Garden Of Love

Recently I had an opportunity to visit Lumla near Bhutan Boarder in Arunachal Pradesh. Vasudha arranged an Inner Line Permit for the same travel. ILP is mandatory to enter Arunachal Pradesh. Started at 10.00 am in the morning, my first halt was Tezpur in Assam, where I visited almost after a gap of 20 years. I had many memories of that place, but could not explore more here as I felt very tired.

Next morning, I along with Mr. Suba started for Lumla. We chose to enter Arunachal from another route Kalaktang to Bomdila as Bhalukpong road was closed due to recent landslide on the way. Beautiful scenery, Tea plantations/ gardens side by side the road in Assam is the major attraction before you enter Arunachal. After Mangaldoi in Assam, I could clearly see Mountain ranges. I felt like Himalaya is calling us. 

Reached Arunachal Check gate entry point by 9.00am in morning. Reached Tawang in the evening around 6.00 pm via Kalaktang, Shergaon, Rupa and Bomdila. I was very happy to reach Tawang in the evening but Lumla was still another 2 hours journey. On the way, you had opportunity to enjoy the beauty of Rupa valley, Dirang, Sela pass, Jaswant Garh, Dirang and many more. If you are pure Vegetarian like me, it is difficult to find pure Veg restaurants on the way to Tawang, however, you can get vegetarian food to manage. One can feel or understand India-China war of 1962 and its challenges by visiting this part of Arunachal. You can find many Tibetan refugee villages on the way to Bomdila.

Lumla is close to both Bhutan and Tibet boarder. I stayed at Jhamse Gatsal, a community school run by Lobsang Phutsok a former Buddhist monk. Lumla community school is situated on a remote mountain ridge by two rivers and the landscape of Himalayan peaks. Monpa is local tribe peaceful and loving people. They follow Tibetan culture and worship Dalai Lama. Jhamste Gatsal means garden of love and compassion. I could feel love and compassion pouring on me from all of them. If I could have travelled before, I might have got married to Lumla and settled there forever.