A 180 km long, five-hour drive from Guwahati brings one to Tezpur. Tezpur leads to Bhalukpung 60 km ahead on the border of Arunachal Pradesh . A few kilometers further into Arunachal Pradesh from here, brings one to Tipi , where Asia's third largest orchidarium has been set up. A board at the entrance to the orchidarium and research center declares it to be a temple of orchids. Facing the gates of this unusual orchid center, one finds a warning painted in large letters along the rock face skirting the road-'beware of elephants'.
Orchids are flowers with unusual shapes, beautiful colors and a very delicate fragrance.
The blooms usually have one petal larger than the rest. Because of their rarity, they are highly prized and sought after, and cultivating them is almost a cult among some of its aficionados. In addition, the setting up of projects like orchidaria or arborate are necessary for the preservation of species of flora that may be too delicate to be able to survive the onslaught of today's environmental encroachments and consequent pollution. The plants are grown, preserved and nurtured in tiers upon tiers of pots, in enclosed hot houses. Arunachal Pradesh is home to over 425 species of orchids, and the orchidarium has identified and listed 20 varieties as endangered.