Tawang is an important centre of
Buddhist learning and is particularly famous for its 400 year old gompa, one of the best
known in India. The Tawang Gompa houses a beautifully gilded 8 metre high statue of the
Buddha and a number of equally remarkable idols, thangkas and murals.
Getting to Tawang from Kolkata means braving a long
but rewarding journey. The drive through the picturesque mountain country is spectacular
and can leave you breathless, as you wind around steep hill-roads and manoeuvre sharp
hairpin bends. In parts, the road can be rather treacherous and this is not a drive for
the faint-hearted!
But once you are on top of the situation, and reach
the end of the vertiginous drive, you are rewarded by the electrifying panorama of stark
mountains, deep valleys, waterfalls and almost a hundred lakes. To the south of the town,
the Tawanchu river carves a deep gorge as it rages by, while jagged cliffs rise steeply
towards the north and snow capped peaks frame the east. To the west of town, the Tawang
monastery looms across the horizon, its enormous yellow roof and white walls standing out
like a beacon for miles on end.
The Tawang Gompa is definitely the high
point of the town, perched on a 2760 m high ridge with a commanding view of the splendid
valleys beyond. The gompa, also called the Galden Namgyal Lhatse, is a famous Mahayana
monastery established in 1643-47 by Lodre Gyaltso, who was popularly called Meera Lama.
The name of Tawang means "horse chosen," a reference to the way in which Meera
Lama’s horse wandered off on its own and discovered the perfect spot on which the
monastery now stands.
The 3 storey, fortified monastery is over 140
square metres and has 65 residential buildings, chortens, lanes and by-lanes. The Duknang
or main assembly hall has Buddha statues in various poses, while the Parkhang hall lodges
the library, with a wealth of Thangka-manuscripts and sacred books. Some of the precious
manuscripts have been penned in gold and are quite a treasure to behold!
Five hundred monks live in the gompa, chanting,
praying, meditating and advancing Buddhist thought. The monastery attracts scholars and
pilgrims from all over the world. In spite of being a peaceful and solitary retreat, the
Tawang gompa buzzes with activity and its craft centre produces intricately woven carpets.
The Dalai Lama renovated the entire monastery in 1997.
The town of Tawang itself is modern, with a
bustling bazaar and fluttering prayer flags. The best way to enjoy Tawang is to walk
around the town. And once you have had your fill, make a trip to Zimithang to see
the impressive Gorsam Stupa, the Tatsang gompa, the Khinme monastery and the Singshur
nunnery. The Sangeshar Lake, en route, is one of myriad lakes that make Tawang the
splendid haven it is. So thank God you braved that long drive to get here!
Permits
Indian tourists visiting Arunachal Pradesh require an Inner Line Permit, which takes
approximately three weeks to be issued. Contact The Liaison Officer, Government of
Arunachal Pradesh, 4B Chowringhee Place, Kolkata: 700013; Tel: 91-33-2486500, or The
Liaison Officer, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, R.G.Baruah Road, Guwahati, Assam:
781021; Tel: 91-361-26544.
Foreign tourists intending to visit Arunachal need
clearance from the Home Ministry and a Restricted Area Permit, which takes approximately
three weeks to be issued. The Permit is valid for 10 days. A minimum of four and a maximum
of fourteen tourists must travel together on a tour arranged through an approved travel
agent.
