The state of Arunachal Pradesh is a state in the northeastern corner of India, already famous due to the level of its beauty and mysticism. True in meaning to its name which translates to The Land of the Dawn-Lit Mountains, it is a land where the rising sun first touches the Indian soil, adding gold and crimson hues to its rocky mountains. This wild and magical state is a paradise of green valley, thick evergreen woods and a diverse kaleidoscope of native cultures that have coexisted with the environment since aeons.
Straddling more than mere geographic location, Arunachal Pradesh is an experience – a spiritual journey into a world of un-touched wilderness, deep inner peace and rich traditions. Follow us as we bring you the fascinating historical background, rich cultural heritage, beautiful geographical features and the direction that this beautiful state is taking its future to.
Arunachal Pradesh’s Journey
The Arunachal Pradesh has a very interesting history, which can be explained in terms of the accounts of self-governing tribal communities, their relations with close, stronger Washington DC, and the world.
- Ancient Roots: The history of the state is more like the history of different tribes that had their laws, customs, traditional forms of the government. Ancient writing and legend allude to the area as a region of mountains and forest that were often affiliated with a number of mythical figures.
- A-O Naga History: The influence in the area of the Ahom kingdom in nearby Assam and then the powerful Tibetan Buddhist kingdom to the north can be seen after that. But the secluded tribe groups Monpas, Nishis, Adis and Apatanis had retained a semblance of autonomy and freedom to their style of life.
- Colonial Era & Post-Independence: The British arrived in the 19th century and administered the region, then known as the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA), with a focus on strategic and administrative control rather than deep intervention into tribal affairs. NEFA was governed as a Union Territory after Indian independence, until full statehood was granted to it (as Arunachal Pradesh) on February 20, 1987.
This path of transforming tribal, autonomous territory into a complete Indian state has given birth to the individual style, a combination of its ancient roots and its competitive and national patriotism.
Arunachal Pradesh’s Rich Traditions
Arunachal Pradesh is a melting pot of cultures, a beautiful mixture of its many tribes with their own individual identity, language, culture and art form.
- Language: While the tribes speak a variety of languages and dialects (the state has over 50), Hindi is the lingua franca and is widely spoken, especially in urban areas, making communication easy for visitors.
- Religion: It is a wonderful mixture of religions. Many tribes practice their own indigenous beliefs (like Donyi-Polo, a reverence for the Sun and Moon), while Buddhism is a dominant religion in the western and northern parts (especially among the Monpa tribe), and Christianity has a strong presence in the eastern regions.
- Festivals: Festivals are closely related to the circle of agriculture, nature and the social connection.
- Ziro Festival of music: A new age music festival which is becoming famous held in the picturesque Ziro Valley featuring local and international artists.
- Losar (Monpa): The Tibetan New Year, celebrated with traditional dances and feasting, particularly in Tawang.
- Dree Festival (Apatani): A key agricultural festival celebrated to pray for a bountiful harvest.
- Solung Festival (Adi): Another significant agricultural festival celebrated with traditional songs and dances.
- Arts & Crafts: Handicrafts in the state are famous and have always been a part and parcel of the lives.
- Weaving: Weaving is a well-developed form of art and each tribe has a special pattern and color of its shawls, jackets and other fabrics.
- Wood Carving: Naga people are accentuated craftsmen in wood carving, and they make exquisite decorative masks and figures and items of ceremony.
- Bamboo and Cane Work: Bamboo and cane materials are used to make beautiful furniture, baskets and lastly mugs that are used to drink alcohol.
- Mask Making: Masks, often depicting deities or historical figures, are used in traditional monastic dances.
- Music & Dance: Folk dance numbers are vivacious and rhythmic in nature and are usually accompanied by drums, flutes and other traditional musical instruments. The songs which are mostly based on the stories of nature, farming, and heroism are sung as chorus and have a dramatic booming sound.
Geography and Environment
Arunachal Pradesh is a state of beautiful natural beauty which has been dominated by the Eastern Himalayas, which stretches across the state.
- Hilly Terrain: Hilly and mountainous areas the whole territory of the state is a mountainous location, there are deep valleys and steep slopes, twisting rivers. The highest point is Kangto and the terrain is comprised of the higher himalayan range to the lower himalayan range.
- Rivers: The Siang (Brahmaputra) is the main river, flowing through the state and carving dramatic gorges. Its tributaries create a lot of waterfalls and streams.
- Biodiversity Hotspot: Arunachal Pradesh is a biodiversity hotspot and it has rich variety of flora and fauna. Its rich evergreen and alpine forests store bountiful flora with thousands of species of flowering plants, orchids, medicinal plants among others. It’s home to animals like the Mithun (a semi-domesticated gaur), snow leopards, red pandas, Himalayan black bears, and many others.
- National Parks: There are various other national parks and sanctuaries in the state including a large biodiversity hotspot and a tiger reserve called the Namdapha National Park.
But against this there are setbacks to the state unique environment. Deforestation due to traditional jhum (slash-and-burn) cultivation and commercial logging is a major concern. The government together with the local authorities are in the process of encouraging sustainable agricultural production, the establishment of conservation zones and the education of people regarding the significance of taking care of its fragile environment.
Traditional Farming to Modern Ventures
Traditionally, the rural people used to base their livelihood on agriculture especially the jhum cultivation in the sloppy surface of the hills.
- Agriculture: Rice is the staple food, and jhum cultivation is in practice common. Nonetheless, there is an increasingly changing trend towards terrace farming which is more sustainable. Other foodstuff is maize, millet, fruits, and vegetables.
- Horticulture: This north eastern Indian state is blessed with vast potential of horticulture as it has special climate that is suitable to grow crops such as pineapple, passion fruit, apples, kiwis, and other citruses.
- Industry & Crafts: The sector of industries is small, and it is a specialization in handicrafts, handlooms and agro based industries. The government is encouraging these sectors to come up with job opportunities.
- Tourism: This is the fastest developing industry and one of the pillars of the contemporary economy of the state. It also offers significant employment to many individuals in the entertainment, transport and local artisans.
Poor infrastructure and remoteness also affect the size of the economy in Arunachal Pradesh. Despite this, state government is spending money on road, air and digital connections to India to enable it to achieve its full economic potential.
A Warm Welcome
The hospitality that runs rampant in Arunachal Pradesh is legendary The folk is characterized by friendly, open and hospitable nature. People tend to welcome the visitors with a pure mood of interest and goodwill along with the culture of sharing and community that is very memorable.
True to the essence of it, Runachal Pradesh is an off-the-beaten path tourism destination:
- Tawang: A splendid monastery town and the birthplace of the sixth Dalai Lama that holds the magnificent Tawang Monastery that is the second-biggest in the world.
- Ziro Valley: Situated in the pristine valley, Ziro is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the making with its natural beauty and paddy -cum- fish culture of the Apatani tribes and the famous Ziro Festival of Music.
- Itanagar: It is the capital city that has attractions such as the Ita fort and Ganga Lake.
- Namdapha National Park: A wildlife enthusiast heaven, it provides an opportunity to view some tigers, red pandas and other wildlife of the kind.
- Bomdila: A beautiful scenic town which includes an amazing monastery and beautiful scenic views of Himalayas.
- Cultural Visit: The ideal way to explore Arunachal Pradesh, would be to make a visit during the festivals of the place, which would give us the glimpse of numerous different tribal lifestyles.
Challenges and The Road Ahead
Arunachal Pradesh has a different set of challenges that both are geographical and developmental in nature:
- Infrastructure: There is very poor road connectivity in remote areas and little air and rail access to economic development and tourism.
- Environmental Protection: There is the need to balance the process of development and population expansion and the need to safeguard the fragile eco system in the state and control deforestation.
- Economic Diversification: The traditional concentration in agriculture must be changed to more progressive and sustainable areas such as tourism, horticulture and small scale industries.
- Unemployment: The brightest of its young men migrate elsewhere as finding right employment avenues is a major challenge in this region.
But, Arunachal Pradesh is aggressively planning to set out towards a more prosperous and greener future. The government is giving attention to:
- Connectivity: Pushing ahead with road infrastructure development and enabling connectivity through the air and digital infrastructure to keep the state connected to the rest of India.
- Sustainable Development: Enhancing sustainable agricultural activities, eco-tourism and forestry.
- Skill Development: Vocational training have remained the focal point in building capacities of the youth in hospitality, IT among other modern sectors.
- Entrepreneurship: Stimulating local entrepreneurial activity in agriculture, handicrafts and tourism.
The Unmistakable Soul of Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is the state, which can be called a “paradise on Earth”. It is a territory of unbelievable calm and harmonious coexistence, of deep rooted traditions and a new story of harmony. Arunachal Pradesh is immaculate and unforgettable due to the characteristics of the people, their sense of place, their colorful culture and way of life. As the state progresses into the future, it keeps on demonstrating that even in the most distant regions it is also possible to find a deep belonging, neighborhood and the strength that might make this land the land of peace, beauty and endless possibilities.
