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History and Culture
Urgelling Gompa


The 14th century Urgelling Gompa is next in importance only to the Tawang Monastery. This small Gompa is the birth place of the 6th Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Tashi. The Urgelling Gompa lies 6 km away from Tawang town. However if you wish to foot it, the gompa is just downhill from the Tawang Gompa.
Urgelling offers spectacular views of the valley.

Jaswantgarh Army War Memorial

The Jaswantgarh Army Memorial commemorates the bravery of the martyred Indian soldiers of the 1962 Indo-China War. Set in the scenic Tawang valley, the Memorial is dedicated to Rifleman Jaswant Singh of the 4 Garhwal Rifle. Jaswant Singh, along with two other soldiers, held his post for an unflinching 72 hours and halted the steady progress of the Chinese Army.
Singh was later captured and hanged by the Chinese invaders.
Jaswant Singh was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra and the army has posted caretakers who maintain his Memorial in its pristine state. The Jaswantgarh War Memorial lies 21 km ahead of Tawang town.
Tawang Monastery

Tawang is famous both for its natural beauty and its Buddhist monastery. The Tawang Gompa was founded in 1680-81 and is the second largest Buddhist monastery complex in the world. The approach to the Gompa itself is a beautiful 3 km walk from Tawang town. The complex hosts a prayer house, the monks’ living quarters, a courtyard (where religious ceremonies and dances are held), a library and the majestic Assembly Hall.
The Assembly Hall or Dukhang houses an ornate and massive statue of the Buddha.
The Gompa serves as the religious and cultural centre of the local Monpa tribe. Festivals like the Losar (Tibetan New Year), Torgya (harvest festival held in January), Saka Dawa (celebrating the achievement of enlightenment by Gautam Buddha) are held at the Tawang Monastery.

Trekking In Tawang, Tawang


It is only recently that the state of Arunachal Pradesh has been open for tourists - both domestic and international. Since then, the Tawang region has attracted a lot of trekkers. The district offers a lot of variety – both in terms of the rigorousness of the trek and the altitudes covered.
Most of these treks depart or come back to Tawang town.
The most rigorous of these begins at Jang (between Bomdila and Tawang) and takes the Thingbu – Mago – Goi ichen Base Camp route which loops back to Mago. It proceeds to Luguthang – Sena Chakra and ends at the RA-I. A softer trek begins from Mukto and makes its way to Gongkhar – Gyamdong – Khet – Kharung – Bongleng – Kungba – Namsring – Kharteng and ends at Lumla. An easy trekking route covering the Gompas in and around is quite popular. It begins at Tawang Gompa, goes on to the Gyangong Ani Gompa and Bhramadongchung Gompa and then comes back to Tawang Gompa. A longer trek begins from the Namet village, does a round of the Zarmang Ani Gompa and Khromten Gompa, then passes through Geshila, Kilmta, Bomla, Y Junction and then comes back to Tawang. Near Bomla, the trek passes very close to the army outpost at the Indo-China border.

Shopping


The locals are famous for their wool weaving skills – shawls, carpets and chadars (wrap skirts worn by Monpa women). Souvenir shops in the Old Market and the Tibetan settlement areas stock wood items carved by the local people – special bowls, spoons, masks (used in religious dances), utensils used for cooking etc.
you can also hunt around for Buddhist prayer wheels, flags and statues – both in carved wood and brassware.

Fairs, Festivals & Events


Dukpa Tse-She

The festival is celebrated to commemorate the maiden delivery of religious sermon by Lord Buddha on the Four Noble Truths to his initial five disciples in the Deer Park in Sarnath. People light up the lamps and chant prayers in Monasteries.

Losar


For people of Tawang, this is a new year festival celebrated normally in the last part of February and early part of March every year with great solemnity and gaiety. This festival lasts for about 8 to 15 days, during which the young perform the Yak and Lion dances from door to door as a mark of happiness.
Religious flags are erected on the roof top of houses during the festival.

Torgya

This is a Monastic festival, celebrated every year in the 28th day of the 11th month of the lunar calendar which generally falls in the month of January every year. This is believed to be celebrated to chase out evil spirits which usher in the diseases and misfortunes in both human beings and crops and like other unprecedented natural calamities.
During the festival, a monastic masked dances with various well choreographed dance steps are performed in Cham-lang, the courtyard of the Tawang Monastery.

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