|
|
ARUNACHAL HIMALAYAS
The Arunachal Himalayas form the eastern frontier of the Eastern
Himalayan range of India. Located on the extreme east of the Indian state
of Arunachal Pradesh the Namcha Barwa massif is accepted as the
easternmost point of the
Himalayas .
Previously the region was known as Assam Himalayas, but after the creation
of the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) and Arunachal Pradesh, this
region was rendered with the term of Arunachal Himalayas.
For the major part of its length, this range is a low range by Himalayan
standards, rising to heights of 5,000 m and 6,000 m. There are two
significant exceptions to this and these are as are of considerable
mountaineering interest. The visitors have a wide variety of options to
pick from.
The Himalayan range enters Arunachal Pradesh from Bhutan
at the West Kameng district. The region is a series of high ridges and low
valleys and the altitude in the region varies from 800 m to 7, 000 m above
sea level. It then runs northwards over then Kangto Masif before extending
to the easternmost frontiers of the Arunachal Himalayas - the Namcha Barwa
Massif.
The Himalayan Backdrop
Arunachal Pradesh, is surrounded on three sides by Bhutan, China and
Myanmar. It stretches from snow-capped mountains in the north to the
plains of the Brahmaputra valley in the south. Arunachal is the largest
state area-wise in the northeast region, even larger than
Assam , which is
the most populous.
It is a land of lush green forests, deep river valleys and beautiful
plateaus. The land is mostly mountainous with the Himalayan ranges running
north south. These divide the state into five river valleys: the Kameng,
the Subansiri, the Siang, the Lohit and the Tirap. All these are fed by
snow from the Himalayas and countless rivers and rivulets. The mightiest
of these rivers is Siang, called the Tsangpa in Tibet, which becomes the
Brahmaputra after the Dibang and the Lohit in the plains of Assam join it.
MOUNTAINOUS ZONES
Kangto Massif
Kanto Massif is one zone of mountaineering interest that is the least
known of all Himalayan areas. It is the first great mountain range in the
Arunachal Himalayas that will come into view as one moves from east to
west. Visible from the distant plains of Assam and the Meghalaya state
hills, the high range of the Kangto Massif lies in a gigantic S-curve
running roughly west-southwest and east- northeast between the passes of
Tulung La and Keshong La in the region.
The MacMohan line -- the border between India and China -- runs more or
less along the top. To the south lies a high rain-sodden, thickly forested
ridge of the lesser Himalayas, which makes a difficult and dangerous
access from Assam. The access from Tibet is considerably easy.
Peaks Of Kanto Region
Major peaks in the Kangto Section are Gori Chen (6,538 m), Kangto (7,090
m), Nyegyi Kangsang (7,047 m) and Takpa Shiri (6,655 m). Takpa Siri is a
holy mountain just north of the Indian border, near the Tibetan village of
Migyitun. Walking around to this mountain is said to have religious merit,
much like that of the famous Kailash Parbat. However, its height is not
higher than 6,655 m.
The Rain Bearer
It is because of the existence the Kangto Massif in this region that the
rain bearing monsoon clouds are trapped and the resulting water, forms
Kameng -- a major river and one of the main tributaries of the Dihang,
which is the name by which the
Brahmaputra
River is known in the region.
The riverside areas from where these mighty rivers flow through have
extremely dense vegetation. They receive heavy rains and are rainforests.
A large part of these unexplored forests harbor a tremendous variety of
flora and fauna, making the state of Arunachal Pradesh
having the most incredible biodiversity in India.
Namcha Barwa Massif
Situated on the easternmost frontiers of the Himalayas is another
mountaineering paradise - the Namcha Barwa Massif. The mountain ranges
that lie beyond the Tsangpo-Dihang are not considered a part of the
Himalayas. Standing at an elevation of 7,756 m above sea level Namcha
Barwa is the highest point of this range. Known as the 'Mysterious Giant'
the actual exploration expedition of this range was done in 1912, although
the Pandit explorers had reported its existence first.
It's from these mountain masses of Namcha Barwa that the mighty
Brahmaputra
River enters India. Flowing through the Trans Himalayas, where it is
known as the "Yarlung Tsangpo", river Brahmaputra enters India
forming a gorge around the Namcha Barwa. The gorge of the Yarlung Tsangpo
in known to be one of the wildest and least explored areas on the world.
The gorge is three times as deep as the Grand Canyon of Colorado.
The Remote Himalayan Mountains
Roads have been built in the region and detailed mapping has been done.
But because the entire state of Arunachal is bound under restrictions, an
Inner-line area and special permits are required to enter it. As a result,
these mountains and its regions remain one of the most pristine and remote
areas of Indian and the great Himalayan Range.
