigue would rub off once you reach there. We, the three friends, decided to visit Twang, a place adjacent to Bhutan and Tibet, located in Arunachal Pradesh.

After alighting down at ‘Rangia’ Railway Station of Assam, we boarded the bus and reached Tezpur and booked a ticket for sumo for the next day. We any how warded off our exhaustion by sleeping in night. The sumo started at 5.30 AM in the morning and kept on moving on broken up muddied roads after crossing over the Assam boarder.

Journey to Twang begins

The journey to Twang began via longish roads that once again started filling our bodies with tiredness. After traversing the two hors of long journey, the nearer kasba of Arunachal Pradesh “Bhalupong’ came by in the route where everybody’s permits were checked up and stamped. You need to take the permission from the state government to visit this place which was obtained from the Arunachal Bhawan in Delhi in beforehand.

Now the sumo caught up with the speed. Just after covering a distance, our attention was drawn to the spring water falling down the mountains with humming sound. The eye catching high Himalayan peaks was something that fully won over our hearts. The area falling on ways were covered with small orchards of kiwis, long huge trees of cedar and cheed, wild plants and trees and flowers, the twirling and twisting clouds hovering over the mountainous peaks were looking as if it were carving out images of different shapes and sizes. A little distance farther away, the dense clouds were spreading and stretching in such a manner as if the long kilometres of roads are covered with cotton all around the place. There was not a place left where the jawans of BSF were not working on this route we were treading along.

Cold wind was increasing as we were advancing on this road by the fall of evening. Before the darkness descended, we had already crossed over to the world renowned ‘Sheela Top’ and the historic place ‘Jaswantgarh’. After this, we reached Twang by 9.30 PM. Sapan Bandopadhya, the official representative, Arunachal Pradesh Development Council’ was waiting there to receive us. We were shivering with cold by then.

Viewable spots in Twang

Sapan Da informed us we were at the height of 10,000 feet from the sea level. After taking the complete rest in the night, the morning sunshine was soothing to the eyes; we forgot the chilling cold under the intense sunlight. We wanted to go farther up but found that for this, taking the permission of the army official had to be taken with the help of the District Magistrate. This process eats up the whole day long. Hence, we embarked out to see the local viewable beauty spots.

The world famous Twang Buddha Math of the Mahayana Bauddhs is one of the most prestigious massive sized in India. It was built some 350 years ago under the supervision of the 5th Dalailama. The image of ‘Lord Buddha’ of a height of whopping 28 feet built in the prayer hall of the monastery appears to be speaking to you. Built in this ‘Math’ are only those idols of Hindus that are to be found everywhere in the ‘Sanatan Dhamma’ temples of the Hindus – Kaali, Durga, Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, images of ‘Karma Phal’, Vaitarani River, etc.

Finishing touches are being given to one museum also in the temple premises in which are kept preserved for general viewing the oldest artefacts, ancient elephant’s teeth, centuries olden weapons, pots and utensils brought in uses in the monastery in past periods, and rare manuscripts including dresses worn during cultural festivals. There is a massive building housing the school of ‘Lamas’ here where education relating to the Buddha religion, philosophy and traditions are imparted. There is one ‘Gompa’ in Twang as such that houses the 40 ‘Bhikshunies’ also.

War memorial of China war, 1962

It was through the passageways of Twang that Chinese forces had made incursions into the Indian Territory in 1962. Around 2420 army men were martyred during this Chinese attack. A war memorial has been built in here in their memory. This memorial in itself is a pilgrimage. The names of martyrs are engraved herein along with the name of their brigades. In the ‘Stupa’ erected here are the idols of Lord Buddha and the manuscripts are put on also. At the top of these all adorns the image of Sardar Jogendra Singh. Photography is restricted here. The 6th Dalai lama was born in the ‘Mompa species’At his birth place are divided two branches of a tree which is revered as ‘Kalpataru’ around which, bauddhs move in circles asking for blessings. Symbolic of 9 stars, the domelike structure was built at the birth place of the 6th Dalai Lama.

Twang- a unique confluence of Buddha religion and the army

The people of Twang are peace loving, very cooperative and mixing type. But this area is too costly. Twang is infested with army men, ITBP jawans, Boarder road organization, Boarder armed force and other paramilitary forces. It’s in a way a heady mix of the Buddha religion and army. Relation between the army and the local people is very cordial.

Chief festival of Twang

‘Toria’ and ‘Losal’ are two chief festivals of this place that are celebrated by the locales with great fanfare, gusto and pomp. These are celebrated in the month of February.

wrap up: From the festival point of view, visiting Twang is a once in a life time experience. This the confluent point of rich heritage of cultures as well.

Tourism: A travelogue to ‘Twang’- the confluence of inimitable cultures

Journey to Twang begins

Viewable spots in Twang

War memorial of China war, 1962

Twang- a unique confluence of Buddha religion and the army

Chief festival of Twang

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