Riding to Reh

Riding to Reh.

 

 After the awesome experience of A Ride to Lake of No Return, Myanmar we came to know about The Mega Reh Festival in Arunachal Pradesh . Celebrated by the Mishmi Tribe. Reh is festival which is celebrated by Idu Mishimis.

 

 It is held for six days and has the priest dance as its main and important feature.This time for first time Mega Reh Festival will be celebrated under one umbrella with great enthusiasm at Teluliang near Tezu in Lohit district of Arunachal.

 

 The Mega Reh Festival was a chance to visit Tezu and Roing township, know its history, importance, On Mishmi culture, art, skills, practices, taboos, history, language etc etc.

 

 We expected that we will get amazing photograph of the Mishmis tribe who will roam proudly wearing their colorful traditional dresses, performing elaborate dances & tell stories of their indigenous culture. We also expected to taste delicious exotic food, tasty rice beer.

 

When we searched our route to Tezu in google map. Tezu is the head quarter of Lohit District located amidst beautiful landscape by the side of the flowing Lohit river.We saw that we have to start from Duliajan reach Dhola Ghat via Tinsukia take a ferry ride to Sadiya Ghat and ride to Tezu or ride through Parashuram Kund without taking a ferry ride.

 

Tinsukia is the ideal stopover for tourist visiting Dehing Patkai region. The commercial town of Assam is situated 500 Km away from Guwahati. The Shiv Dham and Marut Nandan Kanan Park aresome of the added points of attraction for visitors. Tinsukia is well connected to the rest of the Country by rail and road.

 

When we contacted some locals of Tezu they said its better to come a day before the festival or to halt one night as its not safe to ride a night. After a serious discussion with the bikers we decided to dropped the plan of attending the festival but two of our bikers wanted to make it at any cost. To halt one night was out of question as we have to resume our duty early morning very next day but if required they can halt a night at Sadiya

 

Sadiya: About 75 Km east of Tinsukia Sadiya is a sub-divisional headquarter of Tinsukia District. In medieval times, there were trade routes leading from Sadiya into Tibet, China and Burma (Myanmar). Sadiya was the central market for all hill tribes inhabiting the extreme North-East.

 

So on 03-Feb-2013 our biker Jayanta & his friend on his new Pulsar 200NS started their journey from Tinsukia at 5.30PM & reached Namsai where they got their passes to Arunachal.

 

Namsai is a Sub-Divisional headquarter famous for several Buddhist Viharas in the Khampti settlement area locally called ‘Chong’. The Chong of Namsai and Manmao are major centres of Theravada sect in the State. Namsai Reserve Forest has both tropical and sub-tropical characteristics with lush dense green vegetation and a wide variety of flora and fauna. The natural beauty and biodiversity of Piyong Reserve forest is worth visiting.

 

 

 

They had their breakfast at Choukham and reached Parashuram Kund where they stopped for few minutes. Parasuram Kund is situated within the Kamlang Reserve Forest area. The Kund is surrounded by dense forest of Ruddhraksha trees, the fruit of which is considered sacred to Hindu ascetics as well as general believers of the faith. This place on the Lohit River carries a strongmythological link with the legend of Parsurama, a Hindu sage. According to the legend recorded in the Kalika Purana, Srimat Bhagawata and the Mahabharata, sage Parsurama washed away hissin of matricide in the waters of the Lohit river at Bramhakund. Each year thousands of pilgrims from all over the country congregate on Makar Sankranti day, to wash away their sins. A fair (mela) is held during this period.

 

They started riding the 45km hilly roads to Tezu crossing Hailong, Kibithoo, Walong and road on their way. They stopped couple of times to enjoy the beautiful scenery from hill top. The view from Wakro is breathtaking.

 

Wakro is in the hub of Kamlang Reserve Forest and Kamlang Wildlife Sanctuary with dense forest and wide floral and faunal diversity. The Sanctuary is home to hollock gibbon, tiger,takin etc,. Glow Lake is a unique example of high altitude lake with breathtaking scenic beauty, offering immense scope for adventure tourism.

 

Walong : One can enjoy the medicinal waters of the hot springs. There stands a War memorial at Walong in memory ofthe officers and Soldiers of the India Army who laid their lives fighting the Chinese Army.

 

Dong: Dong valley is the place where the first Sunrise of the country can be witnessed. It is located on the tri-junction of India, China and Myanmar. Anglingin River Lohit is ideal.

 

Our bikers enjoyed the riding the curvey roads of Arunachal & reached Tezu. Unfortunately the Reh festival was already over by that time. So the decided to have a close look of the Tezu town.

 

Then they decided to go to Digaru Ghat which was 16km away. The route from Tinsukia to Namsai,via Alubari then Tezu without Crossing parshuram kund is not available in google map. They enjoyed 4km of offroading from main road to the river bank.

 

The Pulsar 200NS got stucked in sandy river bank many times. After taking a ferry ride and they reached Alubari Ghat.Then they visited The Choukham Buddhist Monastery which was established in 1968 and also The Golden Pagoda, Tengapani Estd 2010 on their way back to Namsai.Chowkham is the nodal point for Manabahum and Tengapani Reserve Forest with floral and faunal diversity. They reached back Tinsukia at 8.30 PM.

 

~~~ The End ~~~