Custodian of Ranii Akhii

Dree this year has been celebrated all over the country in the most visible way, thanks to the internet and social networking sites.

Some of the most significant events, however, take place silently. Such an event has been the passing away of Tabyu Karlung, who inherited Ranii Akhii from his brother Tabyu Tabin and has been responsible for initiating the process of Dree ritual every year. He quietly passed away on June 25, 2011 just a week ahead of the Dree.

Ranii Akhii remains one of the most sacred and mysterious artefacts in Apatani culture. As per the oral history, the comb was brought from a mythological place called Wiipyo Ranii by a war expedition. "Wiipyo Ranii gañda ho nyibo pachala, Tanii Dree miinii naniipa, Ranii Akhii mi pagiitii," so goes the narration.

The tale of the akhii, which resembles some designs of Chinese hairpin, has always been baffling. During a major fire accident in Tajang village decades back, Tabyu Tabin, who was its custodian at the time, thought it has been burnt along with his house. To his amazement, however, the akhii returned unscathed a day after he re-constructed his house! Now, however, extra care has to be taken as one of its legs is broken and may not be able to run away in such crisis on its own.

Ranii Akhii has always been kept away from ordinary people, especially children, as it would harm them in various ways if disturbed. If its curse causes, for example, skin diseases, that could be cured by propitiating the akhii in appropriate ways. It was only during occasions like Dree that the sacred akhii could be freely seen by anybody. Did you see it this Dree?

Even as the custodian of the Ranii Akhii quietly passed away, Dree has been celebrated with pomp and gaiety, praying for the well being of humankind. The world goes on.

Ziro Landing Ground

1957: Kimin-Ziro road opened.
1952: Divisional Headquarter of Subansiri shifted from Kimin to Ziro.
1951: First aeroplane landed at Ziro landing ground.

This chronology of events looks upside down. It is one of the many intriguing facts about Ziro. Before the Kimin-Ziro road was opened in 1957, one had to trek through pestilential jungles for as long as a week from Kimin. Ziro was, in those days, an administrative outpost.

View of Landing Ground in 2011:

Construction of the landing ground was a major event in the otherwise sleepy valley at 5000 ft above sea level. RG Menzes, then Political Officer, who also opened the Ziro township on March 24, 1952 supervised the works. It is noteworthy that only local people - both Apatanis and Nyishis - were engaged in the construction project.

Landing Ground under construction in 1951:

The first aeroplane to land was an Otter in 1951 and next year in 1952, a Dakota landed after lengthening the landing ground. Since then, supply of essential items to the whole Subansiri division has been much easier. Till this day, this is the base for air-dropping of such items to strategic places like Damin, Sarli, Chambang, Limeking and Taksing.

In the seventies, the first commercial operation - that of Vayudoot - was started with much fanfare. The services never took off as expected as the flights became too unreliable due to unpredictable weather.

A serious attempt was made in the late nineties to extend the length of the present ground so as to make it viable for landing of commercial airplanes. As vast areas of priceless wet-rice cultivation areas were at stake, the project got a major setback. The government still has said to have an ongoing project to ungrade it into an airport. Even at the present status, the landing ground remains the most prominent landmark of Ziro.

Talle Trek

A formal trek to Talle has, at last, been organized. Of the many exciting trekking routes in and around Ziro, the one to Talle forest is the most promising. A local organization named Ngunu Ziro organized a trekking to Talle Valley - Spring Trek "11, this week.

The trek started from Hong village and the team reached Pange via Moko, covering some 5 kilometers on the first day. The next day, they trekked all the way to Talle Valle, covering 15 km. The third day was for exploration of the enchanting valley. They visited the abandoned helipad and the rhododendron grove in the valley. They returned the fourth day, via Maniipolyang.

This time of the year is best if one is interested in talle, the onion-like vegetable after which the valley has been named. Scores of colorful wild flowers adorn the routes while butterflies with intricate designs flit around. The early blooming red Senji have started drooping and buds of differently colored rhododendrons have started blooming.

Sitting on the steps of the camp at Talle, nibbling at talle hamañ, one can feel the cool wind blowing by hiibiñ and watch the long-tailed Palyu piita flying from branch to branch in the tall niiri piisas.

A trend has been started and hopefully will continue in the days to come.

Myoko

Myoko is at last here. Prolonged preparation has culminated into construction of Nago and sama piniiñ.

Nago plays crucial roles not only during Myoko but in everyday lives of the Apatanis. During the Myoko, Siiki is cajoled to come up in the world of man and to participate in the festivity. Nago is also the place where the all important ritual ropi is performed.

The main attraction of the nago is the piidiñs on either side. Traditionally the structure is roofed with tapo, but bamboos are being increasingly used these days. Tapo retains the advantage that the tapers can easily be inserted into it.


Sama piniiñ is the inaugural ceremony of the Myoko festival. The occasion kick-starts all other processes.

The festival this year is in the villages of Hari, Bulla and Tajang.

Welcome one and all!

Reptiles of Talle

The story of tabu and tatii has enthralled Apatani children for ages. Snakes have always been mysterious creatures and many a myths are associated with them. It is worshipped as well as feared.


Last year, while I was attending a meeting in the US, I got a call from a friend to help a team visit Talle Wildlife Sanctuary. We were carrying out a wildlife survey at the time, and I said why not. So went the team with our local contacts and they were enthralled with the professional approach of the team.

Here and here are the accounts of the expedition by one of the team members. Enjoy the beautiful pictures of some reptiles and amphibians they photographed.