For a really close to nature feel, far far away from the hustle and bustle of city life, there is nothing like a couple of days in Anjaw, the easternmost district of the country. Carved out from the Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh in 2004, Anjaw has a geographical area of 6,190 square kilometres, with a civilian population of about 19,000 people.

The entire district is almost spliced into two by the Lohit river. In fact, visitors would be on the banks of the Lohit right from Parsuram Kund up to Kibithu near the China border, a distance of 218 km. Though the road all throughout is very good, except at a few locations, it takes at least nine hours to cover this distance. That is, if one is not delayed by landslides on the way.

From the Parsuram Kund point, views of the fast flowing Lohit, flanked by lofty Patkai range mountains on either side leaves one bewildered and humbled by Mother Nature. The views are mesmerizing and majestic, and on a sunny day, the entire stretch is a photographer’s delight.

While a lazy trip to Anjaw district would be a tourist’s delight, the lack of telecommunication infrastructure is a journalist’s nightmare. Mobile telephone connectivity is available only at Hawai, the headquarters of the district and at Hayuliang, about 60 km away. Landlines are almost unavailable and the few satellite-connected PCOs mostly do not work. So, the internet, email and sms addict would have a really difficult time in the Anjaw district, at least till the situation improves. Even at Hawai and Hayuliang, where mobile phone service is available (but only on the BSNL network), there is no GPRS: no mobile internet!

The name of the district’s headquarters, Hawai is quite interesting. Nobody knows why the place was so named, but it is gathered that locals call it so because the place is very windy, all round the year. Civil construction work is going on at a feverish pitch at Hawai, to build government offices and residential quarters. While the construction work goes on, the deputy commissioner of the district functions from Tezu, while the superintendent of police functions from Hayuliang. Deputy Commissioner CS Jeinow is full of ideas for the rapid economic development of the district.

“The tourism potential is tremendous, and is waiting to be exploited,” he says. Any visitor to the district would agree. And the best part is that in Arunachal Pradesh, the civil administration is quite liberal in renting out circuit house and inspection bungalow rooms to visitors requesting this. This is very different from the situation in Assam, where circuit houses and inspection bungalows are very rarely made available to ordinary visitors and tourists, and are generally held like personal property by sundry civil officials.

The district that has immense potential to be much sought after tourist destination also has extremely large potential for hydropower and organic farming, thanks to its topography. But a word of advise: drive slow, enjoy the view, and do carry a flask of hot tea. Wayside eateries are not found frequently, and the only place where hot tea and snacks is available is at Thohangam, Salangam, Hayuliang, and Walong, on the 218-kilometre stretch from Parsuram Kund to Kibithu. Switch off your mobile, drive carefully, and let Nature take over!

Ron Duarah