Expedition to Hadap Dite

The Arunachal Times, 17 December 2008.

PASIGHAT, Dec 16: As a part of year-long celebration to commemorate 150 years of Bitbor Mimak (Anglo-Abor war of 1858) a twelve-member expedition team from Kebang village led by Take Moyong and Tajong Darang, both veteran in mountaineering and hunting, had finally made it to the summit of Hadap Dite at 11.20 am on Dec 6 last, It was a three-day expedition from Dec 5 to 7.

The brave warriors of Kebang village led by Lomkom Darang had comprehensively defeated and beaten back a British punitive expedition led by Capt. Lowther in the battle that took place at Goyiing foothills just three miles away from the erstwhile Kebang (Kumku) village on March 25, 1858.

Earlier, attempt to scale the peak had to be abandoned twice, in January 2008 and April 2008 respectively due to inclement weather.

The team departed from Kebang (Sole) village on Dec 5 last at 09.20 am and camped at Tanyo Rapar on Dec 6. It departed from the base camp at 7 am and after 4 hrs arduous trekking reached the tip of the Hadap Dite at 11.20am. After enjoying the enchanting panoramic views of the far and wide mountain ranges, the team left for their base camp at 1600 hrs and reached it safely at 1800 hrs.

Hadap Dite, which is the highest peak of a vast stretch of mountainous ranges is located in the Western side of Kebang village and in the Northern side of Yemsing village. In the far Western side of the peak, Tadin, Kombo, Aalo town and Jini village of West Siang district are located. And in the Northern side Tarak, Lokpeng, Koreng and Pangin under Pangin circle of East Siang district are located.

It also happen to be the first peak to be scaled by the British Army for Trigonometric survey after the fall of Kebang village in the Poju Mimak ( Anglo-Abor war of 1911). And the peak was last visited by a team of Geological Survey of India (GSI) in Dec.1964. The people of the area are afraid to go up the peak as they are dreaded by DIMI, a semi-spiritual monkey like arboreal animal believed to be inhabiting that area.

The Expedition was initiated and sponsored by Paator Gumin Heritage Preservation and Research Foundation (PGHP&RF), Kebang, which is trying to rediscover the glorious past of Kebang village and immortalize the contributions and sacrifices made by their forefathers in the freedom movement.