A Hamlet in No Hurry”

Tucked deep within West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, Shergaon is not a detour — it is the road less taken. As you drive through pine-lined curves and prayer flags fluttering like whispers, the world you left behind begins to mute itself.

The Monpa village of Shergaon lives at its own pace. Morning smoke curls from wooden chimneys. Monks walk barefoot to the temple. The rhythm here isn’t slow — it’s steady.

More Than a Monastery

Most travellers arrive looking for the Shergaon Gompa — a Buddhist monastery tucked against pine-covered slopes. But what stays with you isn’t just the stupa or the prayer wheels. It’s the warmth of the head monk who speaks in metaphors. The child who offers you a cherry from his pocket. The woman who lights a butter lamp — not for blessings, but for balance.

You’ll see villagers praying, yes. But more often, they’re planting, cooking, fixing — living their beliefs through acts, not announcements.

Fields of Red and Wisdom

Shergaon’s fields glow red in autumn, not from flowers, but from red amaranth, grown beside buckwheat and maize. The Monpas practice traditional permaculture — rotating crops, resting soil, and using herbs not just for taste, but for temperament.

“We grow what grows with us,” says a farmer and part-time teacher.

Farming isn’t a job here — it’s participation. Even elders take their walking sticks to the orchard.

Snippets from Shergaon

  • The Herbalist’s Basket:
    Tsering Dolma collects 8 herbs every full moon — a mix of roots, flowers, and stems. “One for strength, one for peace,” she smiles. No written chart. Only memory.
  • The Wind Chimes Are Real:
    Not decorative ones — but actual bells tied to prayer flags and fruit trees. When the wind blows, it carries more than sound — it carries a wish.
  • Pine Fire and Pickles:
    In every kitchen: pinewood fire, yak milk tea, and fermented bamboo shoot pickle. The taste is sharp, but the memory lasts longer than the burn.

Know Before You Go

  • Getting There: Best accessed via Bomdila or Dirang; shared vehicles from Guwahati and Tezpur (Assam) operate during daylight hours.
  • Stay Options: Homestays with Monpa families offer both wooden floors and floor-sitting warmth.
  • Ideal Season: October to March — for clear skies and cultural ceremonies.
  • Responsible Travel Tip: Don’t pick herbs or wildflowers unless guided by a local. Nature isn’t display — it’s livelihood.

Some places don’t change you. They remind you of what you never lost.”