Through Travel Bug's Lens

October 23, 2018:   As we bid farewell to Tawang and began our descent toward Bomdila , the mountains decided to show us their "other" face. While our journey up had been a thrilling battle with mists and shadows, the return trip was bathed in an almost surreal brilliance. Sela Pass: A Transformation in Gold and Blue Reaching Sela Pass for the second time felt like visiting a brand-new destination. Gone were the "flocks of cloud" and the heavy veil of mist. Under a bright, shining sun , the pass was a different wonder altogether. The Sela Lake (Tso Lhamo) , which had been a ghostly silhouette on our way up, was now a dazzling expanse of mesmerizing, bright blue water . The clarity of the high-altitude air made the surrounding snow-capped peaks look sharp enough to cut the sky. The reflection of the sun on the water was so intense it looked like scattered diamonds. We spent a long time here, simply absorbing the silence and the vibrant colors that only the Himalayan...

From Valley to Peak: Traversing the Legendary Sela Pass to Tawang October 21, 2018: The final leg of our journey toward Tawang began with a crisp morning air and a palpable sense of anticipation. The first stop was  the Nyukmadung War Memorial, often referred to as the Dirang War Memorial.  Set against a backdrop of towering peaks and nestled in a serene, three-tiered terraced landscape, this memorial stands as a silent sentinel over the very ground where the Battle of Nyukmadung was fought on November 18, 1962. It is dedicated to the brave souls of the 62 Infantry Brigade , led by Brigadier Hoshiar Singh, who displayed incredible fortitude against advancing forces during the Sino-Indian War.  The architecture of the memorial is a beautiful bridge between military honor and local culture; the main structure is a 25-foot-tall Buddhist Chorten (stupa), flanked by stone plaques etched with the names of the fallen soldiers. Entering through a gateway designed in the tradit...