Unknown for
many, the largest war cemetery in entire North East situated at Jairampur,
Changlang district in Arunachal Pradesh with more than 1000 graves is gradually
drawing people’s attention.
Journey
to Jairampur
 |
| ENTRANCE !!! |
One early
morning, my senior and I set out for Jairampur World war II cemetery from Tezu
via Mahadevpur en-route Kharsang. Driving along the smooth highway with
soothing music inside the car and light drizzle outside kept us busy throughout
the journey. Within an hour, we reached
small but impressive town Jairampur .
Place and Tribe
Popular for
Namadapha National Park, Changlang is home to Tangsa, Tutsa, Singpho and Yobin tribes with their unique and distinctive art, culture, tradition and
festivals. Jairampur, Miao, Manmao,
Vijoynagar and Nampong are other important towns.
Along the Stillwell Road
The World
War II Cemetery is around 7 kilometres from Jairampur. Once known as Ledo road,
it was re-named as Stilwell Road in honour of General Joseph W Stilwell, an
American who was behind road’s construction. I couldn't hide my excitement of travelling along the erstwhile
Stilwell Road..
Constructed
during the second world
war by Allied Forces for easy transit from India to Kunming in China
via Myanmar and to prevent the advancement of imperial Japanese, the road had
slowly faded away from people’s memories with course of time.
 |
| ALONG THE ERSTWHILE STILWELL ROAD |
Presently,
this road comes under Trans-Arunachal Highway as National Highway- 315 with two
lane road till India’s last village.
Discovery
Mysteriously
remaining unknown for years, Jairampur WW II Cemetery was discovered in 1997 by
Assam Rifle Jawans during clearing the jungle. Many graves were already
destroyed due to wild elephants trampling and natural calamities. Even the
local people didn’t know about its presence. Though they had found many
artifacts and items used during the WW II but ignorant of cemetery’s historical
importance, they didn’t preserve any.
Arranged in many lines and rows, there is
a huge grave in the centre believed to be a mass burial.
 |
| GRAVES !!!! |
Botanical Garden
Spreading
over an area of 3 acres near Namchik River, the cemetery comes under Botanical garden
but the state's forest department looks after it including a non-functional
museum inside the premises.
With free
entry, the number of visitors has increased after its renovation. Though no
register is kept to record the exact number of visitors; winter season
witnesses more visitors. Around four thousand tourists turn up annually.
Foundation
stone
State’s
former Governor Retired General JJ Sigh had laid the foundation stone 2nd
January 2009. Minister of Defence (MoS) MM Pallam Raju opened it formally for public
on 20th January 2010.
Memorial
Memorial
erected in memory of those died during the construction of Stilwell Road reads:
 |
| MEMORIAL !!! |
Graves and Graveyard
Just ahead of memorial, there are graves everywhere under the
tree shades. More than 1000 graves including that of the Chinese, Kachins, Indan, british and Americans soldiers exist.
Soldiers, workers and labourers during the Stilwell road
construction died due to diseases like
malaria, dysentery, natural calamities and snake bite were buried here. Some Abor(Adi), Mishmi, Jaintia soldiers who fought for the Allied Forces were also buried here but
barely any evidence is available
supporting their background.
Cemetery of a Chinese and Epitaphs
Chinese soldier Hsiao Chu Ching’s burial is the largest and is
only the cemetery in India where a Chinese army’s soldier is buried. Inscribed in
Chinese with English translation, his tombstone reads:
Major Hsiao Chu Ching, Company Commander 2nd Company, 2nd Battalion of 10th Regiment, Independent Engineers of Chinese Army stationed in India. He was born in July 1913 at Wei Country of Hapeh province and died in December 1943.
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| HSIAO CHI CHUNG'S TOMBSTONE !!! | | | |
An epitaph
nearby Chu Ching’s burial reads: These graves bear the
silent testimony to those
soldiers, unlisted workers and labourers who ventured into virgin jungle amid blistering heat and
laid their lives in the line of duty during
second world war whilst part
of the all forces against the imperial Japanese Army. Their Names Liveth Forever More.
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| THEIR NAMES LIVETH FOREVER MORE !!! |
However, it is very disappointing to witness many graves in dilapidated
condition without maintenance. Epitaphs need an immediate re-writing as
alphabets are almost illegible.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
In spite being the
largest war cemetery in North East, it exists in obscurity. Unlike war
cemeteries of Kohima in Nagaland and Imphal in Maniur, Jairampur World war II cemetery
doesn’t come under Commonwealth War Graves Commission. So the Commission doesn’t
provide any aid for maintenance.
The last Indian village
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| WAY FROM NAMPONG !!! |
Visiting India’s last village-Nampong will be an icing on the
cake which is only 20 Km away from Jairampur. The highway with pleasing
terraced tea gardens and lush green hill on road’s both sides is breathtaking. Pangsau
pass is just 11 km from Nampong but permission is required to move beyond Nampong due to security reason.
How to reach?
Well connected from Assam, Jairampur is 136 kilometres from
Mohanbari airport in Dibrugarh. From Tinsukia, it is only 96 kilometres.
Check Point and ILP
Entering Arunachal, all non-Arunachalees need Inner Line Permit
(ILP) at Jairmapur check post.
Tourists can procure an ILP at check post instantly. Tourists can stay at
inspection bungalow and circuit house.
Back Home with Memory
Ideal for solitude lovers, here one listens nothing but
nature’s silence; crickets’ sound and birds chirping. It was already evening now! We began our back journey. But my mind was engrossed
thinking about those graves. Images of graves were recurring in my mind who
sacrificed their lives accomplishing Stilwell Road.
Some graves in the world are known by
names; some graves are known by numbers; there are graves that are known by
alphabets. Unfortunately, these graves are sans
any names; numbers or alphabets! These graves have existed unidentified for
years. Don’t know for how long these graves will remain nameless, unidentified!
As we were heading
towards Tezu, few lines of a poem came to my mind:
"Thus Let me live, Unseen, Unknown;
Thus unlamented, let me die;
Steal from the world, and not a stone
Tell where I lie.'"
Images: Few images are taken from Google.
