Places of Interest

A tourist can visit the following places of interest and soak up the atmosphere of calm and tranquillity sitting along the river banks or visiting various beautiful pagodas and monasteries in the villages.

MONASTERY, NAMSAI

Located in the heart of Namsai town, this pagoda was the first prominent structure to come up in the area. It is surrounded by beautiful temples in the vast compound along with other delightful structures.

GOLDEN PAGODA (KONGMU KHAM), TENGAPANI (NOI CHENAM)

Situated in the banks of River Teang, Kongmu Kham at Tengapani is a sight to behold. The splendid golden pagoda built in the Thai/Burmese style sits majestical amidst a beautiful landscaped garden surrounded by lush greenery and exudes peace and serenity. Within the golden pagoda is housed a beautiful gilded statue of Buddha which is modelled on the kala Buddha of Nalanda archive.

The area also houses a centre for cultural research of the Tai Khampti-singpho tribes, a library and a monastery. Nearby is a tourist resort which provides accommodation in the form of individual villas and dormitories. Guest can enjoy the view of the beautiful golden pagoda from here and visit the nearby areas.

WORLD PEACE PAGODA, RIVER ISLAND, CHONGKHAM

The pagoda is located in a river island in the historic town of Chongkham. This place is a solace to mind and is ideal for meditation in front of Buddha statue that surrounds the inner core of the vihara. Chongkham is a beautiful place to visit, situated on National Highway 52. The Tai Khampti Singpho museum in the campus of the Arunachal Pali Vidyapith is a must visit place to get a glimpses of Khampti and Singpho culture and Traditions.

LATHAO INTERNATIONAL BANA MEDITATION CENTRE, LATHAO

Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, is one of India’s most ancient techniques of meditation and practised here. The centre, surrounded by lush forest and sitting atop the Lal Pahad (red hill) provides an atmosphere of solitude ideal for meditation. It can also lay claim to one of the tallest statues of Buddha in the area. Vipassana is a way of self-transformation through self-observation between mind and body, which can be experienced directly by disciplined attention to the physical sensations that form the life of the body, and that continuously interconnect and condition the life of the mind.

EMPONG MONASTERY, EMPONG

Empong monastery is considered by the local people as ‘Ti Met’ (holy place) as it is believed that the statue installed in there has special powers. The story goes that long time ago an innocent villager sometimes used the statue of Lord Buddha as guard to keep an eye on the rice grains drying in the sun and drive the birds away. It was noticed that whenever this was done, no birds came near to feed on the rice grains and rice stock remained intact. A visitor to the village noticed this, considered it to be the miraculous working of the statue, brought it back and installed it in the Empong monastery. Belivers visit the place to have their wishes fulfilled and hundreds flock here during the Sangken Festival every year. The sleepy village of Empong under Chongkham circle has another draw to it. It is believed that childless couples come here to the monastery to pray for their wishes and have had it fulfilled.

MONASTERY, PHANENG

It is believed that in the monastery here is kept a religious book (LEK) that bleeds when its pages are turned. The story goes that a great devotee wrote the book putting his heart and soul into writing it and so the book was personified and blood drips from its pages when turned. Now the book is never opened in not to cause it pain. People come here to offer cloth covers (OM LEK) for the book and to pray for their wishes to be fulfilled offering flowers, lighted candles and incense.

Other places that can be accessed from the Namsai district but located in the nearby Lohit district are:

PARSHURAM KUND

Parshuram Kund is situated in the lower reaches to the River Lohit. It is a religious place visited by people from all over the country during the Makar Shankranti day for a holy dip. Common belief of the people is that a dip on the day in the Kund washes away one’s sins. As recorded in the kalika purana that it was here the sage Parshuram washed away his sin of matricide. Religious people, saints come to this Kund on Makar Shankranti which falls on the 14th January every year.

GLOW LAKE

Glow Lake is located in Wakro circle of Lohit district. It is a beautiful spot with background of snow clad mountains and rich flora and fauna in and around the lake. It covers an area of about 8 square kilometres at a height of about 5000 ft. above sea level. The nearest road point is near twam village on Chongkham-Wakro road from where one has to start trekking for the lake. Owing to absence of proper road, it becomes an adventure trips to the lake. The villages with a backdrop of hills in the distance, the rivers and its banks, the tea gardens, the vast green fields, the monasteries etc are all sights to behold and the hospitality of the local people and their festival etc have to be experienced to be truly appreciated.