RAMAKRISHNA SARADA MISSION GIRLS' SCHOOL

The Place: Khonsa

Khonsa is a hill station situated in the Tirap District of Arunachal Pradesh, the easternmost tip of India. It is also the headquarters to Tirap District and lies towards the south-east of Arunachal Pradesh. 

The Khonsa region of Arunachal Pradesh is primarily occupied by the Nocte and Wanchoo tribes. Besides these traditional tribes, the population of Khonsa also consists of migrants from the nearby states of Nagaland and Assam as well as from Myanmar and Bangladesh. Assamese, Hindi, Nocte, Wancho and English are the languages used in Khonsa. 

The historical background of Khonsa is very obscure. The historical isolation of this rural place had given it the name 'forgotten land'. This place was under the control of the British during the era of colonisation. 

Khonsa is one of those regions of Arunachal Pradesh that firmly hold on to the age old customs and traditions. The town, located at an altitude of about 3500 ft above sea level, is surrounded by the Himalayas. Tirap district is bordered  by Myanmar on its east and Assam on its west. Khonsa can easily be reached from Tinsukia and Dibrugarh cities of Assam which are located at a distance of about 75 km and 115 km respectively.

The topography of Khonsa is marked with many hilly, rocky and mountainous regions, a number of valleys, deep chasms and scores of uncharted tropical forests. Plain plots are very hard to find in Khonsa. There are several streams and rivers that flow through the region. Khonsa is covered mostly by the Namsang-Dirak River Valley and partly by the Tissa River Valley. The entire area that comes under the Tissa River Valley circle is covered by thick tropical forests.  

Enveloped by dense forests and hilly terrains, Khonsa is home to diverse avian and animal species. Tiger, leopard, jackal, wild boar, bear, barking deer, red panda, musk deer, mithun, numerous species of rodents, etc. are found in these forests. The forests of Khonsa bear more than 500 species of fine varieties of orchids. 

 

It is a military area marked by Assam Rifles and CRPF battalions. Surrounded by panoramic views of thick forests fringed by hills, Khonsa is a back to nature destination. One can find White gibbon monkeys swinging from branch to branch at Khonsa. Dense forests of Khonsa is blessed with numerous rare species of orchids, during April, the forests treat everyone's eyes with these rare and exotic blossoms.