Wandering Destination : Namdapha National Park (part 2: Accommodation))

Wandering Destination : Namdapha National Park (part 2: Accommodation))

Kamku River and Namdapha National park in the backdrop

Arunachal literally means 'land of rising sun', land also known as 'land of dawn-lit mountains'. The scenic beauty of mountains certainly justifies the phrase. After alighting at Tinsukia junction, urge vising the easternmost state first time was ever increasing. It was just 5 AM and sun was already up, enough to allow our taxi driver to drive without headlights. We were lucky to get the cab in reasonable rates, bargaining would have been reduced it furthermore. However, experience comes after action. Miao was our destination, some 4 odd hours away. More than half of the road to be covered  was  going through Assam, till the army check point of Jagun. Roads in Assam are pretty to travel on. Mostly runs between the tea gardens and are well maintained. Tea tree plantation was appearing as plane green surface, certainly the magic of hands which collect the tender leaves. Systematically planted rubber trees inside tea plantation were also seen, I suppose they also shades the tea plant. But I couldn't find a single person in the fields, probably it was not the right season for leaf plucking.





Every five kilometers or so, small villages were busy with the morning works. Still old style bazars, shops having wooden doors and filled with commonly required objects was a common picture in every village.People around the look to be poor but good at heart. Standard of living was much lower, but villagers seem content with the rustic life. We reached Miao around 10 AM, and headed straight away to forest In-charge to realize today was holiday to celebrate Eid. Unwillingly we spent that day in Miao, visiting near by streams. The moment I got down at the guest house, I took camera and started shooting everything I could find. In the near by area itself we were able to find some pretty species like Copper flash, stripe albatross, birdwing and slate flash. Chocolate albatross, Sapphires and Punchinello  are some of the commonest butterfly there.

Bamboo huts

Mr. Gopal

On the next day, paper work at forest office finished quickly. Officers there seems prompt towards visitors and responsible towards the forests, and that what they are meant to be. With delayed start due to technical problem arise with the car, we reached Deban at around 12. Another half day was wasted. I was surprised to see the arrangements at Deban Guest house. Living places, mess, gardens etc. was well maintained. Food was available. While coming from Miao, we bought some vegetable, eggs and some grocery thinking it would help. Even we took heavy quantity of packed food like Maggie, Biscuits, some home made stuff. After looking the provisions at guest house, I thought the whole food business and worries of ours were useless burden. Gopal, cook at the mess, further relaxed us by providing delicious food for whole eight days of stay. He is a pleasant man, ever ready to feed the tourists with best possible as per availability. He is also a phenomenal adviser. Ask him today's weather forecast or ask him for some arrangements about jungle visit, you will get the prolific reply.

Guest house complex has plenty of rooms, few bungalows, huts and a dormitory. Huts situated in lonely corner faces the river bed cost around 450 Rs. a day,  is smart choice. Every luxury, relative to this remote place, is available in the room.Forest guards also live around in the guest house, spends the evening spare time seating besides fire and chit-chatting. For all evenings seating with them became our habit. Outside temperatures are usually around 12 degree which falls below 6 deg in the morning. If sky is clear, experience of the moonlit night experience is beyond apprehension. Mild grating noise of insects and rhythmic sound of river flow ceases the thought process. Perfect assuasive conditions for relaxing mind stresses. Seating idle for an hour in such atmosphere is certainly out of the world experience to urban dwellers. This tranquil situation is occasionally disturbed by animal calls.

Deban Rest House, Left side red one is mess

We used to take dinner usually at around 8 O'clock at Gopal's mess. This hour was reserved to listen to music, mostly on mobile and sometimes on radio. Here radio is luxury as one cannot listen to Indian channels. Indian transponders nearby are too feeble to send signal well inside Namdapha forests. Hilly terrain further prohibits the signal further. Surprisingly, radio easily tunes to the Chinese channels playing clearly and unopposed. Some of them even broadcasts Bangla or Assamese programs. We used to enjoy the tunes of some music programs, who cares about the words. Mobile network was worst to this. There was only a single point near to the river stream where mobile could catch mobile signals, that too of Vodaphone only. There is special arrangement made and the handset must be set in particular condition to get most of it. The call was made to the Miao-office whenever some grocery or other daily stuff was required. And this could take half an hour.

First day at guest house was over and actual wild experience was about to start. I was there for butterflies, was it a wise choice to be there post-monsoon?

Lonely houses are often seen besides the road and alongside the paddy fields

Bamboo hut raised few feet above ground is construction characteristics

Read about the preparation part here.