I knew there were a number of separatist movements in India before we arrived. However, it wasn’t until after we’d been there that I realized how intense some of these conflicts are and simply how many of them there are. One estimate we were given indicated that there are over 300 different separatist movements in … Continue reading
Perhaps not surprisingly to those that know me, I found the military dimension to Arunachal Pradesh interesting. Tensions between India and China run high in this area… Currently, India administers all of Arunachal Pradesh. However, the Chinese lay claim to the majority of Arunachal Pradesh as they believe it to be an extension of the … Continue reading
Think Buddhism is all about peace, love, flowers and meditation? Think again. Check out this sample of paintings I photographed inside various Buddhist temples in India: Continue reading
As I mentioned in the previous post on logging in Arunachal Pradesh, our purpose for being in the jungle in the first place was to accompany a tribal hunting expedition deep into the mountains. Well, this post is about that trip… As with the logging, the villagers are not supposed to be hunting in the … Continue reading
A significant source of income in many of the tribal areas of the Arunachal Pradesh jungle is derived from logging. This is a legal gray area. Technically, the jungle is a protected area. However, the villagers are grudgingly permitted by the Indian government to retrieve timber from the jungle for their own use. “Their own … Continue reading
I introduced you to Pei Tapan Gab earlier. And during that introduction to Pei, I mentioned that his family is in the tea business. So, below, I will profile their tea plantation (they call it a “tea garden”) and discuss the tea business in general. Pei’s family got into the tea business because Pei’s father … Continue reading
Following our descent from the Himalayas on the road to Tawang, we ventured into the tribal areas of central Arunachal Pradesh. This area is not listed on permits and we weren’t supposed to be here, but as I always say – It’s good to know people… Before setting off into the jungle, we spent the … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 