Taiphakey Village: A Potential Eco-tourism Destination Spot in Assam

Our Correspondent

DIGBOI: Taiphakey or Namphakey village is the largest Taiphakey village in Assam inhabited by around 150 families. It has the potential for eco-tourism. The Tai village located in the riverine bank of the Buri-Dehing River at a distance of around 40 km from Dibrugarh town falls in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts of Upper Assam.

Extensively rich in flora and fauna with serene natural landscapes falling within the east block of the Upper Dehing Reserve Forest, the Taiphake village and its vicinity covers an area of 111.19 km of rainforest.

The word ‘phake’ has been derived from Tai words ‘Pha’ meaning walls and ‘ke’ meaning ancient or old. Tai is a generic name denoting a branch of the Mongoloid population of Asia The place also exhibits a good example of Tai culture flourishing well amidst the liberal

Assamese culture with Buddhist monasteries as the centres of learning and preaching. A beautiful Buddhist monastery here - a famous tourist attraction of Assam- is regarded as a centre of meditation due to its unique natural settings and serene atmosphere. The place also has Ashoka Pillar, Pagoda and traditional stilt Musulinda Tank.

To promote the place and the region to match international standard, Taiphakey Eco-Tourism, a non-governmental organization, was constituted in 2010. Its headquarter is at Tipam Phakey, an ethnic village consisting mainly of Fakial community people , 2 km

away from Joypore town in Dibrugarh district, adjacent to the historical place of Tipam and the Dehing Patkai Rainforest. It also aims at creating avenues to engage the local youths in nature-based activities, both for conservation and livelihood.

Taiphakey Eco-Tourism has an eco-camp in the Tipam Phakey village with traditional fooding and lodging facilities and scenic picnic spot near Burhidihing River with swimming facilities in the river. An exquisite insight into ethnic Tai-Phakey culture and living styles of the people, trekking, bird watching, library and more funfare avenues are available to explore. The Taiphakey Eco-tourism Camp has selected natural hotspots for tourists where they can enjoy programmes related to the culture and heritage of various tribes in and around the rainforest area like Tai-Phakey, Tai-Ahoms, Nocte and tea communities.

Rajiv Rudra Tariang, the environmentalist and naturalist in the Department of Botany of Digboi College, who carried out several expeditions and studied the fauna kingdom, said that with little attention from the Assam Government, the place could easily be escalated into an international forum in terms of eco-tourism.

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