View from Paku Akhii Putu

We, as children, used to look up at Paku Akhii Putu and were sure that this was the highest mountain in the world that formed the northernmost boundary of earth. I particularly remember an evening when a wildfire had broke up at the hill and we were watching it burning from our riibii in the village.

Paku Akhii literally means 'pigeon's intestine'. But I wonder if it would better mean 'Pigeon's Breast' as the hill may be likened to a pigeon's breast. I could not find out why the hill got its name.

Whatever the reason for the name, it's a great view from the top. One can see the entire valley except the Hapoli township. The altitude at the top is about 6000 ft and it takes less than an hour to hike up there from Chabo at the foothill. Chabo is about a kilometer from Bopu at Lempia. One has the option of trekking through the rice paddy or the bamboo gardens of Koko. The hike up the hill itself is an experience worth undergoing. The chirping of the birds above and rustling leaves below add spice to the enchanting forests around.

At the top of Paku Akhii Putu, there are lots of trenches dug during 1962 Indo-China War. There is a big tree with magnificent branches underneath of which is said to be a favorite haunt of the deers. Wild fowls also abound here. There is a stream some minutes from the top on the other side. This is where the drinking water supply of Lempia, Ziro and Bulla originate.

Paku Akhii Putu is a perfect spot for overnight camping which is my next plan.

Changing Months, Changing Hues

June, 2007

July, 2007

August, 2007

September, 2007

December, 2007

February, 2008

Games Children Play

It has been some years since I participated in the Dree festival. When I briefly sneaked into the Dree ground in Itanagar yesterday, pleasant memories came flooding in. There was a lovely display of the game the Apatani children of the yore played. Ah, no, it has not been very long time back. Not very long ago, children still played 'achie taker' - in which they competed with each other counting as many stars as possible. There was then the 'ilyo tatu' game in which they urged their friends to come out in the evening to play. The one displayed here is a combination of many evening games. I sometimes pity today's children who get bored watching televisions or playing video games.


Will those carefree days ever come back to Ziro?

A Happy Dree

Dree is a ritual as well as a true celebration. The ritual is to propitiate the Gods of Agriculture for a good crop during the year and the celebration is the harvesting of the first crop of the year – taku (cucumber). That’s the reason cucumber is traditionally distributed during Dree.

In the days before 1967 when the Dree was centralized at Nenchalya, young men and women took leave from their agricultural tasks during Dree ‘anyo’ period and used to go for leisurely trekking each of them with a taku that they enjoyed together. Till lately, even the participants in the central celebration of the festival could be seen going to the ground with taku.

The other aspect, often not realized by many, is that Dree is not an event complete in itself. It is a part of a series of ritual that start during the preparation of soil in February till the crops are almost ready for harvest in September. First, Kiidi – Mother Earth and Miido – Sky God is propitiated for a fertile soil and favorable weather. It is followed by Metii so that the germinating crops are protected from Pyodu Biinyi – the God of Famine. Then comes Dree to protect the tender plants from pests and Tamu to destroy them (the pests). Yapung – the Rain God is then appeased in September to protect the crops from hailstorms.

Ziro, my Zimin Ziro!

As I was driving on the Old Ziro-Hapoli road, I expected some flooding of the rice paddies as it had been raining heavily the night before, but hordes of anglers lining the river rather surprised me. I immediately understood, however. The fishes so hopefully reared in the paddy fields had been flooded out and anybody could try his hand at getting some. Some fields were being flooded but I could not see any broken bunds as in the previous occasions like this as the river banks are all concrete and stone now. The breach this year was in one of the most unexpected places – the bridge over Tabyu kiile on the Rake Lembo.




Ziro was cut off suddenly on June 14. Many friends, who had come from Itanagar and other places were stranded. Some were happy at being stranded at their own homes for a change, but they realized the gravity of the situation soon enough. Many desperately tried to get out of Ziro – some by Pawan Hans which never came to the town except on 14th, and some walked for miles together after driving down some distance. I followd suit on 19th. We were more fortunate as we had to walk only four kilometers.




It was during this walk that I discovered why the services of BSNL at Ziro is so poor. The telephone cable, which was supposed to be underground decorates the Hoj road all along.







I knew that mobile service is not working at Ziro and even the services of the landlines are very poor. I was shocked to see the empty streets of Ziro when I returned on 25th. It was like a ghost town compared to the normal hustle and bustle of the market area. The petrol was costing a hundred rupees and diesel around sixty in the black market. Many vehicles were off-road. Food commodities were getting scarce. Many school hostels were on the verge of closing down. The local students in the hostels were being sent home.

This was not my dream of Zimin Ziro.