Joys of Arunachal Pradesh and Ziro Plateau

Joy Ride to Ziro Plateau

Well, not exactly a joy ride. The road was in awful shape from landslides. Some slide areas were being cleared by the Indian Army border forces.

After four hours of bumping along and dodging holes, we needed a tea break. We found an interesting selection of fresh fruits and vegetables for sale, along with loads of junk food.
While we rested, we noticed that most men were carrying long knives.

Just after our tea stop, we drove past a small hydropower unit. It was supposed to release water downstream, but there was very little being released.
Mithun are semi-wild animals closely related to the gaur. These magnificent creatures are large enough to feed an entire village when sacrificed for special occasions. Although they typically live wild in the jungle, they are hand-fed salt by their owners and will come when called.

After a very long drive, we arrived at Ziro during the rice harvest. 

Everywhere, whole families from teenagers to grandparents were in the fields cutting rice. They ate their meals there and worked until it was dark.

The Apatani women of Ziro have altered their appearance for years. Renowned for their beauty across the region, they were often taken by other tribes. To prevent this, they made their faces less attractive by wearing large nose plugs called Yaping Hullo and facial tattoos known as Tippei. These distinctive features were historically used to deter neighboring tribes. The Apatani people follow an animistic religion called Donyi-Polo, which worships the Sun (Donyi) and the Moon (Polo).

Explaining how she measured her rice, our hostess lined up her bamboo baskets. Inside the house was heated by a fire in the middle of the room. The smoke went out through the porous roof.
Many women were up early, taking their rice to the mill or going to church.

The younger generation will not change their features - beautiful daughters are free to shine.

The Apatani people traditionally believe in the Donyi Polo religion, the sun, and the moon. Their houses were recognized by straw panels outside, where small sacrifices were made to protect them from bad luck. Recently, many Apatani have converted to Christianity.

All the houses have been sprayed with DDT for years, with the dates tattooed onto the houses. Most people don't know what DDT is or why the Ministry of Health sprays their buildings. Typically, houses are made of woven bamboo mats or slats of wood.


A golden blanket of rice straw colored the Ziro Valley after the rice harvest.

We spent the day trying to meet farmers and ask about their crops and changes in their climate. We visited one family working together: an older mother, her two daughters, and a son.

A lone Mithun was seen tied up in a Donyi Polo cemetery - waiting to be sacrificed.

As we left, some interesting roadside signs gave advice about drinking, driving, and disgraceful wives.
Water is being used for power, but little goes downstream. As Arunachal Pradesh grows and changes, it will need more water for power - and the forests will suffer more. It will be a tragedy to see this remote part of India change.