A Journey to Arunachal: Exploring Roing's Serenity and Ziro Valley's Heritage

Last year, after working as a photographer in Jaipur, I decided to plan a trip to Arunachal Pradesh. This region in northeast India is known for its breathtaking beauty. While the entire northeastern region is mesmerizing, this time, I chose to visit Ziro Valley in Arunachal Pradesh.

The journey started with a train ride from Delhi to Guwahati, which took about one and a half days. From Guwahati, I boarded a bus to Roing, a small town in Arunachal Pradesh. Two months before this trip, I had connected with an NGO called AMYAA, and they invited me to work with them on a collaborative project. The bus journey to Roing took around 14 hours, and the place was worth every bit of the travel.

Roing is surrounded by mountains and has a beautiful valley in its center. After reaching, the NGO team picked me up from the bus station and took me to their office, where they arranged a place for me to stay. The houses in this area are far apart, making it a peaceful place during the day. However, at night, the valley becomes completely silent, which felt both calming and a little intimidating for someone new like me.

Another volunteer from Manipur was staying in the same house. That evening, we cooked chicken together and rested early. From the next day, I started exploring the area, meeting locals, and getting comfortable with the surroundings.

As part of the project, I documented a school run by a social worker. This school welcomes children who come from far-off villages to study. Even the youngest students, those in LKG, live in the school hostel. Managing such young children is no easy task, but the all-female staff made it possible with love and care. This unique setup became the focus of my documentary.

During my time there, I also visited a tea garden where most workers were from Assam. I spoke to a few of them, listened to their stories, and captured beautiful moments with my camera.

Once my work with the NGO was finished, I planned a visit to Ziro Valley, a place famous for its natural beauty and the Apatani tribe. While exploring, I learned an interesting story about the tribe’s history. Long ago, Apatani women were considered so beautiful that they were often kidnapped by people from other tribes. To prevent this, the community started a tradition of tattooing women’s foreheads and chins and giving them large nose rings. This practice was painful, and it ended in the 1990s. Now, only the older women of the tribe still carry these marks.

Ziro Valley is also known for its unique agricultural practices, recognized by UNESCO. At the time of my visit, the locals were cultivating rice, and I took many photographs of their fields and farming techniques.

After exploring Ziro, I took a taxi to Itanagar and then a train to Guwahati. From Guwahati, I returned to Delhi by train, completing an unforgettable journey.

This trip was full of new experiences, beautiful landscapes, and amazing people. It gave me memories that I will cherish forever.