The Beckoning Beauty of Sangti Valley, Arunachal Pradesh

Sayanti Poddar & Swati Mallik

While planning our trip to Arunachal Pradesh, the most uncommon name in the list of places to visit there was that of Sangti Valley. Our travel advisors insisted this place as a must visit one, but we still had doubts in our minds as internet information suggested this valley to be popular for black cranes (which come to this valley every year for breeding) and honestly speaking, we were not interested in birding. However, after a long discussion, we somehow decided to keep the suggested plan unaltered (to reach Dirang from Guwahati via Bhalukpong by car) and stay an extra night there before proceeding towards Tawang so that we could spend some time exploring the unknown called Sangti Valley.

Amidst the expansive greens

Sangti Valley is about 15 km from Dirang. The place is flanked by the Eastern Himalayas, covered with lush green and the torrential Sangti River bisects the valley. This less known tourist spot is blessed with pleasant weather round the year with some probable light snowfall in the winter months. Dotted with fruit orchards (kiwi fruit, apple, apricot, orange), rice and corn fields, pristine forests and meandering crystal clear waters of the hilly river, the valley is the home to a small group of people of very interesting culture and tradition. Black-necked cranes migrate to this valley from China during the months of November and December and after the winter months are over, they set back to their homes during April and May.

A tranquil moment along Sangti

It is just a stop in Arunachal Pradesh  (enroute to Tawang) which most of the tourists would skip and keep out of their itinerary as it has little mention in the outside world. Infact we were the only tourists visiting the place that morning though it was the perfect time of the year to be there.

The valley and its people

A Monpa woman

Being away from the madness and interference of the general crowd, this green valley has been able to hold to its uniqueness and unimpeded beauty. The valley has very minimal tourist infrastructure in the form of just a single homestay. However, if one is for the lookout of holidaying in a quiet heavenly hill station, Sangti is a genuine option.

The Monpa village

Home decor with drying corn

Other stories on Arunachal: A Glimpse into the Lives of ‘Anni’s of Arunachal

The Flowing Memories of Jia Bhoreli

While we reached our destination early in the morning by driving through a muddy perilous hilly tract, we were bewildered at the first sight. We decided to get down from the car and take a walk thought the village to see more of it. As we moved ahead, colorful Buddhist prayer flags tied on tall bamboo poles, lining both sides of the only road there, welcomed us. The small Monpa village seemed to present us with unique views of its people, their habitat, daily lives and their culture. As we moved forward, we found women engaged in daily chores on the courtyards of the beautiful picturesque houses while a few old ladies were sitting and praying with their mantra beads. Children were playing on roads and running through the green fields. The rest of the lot were out working in their fields, by the river below the village.

Alone in her house

Rice winnowing

While we moved forward we came across the local monastery while prayers were on. Adjacent to that was a communal cooking hall, where a group of women cooked the food for a local village gathering. We were offered food by the greeting ladies and we had a short chat with them. After that, we decided to walk to the other end of the village and move down the river bank to have a closer view of the rushing clear waters.

Prayer hours in the local monastery

Busy with monastery work

In the community kitchen

During the month of October, the courtyards of houses of the residents were full of corns in different forms and we planned to find the places where these were processed and transformed into other edible forms. Thus after coming back to the village, we reached the lower half on the other side of the river to find the corn processing machine, the lady with a winnow to sort the products and a group of young girls who were busy making an intoxicating drink from fermented corn.

Drying corn on the floor

A local corn processing centre

At this end of the village was a small wooden bridge leading to deserted temporary depositions of sand and the view there was breath-taking. Infact, The deeper we went, the more glorious the place started to look. We explored the village on foot, trying to savour each moment before it was late afternoon. It was time to go back to Dirang as we had other plans for the evening.

The village corn-er

With a heavy heart we decided to leave for our next destination, i.e. Dirang Monastery before we would finally start our journey towards Tawang in the next morning. As we were late, we missed the sheep farm, which is a popular local tourist spot. During our return, we decided to sip over a cup of tea at the local tea-shop adjacent to the River. The tranquility of the place touched our heart and we enjoyed our tea while chatting with two local ladies, who were taking a break from their daily work for lunch.

Tea-break point

Indeed the beauty of Sangti is second to none. We definitely feel like visiting the place, once more atleast, in near future. We were staying at Dirang and thus had only half a day for exploring the grandeur of the valley, but if we are lucky enough to get another opportunity, we would surly avail the local homestay at the village which provides quite a comfortable stay in the valley adjacent to the river. Sangti Valley is a little hidden gem in the lap of the Eastern Himalaya, and the memory of the place will be deeply cherished in our hearts.

The serene Sangti river

Sangti Valley – How To Reach?

• From Bomdila, take the road that goes to Dirang/Tawang.

• Just outside Dirang town, take the road that goes down towards the river, on the right.

• Cross the bridge and then follow the only road until you reach Sangti.

Things to do and see: 

The entire valley is blessed with various flora and fauna. One can witness the beautiful fruit orchids that grow like kiwi, apple etc, the lush green fields and the colourful village along the river. One can also notice Black-necked cranes that migrate from China during November and December.

Best time to visit: Monsoon to early winter, though during the monsoons, the roads of Arunachal are really perilous and journeys are impeded and threatened by frequent landslides.

Where to stay: A few hotels (budget as well as luxury) and homestays at Dirang and a homestay at Sangti named Letro Homestay.

 

All text, images, graphics, and other materials on this article are subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Frames Per Journey, unless otherwise stated. These materials may not be reproduced, distributed, modified or reposted  without the express written permission of Sayanti Poddar and Swati Mallik.