COVER STORY MIAO-VIJAYNAGAR ROAD

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At the foot of snowcapped Dapha Bum (4,571m),a strip of land pokes its way along the spectacu-lar valley of the Noa-Dihing like a finger into

Myanmar. Spanning nearly 2,000 sq km of rugged ter-rain, swathed, in large part, by tropical rainforests ofincredible biological diversity, this land—the famedNamdapha Tiger Reserve in eastern ArunachalPradesh—is a wellspring of nature. Over the next 12days, we are to trek through this landscape; there ismuch to see and work to do, too.To reach Namdapha, we enter Arunachal Pradesh by

the road from Dibrugarh to Miao. At the state bordercheckpost, we have a moment to pause and reflect; the

cultivated plains of Assam are behind us, and ahead, likea dream turned real, an undulating landscape stretchinginto unknown hills: Arunachal awaits! Our journey into Namdapha begins at the rather

undistinguished town of Miao, where we obtain ourpermits to enter the Tiger Reserve. We are accompany-ing Aparajita Datta, our colleague at the NatureConservation Foundation, to learn about and help withher research and conservation work. And the only wayto do that: on foot on a long trek deep into Namdaphaand beyond to the village of Vijaynagar. The walk willtake us through the spectacular, lofty forests in thetourism zone up to Firmbase, beyond which we will

traverse the core area of the Tiger Reserve, not open totourists. Depending on logistics, weather and landslides,the trek could take anywhere from five days (if one wassuperbly fit and in a rush) to 15 days or more. We are inno rush, yet the dictates of logistics will keep us mov-ing. The first night, we rest in the wood and bamboohome of Akhi Nathany, our Lisu field co-ordinator atthe Lisu basti in Miao.Awakening the next day, a cool November morning, to

the sight of a pair of Wreathed hornbills flying high, weprepare for our trek. Supplies are purchased, portersarranged, leech socks tried on and everything dumpedinto the back of a 4x4 truck that will take us a short

distance along the 100-mile long Miao-Vijaynagar road(M-V road). The M-V road, we were soon to realise, wasa road only in a notional sense. It was wide in parts,reduced to a narrow foot-trail in many places, slushyand overgrown, and punctuated by landslides that haderased its very trace off the slopes.At the best of times, it is motorable up to Deban in a

four-wheel drive. This was not the best of times. In theaftermath of rains from the super-cyclone Sidr that hadswept past Bangladesh into northeast India, a hugelandslide around the 12th mile had torn down the road.We were dropped off some distance away and ourteam prepared to go the rest of the journey on foot.

T.R. Shankar Raman takes the road less travelled into the spectacular forestwilderness and ranges of Namdapha. Photographs by Kalyan VarmaDEEP FOREST

Towering over the Namdaphalandscape, the etherealDapha Bum gleams in theafternoon light. Namdaphaspans an altitude range fromaround 200m to over4,500m. The lower reachesare covered in extensive trop-ical wet evergreen forests.

Higher, one traverses sub-tropical and temperate broad-leaved forests, and pineforests, into alpine meadows,and permanent snow and ice.One goes from the land ofthe clouded leopard to theabode of the red panda — andperhaps, the snow leopard.

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We stay at Deban Forest RestHouse the first night. After arelaxed morning exploringand watching gibbons, squir-rels and birds, we cross theriver by boat to camp on thewind-swept banks of Debannala. In other places, therivers had swelled with water

and we would form a humanchain to cross at specific loca-tions known to experiencedLisu guides. Fed by rain gath-ered in the vast watershed,and by snow-melt, thestreams and tributariescourse into the sparklingwaters of the Noa-Dihing.

As we shoulder our backpacks, ourassistants and porters strap sturdycane baskets across their heads.Even with their heavier loads, theywalk easy and fast, as if they werebuilt for the terrain. We squelchthrough the slush of landslides,sinking knee-deep at times, soldier-ing on along the forest tracks andriver crossings, even as our Lisuassistants walk and climb expertly,cross landslides and rivers; all with asmile on their lips. With cane, bam-boo and a handy dao (machete) theLisu can work all manner of wondersfrom utensils and baskets to pipesand shelters in no time.

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The rainforests beyondDeban must rank among themost biologically rich forestsin northeast India. AroundHornbill, our next campsite,the forests yield their riches.We watch Hoolock gibbons,Capped langurs and Malayangiant squirrels. Also, a

thrilling array of birds, manyto be found only in northeastIndia within the country.Even the names are enticing:mesias and tesias, malkohasand hornbills, peacock-pheas-ants and wren-babblers,cochoas and laughing thrush-es, parrotbills and yuhinas.

Namdapha comes alive when horn-bills are in flight. Five species ofhornbills are found here, includingthe rare Rufous-necked hornbill, themajestic Great and Wreathed hornbillsand the smaller Oriental pied andBrown hornbills. In their itinerantwanderings across vast areas of for-est in search of fruiting trees, largeflocks of Wreathed hornbills criss-cross the skies every day, thewhooshing of their wing beats audi-ble from afar. Aparajita‘s work onhornbills in Arunachal’s forests haveestablished their importance as seeddispersers and architects of the rain-forest plant communities.

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The wide river valleys strewnwith rounded boulders arepunctuated by stretches of tallgrass, the home of the hogdeer and birds of the opengrassland such as chats andshrikes. We learn it is as easyto lose one’s way in the tallgrass as it is in dense forest,and are glad to have our trustyLisu guides on hand to showthe way. The Noa-Dihing riveris alive with birds: black storksand cormorants, sprightlyblack-and-white forktails andwagtails, dippers and ibisbills,redstarts and river lapwings.

As we walk, our assistants goahead to pitch camp. Afterthe trek, punctuated by excit-ing wildlife sightings, wewelcome the sight of thepitched camp and hot cups oftea. The vista of theNamdapha river valleybounded by forest-clad hills

and snowcapped peaks,seems like one of the lasttruly wild places in India. Bythe murmuring river, undersilvery starlight, we huddleby the warm glow of the fireand tuck into a simple buttasty dinner of rice, dal andboiled lai patta.

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Our walk took us through denserainforests and bamboo thickets,rivers and streams, over bouldersand landslides, partly along thenotional Miao-Vijaynagar Road,but in fact frequently off-road.The M-V road, built in 1972 anddefunct since the 1990s, servesmore as a frame of reference inthe landscape than as a genuinepath. We did parts of the laststretch towards 77 Mile and onto Gandhigram village on the M-Vroad, catching glimpses ofenthralling forests and wildlife,but with little time to stop,admire and absorb.

Wading waist-deep acrossthe Noa-Dihing, we trek toour next camp at Ngwazakha,or 38th-mile settlement, areference to a notional mile-stone on a nearly non-exis-tent road. The next morning,with misty vapours risingfrom unexplored forests in

the distance, we trudge on tocamp near 52 Mile. Anotherday of walking brings us toour putative campsite near62 Mile, only to find it all wetand sloping. We have tomove camp a mile or so fur-ther; in our tiredness, thisseems the longest mile yet.

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Finally, eight days and nearly140km after we left Miao, webehold the village ofGandhigram (or Shidi to theLisu). With rice-fields andbamboo houses, pigs andchicken, and children playing,the village seemed little con-scious of its isolation at

India’s eastern extremity.After two days of rest andfeasting on delicious pork,pineapples, native popcornand rice cakes, we move onto Vijaynagar. The final 18kmtrek takes us past forestsand jhum fields, crossingcane bridges and streams.

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Vijaynagar, at Namdapha’s doorstepand yet quite detached from it inspirit, marks its events by the arrivaland departure of the irregular AN-32flights. With the weather threaten-ing to worsen, we decide to wait fora sortie to head back. It is a tensewait, since there is little assuranceof a flight, but luckily we get a flighton the second day. Strapped aboardalong with luggage we are off, andbelow us, the landscape that took us12 days to trek through flashes pastin 20 minutes. Yet, the range afterrange of hills and unbroken forestentice us; even as we leave, we feelwe shall come back.

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Clockwise from left: Medo’s pit viper, foundonly in Namdapha within India; Small niltava;Malayan giant squirrel; Slaty-backed forktail;and the Hoolock gibbon, India’s only ape

With more than 1,000 plant species, over 500

bird species and a documented diversity of

animal species that is still climbing steeply,

Namdapha will entrance any wildlife enthusiast. It is the

home of the leopard, clouded leopard and tiger, and at the

higher reaches, possibly even the snow leopard.

The flagship mammals, and the most likely to be seen,

are the primates and the Malayan giant squirrels. Hoolock

gibbon families, with their resounding calls carrying for

miles, troops of handsome, leaf-eating capped langurs and

itinerant Assamese and stump-tailed macaques are likely.

At night, one could see slow loris and flying squirrels or,

with luck, one of the elusive smaller carnivores: the cloud-

ed leopard and marbled cat or spotted linsang and civets.

Several squirrels, deer, takin, bamboo rats, hog badger and

wild dog add to the diversity.

Among birds, the forests shelter many rare and threat-

ened species found only in northeast India within the

country such as Grey peacock-pheasant, Red-headed and

Ward’s trogons, Wedge-billed wren-babbler, Snowy-

throated babbler, Hill partridges and Beautiful nuthatch,

to name a few from a long list. A great diversity of insects,

fish, amphibians and reptiles also mark the forests and

rivers in Namdapha.

Yet, seeing wildlife is hard work here; the rainforests are

dense and the legacy of hunting persists.

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GETTING THERE Miao is 605km fromGuwahati and can be reached by taking anovernight bus to Jagun near the Arunachal bor-der. From here to Miao (39km), hire a taxi (Rs 800) or take a bus (Rs 30). Alternatively,one can also reach Dibrugarh and then on toMiao (160km) by taxi (Rs 2,400) or ArunachalPradesh State Transport bus (Rs 80). One canalso directly reach Vijaynagar at the easternend of Namdapha by air sorties (Antonov-32airplanes) operated by the Indian Air Force toferry supplies and people (civilians and AssamRifles staff). Permits are required from theDeputy Director of Supply and Transport(DDST) at Mohanbari (0373-2382609) orCircle Officer, Vijaynagar, to take the flightsfrom Dibrugarh (Mohanbari) to Vijaynagar orback (Rs 700) and they are not regular. Onemay have to wait for days or even weeks toget on a flight.

STATE ENTRY PERMITS To enter Arunachal,permissions needed include Inner-line Permits(ILP, for all non-Arunachal Indian citizens) andRestricted Area Permit (RAP, for foreignnationals). ILPs may be obtained (Rs 25) atKolkata, Guwahati or Miao, from the DeputyResident Commissioner’s office. Applicationsare made in the morning and permits areissued in the afternoon, but may take up totwo days.

FOREST DEPARTMENT PERMITS Touristpermits to enter Namdapha up to Firmbasemay be obtained at the Field Director’s office,Miao (The Field Director, Project Tiger,Namdapha National Park, Miao - 792122,Changlang District, Arunachal Pradesh, 03807-222249). Entry fee is Rs 10 (Indians) and Rs 50 (foreigners); vehicle, elephant, cameracharges extra. Permits are not normally givento tourists to enter into the core area alongthe defunct Miao-Vijaynagar road; these arenormally approved only for bonafide researchor special purposes. Special requests to theForest Department may be made for treksthrough the park but groups must be accompa-nied by Forest Department staff.

PREPARATIONS Permits, supplies, transportand guides are best arranged beforehand toavoid problems. Tents, sleeping bags, leech-proof socks and other camping essentials willbe extremely useful as there is no accommo-dation along the route except at Deban ForestRest House (26km from Miao). Cerebral malariais prevalent and many people die from it every

year, so take all needed precautions and medi-cines strictly as advised by a good doctor.

CAUTION Take care to engage reliable localguides/porters with the assistance and per-mission of Forest Department staff, preferablyLisu tribals who are familiar with the Miao-Vijaynagar route. It is not advisable or safe toenter any area without prior ForestDepartment permits and reliable local guides.Sudden rain and landslides may require waitingfor rivers to abate or changes of route andonly with reliable and experienced locals isthere any assurance of a safe journey. Localporters from other communities may also beengaged at Miao/Deban. Verify reliability andantecedents of local guides/porters withForest Department staff or Phupla Singpho(from SEACOW, a local NGO, see below).

ACCOMMODATION The Eco-Tourist GuestHouse run by a local NGO, SEACOW (Contact:Phupla Singpho, 03807-222296) and theCircuit House and Inspection Bungalow(Contact: Addl. Dist Commissioner, 03807-222245) offer the only accommodation inMiao. There is a Forest Rest House at Deban(Contact: Field Director, Miao, 03807-222249).Camping is permitted at designated sites only.

TREK ROUTE Day 1: Miao to Gibbon’s land (10Mile) camp. 3hr walk through lovely forests toMotijheel, a forest pool on a plateau. Day 2: Onto Deban Forest Rest House, explore forestsaround, good mammal sightings, birding along

Dihing river. Day 3: Cross the river by boat andwalk along Deban nala and on to Haldibaricampsite. Day 4: On to Hornbill camp. Some ofthe best forests are around here, take time toexplore and look for all manner of interestingrainforest creatures; also visit sulphurous hotsprings at Bulbulia (2hr). Day 5: Walk up toRanijheel (4-5hr) and detour to Rajajheel (1hr).See interesting swampy pools in the rainforestand camp at a designated spot near Ranijheel.Day 6: On to Firmbase, a moderate trekthrough some steep downhill stretches andbamboo thickets to end at Namdapha river,where the tourism zone ends. Day 7 to 10:Venture beyond Firmbase only if permitted byForest Department and with reliable guides.Ideally, proceed only during good, clear weath-er. Beyond Firmbase, one has to cross theNamdapha river, head via 38 Mile settlement,ford the Noa-Dihing near the Burma nala, con-tinue along the south bank of the Dihing for aday past Nibudi, the 52 Mile settlement andthen climb back along the M-V road withnumerous shortcuts, to camps near 52 Mile,65-67 Mile, 77 Mile, and then out ofNamdapha past 80 Mile to Gandhigram village.Do not deviate off-route as it is very risky andfew people, even experienced guides, knowthe trails well enough. Day 11: Walk toVijaynagar (18km).

INFORMATION For further information seewww.namdapha.in, www.changlang.nic.in/namdapha.html and www.projecttiger.nic.in/namdapha.htm.

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DIPANKAR BHATTACHARYA