In and around Ziro::Official website of Lower Subansiri District

The land of scenic grandeur : ZIRO

One of the most beautiful hill station of Arunachal Pradesh, located at about 1500 metres above mean sea level in the midst of the pine clad mountains, a Hidden land by Ursula G. Bowler, Ziro is the headquarter of Lower Subansiri District inhabited by more than have 50,000 friendly Apatani’s people. The land of Apatani’s is a valley, uneven and dotted with a number of hillocks beneath the lust paddy field. On the east, a high ridge, which demarcates the plateau from the wooded hills of the lower region. The ridge is having some important peaks. The Salin peak is on the old Apatani trade route to North Lakhimpur. Often these ranges remain with thick clouds. A small river, the Kele, drains the plain of the Apatani valley. It flows to the south for some 40 km before it meets the Panior River near Yazali.
The Apatani people, who worship nature God, extend hospitality more so during festivals like Myoko, Murung and Dree.They design beautiful Handloom and Handicrafts, besides, practicing famous paddy - fish cultivation. The area is rich in biological diversity having varied flora and fauna as per altitudinal zonation from sub tropical to alpine forest.
*What to see in and around ZIRO .....* KILE PAKHO: A ridge located at 7 km. from old Ziro. In a fine morning, one can have clear bird’s views of Ziro plateau on one side and snow range of Himalayas called “NYIME PEMBU” in the other. PINE GROOVE: Pine clad area about 3 km. from old Ziro. GREF (Border Road organization) established in December 1961 is located around this scenic grandeur.
MIDEY: A place famous for gigantic SAT-NII PIISHA and SAMENII, a Blue pine tree (Pinus wallichina) being biggest and tallest tree in the Apatani valley measuring about 7 (seven) metre at GBH ( girth at breast height). One can trek through bamboo groove beneath the paddy field to this see this gigantic blue pine trees which is 2 Km from old Ziro.
ZIRO PUTU: Sometime called ARMY PUTU is a Hillock at old Ziro where first administrative centre was set up after India’s independence and ARMY cantonment was located in sixties. From this hillock one can have bird’s eye view of Apatani plateau. The Airport is also located beneath this hillock in the midst of the scenic paddy field. DOLO MANDO: A hillock of legendary love affairs between DOLO & MANDO. It is located at 2 KM from Hapoli towards Old Ziro on the western side of ZIRO – Daporijo Road. One can trek to the top to see the Hapoli Town in one side and old Ziro on other side.
D.I.C.: District Industries Centre located at 1 km. from Distt. Hq. Ziro(Hapoli), where traditional handlooms & handicrafts and others traditional items are displayed and also available for sale at competitive rate.
PAAPU: First administrative centre established before independence in 1944-45 by a foreigner Mr. F. Heimendrof famous anthropologist, author of “Himalayan Barbary”, “Apatani and their Neighbours” and “A Himalayan Tribe: From cattle to cash”, as a Special Officer appointed by British Administration. HAPOLI: Headquarter of Lower Subansiri District Administration. The Deputy Commissioner’s residence and Circuit House are located at a hillock from where one can have clear view of Hapoli Township. TARIN FISH FARM: About 3.5 km from Hapoli Town, one can see beautiful high altitude fish farm where breeding of high altitude fishes is done. The fingerlings are sold during paddy cultivation season.
PADDY CUM FISH CULTIVATION: A famous innovative cultivation practices followed in Apatani plateau, now a day, where fishes are rear alongwith paddy cultivation. After transplanting of paddy from the nursery in wet rice cultivation field (W.R.C.), the fish fingerlings are put in MUGO (channels in paddy field for drainage of water) at knee-deep height that are kept for 2-3 months before harvesting of fish.
BAMBOO GROOVE: One stem monopodial Bamboo, (Phyllotachys bamboosoides) grown with blue clad pine, is one of expert practices of farm forestry followed in this part of the world. One will appreciate their expertise when one venture inside in this groove in conjunction with hiking and picnic.
TALEY WILD LIFE SANCTUARY: Most beautiful and virgin forests having diverse flora and fauna ranging from sub-tropical to alpine forests. It is covered with impenetrable vegetations marked by giant silver fir trees, a variety of rhodendron, orchids, ferns and varieties of bamboo. One should not leave Ziro without visiting this biodiversity hot spot of this plateau, which is away nearly 32 KM north east of ZIRO. DILOPOLYANG -MANIIPOLYANG : A twin hillock on the way to Talley Valley after crossing Siiro village is a scenic grassland land beneath the natural forests catches the spectacle of eye. Further, the area is part of extension of Hapoli Township. Myoko Festival:: This festival is celebrated during the month of March every year amongst three villages namely Diibo-Hija, Hari-Bulla and Hong of Apatani plateau on rotational basis with traditional gaiety and festivity. The festival is celebrated by the whole villager for well being of society in which people from other villages are invited for local beer ‘OHO’ and meat, besides, merry making like BUSHII and AYU (traditional song). Each individual sacrifices the pigs during the festival.
MURUNG FESTIVAL :: This festival is celebrated during the month of January by individual in which all the villagers participate. The festival is celebrated for well being of individual and immediate kit and kin. In this, Mithuns and cows are sacrificed that are distributed to the whole villagers of Apatani before “PENII SOLIN DU” traditional festivities in which young and old goes to other villages of Apatani plateau by chanting “HO-HO” in a queue.
DREE FESTIVAL:: This Agricultural festival is celebrated during the month of July, centrally on 5th July every year at Nenchaleya, Old Ziro to propitiate the Dree God to protect the agriculture crops from pests and diseases. In this festival traditional songs and dances are also performed. The people of all villages of Apatani take part, besides people from other areas are also invited for community feast at festival ground.
ORCHID AND FLOWERS: Ziro is famous for rare orchids and other flowers like Rhododendron arboreum (SANJI APU), Hedychium ellipticum (PAPPI APU), Hedychium densiflorum, etc. The climate of the area is congenial for cultivation of orchids and varieties of flowers. At present one local entrepreneur has developed an orchid farm in which large variety of rare and exotic orchids are cultivated for sale and research pupose. The farm, M/s Nanakoo Orchid Farm, half a kilometre from Hapoli on Hapoli-Talley Valley road is a place worth visiting to.
SHIVA LINGAM AT KARDO FOREST : Discovery of Shiva Lingam :: A miraculous discovery of Shiva Lingam of Sidheswar Nath Temple took place in the 1-forthnight of July'2004. According to the Hindu Calendar, it is the month of Shravana, a sacred month to worship Lord Shiva. A Nepalese, Mr Prem Subha was cutting tree standing at the right of the Lingam. The tree was expected to fell just over it, fortunately, nothing harmed it and the tree landed a few meters away from the Lingam. He felt surprised over it and looked at the rising stone. Suddenly something struck in his mind and realized that it was not a mere stone. It stood clearly visible which appealed him to believe it as Shiva Lingam. Being fully inspired with his beliefs, he started telling the people all about what he had seen and what had happened. The mystery of this Lingam in Ziro has obviously mentioned in the SHIVAPURANA in 17th chapter of the ninth section (Nava Khand ke Satrahwa Adhyaya) edition 1893 that the tallest Shiva Lingam will appear at a place which will be called Lingalaya and the later the whole will be known as Arunachal. Now it makes everyone belief about the reality of its appearance. There one can see not only the Lingam but also the image of Goddess Parvati and Lord Ganesha with trunk turning leftward. It is also said that the goddess of water, the Ganga lives with Lord Shiva. Therefore, the constant flow of water from the base of the Lingam can be clearly seen. Location : It is about 4 Km away from Hapoli township. The height of Shiva Lingam is 25ft. and 22 ft width at Kardo. Million of devotees who offer their prayers, worship and faith of Lord Shiva in the remote Himalayan region of Tribal beliefs and traditions.
RANGANADI HYDEL PROJECT(NEEPCO) AT YAZALI : 45 Km away from District Hq., Ziro. Its capacity is 405 MW.