Arunachal Pradesh - Districts and Head Quarters

District       ---- Headquarters

1. Anjaw  -----   Hawai

2. Changlang -----  Changlang

3. East Kameng ---- Seppa

4. East Siang -----  Pasighat

5. Lohit  ----  Tezu

6. Longding ---- Longding

7. Lower Subansiri ----- Ziro

8. Papum Pare ---- Yupia

9. Tawang ----- Tawang Town

10. Tirap ---- Khonsa

11. Lower Dibang Valley --- Roing

12. Upper Siang ----- Yingkiong

13. Upper Subansiri ---- Daporijo

14. West Kameng ----- Bomdila

15. West Siang ---- Along

16. Upper Dibang Valley ---- Anini

17. Kurung Kumey ----- Koloriang






Anjaw District is an administrative district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in north-east India. It is a newly created district, having been split from Lohit district on 16 February 2004 under the Arunachal Pradesh Re-organization of Districts Amendment Bill. The district borders China on the north. Hawai, at an altitude of 1296 m above sea level, is the district headquarters, located on the banks of the Lohit River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra River. It is the easternmost district in India.The easternmost community in Anjaw is the village of Dong.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Changlang district is located in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, located south of Lohit district and north of Tirap district. As of 2011 it is the second most populous district of Arunachal Pradesh (out of 16), after Papum Pare.
Changlang district occupies an area of 4,662 square kilometres (1,800 sq mi), comparatively equivalent to Indonesia's Lombok Island.It falls in a region that receives high rainfall. The region is rich in wildlife with different kind of floura and founa. The district has both plains and highlands. Most of the plains are in the valley of Dihing. The area is prone to occasional floods.
There are 5 Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly constituencies located in this district: Bordumsa, Miao, Nampong, Changlang South and Changlang North. All of these are part of Arunachal East Lok Sabha constituency.The Changlang district has four Sub-Divisions namely Changlang, Miao, Jairampur and Bordumsa.Changlang Sub-Divisions (Chanlang Block) covers four circles, namely Changlang (14,718 people), Khimiyang (3,506 people), Namtok (3,085 people) and Yatdam.Miao Sub-Division (Khagam-Miao Block) covers three circles namely Miao (20,266 people), Kharsang (9,509 people) and Vijoynagar (3,988 people).Jairampur Sub-Division (Nampong-Manmao Block) covers four Circles, namely Nampong (4,424 people), Manmao (3,814 people), Jairampur (7,836 people) and Rima-putak.And Bordumsa Sub-Division (Bordumsa-Diyun Block) has got only two circles Bordumsa (25,369 people) and Diyun (28,907 people).Total, there are thirteen Circles, four Blocks and four Subdivisions in Changlang district.

There are two municipalities Changlang (6,469 people) and Jairampur (5,919 people) The administrative setup is based on single line administration which aims to keep close co-operation amongst various developmental departments with the district administration and thus, to work together for the speedy development of the area. The Deputy Commissioner being the overall in-charge of the district administration maintains law and order with the help of administrative officers and police forces. Moreover, the villagers have their own customary administrative systems in the form of traditional village councils consisting of the Gaon Buras and members.
-----------------------------------------------------------
East Kameng district is one of the 16 districts of Arunachal Pradesh state in northeastern, India. It shares an international border with Tibet in the north, a state border with Assam and district borders with West Kameng, Papumpare and Kurung Kumey, which was bifurcated from Lower Subansiri district on 1 April 2000.
The area around the Kameng river has at various times come under the control and influence of the Mon kingdoms, Tibet and the Ahom kingdom. Aka and Nishi chiefs would exert control over the area whenever no major political powers dominated the area.The Kameng Frontier Division was renamed as the Kameng District. The Political Officer was also redesignated as the Deputy Commissioner of Kameng. However, for political reasons, the Kameng district was bifurcated between East Kameng and West Kameng on 1 June 1980.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
East Siang  is an administrative district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India.According to the 2011 census East Siang district has a population of 99,019, roughly equal to the nation of Kiribati. This gives it a ranking of 615th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 27 inhabitants per square kilometre (70/sq mi) . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 13.3%. East Siang has a sex ratio of 962 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 73.54%. Various tribal groups of the Adi people live in various parts of the district. The local people traditionally follow Donyi-Polo, although a sizeable minority have converted to Christianity.
----------------------------------------------------
Lohit  is an administrative district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India. The district headquarters are located at Tezu. As of 2011 it is the third most populous district of Arunachal Pradesh (out of 16), after Papum Pare and Changlang.This area was one of the last territories to be brought under British control after the punitive Abor and Mishmi Expedition in the first decade of the 20th century.
In June 1980, Dibang Valley district was split from Lohit (and has since been bifurcated again to create the new Lower Dibang Valley district). On 16 February 2004, Anjaw district was carved out from the northern part of Lohit district bordering Tibet and Myanmar, with its headquarters at Hawai. Anjaw was carved out under the Arunachal Pradesh Re-organization of Districts Amendment Bill.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Longding district  is one of the 17 administrative districts of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India. It is the most recently created district in Arunachal Pradesh. It was carved out of the southern portion of the Tirap District. The district shares its boundary to the east with Myanmar and its boundary to the west and the south with the Indian state of Nagaland. Towards the north is the Tirap District from which the district was carved out.
The district consists of six subdivisions: Longding, Kanubari, Pongchau, Wakka, Pumao and Lawnu. It includes the villages of Longphong, Nianu, Niausa, Senua, Senua Noksa, Zedua, Nginu, Mintong, Chanu, Longchan, Chubam, Russa and Rangluwa.
The district is inhabited mainly by the Wancho people. They are culturally similar to the Naga people. They practice gun making, wood carving and bead making. They follow a type of Slash-and-burn cultivation known as the Jhum cultivation. Still many people follow Animism though a few have converted to Christianity. Other people who inhabit the district include the Nocte people, Konyak people and Naga people. The district has an estimated population of 60,000.
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lower Subansiri district  is one of the 17 administrative districts of the state of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India.The district was formed when Subansiri district was bifurcated into Upper and Lower Subansiri districts in 1987. In 1999 Papum Pare district was split to form new district, and this was repeated on 1 April 2001, with the creation of Kurung Kumey district.The district headquarters are located at Ziro. The district occupies an area of 3,460 km²
It is bounded on the north by the Upper Subansiri district of Arunachal, on the south by Papum Pare District of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, on the east by West Siang and some part of Upper Subansiri, and on the west by East Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh.
---------------------------------------------------------
Papum Pare district is an administrative district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India. As of 2011 it is the most populous district of Arunachal Pradesh (out of 16).The district was formed in 1999 when it was split from Lower Subansiri district.The district headquarters are located at Yupia. Papum Pare district occupies an area of 2,875 square kilometres (1,110 sq mi). The capital of the state is Itanagar, which is also located in Papum Pare.The district is divided into two sub-divisions: Sagalee and Yupia Capital complex, which are further divided into 10 administrative circles, namely, Mengio, Leporiang, Sagalee, Toru, Kimin, Doimukh, Balijan, Tarasso, Naharlagun and Itanagar.There are 3 Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly constituencies located in this district: Itanagar, Doimukh and Sagalee. All of these are part of Arunachal West Lok Sabha constituency.
----------------------------------------------------
Tawang district is one of the 16 administrative districts of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India. The area is historically Tibetan territory and is claimed by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China as a part of South Tibet. It is the eighth least populous district in the country (out of 640).
Tawang is inhabited by the Monpa people. From 500 BC to 600 AD a kingdom known as Lhomon or Monyul ruled the area.The Monyul kingdom was later absorbed into the control of neighbouring Bhutan and Tibet.

Tawang Monastery was founded by the Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso in 1681 in accordance with the wishes of the 5th Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso, and has an interesting legend surrounding its name, which means "Chosen by Horse". The sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso, was born in Tawang.

Tawang was historically part of Tibet. The 1914 Simla Accord defined the McMahon Line as the new boundary between British India and Tibet. By this treaty Tibet relinquished several hundred square miles of its territory, including Tawang, to the British, but it was not recognised by China. However, the British did not take possession of Tawang and Tibet continued to administer and collect taxes in Tawang. When the British botanist Frank Kingdon-Ward crossed the Sela Pass and entered Tawang in 1935 without permission from Tibet, he was briefly arrested. This drew the attention of the British, who reexamined the Indo-Tibetan border and rediscovered that Tibet had ceded Tawang to British India. Tibet did not repudiate the Simla Accord and the McMahon Line but refused to surrender Tawang, partly because of the importance attached to the Tawang Monastery. In 1938 the British made a cautious move to assert sovereignty over Tawang by sending a small military column under Capt. G.S. Lightfoot to Tawang.

Lightfoot's brief visit elicited a strong diplomatic protest from Tibet but did not cause any territorial change. After the outbreak of the war with Japan in 1941 the government of Assam undertook a number of 'forward policy' measures to tighten their hold on the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) area, which later became Arunachal Pradesh. In 1944 administrative control was extended over the area of the Tawang tract lying South of the Sela Pass when J.P. Mills set up an Assam Rifles post at Dirang Dzong and sent the Tibetan tax-collectors packing. Tibetan protests were brushed aside. However, no steps were taken to evict the Tibetan from the area North of the pass which contained Tawang town.

The situation continued after India's independence but underwent a decisive change in 1950 when Tibet lost its de facto independence and was incorporated into the newly established People's Republic of China. In February 1951, Major Ralengnao 'Bob' Khathing led an Assam Rifles column to Tawang town and took control of the remainder of the Tawang tract from the Tibetans, removing the Tibetan administration.During the Sino-Indian war of 1962, Tawang fell briefly under Chinese control, but China voluntarily withdrew its troops at the end of the war. Tawang again came under Indian administration, but China has not relinquished its claims on most of Arunachal Pradesh including Tawang.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Tirap district is located in the southeastern part of the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India. It shares a state border with Nagaland and Assam, an international border with Myanmar and a district border with Changlang and Longding.
Since time immemorial, Tirap has been inhabited by ancestors of the indigenous tribes. Tribes such as the Nocte came to settle in the area during the 16th century, at the time of reign of the Ahoms. The Japanese troops invaded and controlled the area for a brief period in 1945, until the collapse of the Japanese empire. After their collapse Suman Gope came to power. Of late, Tirap has also been a major target for the NSCN, a Naga rebel group who aims for creation of Greater Nagaland, using military force. It is also said that Baptist missionaries subtly supports these rebel groups.On 14 November 1987, Tirap was bifurcated to create the new Changlang district. and now again in 2013 tirap has been bifurcated and create longding district.
----------------------------------------------------------
The Lower Dibang Valley district  is an administrative district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India. It is the tenth least populous district in the country (out of 640).In June 1980, Dibang Valley district was created out of part of Lohit district. On 16 December 2001, Dibang Valley district was bifurcated into Dibang Valley district and Lower Dibang Valley district.
The district is rich in wildlife. Rare mammals such as Mishmi takin, Red goral, Elephant, Wild water buffalo and Leaf muntjac occurs while among birds there is the rare Sclater's Monal, Blyth's Tragopan, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Bengal Florican, White-winged Wood Duck.A flying squirrel, new to science, i.e., Mishmi Hills Giant Flying Squirrel Petaurista mishmiensis also occurs in this district.In 1980 Lower Dibang Valley district became home to the Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary, which has an area of 282 km2 (108.9 sq mi).
--------------------------------------------------------------
Upper Siang is an administrative district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India. It is the fourth least populous district in the country (out of 640).At one-point of history this place was part of Independent Tibet and known as Pemako. Majority of the people are Adi of tribe while the Memba, Khamba Idu Mishmi tribe also exist there. There are 7 plants in the district.The district was formed in 1999 when it was split from East Siang district.
---------------------------------------------
Upper Subansiri is an administrative district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India. The district headquarters are located at Daporijo. Upper Subansiri district occupies an area of 7,032 square kilometres (2,715 sq mi), comparatively equivalent to the United Kingdom's East Falkland.The important towns are Daporijo, Dumporijo, Taliha, Nacho, Siyum, and Maro.According to the 2011 census Upper Subansiri district has a population of 83,205,roughly equal to the nation of Andorra.This gives it a ranking of 621st in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 12 inhabitants per square kilometre (31/sq mi) .Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 50.34%.Upper Subansiri has a sex ratio of 982 females for every 1000 males,and a literacy rate of 63.96%.
--------------------------------------------------------

major rivers of arunachal pradesh,INDIA.

1.LOHIT RIVER:

lohit is a district of arunachal pradesh which is named after the river lohit.  It is a tributary to the Brahmaputra River.The Lohit River rises in eastern Tibet, in the Zayal Chu range and surges through Arunachal Pradesh for two hundred kilometers,before disgorging itself in the plains of Assam. Tempestuous and turbulent, and known as the river of blood, only partly attributable to the lateritic soil, it flows through the Mishmi Hills, to meet the Siang at the head of the Brahmaputra valley.

The valley of the Lohit is rich in  flora and fuana. Thickly forested for the most part, it is a botanist’s dream,as alpine vegetation gives way to sub-tropicla forests, and then to some of the densest tropical jungles in all of India.rhododendrons bloom in many hues in the upper reaches, orchids reveal themselves in the lower froves. This is indeed a treasure house of medicinal plant and herbs, and the home of Mishmi teeta, the coptis plant, prized the world over for its medicinal properties.

The Mishmis hold sway in the hills. In the plains are the Khamptis and the Singphos, fervent Buddhists and migrants from across he Patkai hills from Burma. As the Lohit journeys through, Tibetan theology gives way to animist belief, in turn replaced by Theravada Buddhism and then by Hindu temples as Tibet, south East Asia and the Indian sub-continent combined.

2.TIRAP RIVER:

It is located in tirap district of arunachal pradesh named after the river tirap.

3.SUBANSIRI RIVER: The Subansiri River originates in the Himalayas, in China. It flows east and southeast into India, then south to the Assam Valley, where it joins the Brahmaputra River in Lakhimpur district of assam.

4.KAMENG RIVER :
The Kameng River (previously named Bhareli River (ভৰলী নদী), now called Kameng in Arunachal Pradesh and Jia Bhoreli in Assam) in the eastern Himalayan mountains, originates in Tawang district from the glacial lake below snow-capped Gori Chen mountain 27°48′36″N 92°26′38″E,elevation 6,300 metres (20,669 ft),on the India-Tibet border in South Tibet and flows through Bhalukpong circle of West Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh and Sonitpur District of Assam, India. It is one of the major tributaries of the Brahmaputra River, joining it at Tezpur, just east of the Kolia Bhomora Setu bridge.

The Kameng River is about 264 kilometres (164 mi) long. Its drainage basin is about 11,843 square kilometres (4,573 sq mi) large.

The Kameng forms the boundary between East Kamemg District and West Kameng Districts and is also the boundary between the Sessa and Eaglenest sanctuaries to its west and the Pakke tiger reserve to the east.The Dafla Hills are east and the Aka Hills (home of Aka tribe) are west of the Kameng River. The entire stretch of forest along the Bhalukpong–Bomdila highway on the west bank of the river in West Kameng has vanished in the last few years though the forest across the river continues to be in a healthy state.

5.DIBANG RIVER.
Dibang River is a tributary river of the Brahmaputra that flows through the northeast Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.The Dibang originates near Keya pass on the Indo-Chinese border in the Dibang Valley district of Arunachal Pradesh. The drainage basin of the river within Arunachal Pradesh covers the districts of Dibang Valley and Lower Dibang Valley. The Mishmi Hills lie in the upper course of the Dibang which enters the plains at Nizamghat. Between Nizamghat and Sadiya the Dibang has a steep river gradient and exhibits braided channel morphology with its width varying from 4 to 9 kilometres (2 to 6 mi). It often changes its course resulting in flooding and destruction of cultivable land and forests along its banks.The Dibang, with a total length of 195 kilometres (121 mi), enters the River Lohit north of the Dibru-Saikhowa sanctuary near the Assamese town of Sadiya.
The Mathun, Tangon, Dri, Ithun and Emra are the major tributaries of the Dibang. The Dibang is also joined by a number of tributaries such as the Airi Pani, Ilu Pani, Imu Pani, Ahi, Ashupani, Epipani and Deopani rivers during its course. Most of these rivers join it in the upper course in the hills thus giving it a wide fan shaped catchment region.
In 2008 Prime Minister Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone for a 3000 MW dam as part of the Dibang Multipurpose Project the district of Lower Dibang Valley. Seventeen other dams with power potential between 20 and 4500 MW have also been proposed for the Dibang. The proposed Dibang dam, at 288 metres (945 ft), on completion would be among the largest dams in India and among the world's tallest gravity dams has since run into opposition from the Mishmi people and the Assamese who live downstream of the project.

6.SIANG RIVER.
Siang River in Arunachal Pradesh is a part of the great Brahmaputra. Siang River enters India in the Upper Siang District of Arunachal Pradesh. The River is known to have its origin in China and offers one of the premium wilderness expeditions in the world.
Siang River valleys and tributaries are the home of the Adi people of Arunachal Pradesh. The Siang River offers ample opportunities for adventure sports like river rafting, angling, and trekking. A hanging bridge on the Siang River is an interesting sight to be seen. The bridge made of cane and bamboo is around 60 to 70m long, connecting the hill tribal settlements. The river Siang is known as Brahmaputra in Assam. The Brahmaputra is the confluence of Siang and Lohit rivers of Arunachal Pradesh.

7.PAPUM PARE RIVER.
 Papum pare river flowing at the southern part of Arunachal Pradesh. The district Papum pare is named after this river. The capital of Arunachal Pradesh which is Itanagar is located in this district.

8.KURUNG &KUMEY.
The name of Kurung Kumey district of Arunachal Pradesh is derived from the Kurung and the Kumey, the two principal rivers which flow through it. According to myth the Kurung and the Kumey rivers were two sisters; during the age of marriage Kurung eloped without prior permission from her parents and Kumey got married according to her parents' wishes. Therefore, the Kurung flows with a violent roar and ashy colour because her parents shouted and threw ashes after her, while the Kumey flows silently and clearly.

9.PANYOR RIVER.
The river Panyor (Ranga Nadi) flows into the valley with its various tributaries such as Kel and Kie River. The valley has been a backbone for the socio-cultural and political aspiration in the Nyishi belt region.  Though Yazali is enroute to Ziro, Daporijo tourist circuit the area has not been explored or lesser known to the tourist. Also for years the local people have not been aware of tourism as means of economic activity.

The first edition of Panyor River Festival was organized in the month of December 2013 from 13th to 15th. This year onwards the festival would be organized from 21st November to 25th November annually.

Through such festival first of its kind in this belt its aim to promote adventure tourism, cultural and community harmony as among various tribes and awareness among the local population about the hospitality industry has been a successful agenda.

With the popularity of the festival of the last year larger participation of different tribes are expected from various parts of Arunachal Pradesh as a part of community harmony.

10.KAMLA RIVER.
This is a large tributary of the Subansiri river that drains central Arunachal Pradesh. It rises as three main channels from the small glaciers on the main Himalayas near Indo-Tibetan border. The Kamla river flows in a general direction towards south-west and joins the Subansiri river near Leling.

11.BRAHMAPUTRA.
The Brahmaputra also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra, is a trans-boundary river and one of the major rivers of Asia. Majuli is the Riverine island formed by River Brahmaputra in Assam in India.
With its origin in the Angsi Glacier, located on the northern side of the Himalayas in Burang County of Tibet as the Yarlung Tsangpo River, it flows across southern Tibet to break through the Himalayas in great gorges (including the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon) and into Arunachal Pradesh (India) where it is known as Dihang or Siang.It flows southwest through the Assam Valley as Brahmaputra and south through Bangladesh as the Jamuna (not to be mistaken with Yamuna of India). In the vast Ganges Delta it merges with the Padma, the main distributary of the Ganges, then the Meghna, before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.
About 1,800 miles (2,900 km) long, the Brahmaputra is an important river for irrigation and transportation. The average depth of the river is 124 feet (38 m) and maximum depth is 380 feet (120 m). The river is prone to catastrophic flooding in spring when the Himalayan snows melt. The average discharge of the river is about 19,300 cubic metres per second (680,000 cu ft/s), and floods can reach over 100,000 cubic metres per second (3,500,000 cu ft/s).It is a classic example of a braided river and is highly susceptible to channel migration and avulsion.It is also one of the few rivers in the world that exhibit a tidal bore. It is navigable for most of its length.

The river drains the Himalaya east of the Indo-Nepal border, southern-central portion of the Tibetan plateau above the Ganges basin, south-eastern portion of Tibet, the Patkai-Bum hills, the northern slopes of the Meghalaya hills, the Assam plains and the northern portion of Bangladesh. The basin, especially south of Tibet is characterized by high levels of rainfall. Kangchenjunga (8,586m) is the only peak above 8,000m and the highest point within the Brahmaputra basin.

The Brahmaputra's upper course was long unknown, and its identity with the Yarlung Tsangpo was only established by exploration in 1884–86. This river is often called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra river.

The lower reaches are sacred to Hindus. While most rivers on the Indian subcontinent have female names, this river has a rare male name, as it means "son of Brahma" in Sanskrit (putra means "son").

tribes and festival of Arunachal Pradesh(India)

TRIBES :











There are about 20 Major tribes with a number of Sub-Tribes in Arunachal Pradesh.



ADIS:


The Adis have two main divisions, (the Bogum and Bomis) and under each there are a number of sub-tribes. The Minyongs, Karkos, Shimongs, Bomdo, Janbos, Paggis, Pailibos, Bogum, Padams, Milangs and so on from one group ; while the Gallong and seven other groups constitute another group of Adis. The Adis by nature are democratic and organised village council called Kebang. Their traditional dance called Ponung is famous in the whole of Arunachal Pradesh. Dances are very popular among them. Adi villages are situated generally on the spurs of hills. Polyandy is unknown but polygyny is practised. Adi women are very good weavers and weave cloth with highly artistic designs.



The Adis have two main divisions, (The Bogums and Bomis) and under each there are a number of sub-tribes. the Minyonfs, Karkos, Shimongs, Bomdo, Janbos, Panggis, Palibos, Bogums, Padams, Milangs and so on from one group; while the Gallong and seven other groups constitute another group of Adis. The Adis by nature are democratic and have an unique sense of history.


They have well organised village council called 'Kebang'. Their traditional dance called 'Ponung' is famous in the whole of Arunachal Pradesh. Dances are very popular among them. Adi villages are situated generally on the spurs of hills. Polyandry is unknown but polygamy is practised. Adi women are very good weavers and weave cloth with highly artistic designs.





Apatanis:



The Apatanis are settled agriculturists inhabiting the valley around Ziro-the headquarters of Lower Subansiri district. The older men-folk tie the hair in top-knots and tattoo the faces. Wearing of circular nose plugs and tattooing of faces is the most characteristic aspect of ornamentation of older Apatani women. However, new generation of Apatani men and women have stopped this practice of tying hair knot, nose plugs and face tattooing since early 1970s. The Apatani are good cultivators and practice both wet and terrace cultivation. Paddy cum fish culture is very popular among them. Unlike other tribes of Arunachal their economy is stable.




Buguns:


The Buguns or Khowas are gentle, hospitable and affectionate people. They are agriculturist and perform a number of rites and ceremonies for their welfare.





Hrusso:



The Hrusso or Akas have a custom of painting their face with black marks. They figured frequently in old historical records. Their popular belief is that they were related with the Ahom Kings.They are keen traders and trade, mainly in cloth, blankets, swords etc. They have come to some extent under both Hindu and Buddhist influence.






Singphos:



The Singphos represent a section of the Kachin tribe of Burma. They live on the banks of Tengapani and Noa Dehang rivers. They are agriculturists and expert blacksmiths. The ladies are good weavers too. They follow Buddhism but at the same time believe in a host of spirit.







Khambas and Membas:



Khambas and Membas inhabiting northern part of West Siang are Buddhist by religion. Polyandry is prevalent among them. But it is more in vogue among the Membas. Agricultural activities are popular among them . Millet and Maize are their staple food . They grow cotton and barle also.






Mishmis:


Mishmis form the bulk of the population of Lohit, Upper Dibang Valley and Lower Dibang Valley districts. There are also the Khamtis, the Singphos and a few Adi settlement. The Mishmis are divided into three main groups namely- Idus or Chulikatas, Digarus or Taroan and Mijus or Kaman. A section of the Idu Mishmi are also called Bebejia Mishmi . Their women are expert weavers and make excellent coats and blouses. Agriculture is the main occupation of the people. By nature they are traders. Since very early days the Mishmis had relations with the plains of Assam. The chief items of trade are deer –musk, wild medicinal plants, animal skins , Mishimi – tita etc.








Monpas:



The Monpas are simple, gentle and courteous people. They are friendly and possess a rich heritage of culture. They dress well in artistically designed clothes. Their communal life is rich and happy. They follow Buddhism and profess Mahayana Buddhism which centre round the Tawang Monastery. Each house has a small chapel attached to it.






Nyishi:



The Nyishi are the largest groups of people inhabiting the major part of Lower Subansiri district. Their menfolk wear their hair long and tie it in a knot just above the forehead. They wear cane bands around the waist. They believe that after death the spirit of a dead travels to the 'village of the ancestors'. The Sulungs or Puroik are considered to be one of the oldest of the tribes in the area. Their dress and constumes are simple, and the religion is a form of the primitive ' spirit culture'.



The Nishing are the largest groups of people inhabiting the major part of Lower Subansiri district. Their manfolk wear their hair long and tie it in a knot just above the forhead. A Nishi can be easily distinguished by his dress peculiar to his tribe.


A neatly woven cane cap which they call Bopia on his head, a knot at the forhead called Padum with a cane basket looks like haversackcall Nara, a smoking pipe in his mouth and a long Dao (long bladed knife) he looks like a proud man, proud of his race and tradition.They wear cane bands around the waist.They believe that after death the spirit of a dead travels to the 'village of the ancestors'. The Nishings belong to the Indo-Mongoloid group of people and their language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family.


The Nishi villages are rarely found in clusters. The tribe as a whole is fond of hunting and fishing in which they perhaps excel any other neighbouring tribes. Because of the lack of sufficient suitable land for wet rice cultivation, the Nishis are almost entierly dependent on slash and burn cultivation which is popularly called as Jhoom Cultivation. They cultivate dry rice in the slopes of the hills. Opo which is popularly called "Apong" is the only and popular drink amongst the Nishis.


Their life is full of rituals and festivals. Like menfolk, a Nishi lady usually carries a neatly woven cane basket for multipurpose use on her back called egin. The Nyukum festival which is celebrated every year with pomp and gaiety during the month of February is one of the important festivals of the Nishis.






Sherdukpens:



The Sherdukpens are a small tribe. They are good agriculturist but their main interest is trade. Their religion is an interesting blend of Mahayana Buddhism and tribal magico-religious beliefs.





Tagins:



The Tagins are main inhabitant of Upper Sunansiri district. Their main occupation is agriculture. Polygamy is customary among them. Their dress is very simple consisting of only one piece of cloth.






Khampti:



The Khamtis are believed to have migrated from the Shan states of Burma . They are the only tribe in Arunachal who have a script of their own, They are Buddhist ( Hinayana cult) by religion, and bury the dead in a coffin. They include Khamyang tribe.





Wanchos:



The Wanchos inhabit the western part of Tirap district, bordering Nagaland. They are a carefree, cheerful and hard-working people. Head hunting was customary with them in the old days. It was connected with many of the social activities of the tribe. Their society is divided into four classes the Wanghams ( chiefs ) , the Wangpana , the Wangaue and Wangaas . They have a strict sense of discipline and the law and order of the society is maintained by a village council. The entire tribe is divided into about forty confederacies of villages. Tattooing is a social custom among them . They believe in the existence of two powerful deities, Rang and Baurang. The women are good weavers but the art is restricted to the members of the chief’s families only. They are expert in wood carving also.





Noctes:



The Noctes inhabit the central part of Tirap to the east of the Wanchos. They are organized under powerful chief-those of Namsang and Borduria,They profess Vaishnavism and are disciple of the Bareghar Satra of Nazira, Assam, Naga Narottam who was a close friend of Shri Ram Dev Ata, the founder- satradhikar of the Brehar satra, , become his first disciple, Noctes are famous as salt producers which is their chief item of trade and barter. They are agriculturists. They also cultivate betel leaves on a commercial scale.





Yobin:



The Yobin, also called Lisus , are a small group of people inhabiting the remote easternmost corner of the Tirap district. They are simple and gentle people having their own culture , religion, faith and beliefs and dialect.







FESTIVALS:



Arunachal Pradesh, the most fascinating and sparsely populated state in eastern India, is a land of tribes. The festivals here are abound with zest and life - based on aspects related to nature and agriculture. Dance is the soul of all the festivals here; performed with pride and belief.



Losar Festival :


Losar or The New Year festival, is the most important festival of Tawang District in Arunachal Pradesh. The Monpa Tribe celebrate this as the coming of a new year. TheMonpas are the major portion of the population in the Tawang region of Arunachal Pradesh.



The initial celebrations start with people cleaning their homes and discarding all the old items to welcome the festival. This festival mostly falls in the last part of February or early part of March. The festival generally lasts for eight to fifteen days and is celebrated with loads of fun and festivity. During the festival days, festivities prayers are offered for prosperity and good health. People hoist religious flags atop their homes and make visits to homes relatives and friends. The holy scriptures are read in every home as part of festival prayer. Lamps with butter are lit in all the houses.




The local tribal’s are believer of their tribe’s customs. The tribes perform rites to protect their land from any sort of evil eye and any kind of supernatural attack. The local deity is worshipped for the welfare of the society and the people. The festival is a colorful event and the people celebrate this festival with their traditional music and dance. People participate with much faith and fun to make the festival a remarkable one. This festival witnesses the local tribal traditions and customs. Monpas enjoy this time with high festive spirit and do a lot of merry making. Feasting with local drinks drinking is organized together with friends and relatives. This festival depicts the social-cultural and native living of the Monpas.



Dree Festival :



The Dree Festival involves the sacrifice of fowls, eggs and animals to the Gods. The gods worshipped during this festival are Tamu, Metii , Danyi and Harniang. The festival is celebrated to appease these Gods so as to avoid famine in the society. This festival is a part of the Apatanis in Arunachal Pradesh. The Apatanis, reside in a valley called Ziro. Ziro is located at the Lower Subansiri District of Arunachal Pradesh. The Apatanis are famous for the practice of wet rice cultivation. TheApatanis had invented the wet rice cultivation without using any form of scientific technologies and methods. Rice is the staple food of the Apatanis. The festival falls during the month of July each year and this festival is connected with the cultivation of rice.


During the Dree festival every household prepares the local beer “Apong” and performs cleaning of houses and its surroundings. The head priest (Nyibu) acts as a leader of these celebrations and rituals. The spot for the festival is decided by the priest and the elderly people of the village. The people follow the existing belief of choosing a place of worship near to a paddy field. The spot for the festival is decorated with branded bamboos. The god Danyi is prayed for protection and prosperity of the mankind. Tamu is prayed to protect the plants from harmful pests and insects. Metii is prayed for controlling of famine and epidemics. Harniang is prayed for keeping the soil stable, and preventing the paddy plants from getting dried.


Solung Festival :



The ‘Solung' is celebrated by the ‘Adi' community. Adi’s belong to the agricultural community and thus this festival is connected with the agricultural activities of the people. Various myths, stories, and beliefs are associated with the origin of the ‘Solung' festival.


Solung is celebrated in the mid-part of the year in the monsoon month of July/August. The date of celebration of this festival is on different days of these months depending upon different villages. But, the final date of the festival is decided by the Kebang or the village council keeping the convenience of the village people in mind. Sometimes, even the headman can also fix the date of this festival along with village leader's consent. Once the date is fixed, rice-beer or ‘Apong'preparation starts. The people start storing fresh vegetables for the occasion.


The Solung festival continues for 7 days and on the first day, the Indian Bison along with pigs are slaughtered in the early hours of the morning. A family can sacrifice depending upon their financial capability. Apong is prepared in plenty and offered on the day of slaughter. Meats of all the slaughtered animals are preserved for the rest of the day of the festival.



The second day of the festival is known as ‘Yegling'. On this particular day 1/3rd of the preserved meat is distributed among the relatives. A grand dinner feast is arranged for neighbours, women and children. Apong, however is prepared on all the days of the Solung festival. Any one of the inmates of the family goes to the field on the fourth day and sacrifices a fowl. A woman or a girl generally offers the Ettingand Apong along with the sacrifice. This day is called as ‘Oinnyad'.



Reh Festival :



Reh, one of the most important festivals of the Idus, is celebrated during the month of February. The inhabitants of theTalo, Amru, and Dri villages of the Dibang valley celebrate it during summer and monsoon. The climate is moderate during this time. In the other parts, theIdus celebrate the same during February to May. The Idus people believe thatNanyiInyitaya is their mother and they can only get her blessings only when they perform the Puja or celebrate the Reh festival. The festival starts with the sacrifice of buffaloes for offering to the great mother NanyiInyitaya. Relatives are gifted with money and pigs. The festival is very expensive, thus people start with all the arrangements and preparations four or five years before the actual celebration. Any such person who wants to celebrate this festival takes a local system called as Ada. The system involves the collection of pigs, cash, money etc. After completion ofAda, a tentative year is fixed, which is generally one year ahead of the actual celebration. 'Yunyiphri' - the rice beer preparation, is undertaken three to four months before the actual celebration. The festival is celebrated for 6 consecutive days and the first day is called Andropu. This day is observed by offering prayers for the festival to pass on without any obstacles. The people do Naya dance during the night. The second day is the killing day of animals like mithuns and buffaloes. All the guests who attend this festival are entertained with rice, meat and beer. The third day is called Iyili. On this particular day a heavy feast is arranged and everybody is entertained. Villagers who do not attend this festival are presented with meal-rice.


NYOKUM FESTIVAL:



The Nyokum Festival is usually celebrated in community grounds where people wearing traditional clothes gather up, sing, and dance. During the festival, head priest performs rituals and prayers are offered to the spirits to bring peace, harmony, and prosperity to the people. Men and women in traditional attire hold hands and gather up forming a circle and perform the traditional dance as they sing “Nyokum bo tapa debe”. Several competitions that foster the traditional art forms are organized during the festival.

Nyokum Festival has evolved much more than a festival to a celebration of life. Nyokum, indeed, is a colorful way of celebrating life and fostering the great ethnicity of Arunachal Pradesh.




TAMLA-DU:




Tamla-du festival is mainly observed by one of the oldest tribe of Arunachal Pradesh named Digaru Mishmis in the Lohit district on 15th February. The festival is a public display of the religious, social and supernatural beliefs of this tribe. They celebrate this festivity so as to protect their village and people from any natural disaster.




During the Tamladu festival in Arunachal Pradesh, the Digaru Mishmis tribe offer prayers to the God of Water and God of Earth to save the village from natural calamities. They also worship their almighty Lord Jebmalu during Tamladu festival to pray for the welfare of the domestic animals, human beings and the newly planted crops.

The Tamla-Du is the socio-religious festival of the Kaman (Miju) and Tawran (Digaru) Mishmi celebrated in the month of February during the spring season in a common platform for promoting and encouraging among the Mishmis’ to bring unity and gaiety, preserving their age old culture and traditions and to disseminate the message of cultural dignity, and social harmony as among the mishmi brethrens.

The rituals like Namsiang and Tamla-Taka or Tamla-Du is a form of natural deities and chanting practice by Mishmis immemorial time. In the mean time the origin of “Ziim” and “Chaney”, the first human being on the earth as per the myths of the Mishmis. In the mythology tells us that a long ago the planet earth was submerged under the mighty ocean except the mountain peak “Zai” was remain above the sea water and rest of the earth surface including high peak mountains and plateaus was also inundated in the sea.

Its Meaning and Spiritual Aspects



The form of Tamla-Taka (Tamla-Du) varies in many ways, subject to the rites performed for particular activities. The purpose of the Tamla-Du festival is to invoke and propitiate the Matai-Jabmalo (the supreme god) and other deities like Shutoh-Deynyah (God of the mountain) Buru-Buruyah (goddess of water and rain) Kangam-Kabruyah (goddess of soil) and Shamar (god of wealth and rich crops) to bestow their blessings upon all people irrespective of all religious community for peace and prosperity. The main objective of the festival is to pray collectively to the almighty god and goddess and spiritual aspects inhabited in the environment and their eco-system within a certain peripheries of spiritual existence.




ORIAH FESTIVAL:


The Oriah festival of Arunachal Pradesh is celeberated by the Wanchos, adjoining Nagaland in the easternmost trip of the state in the Tirap district. These are hardy people known for their structured village society in which the hereditary village chief still plays a vital role, worships the Sun and Moon God. They invoke nature deities and make animal sacrifices. a festival between March to April, for a period of six to twelve days interspersed with prayer, songs and dances. Villagers exchange bamboo tubes filled with rice beer as a mark of greeting and goodwill. Pork skin is then offered to the village chief as a mark of respect. This festival continues for several days just sowing of Jhum paddy and Pigs, buffaloes and mithuns are sacrificed and feasts are arranged in each and every morungs (dormitories). Boys and girls, wearing ceremonial costumes, sings and dance during this Oriah. People dances around a "Jangban", a long ceremonial pole planted during Oriah.



SANGKEN FESTIVAL:


Sangken festival is a Buddhist festival celebrated by the Khamtis in the Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh on 14th April. Sangken festival in Arunachal Pradesh also marks the beginning of a new year. The festival is dedicated to the worship of Lord Buddha so that he can bless the mankind with prosperity. people irrespective of their tribe, caste, culture, race, sex, etc, participate in the rituals of the celebrations.


Sangken festival in Arunachal Pradesh is celebrated for three consecutive days. During these three days, the image of Lord Buddha is given a ceremonial bath. A huge procession is carried out throughout the area with the image of Lord Buddha. The procession is accompanied by the music of drums. People sing religious songs. Holy water is sprinkled all over the place to symbolize peace and purity.


On the final day of the Arunachal Pradesh Sangken festival, the images are taken back to the original place from where it was taken out. During Sangken festival at Arunachal Pradesh, women make sweets at home and distribute them in the whole area. Gifts are also exchanged with relatives and close friends. The whole festival ends with prayers for a prosperous new year.

Sangken Festival is celebrated on 14th of April, when the natives welcome the New Year with splendor and magnificence. According to the locals the new year is welcomed with warmth and affection. Not only people from Lohit District but from other district also celebrate the festival. The involvement and participation of the people shows the depth and importance of the occasion among the people of Arunachal Pradesh.

CHALO LOKU:

 

Chalo-Loku, the harvest festival of Nocte communityChalo-Loku.Chalo-Loku is the harvesting festival that is celebrated in the month of November. According to the tribe, Chalo-Loku brings good harvest, unity, peace and harmony among the people and the rituals are performed so as to please the Spirit God.

the day of Phamlamja, animals like buffaloes and pigs are killed for meat and the villagers engage themselves in hectic preparations for the next day. It is also a day for checking and rechecking the traditional costumes, which would be worn during the celebrations. In the past there were many rituals and ceremonies associated with Phamlamja. However, they have been modified or even given up with the passage of time.

 The second day of Chamkatja, for reasons more than one, is the most important and a very hectic day of activities. The Noctes, since time immemorial, have been having a powerful institution called Paang or Morong, which is in every sense, the pulse of the village and also the highest seat of decision-making. To enable the male members of the family to become full-fledged members of the Paang it is mandatory that every household performs a ritual called Chamkat for every male member who has attained adolescence. This important ritual is observed on Chamkatja. It is only after performing Chamkat that any male member of the village is socially recognized and entitled to participate in all Paang activities and other community works pertaining to the village. But physically disabled and mentally unsound people do not normally perform this ritual for the simple reason that the moment a boy becomes a member of the Paang he is a responsible person having to perform, at times, important assignments of the Paang which a disabled or insane person cannot. Those families who solemnize Chamkat during the Chalo Loku arrange food and drinks for the villagers and friends and also observe a number of rituals related to the ceremony. The maternal uncle of the boy whose Chamkat is being observed has the most important role to play throughout the ceremony.

The Thanlangja, which is the final day of the festival, villagers, irrespective of age, sex or social status, take part in folk dances. Dances are performed at the Chief’s house and in the premises of the Paang. The families observing Chamkat also invite the dancers to dance at their houses and in return treat the participants with food, especially meat and drinks. Thanlangja is also a day for the people to visit their relatives and friends and exchange pleasantries. The guests invited for the festival are also warmly sent off on this day with gifts as a token of love and affection. However, today, many of these practices have been done away with for good or conveniently modified to suit the present-day ambience and needs. But the spirit of the celebrations, though rapidly on the wane, has somehow survived at least for now.

ITANAGAR -LEISURE AND PLEASURE - List of Bars, Restaurants and Hotels in Itanagar

BARS:

1. TT Bar (vintage point)

2. Sango Bar

3. Cocktail Launge

4. Dawnland bar

5. SC Continental Bar

6. Todo Bar

7. Siang Bar



RESTAURANTS:

1. ABC, Itanagar

2. Quartz king

3, Golden Crown

4. Aries Crops

5. E&T Restaurant

6. XYZ Restaurant

7, Rasoi

8. Grill Republic


HOTELS:

1. Arun Subansiri

2. Donyi Polo Ashoka

3. Taj Hotel

4. Moomsie Hotel

5. SC Continental

6. Supin-sa

7. Tsangpho

8. Bomdila hotel

9. Paramount Hotel

10. Hotel Bhai Bhai.

ITANAGAR -capital of Arunachal Pradesh

ITANAGAR:Itanagar is the capital of Arunachal Pradesh.it comes under papum pare district.it is situated in foot hills of himalaya.The city is named after the irregular shaped Itafort(the fort of bricks) which is a centre of attraction located within Itanagar.It was declared capital of Arunachal Pradesh on 1st june 1974 from shillong.

CLIMATE:Itanagar features an oceanic climate , with dry, mild winters and cool, wet summers.

GEOGRAPHY:Itanagar is located at 27.1°N 93.62°E. It has an average elevation of 750 metres.

LITERACY RATE:it has an average literacy rate of 66.95%.male literacy is 73.69% and female literacy is 59.57%.

POPULATION DENSITY:1.5 LAKHS.

shoping malls in itanagar (arunachal pradesh)

1,AKASH DEEP: it is located in ganga .near SBI (ganga branch).

      2 ,    BB PLAZA:it is located opposite to hotel paramont.

                            

3,LEGI COMPLEX;it is  located near police station.                                                                 

4,TAKAR COMPLEX:it is located in naharlugan which is 12 km from itanagar.    

                                                                                                      

    

places to visit in itanagar (arunachal pradesh)india.

1. ITAFORT:

Itafort ‘The fort of bricks’ from which the State capital derives its name, is situated in the heart of the capital complex. The fort has an irregular shape, built mainly with bricks dating back to the 14th-15th Century. The total brickwork is of 16,200 cubic metre lengths which have been identified by some scholars with Mayapur of Ramachandra, a king of the Jitari Dynasty.












2.JAWAHARLAL NEHRU STATE MUSEUM:

Jawaharlal Nehru state Museum- The museum has a rich collection of textiles, weaponry, household articles and handicrafts that reflect the tribal culture and heritage of Arunachal Pradesh.It was established on January 1 on 1990.



3.GANGA LAKE(gekar sinyi):
Ganga lake (Gekar sinyi) - A beautiful natural lake surrounded by landmass of hard rock. The name Gekar Sinyi means ‘confined water’. it is located near itanagar wild life sanctuary.








4.INDRA GANDHI PARK(IG PARK):
indra gandhi park is located in itanagar.it named after our late indra gandhi formr prime minister of india.







5.ITANAGAR WILD LIFE SANCTUARY:
The Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary was very rich in Wildlife both in variety and number, which has unfortunately dwindled in the recent past for the reasons, described in the proceeding paras. Animals like Elephants, Tigers, Panthers, Sambar, Barking Deer and Bears were quite common. Hornbills were very common bird to sight. But now it is a chance to sight a Hornbill.










6.GOMPA MANDIR ITANAGAR (ARUNACHAL PRADESH):

It is located near jawaharlal nehru state museum. The Itanagar Buddhist temple, located on top of the hill in Arunachal Pradesh, is one of the latest Budhist temples in India. A yellow-roofed shrine, the temple reflects an extensive Tibetan influence. There is a stupa in front of the temple which carries the portrait of a Buddhist monk. Frequently visited by the tourists, the temple has a tree on its one of the sides which was planted by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.



7 .POLO PARK:

Polo Park is a beautiful botanical park located in Naharlagun region. The park has evolved as a major tourist attraction as it features a wide collection of flowers and orchids. Thickets of cane are the highlights of the park.