Tuesday, 5 August 2014

Tawang, a Home to Traditional Arts and Crafts Centre In Arunachal Pradesh



 Tawang is a pristine town, which is placed at a height of about 3,048 m above sea level and is situated on the northeastern part of Arunachal Pradesh
. It is one of the most scenic towns of the state where the 6th Dalai Lama was born. Tawang town mainly comprises of Monpa tribe. The place shares its borders with Buthan in the south-west and with Tibet in the north. The name of this town is said to have been derived from Tawang Monastery, which is one of the ancient Buddhist monasteries in India.

Attractions
Tawang Monastery- The monastery is believed to be more than 400 years old and is considered to be the second largest monastery in the entire world after Lasha. Placed at a height of about 3,000 m above sea level, the momastery is nestled at the base of a hill. As according to the desires of the 5th Dalai Lama, the monastery was built by Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso. Some of the major attractions of this place are a temple found within its premises and also the glided idol of Buddha, which towers to a height of about 8 m. It is also a prominent place for the celebration of Torgva festival.

Tawang War Memorial- The monument towers to a height of about 40 foot and it comprises the design of a stupa. The memorial is dedicated to the martyrs of Sino-India war in 1962. The places include the names of 2,420 dead soldiers, whose names are imprinted in gold on around 32 black granite plagues.  The memorial comprises two memorial halls. One of the halls holds the collection of personal articles belonging to martyrs, while the second hall is used for sound and light shows that depict the heroic deeds of the brave soldiers. 

Craft Centre- It is one of the must visit locations in Tawang, where you will be able to observe the skilful craftsmanship of the workers, like traditional Monpaas masks and traditional cloths. The government has taken initiatives to encourage the artists and craftsmen to continue the implementation of traditional styles and techniques.

Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit the place is during the months of April to October.

Accommodation
As the place is a bit unexplored destination, luxury accommodation facilities are not provided at this place. However, the place is dotted with several numbers of budget and mid-range accommodation facilities, most of which are located in the main market area. These hotels are equipped with all the basic amenities are and they offer standard staying services for their guests. 

How to Reach
By Air: The nearest airport to this place is Tezpur Airport, located at a distance of about 143 km. The airport is well linked with places like Kolkata and Guwahati. Regular taxis are available from the airport to the place. The place can also be reached through helicopter services from Guwahati, which does not operate on Sundays. 

By Rail: The nearest railway station to this place is Tezpur, which is located a distance of about 140 km. The station is well connected with places like different parts in Arunachal Pradesh as well as Guwahati. Bus and taxi services are available from the station to get to the place.

By Road: The place is well connected through road with places like Bhalukpong (262 km) , Tezpur (319 km),  Nagaon (383 km), Itanagar (502 km) etc. Regular private and public buses ply from these areas to the place.

No comments:

Post a Comment