Paddy Transplantation and Siigañ

The Apatanis have two occasions in a year when everything can wait but their works in the paddy fields. One is now - time for transplantation of paddy saplings. The other would be in October - harvesting time.



Its a joy to look at the irrigation channels - siigañs these days. This is the time when the water should be flowing continuously in these channels.




As children, we used to put paper boats at the origin of this siigañ and follow the course till it joins back the original river downstream.

Eat Outs

Stinking meat market in the neighborhood. A couple of gambling shops. An unlikely location for eating place, but on the roof of one of the buildings is a well-designed restaurant - creatively named Feeder.





Decent preparation. A cup of tea costs Rs. 10. So called Feeder combo is Rs. 100. Smartly dressed young girls work as waiters. Wisely, alcohols are strictly prohibited. The restaurant closes at 8.00 PM.

Potable Water, Enjoyable View

The recently commissioned Water Treatment Plant is one of the welcome developments at Ziro. In contrast to tapping water from the sources in the jungle in the past, a proper treatment plant is functioning now on the hill behind the All India Radio. The water here comes from Seya Piro (source of Seya Kiile) and supplies most part of Hapoli township. The output tank here can store as much as 300,000 liters.


What prompted this blog entry, however, is not the water supply aspect of the treatment plant, but the way the location has been developed. As it is located on the top of a hill, it makes for a pleasant spot to stroll in the evening. The area is well maintained. One can have some of the best views of Ziro from here.


One only wishes the same quality of maintenance is kept up.

Showcasing Ziro

The maiden visit of the President of India, Pratibha Devisingh Patil to Arunachal Pradesh was an occasion for showcasing the rich cultural heritage as well as potential of the women of the state. It was made an special occasion to showcase Ziro for all the right reasons in the Banquet Hall, Itanagar.

This is the model of the Apatani agricultural system - siigan, hurbu, endi, arge and pakho. Oh yes, and live fishes! In the background is the picture of the view of Ziro from Paku Akhii Putu (seen in one of the previous posts).


The followings are the model of an Apatani house - without walls.




I wish a President visits the state more frequently!