Golden Pagoda Namsai
The Golden Pagoda of Namsai, also popular as
Kongmu Kham in the Tai-Khampti vernacular is a Burmese style Buddhist temple
that was established in 2010. It is situated on a 20 hectare complex in Namsai
District of Arunachal Pradesh. Approx, a sum of 3 crore was spent by Arunachal
politician Chowna Mein, who was the local MLA in building of pagoda in a plot
provided by the state government. The World Tripi?aka Foundation is currently
developing Kongmu Kham as the first international Tripi?aka centre in India.
The Kathina festival is the largest festival
celebrated at the Golden Pagoda. The 2016 ceremony, held on November 13 also
saw participation from Thai Buddhist monks. An image of Buddha which was
earlier kept at Wat Bowonniwet Vihara, known as the Pro Bpor Ror was gifted by
the monks on behalf of Bhumibol Adulyadej. The Thai monks also presented a
Kalpatru (Money Tree) to the Golden Pagoda. However, the ceremony of
Loi-Krathong, which is marked by the releasing of floating lamps into the
MungchalindaBuddha pond, is also held on the last day of the festival.
History
Golden Pagoda at Namsi is a
very wondrous and alluring place and is a tourist destination in the land of
the dawn lit mountains. Chongkham is an irresistible combination of
breathtaking natural beauty, inspiring pagodas, temples and robust cuisines. Chongkham-
Namsai area have a lush green forest, rich and colourful flora and fauna,
exotic orchids and is criss-crossed by dozens of rivers and rivulets and
tributaries of Lohit and Kamlang Rivers.
Basically, Chongkham is bounded
in the north by the commanding snow ranges of the last fringes of ‘Himalayan
Hump’ and the descending misty mountains of Patkai range to its east while its
South and West opens and stretches upto the Brahmaputra valley in Assam. People
say that Patkai range has numerous passes through which the Ahoms poured into
Assam from Burma and established Ahom rule in Assam which lasted upto 600
years. Those Ahoms were followed by Tai Khamtis centuries later who again
established their dominance in Sadiya and Tengapani area. . Chongkham is
essentially a tea town and sprawling tea plantations, picturesque landscapes,
winding lanes, trekking and holiday facilities make Chongkham make a unique
combination to experience that place. Legends and the popular stories connect
the kund with Parasuram, which is one of the most influential sages of ancient
India. However, the kund speaks its own history as legend has it that Parasuram
washed away his sin of slaying his mother by washing his hands in the water of
that kund. Since then, this kund has been popularly named as Parasuram kund.
Architecture
