The Pristine Ziro!

 I knew that 0 is invented by Indians, but in October 2019 I could actually see it!! Well, the spelling was different! What we saw was Ziro! This Ziro is a absolutely stunning place. 

Ziro is a small town in Lower Subansiri District in Arunachal Pradesh. Arunachal Pradesh has been bestowed with one of the best landscape and climate in India. The beautifully blue sky, mighty mountains and the greenery with grass and in case of Ziro, pine trees as well.

( From Wikimedia)

It Looked like this in October 2019

The climate is wonderful. Best season to visit Ziro is April to October. Temperature may go below zero in Ziro in December, January. well..having stayed in hot climate for the most of my life, even 12 degree centigrade becomes chilly for me! 

It can rain at anytime of the year, so be ready with your ponchos. Air is so pure and without pollution that I always feel that North eastern states can be called as oxygen cylinders of India!

how to go to Ziro? The nearest railway station is Nahar Lagoon near Itanagar. You can hire a private vehicle form Nahar Lagun to Ziro. We had started for Ziro very early in the morning because we wanted to return on the same day to Nahar Lagun.

Though distance to Ziro is not much, it's only approximately 100 kms. The road is bumpy and a bit difficult, you will get to know about the number of bones in your body after the journey. Many times due to clouds,the visibility is very less. For the travel it took around 5 hours in the morning and 7 hours while returning. 

                                 

On the way we could get freshly prepared tasty vegan/vegetarian food in a restaurant. But there are very few places which are purely vegetarian. 

Freshly cooked pure vegetarian food!

In this area they eat everything from Silkworms,eggs,fishes, Chicken, pork to even Mithun. A vegetable shop can also have silkworms for sale. So we never dared to go for local food and markets. The typical stench of non vegetarian food kept us away from it. 

You will get to see many Mithun on the way. Mithun is state animal of Arunachal Pradesh. Its a semi wild animal from Bovine species found in North East India and can be domesticated. 

Mithun

What is Ziro famous for? Ziro is famous for it's mountains and beautiful valleys, rice fields and the paddy cum fish cultivation. This type of fish cultivation is very unique. Most probably it is the only place in India where this type of fish farming is done. Ziro is  famous for the annual music festival. Tourism takes a boost at the time of music festival. Ziro is also  famous for tribal villages and traditional tribal houses. 

Tribal house with paddy fish farming

                                          

But today I am taking you to a unique Shiv temple. 

A Dream House on the way!

                                             

After seeing this amazing natural Shivling, you will also start feeling like me. There, when I was standing in front of the giant natural Shivling I distinctly felt that, for a place to be a temple, man-made architecture is not at all necessary.

Shree SidheshwarNath Temple Cardo, Ziro

Nandi.

The tall mountains and trees surround this tall Shivling. It's said to be the tallest swayanbhu i.e. natural Shivling. Its a granitic rock whose height is more than 20 ft. It's having natural Rudraksh mala on it. 

Swayanbhu 20+ ft Shivling
With Natural Rudraksha Mala on it.

This Shivling was discovered in 2004,when a labourer was trying to cut a tree in that area. There is a small stream of water flowing nearby which is referred to as Ganga with Shiv! 

Though the road to Ziro is really tough, undoubtedly the area is having pristine natural beauty and a must visit place. 

                                         

For a view like this travelling rough roads is not tiresome!

P.S. Let me warn you, being a protected area, everyone needs an Inner line permit to enter Arunachal Pradesh and when you are in Ziro, google will show your location as Shannan, Tibet, China.