BRIEF HISTORY OF CHONGKHAM
Chongkham – breathtakingly beautiful – a haven of peace and tranquillity – the idyllic tourist destination in the land of the dawnlit mountains. One of the most popular tourist destinations in the Eastern tourist circuit of Arunachal Pradesh, Chongkham is an irresistible combination of breathtaking natural beauty, inspiring pagodas, temples and robust cuisines. The vast expanse of Chongkham-Namsai area have a lush green forest, rich and colourful flora and fauna, exotic orchids and is criss-crossed by dozens of rivers and rivulets and tributaries of Lohit and Kamlang Rivers.
It is bounded in the north by the commanding snow ranges of the last fringes of ‘Himalayan Hump’ and the descending misty mountains of Patkai range to its east while its South and West opens and stretches upto the Brahmaputra valley in Assam.
Patkai range has numerous passes through which the Ahoms poured into Assam from Burma and established Ahom rule in Assam which lasted upto 600 years. The Ahoms were followed by Tai Khamtis centuries later who again established their dominance in Sadiya and Tengapani area. Sprawling tea plantations, picturesque landscapes, winding lanes, trekking and holiday facilities make Chongkham a unique combination to experience. Chongkham is essentially a tea town.
Blessed with a hugely diverse terrain, Chongkham offers much to the outdoor enthusiasts as well as trekking in the North and East’s picturesque Mishmi hills of Wakro to angling and rafting in the vibrant Kamlang, Teang, Tengapani and Lohit rivers.
Apart from this, the Helmet Top and Namti plains near Walong are the scenes of many fierce battles where Indian army met and engaged the Chinese Red Army in 1962. Dong is nearer to these battlefields where the first sunrays of the millennium kissed the soil of India.
Tezu, the District Headquarter of Lohit District is one of the oldest District HQ of the state and a nrighbouring yoen of Chongkham. Around 45 kms from Tezu is Parsuram Kund, is Famous for its legend and mythological past.Parasuram Kund is a pilgrimage destination.
Popular stories connect the kund with Parasuram, one of the most influential sages of ancient India. The kund speaks its own history as legend has it that Parasuram washed away his sin of slaying his mother by washing his hands in the waters of the kund. And since then, this kund has been popularly named as Parasuram kund.
Pilgrims visit the holy place in the month of January during Makar Sakranti to pay obeisance and take a dip in the kund waters with believe of washing away their sins. Other than this kund, the region is also rich in flora and fauna and is the house to the temple of Rukmini, temple of Malinithan, glow lake and the remains of King Bhismak’s palace. Thus, due to proximity to these and many more, Chongkham can rightly be termed as gateway to all these adventurous,historical and spiritual explorations and the gateway ti the Chongkham-Namdapha Wildlife Sanctuary-Wakro–Parsuram Kund -Tezu – Hayuliang – Dong – Sunpura – Kundil Valley – Mayudia – Roing tourist circuit.
The Golden Pagoda Eco-Resort is 9 kms south west of Chongkham on the Noi-Cheynam and near Tengapani river adjacent to the Golden Pagoda. Standing adjacent to Kongmu-kham or the Golden Pagoda is the grandest Buddhist monastery in Eastern Arunachal Pradesh.
Tezu Airport is the nearest airfield beside Mohanbari airport in Dibrugarh, Assam and the nearest railway station is Tinsukia Railway Station in Assam.