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Hill Stations In India
Tawang
 Tawang
( An Introduction)
Tawang, perched at a height of over 10,000 ft,
is world-renowned for its 400-year-old Buddhist Monastery,
one of the biggest in India.
The Monastery was founded by the monk Mera Lama,
a contemporary of the fifth Dalai Lama. The sixth Dalai Lama was
born here. The Tawang Monastery has an interesting
collection of Thangkas (Tibetan painting on cloth) and a large gilded
statue of Sakyamuni (the historical Buddha) in the prayer hall.
The Tawang Monastery, also known as the 'Galden
Namgyal Lhatse', is beautifully situated on a spur about
2 km from the heart of the town. Before the establishment of the
Monastery, Tawang was a centre of Tantric religion.
Center
Of Buddhism
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.
Places
To See
There are 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.
The ‘Parkhang’ hall of the monastery
houses the library which boasts rare hand written and block-printed
Thankas or manuscripts of revered books like ‘Tangym', ‘Kangyur'
and ‘Sungbhum'. There is also a craft centre, which produces
exquisite woollen carpets. Tawang is also suitable
for trekking and hiking.
VISITING TIME
The best time to visit Tawang is between the months of June
and October
Languages
: Arunachali and English
Fairs
& Festivals
Losar the Tibetan Buddhist festival celebrated in the month
of February–March every year .
Travel
Information
The only way to go to Tawang is road, It is connected by road
with other towns in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam via Bomdila
STD
: 037824
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
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