| West Kameng |
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| Area | 7422 km² |
| Population | 74,595 (2001) |
| Population Density | 10.1/km² |
| Literacy | 61.67% |
| Urbanization | n/a |
The West Kameng district is located in the Western part of Arunachal Pradesh. By political location, it shares international borders with Bhutan in the East and a small portion of it with China (Tibet) in the North. It also shares a state border with Assam in the south, and two district borders, Tawang and East Kameng in the North and East respectively. The capital is Bomdila.
Geography
Much of West Kameng area is covered with by the mighty Himalayas. The northern part belongs to the lesser Himalayas, the home of the temperate plants and the sub-Himalayas, which streches right up to Assam, is the the home of the subtropical rainforests.
People
West Kameng is a district that comprises of several culturally-advanced tribes who follow mainly Lamaism. A fair denomination of the tribes follow Donyi-Polo.
The largest of these, the Monpa, who form 78% (25,000) of the people's population, are Buddhist by religion. Culturally advanced as they were, they dominated politically in the daily aspects of the district. Other notable tribes include the Buddhist Sherdukpen, Lishipa, Chugpa, and the Animist Khowa, Miji and the Aka. Sizeable populations of Tibetan refugees also have settled in the urban areas in the last century.
Adminstration
The district itself is divided into three subdivisions namely Thrizino, Rupa and Kalaktang and twelve adminstrative circles that include Dirang, Bomdila, Kalaktang, Balemu, Bhalukpong, Jameri, Sinchung, Nafra, Thrizino, Rupa, Thembang, Shergaon.
Economy
Like most tribals of Arunachal Pradesh, Jhum, or shifting cultivation, is practised among the tribes who live in lower elevations where there is a temperate or subtropical climate. Horiculture is practised as well.
Small industries such as textile and handicraft factories can be found.
History
The area around the Kameng river have traditionally came under the control of the Mon kingdom, Bhutan, Tibet and the Ahom kingdom. Lamaism got a strong foothold among the tribal groups as early as in the 7th century, where the Kachen Lama constructed the Lhagyala Gompa in Morshing.
Whenever loose control was exerted over the area, small, feudal chiefdoms ruled by the Monpa and the Sherdukpen kings dominated control over the area. This can be evidenced in the fact that ruined fortresses like those in Bhalukpong constructed in the 10th to 12th century and the Dirang fort, which was constructed in the 17th century to defend against invasions from neighbouring chiefdoms.
Upon the arrival of the Bristish, the entire area became what was known as the North-East Frontier Agency. It was renamed as the Balipara Frontier tract in 1919, with its headquarters based at Charduar in Assam. In 1946, the district area was curved out of the Balipara, with the name of Sela Sub-Agency and its headquarter continued to be Charduar of Assam.
Following the independence of India, the Sela Sub-Agency was renamed as the Kameng Frontier Division. Its headquarters were later transferred to Bomdila in 1954. However, with the invasion of Tibet in 1950, Tibetan refugees started populating the area. Furthermore, with the invasion of the Chinese troops into this area, many of historical mounments were either destroyed or defaced.
The Kameng Frontier Division was renamed as the Kameng District. The Political Officer was also redesignated as the Deputy Commissioner of Kameng. However, due to political reasons, the Kameng district was bifurcated between East Kameng and West Kameng on the 1st June 1980. The Tawang district, which initially belonged to part of the district, was seperated on the 6th October 1984.
Tourist attractions
Much like its neighbouring areas, West Kameng has lots of beautiful sceneries that has a lot of potential for Tourism.
Rupa
A town that is mainly inhabited by the Sherdukpen (with some Monpa and Tibetan refugees), it is located at an elevation of 1400m. The place, which is located in the middle of four mountains, boasts a beautiful scenery in Summer with the Ziding Kho and Dinik Kho rivers that runs on the both side of village which joined at the very edge of the valley.
The main attraction centers on the Rupa Gompa of the Gelugpa sect, which is constructed shortly after the construction of the Tawang Gompa. Beautiful orchids of flowers and fruits planted by the natives is found everywhere.
Bomdila
The district's headquarters, Bomdila, boasts a beautiful collection of Gompas, orchids of fruits and flowers. Beautiful Gompas, Craft Centres, the district museum, sports complex are the main attractions.
Bomdila acts as an center to unify all the tribes from the entire district to live in harmony. Over time, the local Buddhist culture have interwined with magico-spiritual beliefs, mainly thriugh the frequent contact between the Buddhist Monpa and Sherdukpen and the Animist Miji and Aka. Today, people celebrating festivals from different religions such as Losar (February), Wang, Choskar, etc is no longer uncommon.
Groups of Tibetan refugees can also found in Bomdila.
External links
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