Dec 3, 2023
The village of Thembang in western Arunachal Pradesh is a timeless wonder. Perched on a hilltop at an elevation of 2300 mt, Thembang is home to many historical structures.
Dzong, a type of fortess architecture found in Bhutan and Tibet. It was constructed using the traditional techniques of the local Monpa people, like composite stone masonry and wood architecture.
The village is ornamented with carved stone blocks, mani walls (stone walls with prayers engraved on them) and paintings etched as graffiti along the housed and ancient ruins.
The 50-odd households that live here are surrounded by a medieval fortification and many other ancient monuments. Interestingly it is not these historic structures, but the way of life has attracted attention.
Multiple species of herbs and orchids with high medicinal value can be find here. This is very important as the people here have sound knowledge of ethnomedicine as part of their traditional wisdom.