Na na na tasshey shun

This is just an account of one of my fondest memories of the North East Tour 2008.


We are the only occupants of a tiny, little local "bar" in one of the bylanes of Bomdila town, Arunachal Pradesh. Tibetan "rock" in the background and a gallon jug of the local brew [called lo-paani, made by distilling rice water or something like that ]on the table in front. The bar owner is telling Rao about the greatness of the Dalai Lama while his friend is dancing to the music, shouting out the words and drumming the tune on the table.

A few hours ago Rao and me had booked our return tickets from Guwahati on a super slow net connection and the next morning we were off to Nameri National Park, the final leg of this North East Tour. We were leaving the mystical state of Arunachal Pradesh and heading to what the mountain people called "the plains" with much disdain.

A dinner off steaming, hot thupka was followed by a casual conversation with the restaurant owner. A round-faced, cute little man. Asked him whether we could taste some of the local booze. He took us to the local bar opposite his restaurant. Run by a friend of his.

[Thats a photo of the Bomdila monastery]

Over the next few hours, we all became the best of friends. Never before have I met a people who are so open and trusting. Turns out the restaurant owner was a lama who had quit the religious life. Too hard a life and not the one he would choose for himself.

The bar owner was a former Border Force soldier, a Tibetan refugee who still dreams of returning home. He still had photos of his army colleauges. Smart, incredibly fit young men dressed in fatigues and over-size sunglasses, looking like they owned the world.

We discussed love, life, the Chinese army and God. We danced to songs we did not understand and we talked about all the things in the world. They told us all the times when one was carried home by the other, too piss drunk to walk. How they would get yelled at by their wives, forbidden to drink anymore only to find themselves in the bar once again.

We were joined by two other gentlemen and we danced again, shouting out the few words we had learned by now [na na na tasshey shun]. One of them walked us back to our hotel rooms, the rice-based alcohol making us feel powerful.

It was one of the best nights of the entire trip.


The "trip" consisted of Shillong, Tawang, Bomdila, Nameri and one night in Guwahati. It was the North East Tour of 2008 and we had a bloody good time.

Oh and one last thing: all the booze we had, not a single rupee was taken. Not a single frikkin rupee.