Tata Sumo is essentially a 7-seater SUV. But when my friend Niraj and I reached the taxi stand in Tezpur, Assam, we discovered (much to our horror and amusement) that drivers squeeze in as many people as they can into their Sumos. By 5.30 am, our driver managed to pack 13 people inside his Sumo...hat's this item about? What makes it interesting? Write a catchy description to grab your audience's attention...

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Tata Sumo is essentially a 7-seater SUV. But when my friend Niraj and I reached the taxi stand in Tezpur, Assam, we discovered (much to our horror and amusement) that drivers squeeze in as many people as they can into their Sumos. By 5.30 am, our driver managed to pack 13 people inside his Sumo with three pigs on the top. He then said a quick prayer and we began our journey to the Frontier town of Tawang, high up in the mountains of Arunachal Pradesh. Situated at an altitude of 10,000 feet above sea level, Tawang is a picturesque town in North West Arunachal Pradesh. It’s a town of strategic importance owing to its proximity to the Indo-Chinese border. Tawang was once a part of South Tibet and is therefore claimed by China as a part of its territory.

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The road to Tawang is snaky, narrow, bumpy, broken and steep. The only thing that kept us from exasperation was the sheer beauty of the surroundings. We encountered raging rivers, stunning waterfalls, beautiful green valleys, pristine lakes and snow-capped peaks. The drive wasn’t short of amusement either. Every now and then, one of the three pigs on the top would topple over the side, dangling on only by the rope that was tied to its legs to the roof luggage carrier. And every time that happened, I would promptly inform the driver, “Bhaiya, suar gir gaya”.

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At 13,700 feet, we hit Sela Pass, which is one of the highest motorable passes in the world. This is where we encountered our first bout of altitude sickness. Our heads felt giddy and our breaths heavy. But that didn’t stop us from devouring bowls of hot Maggi noodles as we marveled at the sight of the vertiginous peaks that surrounded us, reflecting in all its glory on the water of the pristine Sela Lake.

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We made a quick pit stop at Jaswantgarh War Memorial to pay respect to the legendary soldier Jaswant Singh Rawat, who along with two of his comrades repelled several Chinese attacks during the 1962 war, causing massive casualties to the invaders and forcing them to retreat. Legend has it—after the Chinese finally captured the post, they decapitated Jaswant Singh’s head and sent it to China. However, the Chinese commander was so impressed by Jaswant Singh’s bravery that after the ceasefire was announced he returned the soldier’s head to India, along with a brass bust of his. Today, this brass bust sits proudly at the Jaswantgarh War Memorial.

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Dusk set in as we drove into the Tawang town, finally bringing down the curtains on our 12-hour journey. After checking into Hotel Sela, we sat down with the hotel’s amiable owner Tsering Lhamu and her sister Nawang for some hot chai and gup-chup, before heading out for a leisurely stroll around town. There wasn’t much to see as the sun had set in. And so we found our feet dragging us to a watering hole, which was the next best thing to do.

Mornings are quiet and peaceful in Tawang, and the stillness was soothing and calming. Nawang served us some traditional Tibetan butter tea and a sumptuous breakfast in the glasshouse located on the top floor of the hotel. We had a splendid 360 degree view of Tawang and the famous Tawang Monastery from the glass-house.

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Sun rays peeping through the towering cliffs had bathed the town in a bright light. Tawang is breathtakingly beautiful, serene, sleepy and rugged. The town’s landscape is dominated by gargantuan mountains and the stunning Tawang Monastery. Monpas, the ethnic tribe that inhabit the valley, are a reflection of the land they live in. They are lovely, peace loving, polite and friendly. We were greeted with warm smiles and sweet ‘hellos’ wherever we went.

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The Tawang Monastery is the largest monastery in India and the second-largest in the world. It sits imposingly on the top of a rolling hill, on the edge of the town, like a sentinel. It looks like a town on its own, bounded by a 925 feet long wall. There are 65 residential buildings inside the monastery, all of which have yellow roofs. At the entrance stands a colorful gate in the shape of a hut. The interior walls of the gate are painted with murals of saints and divinities. Inside the main temple is a beautiful 18 feet tall statue of Lord Buddha sitting in the lotus position. The statue is so tall that its head extends up to the first floor of the three-storied temple building. In the main temple, we were transfixed by the sounds of monks beating a drum and chanting a prayer. I felt contended and at peace.

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I am a big fan of the Indian armed forces to who we owe a great deal. They have sacrificed their lives while protecting ours and keeping our country safe from enemies, both foreign and domestic. I was inevitably led to the Tawang War Memorial to pay homage to soldiers who sacrificed themselves in the 1962 war. Also known as ‘Namgyal Chorten’, the war memorial is built in the shape of a huge stupa. The memorial is rather beautiful with shades of different colors. Inside the memorial are names of 2420 Indian soldiers, engraved on granite plates, who perished while fighting Chinese invaders. My heart wept as I read their names.

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After an early lunch, we hopped into another Sumo and drove up the mountain towards Madhuri Lake at 16,500 feet above sea level, right at the edge of the Indo-Chinese border. Originally known as ‘Sangestar Tso’, the lake became popular after a scene from the famous Bollywood movie ‘Koyla’, starring Madhuri Dixit, was shot at this lake. The road we traveled was the same road that the Dalai Lama and his followers took in 1959 to escape from Tibet and the Chinese who had occupied their land. The lake is flanked by tall mountains on two sides. The water is multi-hued due to the azure blue sky above and brown mountains around. Tree stumps jut out of the water, reminding us that once upon a time this lake used to be a forest. It was formed as an aftermath of an earthquake. It is astonishingly beautiful and a tad bit dreamlike to say the least. It’s the kind of place that would inspire poets and artists.

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To get to the lake we drove through a mountain landscape that was interspersed with surreal beautiful lakes, mammoth cliffs and large army camps. The closer we got, the more men in uniform appeared. We could tell that we were in a frontier land. This was the veritable wild wild east.

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A day later we rode back home, back to our lives. But glimpses of Tawang were playing in my mind like a slideshow. That’s the kind of place Tawang is. You can leave the place, but it never leaves you.

Guwahati has changed a lot since the last time I set foot here two decades ago. So, it comes as no surprise that it is the only city from the northeast region that has found a place in the list of first 20 cities which will be developed into Smart Cities in 2016.

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Butterflies in my stomach and a great thrill – exactly what I felt when I buckled up to take a paramotor ride here. It wasn’t that someone who is scared of adventurous activities chose to indulge in an air sport that surprised people. But the fact that I did it in Guwahati – considered to be the gateway to the relatively less explored northeast India – raised many eyebrows.

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A city full of top fashion brands with high-rise residential and commercial buildings, Guwahati has changed a lot since the last time I set foot here two decades ago. So, it comes as no surprise that it is the only city from the northeast region that has found a place in the list of first 20 cities which will be developed into Smart Cities in 2016.

In spite of all the new developments, two things haven’t changed – its people’s simplicity and the pride in speaking in Assamese. Since I hail from Imphal, which is about 40 minutes away from here by air, they assumed that I was one of them and that I was fluent in their language.

But only I know how lost I was in translation especially while watching plays and listening to radio jockeys. Not that they don’t converse in other languages. The moment the localites noticed my inability to understand Assamese, they quickly spoke in Hindi or English.

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Assigned to cover the second edition of Rongali – Destination, Culture, Harmony, a festival of Assam, I was eagerly looking forward to my return to Guwahati after 20 years. It’s a place where my father bought our first car, I got my first Barbie and I started my first school year after kindergarten. Little did I know that the list of ‘firsts’ won’t end here.

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Be it attending concerts of sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan and the home-grown talent Zubeen Garg, who is idolised by many in Assam, to digging into the Assamese delicacy called chicken khoika to taking a flight over the mighty Brahmaputra river on a paramotor, the three-day fest gave me more ‘first’ experiences during my second visit.

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Though I showed interest in paramotoring, it seemed like they were doubtful about it because of my weight. I was told that for balance purpose, one needs to weigh at least 50 kg, and bingo! I felt so glad to have gained weight for the first time.

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With the helmet on and seat belt in place, I was geared up for my first paramotor ride, thankfully with a professional.

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Flying 500 ft above ground, it was like chasing the wind and the Brahmaputra staring right back at me. As long as the motor made a roaring sound and we moved straight, it felt fine. But there were times when the loud sound stopped, making my heart skip a few beats. The twists and turns, controlled by the pilot, further made me scream at the top of my lungs. No wonder why the paramotor pilot said that I was the first person to scare him to death.

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After that daring act and conclusion of the festival, I made sure to take a stroll down memory lane.

So I, accompanied by a localite, made the Army School, Narangi – now Army Public School – my first stop. It’s not just the name that has changed but also the whole look. The old buildings with metal roofing have given way to new ones in green and white hues. Nevertheless, I got emotional while taking a tour of the school, located away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

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While crossing our previous army accommodation here, I got into flashback mode.

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To cheer me up, my new friend took me to one of the city’s popular sweet shops called Mishti Mukh, where she suggested to me to try patishapta – thin crepes mostly made with rice flour with a coconut filling. The other Bengali sweet she swore by was the soft and round kacha golla, made of uncooked cottage cheese and sugar.

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Heading home without a souvenir was not happening. So I added shopping, something that I loathe, to my itinerary. Yes, so products like bags made out of water hyacinth, eri silk jackets and Gamucha were responsible for excess baggage charges at the airport.

North East India is known for its scenic locales, culture, folk arts and some very friendly people. Apart from the tourist destinations, North East India is also ideal if you are looking for an activity holiday.

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Yak Safari in Sikkim

If you like roughing it out to test the levels of your endurance; then try Yak Safari. Riding a yak tests your endurance levels as you are exposed to the elements and you have to travel through terrain where there are no roads.

Organized in different areas of Sikkim, the Dzongri area and Tsomgo Lake trails are some of the popular treks in North East India. The best time to try out Yak safaris is from March to May and then again between September and December.

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Brahmaputra River Cruise

Brahmaputra has several claims to fame – it is the longest river in India and according to Hindu mythology, it is a male river. The Brahmaputra runs through spectacular scenery of North East India and is the best way to see Assam. The Brahmaputra river cruise tours stretch from four-night to ten-night cruises.

The very popular 10-night cruise starts from the town of Dibrugarh and takes you to Majuli, the largest river island in the world. You get a chance to visit the Auniati monastery and the Kamalabari monastery, centres of Vaishanavism.

The itinerary also includes a safari through the world heritage site of Kaziranga National Park to catch a glimpse of the one-horned rhino, tea gardens and a visit to the village of the Mising tribe.

The cruise ends at Guwahati, where you will get a chance to visit the Aswaklanta temple and the ruins of Madan Kamdev, the Guwahati Commonwealth War Graves, the museum and the bazaars and a trip to Sualkuchi to observe the silk weavers. The best season to enjoy the beauty of the cruise is between the months of October and May except the months of December and January.

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Sandakfu Trek

Located on the Sikkim-West Bengal border, the Sandakfu peak is the highest in the region. Trekking to Sandakfu along the Singalila Range is a dreamlike experience. The trek to the top of the peak isn’t technical, but nevertheless requires a lot of hard work and stamina.

The complete trek takes about nine days towards Sikkim. The starting point of the trek is from Maneybhanjyang. Of about a six hours walk the trail you tread passes through the small village of  Chitre and various Magnolias forests after which you will reach Tonglu located on a hill top overlooking the Sikkim Himalayas. Later you will experience a very pleasant walk through the forest which is home to the rare Red Panda and the Tragopan. After a five hour walk you will reach the camping area of Kalapokhri.

The next stop is Sandakphu, the most beautiful place to view the mountains. On a clear day one can see the peaks of Lhotse, Everest and Makalu of the Nepal Himalayas and the huge Kanchenjunga massif along with other peaks of the Sikkim himalayas. The Sandakfu peak has a height of more than 11,000 ft above sea level it offers scenic views to the trekkers.

Early morning you could walk up to the Phalut Top after which the trail passes through the villages of Gorkhey and Samanden and the forest provides you ample oppurtunities for bird sightsighting towards Rammam.

After Rammam you will notice the trail descending towards the bridge at Sirikhola which passes through a number of small villages to reach Rimbik. After a drive towards Gangtok via Mungpoo and Rangpo- which is the entry point to Sikkim. The best time to visit Sandakfu is from March to mid-June.

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Helicopter Ride in Sikkim

The contour of Sikkim is undulatory and it is not always possible to reach its nook and corners by road. A helicopter tour of Sikkim is the best possible alternative.

Operated by the Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation; the helicopter service flies from Gangtok to Bagdogra and back to Gangtok.

Apart from the regular sorties to Bagdogra and Gangtok, special mountain flights are also available which give you a chance to get close to the great Kanchenjunga. Prices and trip duration vary upon the destinations. The best season to experience the helicopter ride in Sikkim is from September to November.

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