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Arunachal Pradesh-At a Glance

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DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.10986.82886

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 Arunachal Pradesh-At a Glance
Welcome to the state of Arunachal Pradesh

(A Video Documentary Script)

By
Prof. A. Balasubramanian*
Centre for Advanced Studies in Earth Science,
University of Mysore ,Mysore
*(Former Director: -Culture and Cultural Relations-Pondicherry University, -Educational Multimedia
Research Centre-University of Mysore)
2013

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Introduction

India is one of the mostly preferred destinations for international tourists.

Tourism is a very promising industry in India. India is a country with a large number of tourist spots and
attractive features. India is a country known for its culture, heritage, history and natural resources. All the
states and union territories have a good number of locations catering to the domestic and international
tourists. Arunachal Pradesh is one of the 29 states of India and holds the distinction of being the
northeastern-most state of the country. Arunachal Pradesh appears as a giant patch of green on the country’s
map. India’s wildest and least explored state, Arunachal (literally the ‘land of dawn-lit mountains’) rises
abruptly from the Assam plains as a mass of densely forested and impossibly steep hills.

State Profile

Arunachal Pradesh is one of the 29 states of India, situated in the country's northeast. The state covers an
area of 83,743 square kilometers with more than 1,382,611 inhabitants. The state is bordered by Assam
and Nagaland in the south and shares international borders with Bhutan in the west, Burma in the east and
the People's Republic of China in the north. The capital of Arunachal Pradesh is Itanagar. The primary
official language of Arunachal Pradesh is Tani. Other languages often spoken in the state include Idu,
Digaru and Miju. The state has the quality of life in the county with excellent physical infrastructure and it
has 54.74% literacy level.

Physiography

Most of Arunachal Pradesh is mountainous. Its terrain consists of lofty, haphazardly aligned ridges that
separate deep valleys and rise to the peaks of the Great Himalayas. Arunachal Pradesh geography states
that the state is primarily a hilly tract nestled in the foothills of Himalayas. Previously, Arunachal Pradesh
had been a part of the North Eastern Frontier Agency; but today, Arunachal Pradesh is a deemed state of the
Indian Union. Arunachal Pradesh, states that the region is divided into six natural regions. The Western parts
of Kameng District and Tirap District form the first two regions of the topography of Arunachal Pradesh.
The main rivers of Arunachal Pradesh are the Brahmaputra, which is also known as the Siang, and its
tributaries, the Tirap, the Lohit (Zayu Qu), the Subansiri, and the Bhareli. The climate of the foothills is
subtropical; in the mountains, temperatures decrease rapidly with altitude. Rainfall averages between 2000
and 4000 mm (80 and 160 in) a year.

Arunachal Pradesh occupies the largest area (83.743 Sq. Km) in the northeastern region of India, and
consists of mountainous ranges sloping to the plains of Assam. The diversity of topographical and climatic
condition has favoured the growth of luxuriant forests, which are home to myriad plant and animal forms,
adding beauty to the landscape. Living in this incredible cradle of nature are the colorful and vibrant tribes of
Arunachal Pradesh for whom the forests and wildlife are of special significance.

As per State of Forest Report, 1999 of Forest Survey of India, about 82% of total geographical area of
83,740 sq. kms., which is about 62% of the total geographical area and includes 10185.40 sq. km. of Reserve
& Protected Forests which is about 12% of the area while the Protected Area Network covers and area of
9527.99 sq. km being 12% of the area and balance 38% is Unclassified Forest. The important forests types
found in the state are Tropical evergreen, semi evergreen, deciduous, Pine, Temperate, Alpine and grassland
etc.

Forests are the mainstay for the people of Arunachal Pradesh and are the richest biogeographical province in
eastern Himalayan zone. The State has 20% species of country’s fauna, 4500 species of flowering plants,

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400 species of pteridophytes, 23 species of conifers, 35 species of bamboos, 20 species of canes, 52
Rhododendron species & more than 500 species of orchids and is considered as one of the 12 mega diversity
“Hot Spots” in the world. Forests generate the largest employment and are the single largest source of
revenue for the State.

Climate

The state has humid hot and subtropical climate in the foot hills, windy cool and pleasant climate at the
lower altitude and cold climate at the higher snow mountains. The rainfall is heavy during monsoon causing
flood and landslides. The evergreen Lohit and the Tirap. Arunachal Pradesh is the largest in area among
North – Eastern states and is the second largest forest covered state next to Madhya Pradesh in the country.
Referred to as Prabhu mountains in the literature of the Kalika Purana and Mahabharata, Arunachal Pradesh
is blessed with breathtakingly beautiful hilly forest ranges from Alpine to tropical rainforest silvery fir tree,
plentiful climbers and grass.

The climate of Arunachal Pradesh varies with elevation. Areas that are at a very high elevation in the Upper
Himalayas close to the Tibetan border enjoy an alpine or Tundra climate. Below the Upper Himalayas are
the Middle Himalayas, where people experience a temperate climate. Areas at the sub-Himalayan and sea-
level elevation generally experience humid, sub-tropical climate with hot summers and mild winters.
Arunachal Pradesh receives heavy rainfall of 80 to 160 inches.

Short History

The history of pre-modern Arunachal Pradesh remains shrouded in mystery. Oral histories possessed to this
day by many Arunachali tribes of Tibeto-Burman stock are much richer and point unambiguously to a
northern origin in modern-day Tibet. Again corroboration remains difficult. From the point of view of
material culture it is clear that most indigenous Arunachali groups align with Burma-area hill tribals, a fact
that could either be explainable in terms of a northern Burmese origin or from westward cultural diffusion.
High mountains and dense forests have prevented intercommunication between tribes living in different river
valleys. The geographical isolation thus imposed has led different tribes to evolve their own dialects and
grow with their distinct identities. Nature has endowed the Arunachal people with a deep sense of beauty
which finds delightful expression in their songs, dances and crafts.

State is known for what?

The state is famous for the treasure trove of nature, mountains and landscapes.

Transportation

Arunachal Pradesh, being the one of the most important cites of India, is well connected to most of the other
Cities of the Country, by highways, railways, and airways.

Airways
The state's airports are located at Daparjio, Ziro, Along, Tezu and Pasighat. However, owing to the rough
terrain, these airports are mostly small and cannot handle many flights.

Roadways
Arunachal Pradesh has two highways: The 336 km National Highway 52, completed in 1998, which
connects Jonai with Dirak, and another highway, which connects Tezpur in Assam with Tawang. As of
2007, every village has been connected by road thanks to funding provided by the central government. Every
small town has its own bus station and daily bus services are available.

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Railways

Arunachal Pradesh rail actually refers to the services associated with the rail services at Arunachal Pradesh.
To travel to the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh by rail, one has to depend on the rail services
offered by the neighboring state of Assam. The connection of rail for Arunachal Pradesh is centered mainly
in Assam. There are some railway stations convenient for use from different parts of the state.

Time zone, Currency and No. of Districts

Throughout the India, the time zone is same of all the States i.e. Indian standard Time +5:30

The Indian rupee is the official currency of the Republic of India. The issuance of the currency is controlled
by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The new Indian rupee symbol INR is derived from the Devanagari.
The first series of coins with this new rupee symbol was launched on 8 July 2011.

The modern rupee is subdivided into 100 paise though this division is now theoretical; as of 30 June 2011,
coin denominations of less than 50 paise ceased to be legal tender. Bank notes are available in nominal
values of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and higher denominations.

Coins of the rupee are available in 1, 2, 5 and 10. Paise coins of the rupee have nominal values of 50, and
lower denominations have been officially withdrawn.

The state of Arunachal Pradesh is divided into 21 districts. The major ones are Tirap District, Changlang
District, Lohit District, Anjaw District, Lower Dibang Valley, Upper Dibang Valley, East Siang, West
Siang, Upper Siang, Lower Subansiri, Upper Subansiri, Kurung Kumey, Papum Pare, East Kameng, West
Kameng, Tawang District, Longding District.

Historical Monuments/ Architecturally Significant Bulding / Mansions

The monuments in Arunachal Pradesh are visited by several people all over the world. Some of the most
famous monuments of Arunachal Pradesh are Malinithan and Bismaknagar.
 Malinithan is located near Likabali in West Siang district is a site of rich granite Sculptures
belonging to 14-15 century A.D. the more important being Indra on Airavata, Surya on Chariot and
the huge Nandi bull.
 Jaswant Garh is an Indian Army War Memorial, commemorating the bravery of hundreds of
Soldiers who successively fought in the 1962 war against the Chinese. Jaswant Singh Rawat, who
along with two other soldiers bravely fought of the Chinese Army invading Tawang, during the
battle of Nuranang.

Hill stations

The most famous Hill Stations of Arunachal presents are Along, Pasighat, Zero / Ziro
Arunachal presents some excellently beautiful hill stations with abundant and lush surroundings. The
salubrious locations will revive and refresh you after a daylong hectic schedule.

Along is the headquarters of West Siang district located at an altitude of 300 m from the sea level. Sitting
amidst abundant natural surroundings, Along in Arunachal Pradesh is a small town with beautiful villages.
Along is a most ideal place to spend the hot summer seasons.

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Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh is the oldest town of Arunachal Pradesh established in 1911. At Present, it is
the headquarter of the East Siang district. Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh has been often called ‘the gateway
of the state’. From Pasighat, there are numerous places of interest that can be visited in Arunachal Pradesh.
Pashighat derives its name from the 'Pasis', a tribe of the area.

Zero / Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh is located at an altitude of 5754 ft. (1,780m) from the sea level. This high
town is almost a level valley enveloped on all sides by pine clad low stooping hills. Ziro is the land of
Apatani tribals.

Zoo / Parks / Jungles / Garden

Polo Park is an interesting little botanical garden atop a ridge overlooking the town. Visitors should notice
the cane thicket, it looks a bit like a palm with spines on its stems, but grows as a bush.

Biodiversity

Bio-geographically it is situated in the Eastern Himalayan province, the richest biogeographical province of
the Himalayan zone. The entire territory forms a complex hill system with varying elevations ranging from
50m in the foot-hills and gradually ascending to about 7000m, traversed throughout by a number of rivers
and rivulets. Sub Tropical Forest of Arunachal Pradesh. Rainfall varies from 1000mm in higher reaches to
5750mm in the foot-hill areas, spread over 8-9 months excepting the drier days in winter .

This diversity of topographical and climatic conditions has favoured the growth of luxuriant forests which
are home to myriad plant and animal forms adding beauty to the landscape. Living in this incredible cradle
of nature are the colourful and vibrant tribes of Arunachal Pradesh for whom the forests and the wildlife are
of special significance.

Nature has been exceedingly kind and has endowed this beautiful State of Arunachal Pradesh with diverse
forests and magnificent wildlife. The richness of life forms i.e. the flora & fauna that occur in these forests
presents a panorama of biological diversity with over 5000 plants, about 85 terrestrial mammals, over 500
birds and a large number of butterflies, insects and reptiles. Such an unparalleled occurrence of life forms
can be attributed to the peculiar location of the State which is at the junction of the Paleoarctic, indo-
Chinese, and Indo-Malayan bio-geographic regions , Biotic elements from all these regions occur in this
state making it very rich in floral & faunal resources.

The vegetation of Arunachal Pradesh falls under four broad climatic categories and can be classified in five
broad forest types with a sixth type of secondary forests. These are tropical forests, sub tropical forests, pine
forests, temperate forests and alpine forests.

Wildlife sanctuary and National Parks

Important wildlife sanctuaries and national parks of Arunachal Pradesh are,

 Mouling National Park is a national park located in the Upper Siang district. It covers an area of
about 483 km², providing a forest reserve environment to animals like Takin, Goral, leopard, tiger,
barking deer, serow and other mammals.
 Namdapha National Park is the largest protected area in the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity
hotspot. It is located in the Northeast India. It is also the largest national park in India in terms of
area. It is located in the Eastern Himalayan sub-region and is recognized as one of the richest areas
in biodiversity in India.

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  Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the principle attractions of the state of Arunachal Pradesh. The
eastern fringe of the Kameng district houses the Pakhui Wildlife Sanctuary which also lies at a
stone's throw from the Seijusa headquarters. A sum total of approximately 862 square kilometers of
land had been allocated to this Sanctuary, so that all the wild beasts can dwell there without any sort
of territory related problems.
 Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Itanagar is a major tourist attraction for tourists interested in
adventure activity. To the delight of biologists and tourists, expansive reserve features a various
trees and foliage. One of the chief sources to maintain ecological balance, the sprawling sanctuary
provides habitat to contrasting species such as macaque, capped langur, hoolock gibbon and slow
loris.

Palace/Fort/Museums/Art Galleries

The most famous palace, museums, forts that are present in Arunachal Pradesh are Ita Fort,

Bhishmaknagar Fort
 Ita Fort is a fort of immense historical importance. It was put up in the 14th or the 15th century.
Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh has got its name from this fort.
The stone work of Ita Fort spans for an area of 45 cubic meter. The brick structure is made up of
about 80 lakhs of bricks. The rulers of the Ahom dynasty created the Ita Fort.
 Bhishmaknagar Fort has got its name from a king named Bhismaka. This fort is closely related to
Idu Mishmis. The Bhishmaknagar Fort bears testimony of the affluence and of the famous
civilization centered at Bhismaknagar. Hence, it can be termed one of the museums at Arunachal
Pradesh, which displays specimens from the Bhismaknagar civilization. The basic structure of the
Bhishmaknagar Fort of Arunachal Pradesh constitutes of bricks, which are made of clay.
 Nehru Memorial Museum is one of the prime attractions of the city of Itanagar. The different
galleries of the museum exhibit a variety of items, which bear testimony of the cultural heritage of
Arunachal Pradesh. The items displayed at the museum include musical instruments, wood carvings,
handicrafts, textiles, objects associated with some ceremonies and weapons.

Tourist Spot

Bomdila is the home to the tribes like Monpa, Sherdukpen, Aka, Miji and Begun. Colourful gomphas tucked
in the brilliant landscape makes it an ideal Himalayan destination.

Tawang is the meandering highland pass that leads to this picturesque valley itself is one of the tourist
attractions. This is the land of 400year old Tawang monastery, which is the birthplace of the sixth Dalai
Lama. The monastery house gold lettered copies of sacred Buddhist script.

Temple, Churches, Mosque, Jain

The state of Arunachal Pradesh is famous for its beautiful temples. Some of the famous temples are
Parusuram Kund, Tawang Monastery, Bomdila Monastery.

Parusuram Kund is located 13 miles north-east of Tezu. District Headquaters of Lohit district - a growing
town, famous for its scenic beauty. Thousands of pilgrims visit this place from all parts of India every year
during Parasuram mela held in the month of January.

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Tawang Monastery is the largest monastery in India. It was founded near the small town of the same name
in the northwestern part of Arunachal Pradesh state.

Bomdila Monastery is a Buddhist monastery in Arunachal Pradesh. It is located in northeastern part of

India.

The other famous Monsatery are GRL Gompa Monsatery, Urgelling Monastery.

Shopping / Handicraft / Malls / Business centers

Arunachal Pradesh is famous for art & craft items. The handicraft of Arunachal is unique and exquisite, rare
to find elsewhere. A wide spectrum of elegant crafts such as Weaved items, painting, pottery, smithy work,
basketry, woodcarving, cane & bamboo work, carpet making, Ornaments are the craft items found among
the people of this state.

Festivals/ Dance / Music

Some of the famous festivals in Arunachal Pradesh are Choekhor, Losar, Torgya, Monpa Festival
Festivals form is an essential aspect of Socio-Cultural life of the people. As a matter of fact festivals reflect
the real culture and tradition of the people of this state. Some of the important festivals of Arunachal Pradesh
are,

 Choekhor is celebrated by the Monpa tribe in the Tawang district. The festival is celebrated in the
seventh month of the lunar calendar after the seeds have been sown and there is less work for the
farmers.
 Losar is celebrated to commemorate the advent of the New Year. It is the Ladakhi or Tibetan New
Year.
 Torgya is a monastic festival which is celebrated by the Monpa tribe at the Tawang Monastery in
the Tawang district. This festival is celebrated to commemorate the god for a good luck in the
coming year and to drive out all the evil spirits and keep all the natural calamities and disasters away
from the village.
 Monpa Festival is mainly celebrated by the Monpa tribe in the Tawang district. The Monpas are
believed to have a strong festive culture. They celebrate lots of festivals throughout the year.

Some Major Dance of Arunachal Pradesh are Aji Lamu, Chalo, Hiirii Khaniing, Lion and Peacock dance,
Pasi Kongki, Ponung, Popir, etc.

Educational Hub

The most important educational hubs of Arunachal Pradesh are Arunachal Pradesh Polytechnic, Daying
Ering College of Teacher Education, Dera Natung Govt College, Don Bosco College, Donyipolo
Government college, Doying Gumin College, Government College Bomdila, Hills college of Teacher
Education, Indira Gandhi Government College.

Hotels

Hotels in this state offer a wide range of choice of accommodation. A variety of hotels are located in any
tourist destination within the state. Be it five star deluxe category hotels or medium sized boutique hotels

7
with a distinct character, or an economy class hotel with basic amenities, a comprehensive list of hotels in
Arunachal Pradesh cater to every budget and taste.

Some of the famous hotels of the state are,

 Donyi Polo Ashok Hotel
 Dolma Khangsar Guest House
 Dolma Khangsar Guest House
 Dolma Khangsar Guest House
 Heritage Pemaling star hotel

Tourist Dept. Office / Conducted Tourist operators / Guide facility.

The most popular tour operators in Arunachal Pradesh are,

 Donyi Hango Adventure Tours & Travel.
 Himalayan Holiday
 Tribal Adventure Tours
 Gibbon Travel
 Tribal Adventure Tours
 Duyu Tours & Travels
 M/S Northeast Adventure

Each tourist operator has their own special guide, for describing all the information about the specialty of the
places.

Hospitality

The hospital in Arunachal Pradesh provides 24-hours services to the people so that they can get immediate
medical help in times of necessity. The telephone or the helpline numbers of the hospital of Arunachal
Pradesh are largely instrumental in this context.
Some of the Premium and government hospitals that are available at any time are,
 Rama Krishna Mission Hospital
 Polo Hospital
 General Hospital
 Tara Memorial Hospital
 District Hospital
 Ramakrishna Mission Hospital
Cinema Halls

Arunachal Pradesh reflects its ethnicity through its well-off socio cultural tradition, which comprises of
dances, dance dramas and music. Theatres, a form of dance dramas symbolizes the significant aspects of
their socio-cultural life. These theatres and cultural programs based on mythological, religious and
agricultural ideas are the major source of Arunachal Pradesh Entertainment. Famous theaters of this state
are,

 PVR Cinemas
 INOX cinemas

Food Habits

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 The ethnic cuisine of Arunachal Pradesh with great nutrients value is simple to cook and scrumptious to
consume. The incredible feature of tribal gastronomy is that they avoid using any kind of oil or other dry or
packed Indian spices. The tribal cuisines are nutritious and healthy as they regularly use herbs with
medicinal properties and indigenous fresh spices.

The staple food of Arunachal Pradesh is rice, along with fish, meat and green vegetables. Many varieties
of rice are used. Lettuce is the most common vegetable, usually prepared by boiling with ginger, coriander
and green chillies. Boiled rice cakes wrapped in leaves are a popular snack. Thukpa is a kind of noodle
soup common among the Monpa tribe of the region.

The most extraordinary tribal cuisine is a soup called PASA, it is fish soup prepared from fresh raw fish. The
head and tail portion is chopped off. The remaining red meat is minced and a paste is prepared. All the
ingredients like garlic, ginger, chilly, makat, pee chim khim, phoi hom are grinded to make a paste. The
paste of the fresh raw fish and spices are mixed and flavored with the juice of ooriam leaves which gives tint
greenish color to the soup.

Safety and precautions

There are many important features of vacation. It is not an option but a compulsory measure that has to be
taken while travelling anywhere. General safety and precautions are,
 First aid tool kid is the most important one that everyone has to carry while travelling.
 Travelling at night is unsafe.
 Keep a photocopy of your passport and all other important documents in a safe place.
 Don't share taxis with strangers.
 Make a note of emergency exits, stairwells, fire escapes and emergency plans at hotels.
 And always have local police and ambulance number to make emergency call.

Arunachal Pradesh has plenty of such tourist locations. Each location speaks in volume almost its
uniqueness. The pride of India lies in every tourist spot.

Thank you.

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