[Hirohito]

PROLOGUE

An eventful 2024 wrapped up as we reached home by five-thirty on 28th of December 2024. The early winter evening was right on our heels as we rolled through the gate. Both my wife and I rushed to check our kitchen garden with our flashlights—wondering how the tomatoes and the cabbages were coming along. With dinner some hours away, I took a long hot shower and slipped under the quilt. And I understood why, there's no place like home.

Oddly enough, this year-end road trip wasn’t even the longest I’d taken in 2024. Just a week-long affair, mixing work, Christmas, a music festival, and finally the detour that I had been planning ever since I’ve heard of it from Lt. Col. KR - along an old forgotten highway. That used to be the only semblance of a road that once connected Assam to Arunachal Pradesh (Kameng frontier) - then called NEFA (North East Frontier Agency), and concluding our trip with a mini-reunion on our way back, with a dozen friends from Sainik School Goalpara (SSG) at Nagaon.

Take the 2024 Spiti-Ladakh trip in June - it lasted a full 28 days. Yet why did this short, week-long trip feel so much longer and exhausting? I’ll get to that.

With the New Year (2025) celebrations behind me, one of the first things I did as I settled back into my routine was check Team-BHP. To see if any of my friends from the Spiti trip had posted anything. I was particularly hoping to see something from Gunin, Reetu, Jamini, Sudipta, Nayan and Prakritij, but no luck. Instead, I enjoyed some recent travelogues about Hisaikat’s stately North Bengal tour, Priyatosh’s daredevil bike solo towards Ledo and Namdapha, and Abhi’s deeply nostalgic journey through Assam. Travelogues like these are double-edged swords. They inspire with their depth and detail, yet at the same time they set such high benchmark that they challenge us to either push our own writing or just stop writing altogether. Luckily, today I felt more inspired than intimidated.


Yet before jumping into the details of my year-end FCT trip, I can't help but take a moment to reflect on my journey with the Zero so far.
The odometer on my Jimny has now surpassed 35,000 kilometres - a significant jump from the 7000 kilometres it had when I last shared an update here. The kilometres just kept piling up on the 
Jimny.


Plus a bonus 1,500 km on this blue Jimny AT which came as a loaner (courtesy Bharati Nexa, Bongaigaon) while Zero spent a month at the service station awaiting a major part replacement. See, so much to catch up on!
Photo: the trail leading to the famous Warichora lake in Garo hills of Meghalaya. Date: 28 feb 2024


Our three car convoy to Spiti in West Bengal. Ahead is Gunin’s Zu, followed by Jamini’s RHCP (coined by Reeturaj), which Jamini later shortened to Red Pepper, June 5th 2024.

I must admit that I’ve tried multiple times over the past year and half to put my travel experiences into words, but it never quite came together. When that didn’t work, I tried compiling them into some kind of an anniversary post - whether marking a year with Zero or after doing Spiti and Ladakh by road. But such efforts led to nothing beyond a sentence or two.

The very idea of my joining team-BHP was to document my own journey and immerse myself in the stories of fellow travellers. Seventeen thousand kilometres later, I’ve lost track of more trip details than I’d like to admit. With the new year here, I’ve one more excuse to make one more attempt, at clearing the backlog and move on. That said, I won’t dive too deep into past trips.

Instead, I’ll share snippets here and there with photos, just to catch up before diving into the year-end FCT trip. FCT stands for Foothill - Chaku - Tenga road. This road had served as the primary highway connecting Assam plains with Arunachal (then NEFA) back during the Sino-India war of 1962. Chaku (Chacko) interestingly happened to be a sapper (army engineer) from the South who was stationed here on road maintenance duty. By 1966 the alternate highway through Bhalukpong was opened by BRO and FCT fell out of use, reclaimed by the forest over the years. More on it later.

Zero’s leap from 7000 to 14000

Oct 2023. high-altitude road trip to Damteng, Chuna, and Mago in Western Arunachal’s Tawang district with riders from the Bulls of Assam Motorcycle Club. Part of our route followed the historic Bailey Trail, once traversed by Lt. Col. F.M. Bailey and Capt. H.T. Morshead in 1913 while surveying, mapping, and defining the McMahon Line to separate India from Tibet. In 1962, this track witnessed a large contingent of the PLA cross over the McMahon Line at Bum La (and Tulung La), and then advancing through Mago, Tse La, Poshing La, Thembang and landing near Dirang.



Today, the Bailey Trail is a stunning high-altitude trek, offering breathtaking views of Gorichen, Kangto (the highest peak on the McMahon Line, east of Bhutan), and other unnamed peaks in the Gorichen group, most of which are visible from the present day, Bhlaukpong - Tawang highway (BCT highway), which we will take on our return journey, after landing at Jang.
The next morning, we found ourselves in the cold desert of the Eastern Himalayas. Foggy and desolate. The cold and thin air, posed a real challenge more for the seven bikers than the rest of us in the two cars. While most relied on Diamox, I instead went for the small oxygen canister that I keep under my seat, something I find handy to use while driving.



The lone Royal Enfield Himalayan handled the thin air and rough terrain relatively well, but the other Enfields struggled needing a push now and then - which felt draining, in the thin air. On the other hand, the two 4x4s in our group—Iseng’s Thar petrol MT and my Jimny MT—performed flawlessly.
Total distance covered on this trip, 1727 kilometres.

Meanwhile, the Crew37 WhatsApp group had been buzzing with Walong and Kibithoo plans - the easternmost tip of Arunachal Pradesh and India, bordering Tibet/China.
I was a bit unsure about joining since I’d been to Walong over a decade ago. Two things stood out as I looked at the map. First, the journey involved an extensive and monotonous day of driving from Assam's westernmost point to its far eastern tip and beyond. The NH37, often regarded as the lifeline connecting Upper and Lower Assam, plays a crucial role in linking these two prominent regions of Assam. This vital highway, which inspired the name Crew37, over the course of the day, would follow the course of the Brahmaputra through Assam.



Secondly I noted Vijoynagar positioned just south of Walong, roughly 100 kilometres as the crow flies. The first time I’d heard about Vijoynagar was through Gunin’s trip (Vijaynagar, Arunachal Pradesh: Rough Roads Beautiful Smiles) on his 4x4 Bolero.
So if I was covering over 500 kilometers across Assam’s plains to reach the easternmost part of Arunachal Pradesh (and India), adding Vijoynagar to the plan just made sense. I checked with Priyankar to see if he could join, and we were all set.

Nov 2023 On the road by 2.30 am instead of the scheduled 3.30, as I couldn’t sleep. Dark, cold and foggy. 30 minutes in, just as the fog appeared to lift, something made me slam on the Jimny’s brakes - a herd of wild elephants crossing the highway (NH 17).

Called Priyankar and BhaskarG, as I entered Guwahati. Then we traveled 400 kilometers to Dibrugarh, our meeting point with the rest of the team—some of whom I was meeting for the first time.



Rendezvous at the Dibrugarh bypass at 3:30 PM. Parked on the left, Prakritij’s Fortuner ‘Hulk’ beside ‘Zero’, gearing up for the journey to Walong. Chiranjitp leaves his blue Polo behind, and Ayan parts ways with his Fortuner. Jamini’s striking ‘Red Pepper’ that came to greet the team all the way from Sibsagar, returns from here.

Post lunch, we gate-crashed into Arunachal Pradesh through the Dirak gate (marked in the map above), passed through Namsai and stopped for the night at Tezu. Total distance covered, 769 kms.

View from Prakreetij's Hulk as we entered Anjaw district the next day. One of India’s least populated regions. Our destination for the day was Walong, passing through places like Khupa and Hayuliang. Khupa happens to be the last petrol bunk on this route, making it the ‘Easternmost’ fuel station in the country!
Filled our tanks and marched further east towards Hayuliang, which was the administrative and logistics hub, in the Eastern sector during the 1962 war.




With its advanced landing ground and the adjoining Namti Plains, Walong had witnessed some historic battles of the 1962 Indo-China war. Our team made it to Walong just after sunset. And despite having a reservation in a hotel, some unexpected VIP visit left us waiting for some clarity. While waiting, I managed to sneak into a local badminton court with Priyankar, borrowing a racket and playing a match with the locals. Total distance traveled Tezu to Walong, approximately 210 km.
As I was carrying grocery, stove and utensils for my extended trip to Vijoynagar and Namdapha, I parted with some of my supplies. Together with Prakritij, we cooked a hearty dinner together in Walong, that evening.



From Walong, first we went to Kaho, had our lunch and found a place to stay. Then we headed to Kibithoo, a picturesque settlement and India’s easternmost village on the Tibet border. A detour later, near Kaho led us to a riverside clearing, where we lit a fire and spent the evening by the water. Eventually, we made our way to our homestay in Kaho.
At the Kaho homestay, we gathered around a cozy fire in the courtyard. The snow-capped peaks stood in stark contrast to a wildfire illuminating the night sky on the opposite side.
After a hearty dinner lovingly prepared and served by our host, the next morning, it was time for the Fortuner to leave. Chiranjitp, Prakritij, Ayan, Debarshi (devonwheels), and Amarendra bid farewell. BhaskarG also joined the rest as he had limited time. So it was just me and Priyankar now.


Skipping breakfast at our stay, we too set out at the “Land of the Rising Sun”.
Breakfast of Wai Wai noodles, on an under-construction stretch of the 1700 km long Arunachal Frontier highway. On our return, we stopped at Namti and Walong War Memorial, then arrived at Parshuram Kund. The strong winds on the Parshuram Kund bridge nearly yeeted Priyankar out when the door swung open. I laughed hard—until I unlocked my own door and nearly took flight myself!



In Namsai, we refueled, withdrew cash, and visited the Golden Pagoda which was now open. We left the trans-Arunachal highway and swerved left at Mahadevpur, Zero point towards Miao, Namdapha and eventually to Vijoynagar.
At Miao, we secured permits at the Namdapha forest check gate. Driving through “Gibbon Land,” the wilderness and the haunting gibbon calls heightened the mood. We paused briefly for breakfast—a quick Wai Wai stop at a roadside clearing. After leaving Namdapha behind, the gracefully flowing Noa Dihing could be seen on our left.



By late afternoon, we were driving alongside its banks, eventually taking a break on the riverbank to cook up some more Wai Wai for lunch before continuing on our journey to VN. By sunset, we reached Vijoynagar and checked into the worn-out circuit house.
The next morning, after filling the tank from the jerrycan we were out to explore Vijoynagar and around. Ajay the young cook from the circuit house, agreed to show us around. What had started with a river crossing, soon brought more water crossings, until the Noa Dihing (river) itself had become our road.


Gave a ride to some locals on their way to work, then set off on a trek to an ancient temple by the riverbank. When hunger struck, we simply parked on the water. By now, Priyankar had mastered the art of cooking Wai Wai. However we agreed never to eat Wai Wai again once the trip was over.
Ajay was having his share of fun, throwing challenges at us. He now directed our attention to an approaching truck, fording the river. He claimed the driver had only one hand. Curious, we dropped everything to take a closer watch. Only to see a fully capable driver behind the wheel. Ajay had his line ready, “Must be someone else today.” What a classic anticlimax! We picked our plates up and finished eating our Wai Wai.
Next, we visited Two Hut Village, home to fewer than 300 residents. Quite an achievement considering it all started with just ‘two huts’. Ajay had an old Buddhist site further ahead, on his radar. He took us to his uncle’s house, where we are served rice and a unexpected glass of milk. While Priyankar saved himself the ordeal and refused, I went ahead for the sake of courtesy. Ajay’s uncle offered to join us since his daughter lived in the same village where we were headed. With him onboard we were on our way - now more confident than before.



Isn’t there some wise old saying about the rather thin line between confidence and overconfidence? Well, we were about to witness the difference unfold before us - firsthand. Our first trial started as the uncle kept hopping out of the car like a detective on a mission, inspecting the tractor trail. Zero suddenly decided it had had enough and settled to a gradual stop. Shuffling through 2H, 4H, and 4L did absolutely nothing—except for making the RPM needle shuffle through the red zone and sending up smoke in distress.
Since I was at the wheel, it was Priyankar’s turn to get out and assess the scene. And the moment he stepped down, his foot sank into the soft bog. No amount of pushing or revving could free the car. Ajay after getting muddied knee below, from the pushing, now headed to the neighbouring village for help. He returned quickly with a spade in hand, and a few helping hands.
Despite the extra hands, it was still proving to be a challenge. And just as we were considering bringing in a tractor, Zero managed to break free. The spot bore telltale signs of past struggles—broken ropes, pieces of wood in the bog, and footprints. As it turned out, a tractor had gotten stuck in the same spot two days ago, after missing a small diversion, much like we did.
At the next village (where our help came from), we marked the success with a small celebration, treating everyone to some cold drinks and snacks from the lone shop. And we resumed. The last house in the village (of about 5-6 total homes), led us straight into a forest. After repeatedly scraping the underbelly with rocks hidden by the undergrowth, we decided to leave the Jimny behind.
The last hundred meters of our journey were covered on foot. The site consisted of a small wood-and-bamboo structure, assembled by the local Nepali community to safeguard Buddhist artifacts—coins and human bones—that were frequently discovered there.
As we walked back to the car, Ajay’s uncle came running and quickly got in. Sadly, his daughter wasn’t home. If there had been a contest that day for who was having the worst luck among the four of us, he would have won hands down.
The next morning, we left Vijoynagar and retraced our path all the way to Miao. Upon entering Assam, we made a half-hearted attempt to explore the famous Stilwell Road, constructed during World War II. After some rest and dinner at a friend’s place in Ledo, we set off at 11 PM for our journey home—a long 520 kilometers still ahead of us.
Witnessed sunrise near Tezpur (Kaliabor) after the all-nighter and dropped Priyankar by 8.20 am at Guwahati and made it home by 10.30 am.
Odo: 10,365 kms



16 Nov, 2023
Collecting fallen orchids from the trees cleared for the four lane project on NH17, near our home. A local photography club (Goalpara Photographic Society - GPS) had made an appeal to save the fallen orchids.


December 2023 A year-end Christmas trip to Gupta Kashi (Biswanath Chariali) for a small gathering, as my friend Dhritiman was opening a camping site, guiding visitors into Kaziranga National Park’s newest range, Panpur, located to the north, near the Himalayan foothills. Journey began late in the afternoon and got ourselves a small windshield chip just as I’d exited the fuel station.
Since we got a late start, we decided to wrap up for the night after covering 215 km at Shyamal and Elora’s lovingly curated strawberry and dairy farm.

The next day, we reached the campsite near Biswanath Sariali and celebrated Christmas with cooking and singing. The following morning, we took a boat ride from Biswanath Ghat. After the river cruise, we headed straight to Arunachal Pradesh through the Namorah gate, with our nightstay planned at Boken’s home in Dikalmukh, a friend of Dhritiman. Along the way, we crossed rivers, a reminder that many of these villages remain cut off during the monsoon months. At Abhijit’s home, we enjoyed tea and some delicious puri-sabji, which turned into a little tea ceremony. Abhijit runs a green tea brand called Mrittika. We made it home, covering a total of 810 kilometers.


Meanwhile the scale model kit of the ‘Zero’ arrived ahead of schedule. And I got myself busy assembling it.

Feb 2024 Anniversary trip to Darjeeling and from there to Sandakphu. Information was sketchy if one is allowed to drive a private car from Manebhanjan, but we decided to go ahead.

Lal Jhamela
For the sake of chronicling, I’ll share a small incident that took place in a place aptly named Lal Jhamela in West Bengal. We were getting hungry and started looking for a spot to cook. While crossing a bridge, we noticed a dry riverbed below. After the bridge, we took a U-turn onto a trail leading back to the riverbed. Judging by the signs of previous campfires and scattered remains, it was evident people had used the spot for cooking before.
We parked our car on the sand and wandered around a bit. Soon, I noticed a Tata Magic vehicle approaching, kicking up a cloud of dust on the trail. It blocked our exit, and to our surprise, it turned out to be a Forest Department vehicle. One of the men, presumably a forest official, questioned what we were doing there. He seemed even more bewildered when he learned we had come all the way from Assam. Without hesitation, he began taking photos, peeking into our car, and throwing around accusations of poaching and smuggling.

At that point, something shifted in my wife. Usually reserved and polite, she unexpectedly took charge of the situation. Within five minutes, we were back on the road, leaving the commotion of Lal Jhamela behind.



We soon crossed Siliguri, the coronation bridge and landed in the Dooars and its beautiful tea gardens. And we took the road through Peshok tea garden area - a steeper road. I noticed the gears jamming and soon it became stiff. We managed to reach Ghum, explore Darjeeling in a Sumo and the toy train and decided to keep Sandakphu for a later time. Instead we headed to the Nexa service centre in Siliguri (Sevoke Motors).



Celebrating anniversary at Sevoke motors, NEXA, Siliguri. The Gear box needed replacement and was going to stay here until the new gear box arrives.
An old friend from from Teesta Thumpers Motorcycle club, Mr. Anupam Das helped get a cab from Siliguri to home.



Bharati NEXA, Bongaigaon (Assam) provided a loaner Jimny (AT) with 4767 kms on the odometer. And it was time to head to Balpakram National Park in Meghalaya with Bulls of Assam Motorcycle club. After Balpakram we rounded up the trip with a trek followed by rafting inside the famous Wari Chora lake.
Odo at 6072 kms at the end of the trip. And it was time to pick up Zero from Siliguri.


March 2024 Dropped the loaner Jimny at Bharati NEXA Bongaigaon at 5 am. Then took the train journey to Siliguri. Crossed Lal Jhamela and we had a good laugh.

Finally picked up Zero from Mr. Sanjay at Sevoke Motors, exactly a month after dropping it off. A big thank you to Mr. Sanjay and the entire team at Sevoke Motors for their support. Instead of staying overnight in Siliguri, we decided to drive straight back home. It was only when we reached the first toll at Sulkapara in the middle of the night that I remembered how the windshield had been replaced too at Sevoke Motors, along with the gear box. Fortunately, the Nepali-speaking attendants were helpful and issued us a new tag, carrying over the previous balance. We finally made it home at 3:38 AM after covering 277 kilometers.



April 2024 Jimny day drive in North Garo hills of Meghalaya, with fellow Jimny owners. Bikash and Ritupurna and friends.


18 April 2024: With members of Crew37, planning a roadtrip to Spiti.
10 May, 2024: Finally took the call to Upsize the tyres to 225/15.
12 May, 2024: Short test drive with Priyankar who’ll be joining me and my wife in our Jimny for the Spiti tour in June.
18 May, 2024: Nongstoin, Meghalaya to attend Bulls of Assam Motorcycle club’s anniversary meet-up.


4 June, 2024, 6 pm: Jamini and Prakritij arrives at my home after driving 500 kms from Sibsagar/Dibrugarh in Jamini's Red Pepper (AT), kicking off the Spiti tour.

[Hirohito]

Spiti and Ladakh from Assam



5th June 2024 Our journey started amidst a violent downpour that made the morning appear like night.
First night halt was at Purnia, then Lucknow and then Murthal.



From there we headed to Narkanda, Chitkul, Tabo, Kaza and Losar. After exploring Spiti for more than a week, we reached Solang, via Kunzum La on the back-breaking NH505. It was Rishiraj (long_tourer) who had done most of the bookings including our stay at Solang. But due to professional commitments he had to call it off at the last moment. Something similar happened with Devarshi (DevOnWheels) and couldn't join the Spiti tour.



At Solang it was time to say our goodbyes as the rest of the team leaves for home from here. Nayan treated the team to a birthday celebration in Solang. To lighten our load, we sent back some clothes, a large thermos flask, and two walkie-talkies.
Near Manali as we were seeing them off, we crossed paths with Aditya. I’d first met him a couple of months ago through Reeturaj when they were traveling across the Northeast in their campervan, spending a couple of nights in our backyard. Through Aditya, I also had the chance to meet Sarthak back then, who gave us a tour of his modified Isuzu, which he had been using for his show, "Sunday Bharat."
After spending another night in Solang, indulging in touristy delights like boarding the ropeway, we set off towards Gonbo Rongjon the next morning. Our journey took us back through the Atal Tunnel, past Darcha, and onto the rugged terrain of Shinku La—a route that was uncharted territory for all three of us.



The road from Darcha to Shinkula was initially built by a monk. He had sold his house to fund this project. This laid the foundation for a paved road which was done by BRO later.
As we neared Shinku La, we encountered several vehicles stuck in the icy waters that had flooded the road, thanks to the melting snow. The thin mountain air, the gurgling water beneath, and the steep incline made the climb particularly tough. But with 4L engaged, we powered through with ease, navigating past the trouble spot without any hassle.



By around 5 pm, we felt we should have already arrived at Gonbo Rongjon. As the sun started to dip, we paused to check our location. And there it was — towering and majestic, right behind us! Gonbo Rongjon, in all its glory.
We took our time admiring Gonbo Rongjon, letting its grandeur sink in. But with the sun gone, the temperature now dropped sharply, and a strong wind picked up. Turning our tent setup into a race against time. Pitching the tent, setting up the kitchen, hanging lights, and keeping the wind from putting out our stove soon took over. Fetching water from a near-freezing stream just meters away made things even harder. In the rush, the high-altitude conditions started taking a toll on us. I pulled out the oxygen canister and passed it around to the three of us. So went our first night of camping during this trip.

Gonbo Rongjon was Priyankar’s idea and thanks to his meticulous route planning that we were finally here, with Jamini having expertly navigated the Spiti leg of our adventure in this trip. And instead of staying the planned one night, we decided to stay here for two nights, just marvelling at the majestic peak, reading a few pages from a book during the day and planning our trip ahead.



From Gonbo we continued our journey to Purne where we’d reached by noon. Pitched our tent and trekked to Phugtal gompa. The next morning we were heading to the unknown. Our only cardinal point was Padum - the administrative headquarter of Zanskar.



During the planning stage, Priyankar had pointed out on Google Maps that there seemed to be no road connecting Purne to Padum. But we knew, there had to be one.

Navigating through multiple roadblocks caused by ongoing construction, we finally reached Padum on a dusty, wind-swept day and had our lunch. After refuelling, we crossed Pensi La at 5:46 pm and arrived in Rangdam by 6:23 pm. There, we opted to stay in a small yet cozy homestay.

June 20, 2024 The following day, we arrived in Suru Valley from Rangdam by midday. Having spent several days traversing the barren landscapes of Spiti Valley, and the dust, the sight of greenery was a refreshing relief.



A delicious meal at Damsna followed, where we came across a family from Assam traveling from the opposite direction. After exchanging stories, we continued our journey towards Kargil.
At Sanku, we finally managed to get a local SIM card after being without service for over two weeks. There was a large Buddha statue, representing Maitreya, the future Buddha. However, visiting it would have meant a detour from our route to Kargil. Since we planned to see the renowned statue in Mulbekh soon, we decided to give it a skip.
By 6 PM, we reached Kargil and checked into a GREF guesthouse, hosted by Colonel M. Coincidentally, both Priyankar and the Colonel are avid cricket players and we spent the evening at the Officers’ Mess, watching the T20 World Cup match between India and Afghanistan.

June 21, 2024 We set off at around 11 AM for Leh, after enjoying a coffee at the Colonel’s office. A scheduled road blockade due to construction near Mulbek made us backtrack briefly and we found a spot for lunch. Back to Mulbekh and the road was open now.
By 9 PM, we arrived in Leh and checked into our guesthouse near the war memorial.


The sketch on the right is from 1852, overlooking a stretch of what used to be the ancient Silk route near Mulbekh. (source: https://pahar.in)

The next morning, we visited SECMOL School near Leh, explored the vibrant Leh market, and toured the Central Asian Museum. My last visit to Leh was in 2014 when Priyankar and I were part of a biking team, so it felt wonderful to return after a decade!

June 23, 2024 Inspired by our conversation with the teachers at SECMOL, we set out the following morning to locate a village where an artificial ice stupa was still partially standing. On the way, we gave a lift to an elderly man traveling in the same direction.



Upon arrival, we found the villagers engaged in a community service event, busy renovating the local monastery. To our surprise, the man we had picked up turned out to be the caretaker of the Holy Cave of Guru Padmasambhava.
From there, we continued to Nyoma and then to Hanle, arriving at around 8:30 PM. The journey was stunning, with the setting sun casting a golden hue over the sand. However, Hanle itself was bustling — dust swirled through the air as bikers frantically searched for places to stay. Looking to escape the commotion, we ventured to the outskirts and found a small home with a storeroom in the back. That humble space became our shelter for the next two nights.



One of the experiences we had hoped for during our time around Hanle was spending time with a Changpa family to get a glimpse of the nomadic herding lifestyle. Luckily, we had the opportunity to meet a herding family and were welcomed into their tent with cups of butter tea. While their hospitality and the thrill of witnessing a dust storm from inside the tent were memorable, the real highlight was watching them produce a roll of Pashmina wool, which they usually sell in Nyoma.

From there, we set out toward Umling La. Near Photila, we paused to cook lunch, battling the relentless wind to keep the fire alive while occasionally inhaling from the can — a moment that brought back memories of our first evening setting up camp at Gonbo.

By late afternoon, we finally reached Umling La. The Jimny struggled on the steep ascents, especially around the sharp turns, forcing us to rely heavily on first gear. Unfortunately, Umling La turned out to be underwhelming for all three of us. Without lingering, we quickly retraced our path back to Hanle.
That evening, we had an early dinner in our little storeroom at Hanle and called it a night. The next morning, we set off for Karzok (Tso Moriri) via Nyoma.



At Nyoma, we refueled Zero, enjoyed a delicious meal, and picked up a cake to celebrate my wife’s birthday later that evening by the banks of Tso Moriri.
The following morning, we continued our journey toward Puga Valley and then onward to Leh. Along the way, we stumbled upon some ancient hieroglyphs and ruins, adding an unexpected touch of history to our trip. Once in Leh, we headed straight to the service center (Druk Auto Zone) to replace the brake discs we had been carrying as spares, finally resolving the brake wobble issue. In retrospect it feels unbelievable that we did almost the entire trip, in that condition. Not that we had a choice. I did try to get it resolved before the trip, losing time and money in the process - but to no avail. If I had one request to Maruti that would be to train their personnel for the Jimny. Everyone did their best. But nobody had a clue. Gladly we were carrying the discs and all thanks to Reeturaj who suggested me to carry them when I wanted to leave them behind, because of space and weight limitation.



During our stay in Kargil, Colonel M had recommended the Alchi Kitchen. So, without wasting any time, we left Leh that same day and made our way to Alchi for a sumptuous meal and a comfortable stay. In the photo above, Zero is shining after its first wash following nearly a month on dusty roads.



Srinagar the next evening by the famous clock tower. But there was surprise in store. After driving on the empty highway, for almost two hours from Srinagar, we hit a massive traffic jam, created by the blockade - to ferry Amarnath Yatris under tight security. We, along with thousand others, were stranded for 6 hours under the scorching midday sun. Despite our best efforts to make up for the lost time, the traffic — even in Jammu — had other plans. By morning, we finally reached Delhi, ready for some home-cooked food at my sister’s.



The disc replacement and the end of the wobble couldn't have come at a better time. For it was time to burn the tarmac. We left Delhi at midnight and drove non-stop since my wife had an appointment to get to. Priyankar and I took turns — I’d cover 100 kilometers while he rested, then he’d drive the next 100 before waking me up. We kept this routine going for the next 24 hours until exhaustion caught up with us.
At midnight, we pulled over near Darbhanga and decided to take a nap by the roadside. When our eyes opened, it was morning already. Took us some time to regain our senses, before picking up the pace. Breakfast near Jalpaiguri and late lunch in Bongaigaon (Assam). By evening, we were back home. Interestingly, it had been raining when we left, and the rain welcomed us once again as we returned. Bringing the curtain down, to our longest trip on the Zero so far (in fact, my longest road trip in any vehicle so far).

[Hirohito]

CLIMBING THE EAGLENEST


An impromptu Jimny run. That day we lost our way and stumbled upon this beautiful sunset. Garo hills, Meghalaya.



In November 2024, we nearly missed the apple season in Shergaon area of Arunachal Pradesh. It was only after spotting recent photos of apples shared by Bikash Doley — (who had joined us for our first Jimny meet-up in April 2024) — that we rushed to catch the season just in time.
Our journey also took us on a trek to Mane Ringbu near Sanglem village, followed by a visit, the next day to the historic Thembang heritage fort/village near Dirang, passing through Mandala Top. Back in 1962, a contingent of the Chinese army crossed the McMahon Line at Tulung La and followed the Bailey Trail towards Thembang, where a battle ensued. The Chinese forces occupied the village for a couple of weeks. This ancient fortified settlement, remains home to residents living within its historic compound to this day.

Year-End FCT roadtrip

If you've made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read this really long post. So we dive into my most recent trip — a journey through the Himalayan foothills to the Eaglenest Pass. The name “Eaglenest” traces back to the Red Eagle insignia of the renowned 4th Division of the Indian Army, which was active in this region during the 1950s and '60s. Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.


By the time we set off on this year-end trip, we still weren’t sure if the FCT route was passable. In fact, the more I researched it, the more fascinated I became. During my previous attempt to plan this trip, I had coordinated with a few friends from Bulls of Assam Motorcycle Club. We were thinking of undertaking it together in mid-2024. However, monsoon played spoilsport, as landslides and fallen trees are frequent on this highway, with no road clearing team.
This time, I had some work in Tezpur and planned to attend a small festival in Biswanath Sariali, about 70 km away. Interestingly, the FCT begins near Tezpur at Missamari, where a friend of mine, Lt. Col. KR was stationed at the time. He was the first to introduce me to this highway, though his journey had only taken him as far as the picnic spot near the Doimara foothills.

Despite my obsession with the 1962 war, the FCT highway somehow remained hidden in plain sight all these years, much like the blind spot created by the Jimny’s rain visors. Speaking of which, I can’t help but wish they were made of transparent material without the tint.

I somehow always took the BCT (Bhalukpong-Chariduar-Tawang) road for granted as the historic route that bore witness to the troop movements in the build up to the war, retreats, and firefights of the 1962 war. However, the BCT was actually opened by the BRO about four years after the war in 1966.
The FCT road was the original highway connecting the Assam plains to Tawang, following ancient migratory paths. Generations of Sherdukpens from Rupa once traveled along sections of this road during their annual winter migration to the foothills, where they lived with the Bodos for a few months every winter—bringing along their entire villages, livestock, pets, and supplies.



So, when the opportunity arose to visit Tezpur, I knew it was the perfect time to take on the FCT—with winter setting in and the monsoon no longer posing a challenge.

We left home on December 22, 2024—much later than intended. A late-night birthday dinner with friends had stretched till midnight.
NH17 is no less a nightmare with the ongoing work of four laning. What was once a smooth 100-kilometre drive, now took us three hours to Guwahati.



By evening, after covering 190 kilometers, we decided to spend the night at Shyamal and Elora’s strawberry farm near Jagiroad. Known for its dry fish market and the now-shuttered paper mill, the town recently made headlines when Tata Electronics took over the abandoned plant for its semiconductor unit. Coincidentally, we had visited this very farm around the same time last year.

The next morning, Elora made some breakfast from homemade strawberry jam, and eggs. By 8 AM, we were back on the move. The exit road from the farm was a scene of pastoral beauty.



By afternoon, we were closing in on Missamari, our destination for the day. Nestled among lush tea gardens, this town had played a crucial role in the 1962 war. Supplies and soldiers had to rely on trucks and foot transport beyond Missamari to the frontiers. Back in 1962, it was a place of complete chaos—leave cancellations, soldiers on the platform, more soldiers arriving by train, and hurried movements towards the front.

One of my key plans for this trip was to find my way to Tenga Valley through the forgotten FCT Highway—an old, nearly lost route that was once the only road connecting Arunachal Pradesh to the Assam plains. This road, known as the Foothill-Chaku-Tenga (FCT) Highway, had been the only link to places like Tenga, Bomdila, Dirang, Sela, and Tawang until the BCT Road (Bhalukpong-Chariduar-Tawang) was opened in 1966 by the BRO. The significance of this path runs deep. For instance, it was the very route taken by the 14th Dalai Lama when he fled Tibet in 1951 after entering India through Khenzimane. The FCT Highway stretches from Missamari to the Doimara foothills, then climbed towards Kamengbari, Khellong, Bonpu, Chaku, Sunderview, Eaglenest Pass, Singchun, Lama Camp, and finally, Tenga.

We had late lunch at my friend’s quarter. In the evening, at the cantonment stadium, we played badminton, befriending a Colonel in the process. Post dinner, I got to see his immaculately kept RD350—a pristine relic from another era and some WWI medals and a razor that his grandfather once owned.



The next morning, there was work to be done in Tezpur. My wife and I left Missamari after breakfast and made the short 60-kilometre drive to the town, where I had to participate in a panel discussion at the Tezpur Literary Festival at NERIWALM campus. Dr. Rajib, a classmate from SSG, dropped by as he happened to pass through Tezpur on his way to Kaliabor. As the event wrapped up, daylight was already beginning to fade. What had seemed like the hardest part of this trip, was finally over and I found my joy back!

Our next stop was Biswanath Chariali, where a small music festival organized by friends awaited us. The Colonel from Missamari decided to join as well. Upon reaching the festival grounds on the outskirts of town, we pitched our tents and headed to the stage area, ready to unwind.

Familiar faces kept appearing, and before long, a sizable group had gathered around the bonfire, chatting late into the night. Though we had picked this spot for its privacy—ours was the only tent there, while most others camped by the pond—we inadvertently became hosts to the steady stream of visitors. Mostly friends—artists, musicians, and sound engineers—whose conversations drifted from Yetis to absurd jokes. After a point, I didn’t even join in, having retreated to my tent, pretending to be asleep.
For me, Fenfa was an intimate and immersive experience. Independent music, great food, and a kind of warmth you don’t often find—easygoing and genuine. Perhaps it tells about the place itself - Biswanath Chariali. Located near the foothills, the Eastern Himalayas can be seen in the distance and blessed with fertile land. Some very successful and scientific farming models have come from the area including the famous, Pabhoi farms. And most importantly, spirituality and music appears to blend together very beautifully. The name Biswanath comes from the Biswanath temple (ruins) that’s located on the island near Biswanath ghat. It's often referred to as "Gupta Kashi," drawing a comparison to Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi.


Zero rubbing shoulders with Neelim's OG Gurkha, during his visit couple of months ago.

The event also included live paintings by three famous Graffiti artists. One of them was Neelim Mahanta, whom I'd met before during his visit to our town. When I went up to him, he told me he had booked a Hilux and I told him not to sell his Gurkha. And he agreed!

The next day, we spent time with some of the artists who had performed the night before. Sitting by the pond, we cooked together and had a small jamming session. After a late lunch at the venue, we set off once again for Missamari at my friend’s. We were one of the last ones to leave the venue long after the festival was over.

It's December 24th and my friend had organised a small Christmas party at his quarter in Missamari. Craving some quiet and rest, I asked him to arrange a stay for me at the guest house this time. The party drew quite a crowd, including fellow officers from the unit—among them the Colonel—and the star guest, singer Angarag Mahanta (Papon), who had attended with his family as he had some work in Tezpur the next day.
After freshening up at the guest house, we headed to the celebration, where a bonfire, Secret Santa (I received a pedicure set), delicious starters, and an impromptu jam session by the singer himself awaited. Unfortunately, I missed the final act—as I had quietly slipped away and retired for the night. It took my friend and the others a while to notice my absence. The quiet purr of the petrol engine served as my perfect accomplice in this daring midnight escape.


Running errands at the festival in a Ford Jeep!

The next morning, I had to backtrack to Rangapara to refuel Zero and fill the jerrycan. My friend was still annoyed at me for sneaking out of his party, but we still headed to his quarters to salvage whatever was left of the exquisite dinner we had missed. (The plain dosa at the guest house had been completely unpalatable to both of us.)
To my surprise, my friend was already up and not at his quarter. His wife heated some of the leftovers while his mother-in-law chuckled, contemplating about how long it took them to realise that we were missing. We all had a good laugh. I told them I knew my friend all too well and he won’t have let me go the straight way. But now we took leave. It was time to undertake the most anticipated part of our trip—the FCT highway - saved for the very end!
As we finished breakfast, my friend called and asked me to meet him near the riding school, which was on our way to the Foothills.
At the riding school, I got to see Papon da and his family once again. He took my Jimny for a spin, and we joked about his sleep-deprived face. He admitted that I had been the smarter one for sneaking out early, the previous night. After bidding farewell to my friend and Papon da, I switched on the offline map—ready to venture into the unknown.

Before moving forward, I must give a shoutout to @aviator1101, whom we, unfortunately, couldn’t meet despite our best efforts. However, his timely update on the FCT highway that morning was a huge relief. This last-minute information unexpectedly gave us some semblance of a plan. Having recently traveled this route on his bike, his insights were truly invaluable.
A big thanks also to @Priyankar for helping us sort out the ILPs. But what’s a friend without a little flaw? He accidentally put my wife’s photo on both our ILPs! There was no turning back, though—I was ready to explain if questioned at the checkpoint.

With that, my wife and I set off from Missamari towards the Himalayan foothills. Along the way, we saw Bodo women dressed in traditional dokhonas. Being Bodos ourselves, it was fascinating to see them in this part of Assam. My wife even had a brief conversation in Bodo with a woman by the roadside, and they understood each other perfectly. Incredible. No surprise that the Bodos are the largest plains tribe in Assam.
As we continued, we realised we'd entered elephant zone —electrified wires with markers made from reused polythene bags around the villages.
Soon we were at Doimara, where we paid 100 rupees and that was it—no one even checked our ILPs. That was a small fee to get through without having to show our shady looking ILPs. Before moving on, my wife picked up a bottle of fish pickle from the counter, and we resumed our journey.



This is the same Doimara at the foothills that once served as the destination for the annual winter migration, where entire villages from the Rupa area would relocate for a couple of months to escape the harsh winter. Similar migrations took place across the foothills, with people bringing Sichuan pepper, maize, and other goods to trade with the Bodos in the foothills, in exchange for paddy, betel nut, sugarcane, and other essentials for their New Year celebration—Losar.
(Incidentally, as I write this, Losar is being celebrated in these very places. However, human migrations have long ceased with the advent of heaters, jackets, and other modern comforts, making winters far more bearable.)
Yet, another migration continues to this day—the journey of the elephants from Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary. These gentle giants still follow the centuries-old path their human counterparts abandoned long ago. In fact, this route is part of what’s known as the Dazzling Elephant Corridor, which connects the Pakke Kesang Reserve (closer to Biswanath Chariali) in the east to the Doimara Reserve Forest.


The Delsiri River (Shergaon Nallah in Arunachal) flowed to our left as we pressed forward. Along the way, we met a group alighting from a Bolero pickup. They were Shertukpens from Rupa, here for a few days of work. Our brief conversation turned to elephants - as there were elephant poop all around. One of them advised me not to honk if I encountered one, but told me to rev. Ironically, the same petrol engine that was my ally the night before, might not be the best tool for scaring off an elephant!
Before we parted ways, I asked about accommodations at Bompu. He reassured us that we could stay there and estimated the journey would take about three hours. We thanked them, and he said he'll keep us in his prayers. We then continued our journey toward Bompu, located within the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary.

[Hirohito]

PASSING THROUGH EAGLENEST

A narrow, winding track now led us further away from the foothills and at round 3 PM, we reached a clearing, which turned out to be the deserted village of Khellong. This was the very place where His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama, had planted a tree while escaping from Tibet.



Coincidentally, the tree that he planted was a Bonsum tree (Phoebe goalparensis)—a species native to my home district, Goalpara. Khellong used to be a bustling place back in the day, with a hospital and a school.



From Khellong, we entered the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary. As we climbed higher, and the sun dipped lower, we could feel the temperature steadily dropping. Engelhardia tree above us.

Bompu Camp

We made it to Bompu Camp by 5 PM. The place was deserted except for the two caretakers, who kindly lit the bukhari for us to get warm. But hunger and cold kept pulling us back to the kitchen. During the day we couldn’t stop to cook lunch, given the narrow trails and the possible presence of elephants - given the piles of elephant poop scattered all around. Our last meal had been the salvaged Christmas party breakfast earlier that morning.



And since tents were expensive, and BYOT wasn’t allowed, we settled for the cheapest accommodation available—a simple bamboo setup meant for guides and drivers during the birding season. We burrowed into our sleeping bags, grateful for whatever warmth we could find.



The next morning, as breakfast was being prepared, we left the car behind and set out to explore Bompu on foot. During birdwatching season, the camp fills up quickly—and for good reason. Eaglenest is a prime birding hotspot in the world, second only to the Andes in South America. The Bompu Litter Frog with grey - blue eyes, a newly described frog species, was found right here in Bompu in 2009.



By 9 AM, we were on our way out of Bompu, the narrow trail tightening even further. Maple leaves and occasional elephant poop. Jayeeta stepped out more than once to clear away low-hanging branches to prevent damage to the windshield. It reminded me once again of how useful a limb riser would have been — a thought I’d entertained before, particularly during my trip to Vijoynagar.

Chaku

By 10 AM, we reached Chaku, a place named after a South Indian sapper who was stationed there. Its present-day stillness belies its bustling past. In the 1960s, before the Bhalukpong highway was built, Chaku was a vital stopover on this road linking Tawang to Assam. It had an Inspection Bungalow, shops, tractors, and even a horse stable.



Col. Girish Chandra Srivastava (Retd), who served as a young Second Lieutenant in 1962, wrote about his assignment to retrieve vehicles from Chaku and Sela a month after the 1962 war, in his book, Tezpur Diaries: India-China War of 1962 - Ground Perspective. He recounted how vultures and kites circled above, and the grim sight of over sixty fallen Indian soldiers scattered across Chaku. Abandoned military vehicles — Nissan 1-ton trucks, Dodge Power Wagons, and even two Stuart tanks with deceased soldiers inside — were left behind on its slopes. Most of these corpses were in cotton uniform. And this was the biting Himalayan winter of November 1962.
Chaku held such strategic significance that, before the war, a Chinese officer reportedly went undercover as a local, operating a tea stall at this very spot. From there, he secretly transmitted sensitive information about troop and material movements to the front lines.

We spent some time walking and scanning the maple-filled landscape hoping to stumble upon remnants from the war. But apart from a small plaque commemorating the fallen soldiers, there was nothing much. It's difficult to imagine people and shops at this very spot, looking at its emptiness - save for a lone watch tower and its sunburnt signboard.

By 11, we left Chaku and in less than an hour located this beautiful spot by a small stream. We unpacked the leftover breakfast that the Bompu camp guys had packed for us and it turned into a small picnic.


The mystical Himalayan fairy grass

After whiling away a good 3 hours there, we finally left the spot and arrived at Sunderview at about 2.25 in the afternoon. Similar to Kellong and Chaku, the place was completely deserted, with only a signboard and an anti-poaching camp in sight. Back in 2004 or 2002, a Central Empowered Committee from the Supreme Court had visited the FCT to assess the proposal for widening and blacktopping the road. During their visit, they witnessed an elephant giving birth right here at Sunderview. This remarkable sight convinced them to prioritize the preservation of the area's biodiversity, leading to the rejection of the road-widening plan. According to the signboard, elephants still use this route for their annual winter migration, although their human counterparts have long stopped. We breathed a sigh of relief, reassured that the elephants weren’t nearby.



By 3 pm, we had reached the the Eaglenest pass — a place that had seemed almost mythical until that moment. Secluded, steeped in fascinating history, and unique in countless ways. Notably, it served as the historic escape route of the Dalai Lama and is also home to the only bird species in India discovered after Independence - the Bugun Liocichla - named after the Bugun community.

Back in 1962 a month after the war, when a young Second Lieutenant Girish is sent to Chaku to recover military vehicles, he noticed smoke rising in the distance from the direction of Eaglenest pass. Upon further inspection (from a distance, as they weren’t authorised to go beyond Chaku), he along with his senior officer concluded it to be a mass grave of Indian soldiers and reported their finding to the burial party. As an Indian, I stood on sacred grounds.

As we left Eaglenest pass, my eyes landed on the Jimny’s information cluster. A ‘possible ice’ warning flashed on the screen. I glanced outside, and sure enough — frost!



We continued our descent, and soon crossed over into SBVCR - the Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve. Serving as a buffer zone to EWS, SBVCR is a remarkable example of community-led conservation, established when the Bugun community generously contributed forest land to protect the region’s biodiversity.



By 4 PM, we arrived at Lama Camp, named after the Tibetan refugees who settled here in the 1950s and were commonly referred to as Lamas. An interesting piece of history is that significant timber logging occurred in the area during the 1980s to supply wood for the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi. Logging came to an end with the Supreme Court’s intervention, and today, SBVCR stands as a shining example of community-driven conservation, recognized both in India and globally.


source: Northeast Today

Soon after, we continued our journey to Tenga Valley, eventually joining the modern-day BCT Highway. Our destination for the day was Dirang, where our host, Capt. B awaited us. I had met Capt. B previously during our Mago-Chuna road trip in October 2023. And despite having visited Dirang several times in the past, the cold this time was unparalleled — the only thing missing was snowfall. Capt. B mentioned how the landscape turns white with frost every morning. With December nearing its end, we were undoubtedly experiencing the peak of winter.



The next morning, we headed to the Nyukmadung War Memorial, situated along the Tawang highway just before Sela. During previous visits, I’d often noticed families enjoying picnics on the memorial’s lawn. But I was eager to explore the newly opened Kameng Culture and Heritage Museum inside the memorial. While most of its exhibits highlighted the region’s rich cultural and historical heritage, I was glad to find a dedicated section remembering the 1962 conflict.



The museum was so fresh that signboards along the highway were still proudly announcing its grand opening.
We revisited Capt. B at Dirang on our return from the museum, as it was his birthday and a cake was on its way from Tenga in the morning. After the birthday celebration, we headed on the BCT highway, passed the Neciphu tunnel and crossed over to Assam at the Bhalukpong border and arrived in Nagaon by 8 pm to attend a small reunion of friends from Sainik School Goalpara.




Dr. Rajib and Lt. Col. KR who we’d met during the trip were also part of the reunion. The next morning wife wanted to visit the Maha Mrityunjoy temple which was nearby.



We made it home by evening. Both my wife and I rushed to check our kitchen garden with our flashlights—wondering how the tomatoes and the cabbages were coming along. With dinner some hours away, I took a long hot shower and slipped under the quilt. And I understood why, there's no place like home.

Odometer reading at the end of the trip was at 34,214 kms.

EPILOGUE


Over the past year and a half, a few accessories and modifications have found their way onto the Jimny. I won't list everything, since most of them are pretty standard. But some standouts include the EVC throttle controller, which I usually leave on automatic — the perfect middle ground between economy and ultimate mode. Some other additions include an aftermarket grille, a armrest, chassis plugs, foldable shovel, tyres and rear door/wheel mudguards, dashcam, an analog tire pressure gauge, a 20L jerrycan, and frameless wipers.



Meanwhile a little note on Hirohito before wrapping up — my beloved 1985 SS80. While Zero took over highway duties, Hirohito has gracefully turned into my reliable daily driver. After a little TLC, it recently made a smooth 100 - kilometer journey to the DTO for renewal of registration (by five years). And I have to say, it hasn’t lost an ounce of its old-school charm.
An example? On 27th January this year, I had parked Hirohito to get some medicines from the shop. As I returned, much to my surprise, a man in a dhoti walked up, visibly impressed. Right there, in the middle of the road, he presented me with a gamucha, a traditional Assamese cloth symbolizing respect, as a gesture of admiration for my car. It turns out he once worked in the transport department and had always wanted to own an SS80. Pure embarrassing. But pure magic. 







Wrapping up with a few snapshots from some more Jimny meet-ups in the neighborhood that didn't make it into the story.


15 Aug, 2024. Peak monsoon. I missed a turn, and Ritu da’s Jimny was right behind me. We got stuck — properly stuck, but miraculously escaped. Now, I never travel without a shovel!
Forgot to mention. Priyankar got himself a Jimny, after our Spiti and Ladakh tour and joined on this one in his new Jim.


11 Nov, 2024.


22 Feb, 2025. Our last meet, camping by the Simsang river in Garo hills, Meghalaya.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Yogi..Reeturaj]

Wow Shisir what a wonderful amalgamation of a travelogue. Loved every bit of the storytelling. Looking forward to the same from 2025 n more…

This is why I don’t even attempt to write, can’t get past the (dots), you know what I mean
I’m just satisfied reading them.

[DasAuto1985]

Wow lovely travelogue(s)! Especially loved the FCT one as I wasnt aware of such a route. Glad to see there are still places in India where the insta crowd hasn't reached yet.

[travelog]

Very interesting read! Keep it up and share more of your drives

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Hirohito

PASSING THROUGH EAGLENEST

A narrow, winding track now led us further away from the foothills and at round 3 PM, we reached a clearing, which turned out to be the deserted village of Khellong. This was the very place where His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama, had planted a tree while escaping from Tibet.

[Our last meet, camping by the Simsang river in Garo hills, Meghalaya. [/i]

Enjoying reading your stories.
And you’ve absolutely the right car for this work.
(Not to disrespect the other lovely car you have.)
Anyway, there is this book - a very rare book now.
It is called the Adventures of a Botanists Wife and is set in the Eastern Himalayas. Brilliant read. Full of interesting information. I am posting a picture of its cover here. And an electronic copy from a site called archive.com

[dr_TJ]

Another awesome thread Dada. Keep on munching up the miles and exploring

[Hirohito]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Enjoying reading your stories.

Anyway, there is this book - a very rare book now.
It is called the Adventures of a Botanists Wife and is set in the Eastern Himalayas. Brilliant read. Full of interesting information. I am posting a picture of its cover here. And an electronic copy from a site called archive.com

Thank you Sir. I've just downloaded it and can't wait to go through it!

[Prakritij]

Awesome read bro.
The Eaglenest part was jus thrilling. Wish I had means (dough and leaves) to continue to Ladakh with you guys.
Hoping to join you in more trips in the future.

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by Hirohito

PASSING THROUGH EAGLENEST

What a fascinating journey. Absolutely loved your narration, it’s easy to see the research that must have gone into planning (and executing) this trip. Please keep writing about such historic, lesser known places, which the world has left behind, makes for a fascinating read.

I was born in Assam, in one of the places you mention here. However, I have not been able to explore the state, as much as I would like. Maybe someday!

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Hirohito

PASSING THROUGH EAGLENEST

Col. Girish Chandra Srivastava (Retd), who served as a young Second Lieutenant in 1962, wrote about his assignment to retrieve vehicles from Chaku and Sela a month after the 1962 war, in his book, Tezpur Diaries: India-China War of 1962 - Ground Perspective. He recounted how vultures and kites circled above, and the grim sight of over sixty fallen Indian soldiers scattered across Chaku. Abandoned military vehicles — Nissan 1-ton trucks, Dodge Power Wagons, and even two Stuart tanks with deceased soldiers inside — were left behind on its slopes. Most of these corpses were in cotton uniform. And this was the biting Himalayan winter of November 1962.
Chaku held such strategic significance that, before the war, a Chinese officer reportedly went undercover as a local, operating a tea stall at this very spot. From there, he secretly transmitted sensitive information about troop and material movements to the front lines.

Thank you for bringing this up. The greatest sadness was how unprepared our Indian Soldiers were for that war. And the monumental incompetence and absolute lack of empathy of the then serving government and its PM and Defence Minister.
Ive talked over the years to multiple senior officers and they all feel an impotent anger at the way our Political systems let our Soldiers down in1962 and 1965 and 1971 and 1999 and all.
A nation is judged by how it treats its ‘Forces.’

[Hirohito]

Originally Posted by Dry Ice

What a fascinating journey. Absolutely loved your narration, about such historic, lesser known places, which the world has left behind, makes for a fascinating read...
I was born in Assam, in one of the places you mention here.

Thank you Dry Ice. I wish to keep stumbling into more such places. I also hope you get the opportunity to explore Assam and getting to read your travel experiences!

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Thank you for bringing this up. The greatest sadness was how unprepared our Indian Soldiers were for that war.

It's rare to find someone who shares both an interest and the sense of sorrow surrounding the 1962 war. The more one reads about the war, the more one feels for the Indian soldiers (on ground) fighting against such monumental odds. Just this month I had been to a Monpa village in Arunachal and went on to speak to some of the last surviving eye-witnesses and their stories just blew me away.