Parsi Parlo: A remote hamlet in Arunachal’s Kurung Kumey district housing Neolithic site remnants

Parsi Parlo is a remote hamlet located in the Kurung Kumey district of Arunachal-Pradesh bordering China. There are around 21 villages in the Parsi-Parlo block in which Parsi-Parlo village is the largest one.

This quaint village is a place of breathtaking natural beauty. Located about 48 kms from the district headquarters of Koloriang, it is surrounded by lush green forests, cascading waterfalls and breathtaking mountain views.

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The village is also home to beautiful rivers like Kamala and Parlo, which provide the villagers with a source of cool, crystal clear water and fish. Visitors can embark on treks through the verdant hills, explore the rich biodiversity of the region, and witness the mesmerizing beauty of the sunrise and sunset.

Parsi Parlo is home to a small community of people belonging to the Nyishi tribe. They have been living in the area for ages guarding their forefather’s land and preserving their unique culture and traditions. However, the present generation of people have been seen migrating to temporary settlements in urban areas due to lack of job opportunities, industrial developments and infrastructure facilities in the region.

The roadway to this village often gets disconnected due to landslides and flash floods, cutting off the villagers for days from other places of Arunachal Pradesh. Sometimes, the connectivity is lost severely, even causing acute shortages of food supplies.

The Arunachal Frontier Highway, connecting several remote border areas of Arunachal including Parsi Parlo, is lined up for construction which could begin sometimes around 2025. Besides road connectivity issues, this village also experiences poor phone connectivity, provided by BSNL. People can be seen using walkie-talkies instead. There is no internet connectivity in the village.

The villagers live a simple and traditional life, relying on agriculture and the surrounding forests for their sustenance. They grow a variety of crops, including rice, maize and millet. Their traditional houses, made of bamboo and thatched roofs, blend seamlessly with the natural landscape.

There is also a Neolithic site in Parsi Parlo excavated by A.A. Ashraf, on the northern slope of the Terrace I at a height of 12 m from the riverbed of Kamla on its right bank. Pecked and ground stone implements, wasted blade/axe, faceted tools, handmade pottery, number of potsherds were some of the articles found at the site. There is a plan by the government of Arunachal to construct museum for the Neolithic artefacts found in the area.

Parsi Parlo is a bit off the beaten path which is not so easy to get to. The nearest airport is in Tawang, which is about 200 kms away. From Tawang, you can take a taxi or bus to Koloriang. From Koloriang, you can hire a jeep to take you to Parsi Parlo which is an uphill climb up till Hugu village, which then descends downhill till you reach Parsi Parlo village.