The Land of India’s First Sunlight

Kibithoo is India is easternmost inhabited place which stands on the line of control (LAC). It is uniquely located on the tri- junction, with China to the north and Myanmar to the east. A small village in the Arunachal Pradesh’s Anjaw district, it is located on the last road head of extreme northeast of north eastern India and the very place that the Lohit River enters India. Lohit River is a tributary to the Brahmaputra River which rises in Tibet Autonomous Region, in the Kangri Garpo range, where it is known as the Zayu River. Kibithoo is located 380 kms from Tinsukia town of Assam. Kibithoo is one of the places which forms the Indo China border and has always been a place of great importance. The village is nestled roughly around 4000 ft above sea level and lies in Mishmi hills, 27 kms on the east of administrative town of Walong.
Kibithoo is 275 kms from the nearest brigade formation at Tezu. Soldiers of the Sikh Light Infantry are posted on the Line of Actual Control, while the Chinese brigade at Langzu under Western Theatre Command is merely 60 kms away. The Indian Army uses a foot suspension bridge to carry its military supplies to its Kibithoo post, considered very important from operational point of view, as the only road connecting the East bank of Lohit river with West bank, remains closed due to landslides for most part of the year. Kibithoo is one of the five officially agreed Border Personnel Meeting points between the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army of China for regular consultations and interactions. Do note that the last petrol pump is at Khupa town, which is around 125 kms before Kibithoo. Kibithoo lies on the east of Dong Valley, where the first sun rays in India is received. However, Kaho village, which is on the southern side of the river, is the the last populated village of India, and is around 2 kms in the east of Kibithoo.
One can stay for a night at Hawai, district headquarters of Anjaw and 75 kms from Kibithoo. One can make plan to visit the Walong War Memorial, where Indian Army jawans stopped around 4000 Chinese troops in the Indo-Tibet war. It is roughly 20 kms before Kibithoo. Also can visit the Kibithoo Helipad, from where one can clearly see the Chinese army camp. Visit to Garampani, hot water spring, 7 kms before Walong is another spot to be noted.
Walong is a small cantonment and an administrative town carved out of Lohit District in 2004. Known for its memorials dedicated to the Indians who died there during the hard times of the 1962 Sino-India war, this place is located on the “Helmet Top” where the hot water springs attract a great number of tourists from other parts of India. Tidding is quite popular among locals and travellers alike. The opulent and shining aquamarine water of this place is its major highlight. Furthermore, the undulating slopes create a very satisfying respite, especially for people who love nature.
It is intriguing to know that when one is still cosying up in bed waiting for the sunrise, there is a part of the land in our own country which sees the very first radiant rays of sunlight piercing the clouds and warming up life on the land and forests alike.
The place which I am talking about here is Dong Valley- the easternmost village in India. Here, the tourists climb up the mountains at 3 in the morning to witness the very first rays of sunlight. The Dong valley is located 17 kms from Kibithoo. In 1999 only, it was discovered that this place experiences the first sunrise in India. The Survey of India officials confirmed that Dong being located further east than Katchal, dawn broke over the former ahead of the Nicobar Island. Dong is located at 97 degrees longitude and 28 degrees latitude while Katchal is located at 93.30 degrees longitude and latitude of eight degrees.
Dong valley is situated under the district administration of Anjaw and the history can be traced Anjaw District was bifurcated from Lohit District on February 2004 with its Headquarter at Hawai. back to British India. In 1914, this place was a part of the Lakhimpur district. The British created the north-east frontier tract for the very purpose of administering the three areas which are namely the central and eastern section, the Lakhimpur Frontier Tract along with the western section. After this, in 1956, the Dibang valley was constituted as a separate sub-division, placed under the charge of an Additional Political Officer. Then coming to June of 1980, it was further separated into two independent districts- Lohit District and Dibang Valley District.
A remote place in the farthest corner of the country, untouched by our modern lives, pristine, and maintaining its natural beauty, Dong is a small slice of heaven. Nicknamed a “photographer’s paradise” the village is enshrouded in a blanket of clouds over the towering mountains that surround the area.
At 1,240 metres, Dong is located at the confluence of the rivers Lohit (a tributary of the mighty Brahmaputra) and Sati, strategically placed at the tri-junction of India, China and Myanmar, and can be reached only after a one-and-a-half-hour climb from the important military base of Walong. The journey and the stay at various places are made pleasant by the army, which has a large presence in the area. Normally tourists make it in 90 minutes, descending into the Dong valley even as the sun is faintly visible over the peaks. Locals do this in 45 minutes.
So far, villagers from Dong had to either walk 90 minutes to reach Walong, or take the more adventurous ropeway where you tie yourself to a rope, catch hold of a pulley and slide down the 100-metre long single wire across the rapidly flowing Lohit. Trekking is the only way to get there from the village but the hike is truly worth it as the spectacle is nothing short of the best views you would have even seen in your life! Visitors make their way to the lush green, misty grasslands in Dong Krong as early as 3 am to witness the sunrise that comes in around 4:30 am every single day! The original Dong village is now a deserted place, lack of water has driven the villagers to other parts. But you can still visit the place for panoramic views of the rivers and meadows and a peek into Myanmmar as well. It is advisable to hire a guide when exploring the region; otherwise, one will get difficult to find the right locations.
The cascading rivers and Herculean Mountains are just a few aspects of its overall natural abundance. It is the kind of place where one can find solitude away from the glamour of city life. And if you seek all this, then Dong Valley is an option worth considering. There are no motorable roads to Dong and is difficult to reach. But its natural beauty is beyond comparison. The state government officials, when contacted expressed complete ignorance of this rare opportunity to promote tourism in the virgin valley at the foothills of the Himalayas and a paradise for trekking.
According to the Census of India, 2011, the village has 15 residents across 4 households. 6 are male and 9 are female. The children go to school in Walong. Matter-of-factly those things have not changed much except for the fact that the road to Tezu is now all-weather and that Indian soldiers are in better shape than ever before. The army put up its bravest fight against the invading Chinese at Walong in 1965. Indian Army didn’t have anything then, but fought valiantly. Today, they are much better off. The 2,000 kms long proposed Mago- Thingbu to Vijaynagar along the McMohan Line will pass through this place.
The best time to visit Dong Valley is between the months of April and July. During this time, one can hope to explore the best possible sight-seeing places. Overall, Dong Valley is a beautiful travel destination that can mesmerize everyone with its lush natural surroundings. To witness this undeniably wonderful travel destination, one can make a plan for the next season.

Source:ShillongTimes