Tawang Town
Encyclopedia
Tawang is a small town situated at an elevation of approximately 3,048 meters (10,000 feet) in the northwestern part of Arunachal Pradesh
state of India
. The area is historically Tibetan territory and is claimed by both People's Republic of China
and Republic of China
as a part of South Tibet
. The town once served as the district headquarters of West Kameng
district, and became the district headquarters of Tawang district
when it was formed from West Kameng.
. Tawang has an average elevation of 2,669 meters (8,756 feet).
, Tawang had a population of 38,924. Males constitute 54% of the population and females constitute 46%. Tawang has an average literacy rate of 63%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 70%, and female literacy is at 55%. In Tawang, 17% of the population is under 6 years of age.
was founded by the Mera Lama Lodre Gyasto in accordance to the wishes of the 5th Dalai Lama, Nagwang Lobsang Gyatso. It belongs to the Gelugpa sect and is the largest Buddhist monastery in India
. The name Tawang means Horse Chosen. It is said to be the biggest Buddhist monastery in the world outside of Lhasa
, Tibet. It is a major holy site for Tibetan Buddhists.
Tipi Orchid sanctuary in Tawang houses thousands of varieties of orchids.
Visitors to Tawang require special Inner line permits from the government which are available in Kolkata
, Guwahati
, Tezpur
, and New Delhi
. Most of the travel from the plains is on a steep hill road journey, crossing Sela Pass 4,176 metres (13,700 feet).
Tourists can travel there from Tezpur, Assam
, which is 12 hours by road. Tezpur has direct flights from Kolkata. Guwahati, Assam, is 16 hours by road. In June 2008, a daily helicopter service from Guwahati was started by the Arunachal Pradesh government.
Road travel to Tawang from Tezpur, Assam, is by buses, private taxis and shared taxis. It is an arduous journey: most of the road is loose tarmac and gravel giving way to mud in many places. However, it is a scenic journey of nearly 12 hours, crossing Bomdila
Pass 2,438 metres (8,000 feet), peaking at Sela Pass 4,176 metres (13,700 feet), Jaswant Garh and, finally, Tawang. Government buses often break down (usually on the way up) and passengers end up hitchhiking in private cars and taxis . En route, local food is available, especially meat and vegetarian momos and cream buns.
When the 14th Dalai Lama fled from Tibet, he crossed into India on 30 March 1959 and spent some days resting at Tawang Monastery before reaching Tezpur
in Assam
on 18 April. Tawang Monastery is said to be the biggest Buddhist monastery in the world outside of Lhasa
, Tibet.
was drawn by the British and Tawang was included into India from Tibet(see Simla Accord (1914)). It came under effective Indian administration on February 12, 1951, when Major R Khating led Indian Army troops to relocate Chinese squatters. The takeover was informed to Tibetan authorities but not to PRC. India assumed sovereignty of the territory and established democratic rule therein to end the oppression of the Monpa. Elections have taken place regularly and the democratic state legislature elected peacefully.
During the Sino-Indian war of 1962
, the Chinese army invaded Tawang. The last stand of Mahavir Chakra awardee Jaswant Singh Rawat
took place in Tawang. After the voluntary withdrawal of Chinese troops, Tawang once again came under Indian administration. In recent years, China has occasionally voiced its claims on Tawang and Chinese troop incursions continue to occur frequently. India has rebutted these claims by Chinese government and the Indian prime minister has stated categorically that Tawang is an integral part of India. He repeated this to the Chinese prime minister when the two prime ministers met in Thailand in October 2009.
China objected to the visit of the Dalai Lama
to Tawang in November 2009 though the Dalai Lama had previously visited Tawang several times since he left Tibet in 1959. India rejected the Chinese objection and said that the Dalai Lama was an honoured guest in India and could visit any place in India. The Dalai Lama visited Tawang on 8 November 2009. About 30,000 persons including those from neighbouring countries, Nepal and Bhutan, attended his religious discourse.
He was received and welcomed by the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh and the people of Arunachal Pradesh. The residents of Tawang painted their houses and decorated the town.
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is a state of India, located in the far northeast. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south, and shares international borders with Burma in the east, Bhutan in the west, and the People's Republic of China in the north. The majority of the territory is claimed by...
state of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The area is historically Tibetan territory and is claimed by both People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
and Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
as a part of South Tibet
South Tibet
The Arunachal Pradesh dispute is a territorial dispute over the region located on the middle of the Yarlung Zangbo River, 300 km north of the Himalayas. It is entirely administered by India as part of its Arunachal Pradesh state; China claims it as a part of its Tibet Autonomous Region and...
. The town once served as the district headquarters of West Kameng
West Kameng
West Kameng is a district of Arunachal Pradesh in India. It accounts for 8.86% of the total area of the state. Under Chinese sovereignty claim, West Kameng falls under the jurisdiction of Cuona County of Shannan Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region...
district, and became the district headquarters of Tawang district
Tawang District
Tawang district is one of the 16 administrative districts of Arunachal Pradesh in eastern India. The area is historically Tibetan territory and is claimed by both India and Republic of China as a part of South Tibet...
when it was formed from West Kameng.
Geography
Tawang town(india) is located approximately 555 km (344.9 mi) from GuwahatiGuwahati
Guwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
. Tawang has an average elevation of 2,669 meters (8,756 feet).
Demographics
As of the 2001 India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Tawang had a population of 38,924. Males constitute 54% of the population and females constitute 46%. Tawang has an average literacy rate of 63%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 70%, and female literacy is at 55%. In Tawang, 17% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Tourism
Tawang MonasteryTawang Monastery
Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh is the largest monastery in India, founded near the small town of the same name in the northwestern part of Arunachal Pradesh state of India by Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso in 1680-1681 in accordance with the wishes of the 5th Dalai Lama...
was founded by the Mera Lama Lodre Gyasto in accordance to the wishes of the 5th Dalai Lama, Nagwang Lobsang Gyatso. It belongs to the Gelugpa sect and is the largest Buddhist monastery in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The name Tawang means Horse Chosen. It is said to be the biggest Buddhist monastery in the world outside of Lhasa
Lhasa
Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of , Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world...
, Tibet. It is a major holy site for Tibetan Buddhists.
Tipi Orchid sanctuary in Tawang houses thousands of varieties of orchids.
Visitors to Tawang require special Inner line permits from the government which are available in Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, Guwahati
Guwahati
Guwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
, Tezpur
Tezpur
Tezpur is a city and the administrative headquarters and municipal board of Sonitpur district in the state of Assam in northeastern India. Tezpur is an ancient city on the banks of the river Brahmaputra and is the largest of the north bank towns with a population exceeding 100,000...
, and New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
. Most of the travel from the plains is on a steep hill road journey, crossing Sela Pass 4,176 metres (13,700 feet).
Tourists can travel there from Tezpur, Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, which is 12 hours by road. Tezpur has direct flights from Kolkata. Guwahati, Assam, is 16 hours by road. In June 2008, a daily helicopter service from Guwahati was started by the Arunachal Pradesh government.
Road travel to Tawang from Tezpur, Assam, is by buses, private taxis and shared taxis. It is an arduous journey: most of the road is loose tarmac and gravel giving way to mud in many places. However, it is a scenic journey of nearly 12 hours, crossing Bomdila
Bomdila
Bomdila is the headquarters of West Kameng district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India.-Geography:Bomdila is located at . It has an average elevation of 2217 metres .-Demographics:...
Pass 2,438 metres (8,000 feet), peaking at Sela Pass 4,176 metres (13,700 feet), Jaswant Garh and, finally, Tawang. Government buses often break down (usually on the way up) and passengers end up hitchhiking in private cars and taxis . En route, local food is available, especially meat and vegetarian momos and cream buns.
When the 14th Dalai Lama fled from Tibet, he crossed into India on 30 March 1959 and spent some days resting at Tawang Monastery before reaching Tezpur
Tezpur
Tezpur is a city and the administrative headquarters and municipal board of Sonitpur district in the state of Assam in northeastern India. Tezpur is an ancient city on the banks of the river Brahmaputra and is the largest of the north bank towns with a population exceeding 100,000...
in Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
on 18 April. Tawang Monastery is said to be the biggest Buddhist monastery in the world outside of Lhasa
Lhasa
Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of , Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world...
, Tibet.
Political importance
In 1914, the McMahon lineMcMahon Line
The McMahon Line is a line agreed to by Great Britain and Tibet as part of Simla Accord, a treaty signed in 1914. Although its legal status is disputed by China, it is the effective boundary between China and India....
was drawn by the British and Tawang was included into India from Tibet(see Simla Accord (1914)). It came under effective Indian administration on February 12, 1951, when Major R Khating led Indian Army troops to relocate Chinese squatters. The takeover was informed to Tibetan authorities but not to PRC. India assumed sovereignty of the territory and established democratic rule therein to end the oppression of the Monpa. Elections have taken place regularly and the democratic state legislature elected peacefully.
During the Sino-Indian war of 1962
Sino-Indian War
The Sino-Indian War , also known as the Sino-Indian Border Conflict , was a war between China and India that occurred in 1962. A disputed Himalayan border was the main pretext for war, but other issues played a role. There had been a series of violent border incidents after the 1959 Tibetan...
, the Chinese army invaded Tawang. The last stand of Mahavir Chakra awardee Jaswant Singh Rawat
Jaswant Singh Rawat
Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat was an Indian soldier who won the Mahavir Chakra Bravery Award.It was the final phase of the Sino-Indian War in November 1962. Even as his company was asked to fall back, Jaswant Singh remained at his post at an altitude of 10,000 feet and held back Chinese soldiers for...
took place in Tawang. After the voluntary withdrawal of Chinese troops, Tawang once again came under Indian administration. In recent years, China has occasionally voiced its claims on Tawang and Chinese troop incursions continue to occur frequently. India has rebutted these claims by Chinese government and the Indian prime minister has stated categorically that Tawang is an integral part of India. He repeated this to the Chinese prime minister when the two prime ministers met in Thailand in October 2009.
China objected to the visit of the Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
to Tawang in November 2009 though the Dalai Lama had previously visited Tawang several times since he left Tibet in 1959. India rejected the Chinese objection and said that the Dalai Lama was an honoured guest in India and could visit any place in India. The Dalai Lama visited Tawang on 8 November 2009. About 30,000 persons including those from neighbouring countries, Nepal and Bhutan, attended his religious discourse.
He was received and welcomed by the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh and the people of Arunachal Pradesh. The residents of Tawang painted their houses and decorated the town.