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Home , Arunachal Pradesh, Mechuka, West Siang district

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LEISURE COULD CALL , THELADAKH OFTHEEAST. A DESTINATION, REMOTE, UNTOUCHED ANDBEAUTIFUL—YOU NEELIMA VALLANGI STUMBLES UPONAPRISTINE JEWELOF / RIVER

OCTOBER 2015 THROUGH RUNS IT bank ofYargyap Chu River in Very closetotheIndo- border, thesprawling town of Mechukaliesalongthe remote Arunachal.

PHOTO CREDIT Tires screeched as we took a sharp turn around, leaving swirling clouds of dust in our wake. We were chasing four small cars speeding past a barren and remote valley called Mechuka in Arunachal .

We followed them for more than 20 kilometres to On my first morning there, I walked out of the next village called Dorjeeling where we were the guesthouse to bump into beautiful horses hoping to gatecrash a local wedding. Our plan had grazing in the meadows around. Ethereal mist succeeded, but only because the lovely people of that hung low over the town slowly thinned out Mechuka saw us not as intruders but as guests, as the sunshine got stronger. Driving towards and let us be part of their intimate celebrations. the southern hamlet of Dorjeeling, we crossed Bordering Tibet in the north, just 29 over the lovely blue waters of Yargyap Chu River kilometres from the notorious MacMohan Line that flows through the heart of Mechuka. Joined that marks the official yet disputed boundary by a local guide, Sonam, we sauntered into between and , Mechuka has more the picturesque valley with tin-roofed houses Tin common with its lofty blue-skied neighbour scattered under the sunshine. than the rest of . Home to Sonam seemed like a regular guy-next-door the Memba Tribe, a subgroup of , until I heard him say something that roused Mechuka in West is one of the few my interest—he had once spied for the Indian border areas in otherwise animistic Arunachal army by secretly crossing the border into Pradesh where has prevailed. For Tibet to survey the extent of infrastructure two days, we travelled along deserted stretches development by the Chinese. I spent the rest of endless roads through dense forests of of the morning pestering him for details of Arunachal. We even passed by occasional the escapade. The Tibetan border was just clusters of thatched-roof houses sitting on ridge 29 kilometres away from the town of Mechuka, tops surrounded by incredibly lush greenery. to which Sonam and another elderly person After seeing all this, arriving in Mechuka felt had once undertaken an undeniably risky and like entering another realm. arduous 17-day trek but it was through the Sitting around the warm Bukhari (a wood most beautiful landscape he had ever seen. burning stove that provides warmth) on a I could well imagine this as we hiked back to freezing cold evening, for a few moments I Mechuka following the old trail that was used couldn’t make up my mind if I was in Arunachal before the road was constructed. Crossing a or ! Surrounded by snow-capped rickety and broken wooden bridge, we climbed peaks and barren mountain slopes, under the over the hill to get sweeping views of both the watchful gaze of a 400-year-old monastery valleys. All the while, Sonam regaled us with and heavily influenced by neighbouring Tibet, his stories and exploits from his days as a spy. Mechuka shattered the stereotypical image In the afternoon, the wedding party happily I had of the state; one far removed from the welcomed us with endless cups of a potent local tropical rainforests, animistic worshippers and liquor called Chaang and showered us with Christian influences I had imagined. warm hospitality. Brown mountains upon which

TRAVEL + LEISURE / OCTOBER 2015 85 stormy clouds loomed, in the midst of which a rainbow cheers and bellowing laughs from the wedding as we said had appeared that wonderful afternoon, surrounded their our heartfelt goodbyes and thanks. house. The men and women were dressed in shiny silk Between being dazed by Sonam’s spy stories and getting robes, men wore it knee length while women wore long drunk on Chaang, Mechuka had already warmly embraced skirts that reached their feet. Silver ornaments bejeweled and royally regaled us. The next morning the bunch of us with Turquoise, amber and red coral beads, very typical of reluctantly dragged ourselves away from the comfort of the the Tibetan culture, were everywhere. warm fireplace. At 6,000 feet above sea level, Mechuka gets very cold. Wrapped in layers, we made our way towards wo young girls were in charge of filling the wedding the border away from the town of Mechuka. Much to our guests’ empty cups and they were doing a really surprise, our destination was a Gurudwara, in front of which T good job of getting everyone drunk. Barely a minute a pristine stream flowed. passed between me emptying the cup and them refilling My initial guess was that the solitary Gurudwara was the traditional Tibetan-style ceramic bowl with the probably a result of the teeming military presence in this locally brewed and slightly sweet rice/millet beer. By sensitive border region, built as a place of worship for many late evening, in a completely drunken stupor, my travel jawans in the regiment. But I couldn’t have been more mates and I joined in the camaraderie as we giggled and wrong. As it turns out, Guru Nanak had visited Mechuka danced to the tunes of a local folk song along with the during his travels across Tibet and had meditated near this women. Behind us, the sky turned dark blue and the sun stream. The locals worship him as Nanak Lama and visit disappeared beyond the mountains. The lowly gurgle this Gurudwara at the end of March commemorating the of the stream below resonated in the valley along with time when he is believed to have first arrived in Mechuka.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Ancient masks adorn the walls of Samten Yongcha monastery in Mechuka; prayer flags dot the landscape in the predominantly Buddhist region of Mechuka despite the animistic influences seen across the rest of the state; the bride’s family waits with local liquor Chaang to welcome the groom.

10 TRAVEL + LEISURE / OCTOBER 2015 Close to the boulder where Guru Nanak is believed oon after, we found ourselves indulging in to have meditated, Sonam showed us a narrow slit in childhood games. We plucked blueberries off the the rock through which Guru Nanak used to pass to S side of the road and watched a large group of get to the stream. He went on to inform us that only caterpillars, stuck on a small bush, collectively react to those with a clean heart can pass through. We all took external disturbances. the challenge sportingly and were definitely relieved that Later that afternoon, we found ourselves fumbling over we passed the test. The stream was indeed lovely with yet another old and rickety wooden bridge across the river, to cool waters and gentle breeze. The alpine forest around visit a 400-year-old Samten Yongcha Monastery of us showed hints of autumn colours where shades of sect on a hilltop overlooking the valley of Mechuka. We passed red, orange, and yellow peppered the green landscape. by the old site of the monastery at the foothills that burned Watching the sunshine stream through the dense canopy, down in a fire years ago. Since then, the monastery has been I was momentarily in awe of how far and wide faith shifted to the hilltop. Walking on an old jeep track, we trudged travels and how we stumbled upon a Gurudwara in the up slowly taking in magnificent views of the valleys around most unlikely of places. as they appeared. From the top, I saw the splendid Yargyap Chu River that is a tributary of the mighty Brahmaputra, meander across the barren landscape. To my right were the green-roofed buildings of the army contingent dotting FROM TOP: the landscape. And behind me were dense trees and a Tibetan style millet snaking river that shined in a bright silvery shade. beer; The very tall and impressive Siko Standing on the hilltop, in company of centuries old Dido waterfalls seen ancient masks, scrolls and statues from the monastery, on the way to I couldn’t help but think that Mechuka’s remoteness has Mechuka make for a good stop on the been instrumental in preserving this frontier town’s unique otherwise back- cultural identity and exquisite natural beauty. After all, prior breaking long to 2005, Mechuka didn’t even have road access. As the sun journey to the remote Shangri-La. cast its golden light on the town, listening to the intense flutters of the prayer flags that carried millions of prayers in the wind, I was overwhelmed with immense joy at the time capsule that I seemed to have stumbled upon.

THE DETAILS GUIDED TOURS is mostly available apart from Kipepeo is a sustainable and few Indian and Chinese dishes. responsible travel company working in remote northeastern DO regions of India that can help Hike to the village of Dorjeeling organise an immersive travel from Mechuka on the old trail experience to Mechuka. Since across the mountain next to the the journey to Mechuka is long bridge over the Yargyap Chu River. It and arduous, it is highly is used by many of the local people recommended to go on a guided even today and offers spectacular tour with experts who know the views of the valleys below. lay of the land. Saunter by the beautiful riverside kipepeo.in; 91/99300-02412 or along one of the many small hamlets in the vicinity. The people STAY of Mechuka are incredibly friendly Gayboo’s Traditional Lodge and very welcoming. Run by the friendly Gebu Sona Samten Yongcha Monastery is the and his family, this simple and 400-year-old monastery on a hilltop traditional Tibetan-style homestay to the north of Mechuka town. The is probably the best stay available hike to this monastery offers splendid in the valley with limited options. views of the meandering river and Mechuka, , comes highly recommended. Arunachal Pradesh Pasang Sonam Tso is a lake [email protected]; close to the Indo-China border and 91/94360-74877 it takes a 3-day hike to visit this lake from the town of Mechuka. EAT Apart from an , a Owing to the remoteness of this special permit from ITPB as well is valley, local Tibetan-style food required for this hike.

TRAVEL + LEISURE / OCTOBER 2015 87