ITANAGAR, 30 Dec: A two-day trekking expedition from Taa Shi to Budum Langne (snake stone) in Toru circle of Papum Pare district concluded on 29 December.
The trekking team, led by Rajya Sabha member Nabam Rebia and including Toru ZPM Taba Rama and Everesters Anshu Jamsenpa, Tagit Sorang and Tame Bagang, among others, started from Tangar Yarne in Kheel, and reached Budum Langney at around 3 pm on 28 December. After halting there overnight, the trekkers went down to the base camp in Satang village the next day.
Later, Rebia inaugurated a trekkers’ base camp at Satang village. An avid nature lover, the MP strongly advocated preserving the wildlife and environment in the state.
Rebia also assured to facilitate funds for laying a trekking route from Kheel to Satang via Budum Langney, establishing a rest house and CC steps in Tasi, and fencing to protect Budum Langney.
The MP suggested that the trekkers’ base camp be named after late Satang HGB Taba Rayo. He also proposed creating a community reserve forest in the Budum Langne area.
The trekking expedition was aimed at exploring the adventure tourism potential of the areas and promoting ecotourism, besides preserving the mythology of Tai Bida, the legendary folktale character who lost hundreds of his mithuns in Ganga Lake (Gekar Sinyi), located near Itanagar.
Highlighting the linkage of Budum Langney with the legendary tale of Tai Bida, Rebia said, “It’s not just an ordinary stone; it is a historical linkage with Tai Bida.”
The footprints of Tai Bida in Budum Langney are apparently still visible, along with the hole from where Balang Budum – a kind of snake – appeared before Tai Bida as a symbol of his downfall.
The MP informed that, earlier, Rs 2 crores had been sanctioned for the development of the area. He gave assurance that a trekking route would be laid from another side in order to protect the snake stone from exploitation.
The expedition was conducted by Naharlagun-based Tribal Adventure Tours CMD John Panye, in collaboration with the Papum Pare district administration. (With DIPRO input)