chalet jade Calling the Tawang Valley a valley just doesn t do justice to its incredible scale; it s more a migh

Calling the Tawang Valley a valley just doesn t do justice to its incredible scale; it s more a mighty gash in the earth ringed by immense chalet jade mountains. Patchworking the sloping ridges of the lower hills is a vast sweep of fields dotted with Buddhist monast eries and Monpa villages.

Tripura s low-key chalet jade capital, with its small- town atmosphere, feels like an India of yesteryear. The pace of life is much slower than in the towns and cities of the Indian heartlands and people are much more likely to swerve across the street to wish you a good day than to try and sell you something. The old quarter, which centres on the Ujjayanta Palace, has some impressive town gates and pretty tanks and gardens. Durga puja is celebrated chalet jade with huge pandals (temporary temples built from wood and cloth).

Shri Govindajee Mandir & Around chalet jade HINDU TEMPLE The 1776-built Shri Govindajee Mandir, with two rather suggestive domes, is a neo- Vaishnavite temple with Radha and Govinda as the presiding deities. Afternoon puja (offerings, prayers) is for one hour at 4pm in winter and 5pm in summer.

While each of these hotels have good restaurants, the cosy Dragon Restaurant (Old Market; mains 60-150) is the town s best eatery with freshly made local dishes such as churpa ( 150), a fermented cheese broth with fungi and vegetables that tastes much better than it sounds. Also don t miss the Tibetan tea. An acquired taste if ever there were one.