Arunachal Pradesh Forever: History, Treks, Travels
Contents: Foreword by Mamang Dai. Introduction. Western Arunachal Pradesh: Tawang, Kangto Range, Kameng River, Kamala Valley, Mechuka, Bailey Trail, Bangajang Monastery. 1. The Tawang Tract: Visit to Tawang Valley, Western Arunachal Pradesh. 2. The Riddle of Kangto: The Highest Peak of Arunachal. 3. The Unknown Kamala Valley: Exploring the Kurung-Kumey Valleys in Arunachal Pradesh. 4. Monasteries Near Borders: Mechuka (Tibet) and The Bangajang (Bhutan). Central Arunachal Pradesh: Takpa Siri, Subansiri, Apatani Plateau, Tsangpo S Bend. 5. On the Apatani Plateau, The Subansiri Valley. 6. Secrets of Subansiri: On the Pilgrim Trail of Takpa Siri. 7. Takpa Siri: A Forgotten High-Altitude Pilgrimage. 8. The Journey of a River: Tsangpo-Siang-Brahmaputra. 9. Tsangpo: The Final Exploration – Reaching the Tsangpo Bend from India. Eastern Arunachal Pradesh: Yang Sang Valley, Dibang Valley, Logit Valley. 10. The Hidden Land of Pemako. 11. The Survey of McMahon Line. 12. The Promised Land: The Dibang Valley. 13. ‘This Valley is Damn Tough for One Who Isn’t’: The Lohit Valley. South Eastern Arunachal Pradesh: Chaukan Pass, Pangsau Pass, Flying the Hump. 14. Flying across the Eastern Himalaya: The Hump. 15. Pangsau Pass and the East. 16. The Epic of Chaukan Pass: Along the Noa Dihing towards Burma. 17. Changing Arunachal Pradesh: Past, Present and Future. Bibliography. Index.
Arunachal Pradesh, nestled in the north-eastern corner of India, is a land of immense natural beauty and unique history. Arunachal Pradesh Forever is a comprehensive exploration of this region, where the author Harish Kapadia meticulously weaves together historical accounts, personal anecdotes, and cultural studies to present a unique perspective.
Arunachal Pradesh has been one of the least explored Himalayan regions in India. As a testimony to this, the book narrates the account of Bill Timan, the first mountaineer to climb here in 1938, who barely survived, while a Sherpa accompanying him lost his life to malaria. Several accounts of explorations by early explorers like F.M. Bailey and H.T. Moreshead, and the work of Christian missionaries find a mention, covering the historic explorations that were undertaken here. There is a detailed description of the Great Earthquake of 1950 and the observations by Frank Kingdon-Ward who was caught in the centre of it.
Harish has enriched these narratives with twenty treks and explorations personally undertaken by him to remote parts like Takpa Siri, the Chaukan Pass on the Burma border, and Yonggyap La on the McMahon Line, the border with China. One of his historic explorations was reaching the “S BEND”, from where the Tsangpo river originating near Manasarovar in Tibet enters India to be called Brahmaputra in the Assam valley.
The book also captures stories of war and the valour displayed by the Indian army. It also acknowledges the contributions of legendary bureaucrats like Nari Rustomji and Governor Daulatram Jairamdas, who played pivotal roles in the administration and development of this region. The scholarly studies of the tribal society by Verrier Elwin and Haimendorf are also highlighted. Poems by Mamang Dai, a well-decorated poet of the state adds a personal touch to this book.
The book describes all these people and their works, perhaps one of the only books to cover Arunachal Pradesh so exhaustively. The book gives an insight into many aspects of the State through the author's explorations over the last 20 years; narrating development, people, and the changing society. For an armchair mountaineer, there are personal stories, history and accounts that illustrate that “Arunachal Pradesh Forever” is a book forever!
With 20 sketch maps, 19 sketches by Geeta Kapadia, and more than 90 colour and B-W photographs this book promises to be an invaluable guide and historical record.
