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...

The scent of shiuli flowers and the distant rhythm of the dhak —for Soumitra and me, the arrival of Durga Puja signals more than just the triumph of good over evil. It is the cue for our annual pilgrimage to the mountains. This tradition, fiercely guarded over the years, is our essential escape from the festive city rush, a time to trade the pandal lights for the vast, silent majesty of the high peaks. This year, the call was different, leading us far east to a landscape that has long held a magnetic pull on our collective wanderlust: Arunachal Pradesh. Known reverently as the 'Land of the Dawn-Lit Mountains', this remote frontier state is nestled at the edge of the Himalayas. For years, the allure of Arunachal Pradesh—its rumored raw beauty, profound tribal heritage, and daunting passes—kept it pinned to the top of our travel dreams. Finally, the dream was unfolding beneath our boots. Nameri – Where the Wild River Roars October 18, 2018: Our journey began with a flight from ...