Places of Interest

The Changlang district has wide range of altitudinal variation ranging from 200 metre to 4500 metre from sea level sprawling over lush evergreen forests overhauling beautiful hills and rivulets over the Patkai Mountain range in the Myanmar border of northeast corner of India. There are some places, which are situated in beautiful locations. These places are very attractive for seasonal

visitors. Seasonal visitors are an important factor in economic well being source of income for the local people. While tourists enjoy their visit, the local people can have the chance of getting a good price for their products and their services.

MIAO

This beautiful and small town is headquarter of Miao sub-division and situated at bank of River Noa-Dehing. The interesting things to see are Mini zoo, museum, Tibetan refugee settlement where colourful woolen carpets of various designs are produced, oil drilling at Kharsang and Manabum.

Mini Zoo, Miao

Tibetan young ladies busy at Carpet work

Buddhist temple, Tibetan Refugee settlement Camp, Miao, Arunachal Pradesh

Museum, Miao

TIBETAN REFUGEE SETTLEMENT CAMP, MIAO

Choephelling Tibetan Refugee settlement camp located at a distance of four kilometers from Miao Township under Changlang district, is one of the oldest settlements for Tibetan refugees. The camp boasts of producing superior quality carpets, a larger portion of which goes to the global market. The raw materials mainly cotton yarn (Rs.150/Kg) and wool (Rs. 200/Kg), procured from Panipat in Haryana and some quantum from New Zealand, are exotically weaved to international standard and sold at Rs. 190 per square feet in the global market.

There are 26 high skilled women weavers and six male counterparts in the carpet industry, which on an average earns around Rs. 20 lakh annually as informed by the settlement officer of the camp.

The camp is inhabited by 500 families with 2800 members, is one of the 45 settlements in India, of the 75 all over the world. A beautiful Buddhist monastery in the mid of camp is one of the major attraction for the tourist.

Related Links:
• How to reach Miao

NAMDAPHA, TIGER RESERVE AND NATIONAL PARK

A true and enchanting wilderness


NAMDAPHA, a Tiger Reserve and National Park, a true wilderness and enchanting beauty of lush green vegetation, impenetrable pristine and virgin forests covered an area of 1985.23 square kilometres having diverse flora and fauna lies in the international border between India and Myanmar (Burma) within Changlang District in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in the northeast India. >> Click here for details ...

VIJOYNAGAR

Vijonagar, comprises of sixteen villages having a population of about 4500 people near Indo-Myanmar border which is located in Changlang District and is Air maintained due to non existence of road networks. Fifty five percent of the population belong to retired Assam Rifle personnel and 45 percent is of Civilians comprising of mainly Lisu (Yobin) tribe.

The settlement of the Assam Rifle personnel began from 1960 onwards. Prior to 1960, this place was little known to outside World. The villages have a number of Primary Schools. There is Arunachal Pradesh Government run Secondary School up to Ten standard. There are no roads in the area. There was a motorable road existing in the area from Miao up to Deban Camping ground, but due to deterioration, it is no longer used. The telecommunication facilities are not available, and only Radio Net communications are available in the Assam Rifles Camp. Detachment of Government Agencies like SIB and Arunachal Pradesh Police exist in the area. Assam Rifles camp have medical facilities, but no Doctors are available. The villagers are not covered under water supply scheme and draw raw water for their consumption. Power Department has installed Generator set for Power supply, but due to non availability of Funds for procuring Diesel, the Generator is not functional.

The villagers depend on Wet land and Jhoom Cultivation for their livelihood, and are dependent on rainfall. The Day to day requirement of Groceries is met by a few Shops; and which bring the Stores from Dibrugarh by Air or from Miao on foot. It takes six days to travel on foot from Vijoynagar to Miao. Civil and Military Helicopters (AN 32) fly from Dibrugarh to Vijoynagar Aircraft Landing Ground. These flights are irregular and have limited haulage capacity, in that they can take up to one ton load with eighteen persons on board. There are two such Sorties for Civilians and three numbers for Assam Rifle personnel.

JAIRAMPUR

It is headquarter of Jairampur sub-division. The famous historic 'Stilwell Road' passing through this small town from Ledo, Assam, India to Kunming, Yunnan Province, China via Burma. The World War II cemetery of about 1,000 graves of Allied Soldiers is located 6 Km away from Jairampur at the Nampong road.

Related Links:
• How to reach Jairampur

STILWELL ROAD ( LEDO ROAD )

The historic Stilwell's Road, which was constructed by the Americans during the Second World War from Ledo in Assam, India, which is one of the rail-heads of the Bengal-Assam railway in the valley of the Upper Brahmaputra during that time, to Burma Road connecting to Kunming, China passes through Lekhapani, Jagun, Jairampur, Nampong and Pangsau pass, India-Burma (Myanmar) border. It winds up the passes of 9000 feet Patkai Range and emerges at Shindbwiyang and then Myitkyina. It crosses the broad bowl of the Upper Chindwin, threads the Hukawng and Mogaung valleys, and goes down to Bhamo and to the Burma road which connects Kunming, Yunnan province, China. >> Click here for details ...

WORLD WAR II CEMETERY

The Cemetery of World War-II, Jairampur, India.

The recently unearthed large Burial-ground with about 1,000 graves of allied soldiers believed to be mostly of Chinese, Kachins, Indian, British and Americans soldiers who died in Second World War is located at Stilwell Road ( Ledo Road ) in the Jairampur-Nampong road, Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh, India.

The hidden cemetery covered with thick jungles midst of the bank of Namchik River and on the Stilwell Road ( Ledo Road ), 6 km from Jairampur town, 39 km from Ledo and 24 Km before reaching Pangsau Pass ( Hell Pass ), India - Burma (Myanmar) border. The Army has cleared the area and found about 1,000 graves within an area of about three acre. The boundary was enclosed by concrete posts with entrance on three sides. The graves are arranged in five Lines and several rows. A large grave, possibly a mass burial, is in the centre. The bricks were from Ledo AR&T Co's brick fields, and others marked as B&C-119 and IR.N!C9 were being used.

The most of the graves in the Cemetery are damaged due to wild Elephants, wear and tear in the course of time and tempered due to miscreants.

Perhaps, this cemetery might have constructed during the construction of the Stilwell Road ( Ledo Road ) from Ledo, India to Kunming, China via Burma connecting the Burma Road beyond Bhamo by allied forces starting from December 1942 to May 1945 in China-Burma-India (CBI) theatre of military operation against the Japanese forces in North Burma.

During the construction of road and fighting against the Japanese forces, numbers of allied soldiers were reported to have died due to malaria, dysentery, land slides, enemy fires and other causes. The Patkai range of Indo-Burma border and Shindbwiyang range in north Burma were one of the most difficult terrains in the World where the road construction was carried out by the allied forces led by General Joseph W. Stilwell while fighting against the Japanese forces who had taken over the whole Burma in their hand in 1942. Perhaps, the cemetery might have used for disposal of dead soldiers from site of war front and calamities out of road construction in India and Burma fronts. While trekking and fighting down the Ledo Road to Myitkyina, Burma, the stronghold of Japanese forces, large number of allied soldiers were reported to have died due to Diseases, calamities and missed in action while fighting.The casualties at war fronts in Burma were reported to have been evacuated by C-47's Ambulance planes and treated at the various base Hospitals at Ledo road and at Ledo, Assam, India and most of the dead soldiers might have disposed off at this cemetery. It is also reported that most of the casualties were treated at the 20^th General Hospital, the 14^th Evacuation Hospital, or the 111^th Station Hospital in the Ledo area. In course of time, those Hospitals have also completely vanished.

The Excerpt of inscription extracted from the Epitaph of comparatively larger grave inscribed in Chinese language, shown in right hand side photo is belongs to Late Major Hsiao Chu Ching, Company Commander 2^nd Company, 2^nd Battalion of 10^th Regiment, Independent Engineers of Chinese Army stationed in India. He was born in July 1913 at Wei Country of of Hapeh province, and died in December 1943. `All officers and men of the Second Company - January 5, 1944.'

Related Links:
• How to reach Wold War II Cemetery
• Stilwell Road (Ledo Road)

NAMPONG

The historic Stilwell Road (Ledo Road) passing through the Nampong and goes down to Burma from here. It is threshold of the Indo-Burma (Myanmar) border. The Pangsau Pass, the Indo-Burma (Myanmar) border is just 12 Km away from Nampong where the famous the Lake of no Return can be viewed from the Pass.

Nampong and Pangsau Pass were considered to be "Hell gate" or "Hell Pass" due to difficult terrains in the Indo-Burma Patkai mountain Range. Crossing these places toward Burma were considered to be dangerous and hazardous as Hell during the World War II.

Related Links:
• How to reach Nampong

LAKE OF NO RETURN

The famous lake called The Lake of no Return in Myanmar side which can be viewed from Pangsau pass is 12 Km away from Nampong. During World War II, large numbers of Aircrafts were reported to have perished into this lake. Perhaps, the lake served the Allied Pilots for soft landing into the lake water during return mission when the Aircrafts got hit by enemy or out of mechanical snags in the Aircrafts.

The Pilots had chosen this lake for emergency landing in case of imminent Air crush and therefore, many aircrafts were reported to have crashed in to the lake.

Related Links:
• How to reach the Lake of no return

CHANGLANG

The headquarter of the district. It is well known for two premier institutes namely, State Institute of Education (SIE) and District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) where in-service training is provided to the teachers. The visitors can also see typical Tangsa/ Tutsa villages/ houses and interact with the local people. One can also enjoy fishing in the Tirap River passing through the heart of the town.

Ranglum: Here one can find crashed Aircraft Debris of world war-II which renew the memory of the War and natural salt-water spring. You can also have a view of Myanmar Territory and Patkai hill. Suitable for trekking. The best time to visit the area is in the month of November-February.

Kengkho Village: A beautiful village situated at the bank of Tirap River. It is an appropriate place for visitors to experience the uniqueness of the village.

Jongpho-Hate: A village under Yatdam circle is very well known for its holy and religious importance. The very existence of a 'Shiva Linga' in the entrance of the village from time immemorial is an astonishing asset. The naturally formed holy idol, which the local peoples called ‘Tangjong’ or ‘Tangyong’ is a unique sculpture of stone portraying both male and female organs. It is the real essence of holiness and existence of the heavenly abode in the Patkai ranges of eastern Himalayas, where it is believed that the Hindu God Lord Shiva once reigned.

The villagers share several stories about the spiritual power of Tangjong. They say that it protects them from any occurrence of epidemic or natural disasters. It is also believed that in the olden days when the head hunting was prevalent in the area, the Tangjong used to warn the villagers from the outside attack.

However, the area of the site is not yet developed but one can visit the place in a day, as the road connectivity is up to Sumlam village, which is 8 Km from Changlang and from Sumlam, it is just one-hour foot-march.

Thamlom Village: The God too harvest in pristine land of indigenous culture by revealing his power in various forms and styles. The goddess of rain locally called 'Tsalrong Long' is one such hitherto unknown manifestation of god’s power in the form of a stone. It is located in Thamlom, a tiny village under Khimiyang circle in Changlang district.

As per the villagers beliefs, mysterious phenomenon of it is, when the stone is disturbed it causes continuous torrential rain for days together with dark thick cloud descending upon earth, and bright and sunny weather restores when a person performs rituals and worships it as per the tradition. But the person who performed the ritual has to observe rigid penance of dieting, and he has to be co-operated by the village community the following one day by strictly observing necessary taboos, such as, refraining from potting of water, outing to jungle, cutting of grass leaf etc.

As per the villagers story, a lady named Nurap Ngemu discovered the stone while weeding millet crops in her field. The stone, looked coiled up chronically appeared very attractive. She took it to her home. But on arriving, she found dark cloud veiled the entire village and soon unusual downpour followed. An idea and apprehension hit her imagination that the stone she brought might be the cause of such horrible rain; she threw it out of the village.

The other day when she got to her work, she was surprised finding the same stone at the same spot where it was found. So, she needed no time to understand it was not an ordinary one. Since then her brother Kamkang took up worshipping it. After his death, family tradition has been continued by his descendents till today. The God really manifests himself in disguise, but people blinded by materialistic modernity and scientific prejudices, fail to identify and understand his manifestations.

This type of hidden spots could convert into vital tourist’s attractions at the behest of government sponsorship.

Related Links:
• How to reach Changlang