Monday, July 12, 2010

Tayiñ Lañpii - Leprosy Isolation Settlement

Leprosy has always tormented humans and has been feared and misunderstood. The disease has been considered a curse and a punishment from God. Leprosy patients, therefore, have been stigmatized and shunned. Leprosy isolation settlements had, thus, sprouted throughout the world.

Tayiñ Lañpii in the grazing grounds of Reru village was such an isolation settlement catering to leprosy patients in the area.

The name Tayiñ Lañpii itself inspired awe and mystery in the past. It still do to some extent. A pile of huge rocks, forming innumerable interconnecting caves. It was scary exploring the caves when I visited the place some thirty years back. This is a view from inside the main lañpii.

The Tayiñ Lañpii area now forms the vague boundary of two bamboo gardens. The stones and the caves still retain the feeling of grandeur they give to the explorers.

Apart from its historical significance as the only known isolation settlement for leprosy patients in the area, Tayiñ Lañpii is unique in itself. Welcome and explore it!

Friday, July 2, 2010

Kiwi Hill

As the traditional agriculture struggles to survive, various commercial farmings have been started at Ziro these days. One of them is kiwifruit, introduced a few years back. Not that the fruit is entirely new; its wild variety has been savored by the local people as long as they can remember.

The picture above is one of the many fairly large scale cultivations started at Ziro. This is located at Tajang Myolyañ, just two kilometers ahead of Pine Grove.