martri Tawang town is a transport hub and service centre for the valley s villages; its setting is more bea

The most accessible villages are the Konyak settlements around Mon. Traditional houses martri abound, and some villages have morungs and religious relics from pre-Christian times. Village elders may wear traditional costume and Konyak of all ages carry the fearsome-looking dao a crude machete used for headhunting right up until the mid-20th century.

Tawang town is a transport hub and service centre for the valley s villages; martri its setting is more beautiful than the town itself. Nonetheless, colourful prayer wheels add interest to the central old market area. These are turned by apple-cheeked Monpa pilgrims, many of whom sport traditional black yak- wool gurdam martri (skullcaps that look like giant Rastafarian spiders). In the market area is M/S Cyber (per hr 30; h9am-6pm), which has internet sometimes. martri There s an SBI Bank with an ATM just past the market on the road to the monastery.