Tezpur: Arunachal Pradesh has always been a traveller's delight with its 26 major tribes and over 100 sub tribes. An annual cultural festival held in the northeastern state not only showcases Arunachal Pradesh's rich cultural and ethnic diversity but also the region's role in the Second World War.
The three-day Pangsau Pass International Festival (PPIF) was inaugurated by Chief Minister Pema Khandu at Nampong in Changlang district on Monday. This year the festival has coincided with the 80th anniversary of the conclusion of the Second World War, which left its indelible mark on this area. The festival highlights the Second World War Cemetery at Jairampur, the Lake of No Return, historical Stilwell Road and the Hump.
The Hump
Among which, the Hump, an air route that was named by the Allied pilots, was used for resupplying military transport aircraft to China. Many planes belonging to the Allied Forces went missing from this stretch.
WW-II Cemetery
The WW-II cemetery at Jairampur, located 25 km from the festival ground, is a silent reminder of those tumultuous times during the war. Although the cemetery existed here nobody except the locals knew about it. It came to the light only during the 1990s when the Assam Rifles discovered it. Spread across three acres of land, the cemetery is the largest in India with over 1000 graves.
Crossing the border and shopping ethnic goods in Myanmar
The Pangsau Pass Festival is a time when travellers can cross the Pangsau Pass and the international border to reach Myanmar, where they visit the local market that is hosted as per schedule and get a chance to buy ethnic goods there.
"During the festival, both the countries relax rules for crossing over the international border. People from India as well as from Myanmar can cross over the international border without passport and visit the areas related to the Second World War," Turem Taikam Jugli, president of the Nampong Manmou Youth Organisation said.
During the festival one can also visit the Lake of No Return, which became infamous as several American planes were reported to have disappeared into the waters during the Second World War. Although it remained a mystery as to how the aircraft went missing in the lake, it is believed that the spot served the Allied pilots for soft landing into the lake when the planes got hit by enemy or faced mechanical snags.
One can also have the opportunity to travel along the historic Stilwell Road, connecting India, China and Myanmar. The road starts in Ledo in Assam and reaches Kunming in China, passing through Myanmar. The road was built by the Allied soldiers, led by the Americans and it was named after American General Joseph Stilwell.
Strengthening cross-border ties
"The Pangsau Pass Festival boosts mutual cooperation between the people of India and Myanmar. The visitors can ride or walk along the Stilwell road, travel to the Lake of No Return and visit the World War II Cemetery," said Simon Rongrang, media adviser of the Pangsau Pass Festival.
The festival has also been helping academicians by encouraging and allowing visits to places where histories related to the war are buried, he said. This year, a tank dating back to the war has been installed at the entrance of the cemetery at Jairampur, he added.
A 150-member delegation from Myanmar has arrived at Nampong for the festival. "It provides a platform to people from both the countries for mutual cultural exchange," secretary of the Pangsau Pass Festival, Tangpa Lungphi, said.
