For centuries, the people living in Taksing and Limeking circles of Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Subansiri district maintained close social, cultural and economic links with Tibet. The relationship, however, changed dramatically after China took control of Tibet in the 1950s and the India-China border was eventually sealed following the 1962 war.
The Nah and Mra clans, who inhabit the region, recall a time when people regularly crossed the border for trade, pilgrimage and other purposes. Barter was an important part of local commerce, with goods brought from Tibet exchanged with people in places such as Nacho and Taliha.
“Before Independence, the Nah people had a close relationship with the Tibetan government. People moved freely between the two sides and the barter system was common,” said Taksing resident Tacham Chader.
The two clans also played a role in protecting Tibetan pilgrims travelling through their traditional territories. Tibetan devotees undertaking the arduous Rongkor pilgrimage, held once every 12 years, passed through areas inhabited by the Nah and Mra communities.
According to Chader, pilgrims traditionally offered silver coins and food items as a form of tax to the two clans in exchange for protection and assistance during their journey. The last Rongkor pilgrimage through the area was held in 1956.
The centuries-old contact also influenced the religious practices of the Nah community. Chader said that some members of the clan adopted Tibetan Buddhism through their interactions with Tibetans, and a section of the community continues to follow the faith today.
The situation changed after China took control of Tibet. Following the 1962 India-China war, cross-border movement was stopped, bringing an end to the longstanding people-to-people ties.
For the Mra community, the loss of access to Longju remains particularly painful. Members of the clan regard Longju, now under Chinese control, as their ancestral homeland.
“Mra originated from Longju, which is why the place remains special to us. It is our ancestral land, though it is now illegally occupied by China. The area from Longju to Limeking, around 74 km, belongs to the Mra clan,” said Tai Mra, gaon burah of Galemo village, located close to the Line of Actual Control.
China has constructed Lowa Xincun, or Lowa New Village, at the site believed to be the old Longju settlement. The Chinese village attracted attention after photographs of it surfaced publicly several years ago.
Tai Mra recalled that members of the Mra clan once collected taxes from Tibetan visitors travelling through their territory. He said the community has been unable to return to Longju since 1962.
“It is painful that we cannot visit a place that our ancestors considered their home,” he said.
The region also has religious sites that were once shared culturally by the local communities and Tibetans. Tania Chader, another member of the Nah clan, said both groups held Portrang Lake in high religious regard.
According to her, Nah people traditionally visited the lake as part of rituals believed to cleanse them of their sins, while Tibetan pilgrims also performed religious ceremonies there. She said access to the lake has now been lost because it is under Chinese control.
Taksing itself has an old monastery believed to have been built centuries ago. A new monastery has also been constructed in the area in recent years, reflecting the continuing presence of Tibetan Buddhist traditions.
Meanwhile, residents have reported an unusual modern-day consequence of living close to the international border. Some people in Taksing using Apple devices, including iPhones and Apple Watches, have said their devices automatically switch to Chinese Standard Time (CST). CST is 2 hours and 30 minutes ahead of Indian Standard Time.
