Of Stupas and Serenity at Teli Village

The blog remained mostly ignored last year, with no will or intention to write as travel seemed to be a distant dream. For most of 2020, I did what everyone else was doing – work from home and crib about it. But one fine day, art came back to my life and I started painting the places I was dreaming of. I kept travel dreams alive though art, though it became increasingly difficult to believe that life would be back to normal one day. Art held me though the worst of times…Teli Village

We’re not out of the pandemic yet, but it was after more than a year that I found courage to venture outside. Because I don’t know a life that doesn’t involve travelling, I finally reclaimed what was always mine- the urge to wander, to feel, to let myself be engulfed by the enormity of it all. I won’t comment on if it is safe to travel yet, because, frankly – I don’t know. All I know is that I took a leap of faith because that’s what my heart longed for.

There won’t be a better time to travel offbeat, so a trip to remote locations of Arunachal Pradesh was meticulously planned with North East Explorers. I wanted to get as far away from city life as possible and that’s exactly what I did. A longish trip to Arunachal Pradesh was more or less like redemption, to say the least, but I’ve come back longing for more. Travel has given a fresh lease of life to my writing as well, and I suddenly found an urge to document it all. As I re-start writing, I want to begin with a heartwarming story about a small village near Tawang, that gave me goosebumps, no less.

Around 13km from the town of Tawang in western Arunachal Pradesh lies a sleepy old village called Teli. With less than two hundred inhabitants, this small village doesn’t even entice any offbeat travelers. Situated on a cliff staring into a huge Himalayan valley, one can imagine how beautiful yet simple this small settlement of 40 odd houses must be. Only recently connected to Tawang by a decent road, Teli village came up in our conversation with the generous host of the home-stay we put up in, at Tawang. There was something about it that caught my attention, and I was ready to skip another war memorial or a monastery and head straight to this quiant little village.

Flower laden trees were our constant companion throughout Arunachal Pradesh and this drive was no different. It was a smooth and beautiful drive, cutting though a Rhododendron forest with an occasional cherry blossom springing up. Our host agreed to accompany us to Teli, and it was a pleasure to have someone along who could share stories about local culture with us.

Soon, we reached our destination, noticing that ours was the only vehicle around. We decided to leave the vehicle behind and walk this tranquil path, so as not to disturb the serenity of the place. It was as peaceful as it can get, with a row of 108 Stupas staring into the valley and not a soul in sight. The only sounds we could hear were of the prayer flags fluttering around, birds chirping in distance and our own footsteps.

The Stupas are build as a mark of remembrance, for near and dear ones who have left the world for a better place. The ritual involves putting up their favorite things inside, along with a statue of Buddha who’ll guide the soul thereafter. 108 Stupas built at this location stand tall as a mark of gratitude and affection of various friends and families towards their loved ones. One could easily feel the energy, and a strong vibe of solace the place provides – to grieve, and move on, yet remember those fondly who have passed away. There’s also this satisfying feeling that comes along – that they have been provided for, and that God is there to protect them along the way.

This walk was easily an epitome of serenity, leading us to the main Stupa that overlooked a lush green valley. The structure, made of white and gold represented peace and calm, and my mind was suddenly free of all the clutter. We took a couple of parikramas, stared into the valley and our host fondly remembered her mother, for whom she was able to build a Stupa (one among the 108 that lead us through the way)

Teli village is now getting noticed for its 108 Stupas as well an interesting Mahabodhi Center in vicinity of the Stupa . This unique center is home to elders and kids. It seems to be such a logical concept, to have a common home for elders and children- both groups complimenting the each other, sharing life lessons as well as a life. It was such a heartwarming feeling to know about this benevolent attempt to bridge gaps, while providing for the needs of each group. We were fortunate to see some kids heading back home from school, playing and planning their days. It felt like a happy place.