Parasuram Kund –a fascinating destination in Arunachal Pradesh where nature meets mythology

Located In midst the tranquility of nature in Kamlang Reserve Forest in Lohit district in Arunachal Pradesh Parasuram Kunda, a pilgrimage centre, is also famous as a tourist spot. Crystal clear waters of Lohit River rolls over the rocky river-bed and plays with pebbles and stone balls while the trees dance in lush green hills on both sides in rhythm making it a fascinating spot for nature lovers as well.

Mythology says that sage Parasuram beheaded his mother with his axe to follow the order of his father. The fallout of the heinous act was terrible, as the axe got stucked on his hand after the matricide. He visited several holy places, but he could not remove the axe from his hand. Finally he reached Mahendragiri mountain, where he opened a channel of water from a ‘Kund’ (natural reservoir of rainwater) to let the water flow and took a dip in the water that flowed. The axe got removed from his hand. Since then the kund came to be known as Parasuram Kund.

Thousands of pilgrims and nature lovers from all over the world visit Parasuram Kund during winter. A grand fair is organized during Makar Sankranti celebrations in mid-January.

Parasuram Kund is about 47 kilometers from Tezu, the district headquarter of Lohit distict and 159 kilometers from Tinsukia town in Assam. There is regular bus service from Tinsukia. The nearest railway station is Tinsukia and the nereast airport Mohanbari is located in Assam’s Dibrugarh distirct adjacent to Tinsukia district.

One has to cross the Dirak gate at the border point of Namsai district in Arunachal Predesh and Tinsikia district in Assam to visit Parasuram Kund. Visitors are required to obtain the Inner Line Permit (ILP) to visit. For the convenience of pigrims and other tourists there is provision for issuing ILP at this gate.

There are guest houses for tourists in Parasuram Kund. However, the accommodation is very limited. Those who fail to get accommodation in Parasuram Kund can stsy in Tezu or in Namsai which is about 84 km off Parasuram Kund.

However, series bandh and blockades in neighboring districts Assam and Namsai district in Arunachal Pradesh over turbulent political situation, number of tourists visiting Parasuram Kund has declined this year to a great extent. This has created a negative impact on the small businessmen living there. Most of them are dependant on these tourists for the whole year.

Photo, Video and Text- Hironmay Moran

(Hironmay Moran is a student of Mass Media in Chaiduar College in Assam. He produced this feature as part of his internship at NEZINE.)