GENERAL
INFORMATION
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Capital: |
Itanagar |
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Area |
83,743-sq-kms |
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Population |
8,64,558 (1991 Census) |
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Location |
26.28 W and 29.30 N latitude |
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91.20 E and 97.30 E longitude |
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Climate |
Highly hot and humid in the lower altitude, |
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very
cold in the higher altitude |
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Rainfall |
3,300 cms average |
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Clothing |
Summer - Cotton; Winter Woolen |
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Season |
October to April |
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Language Spoken |
English, Hindi, Assamese |
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Tourist Attractions: |
Tawang, Caves, Orchids And Wildlife |
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Travel / Trekking |
a)
Tezpur Tipi Bomdila- Tawang |
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b)
Tinsukia Tezu- Parasuramkund |
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c)
Margherita Miao- Namdopha |
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d)
Itanagar Ziro- Daporijo Along Pasighat |
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Best Time To Visit: |
Round The Year |
Arunachal Pradesh, a serene land tucked into the north eastern tip
of India, invites one to relax in its picturesque hills and dales
enjoy its salubrious climate and meet its simple and hospitable
people, with their glorious heritage of arts and crafts and
colourful festivals that reflect their ancient faith in the
inexorable power of nature.
PRIME
ATTRACTIONS
The
visitor has a wide variety of options to pick from. There are
places of worship and pilgrimage such as Parashuramkund (also
spelt as Parasuramkund) and the 400 years old Tawang monastery or
the sites of archeological excavations like Malinithan and
Itanagar, the serene beauty of lakes such as the Ganga Lake or
Sela Lake or the numerous variations of scenic beauty of the snow
clad silver mountain peaks and lush green meadows where thousands
of species of flora and fauna prosper.
In
addition, the state provides abundant scope for angling, boating,
rafting, trekking and hiking. Besides, there are a number of wild
life sanctuaries and national parks where rare animals, birds and
plants will fascinate the visitor.
Geographical Divides
Arunachal Pradesh, is surrounded on three sides by Bhutan, China
and Myanmar. It stretches from snow-capped mountains in the north
to the plains of the Brahmaputra valley in the south. Arunachal is
the largest state area-wise in the northeast region, even larger
than Assam, which is the most populous.
It is a
land of lush green forests, deep river valleys and beautiful
plateaus. The land is mostly mountainous with the Himalayan ranges
running north south. These divide the state into five river
valleys: the Kameng, the Subansiri, the Siang, the Lohit and the
Tirap. All these are fed by snow from the Himalayas and countless
rivers and rivulets. The mightiest of these rivers is Siang,
called the Tsangpa in Tibet, which becomes the Brahmaputra after
it is joined by the Dibang and the Lohit in the plains of Assam .
Nature
has provided the people with a deep sense of beauty, which finds
delightful expression in their songs, dances and crafts. The
climate varies from hot and humid to heavy rainfall in the
Shivalik (also spelt as Sivalik) range. It becomes progressively
cold as one moves northwards to higher altitudes. Trees of great
size, plentiful climbers and abundance of cane and bamboo make
Arunachal evergreen.
People & Culture
Arunachal is home to 26 major and numerous minor tribes with rich
cultural traditions.
There
are three kinds of religions practised here. Monpas and Sherdak
Pens in Kameng and Tawang district, who came in contact with
Tibetan in the north, adopted Lamaism of the Buddhist faith, while
the Khamptis in Lohit district practice Mahayana Buddhism.
The
second group, Noctes and Wanchos in Tirap district, whose long
association with the Assamese in the south, converted them to
Hinduism. The third group comprises of Adi, Abas, Apatanis, Nyishi,
etc - a large majority of the total population, who maintain their
ancient belief and indigenous concepts of nature and worship the "Danyipolo"
(The Sun & Moon).
The
people of Arunachal Pradesh have a tradition of artistic
craftsmanship and sense of aesthetics manifested through a variety
of crafts such as weaving, painting, pottery, smithy work, basket
making, wood carving, etc.
FESTIVALS
Festivals are an essential part of the socio-cultural life of the
people. The festivals are connected with agriculture and
celebrated with ritualistic gaiety either to thank God for his
providence or to pray for a bumper harvest. The large fairs and
festivals are linked with the people and religions. The festivals
celebrated by the Arunachalees mirror the people, culture, their
artistic genius and skill in music and dance, which is a vital
element in the life of every tribe.
In one sentence - Arunachal Pradesh is a must visit destination
for the cultural tourist.
CLIMATE
Due to
the great variety in topography, climatic conditions change within
short distances. The southern part of the state has hot and humid
sub-tropical climate. In the central areas, the climate is cooler,
and in the inner or higher reaches, the climate is alpine. The
rainfall too, though an almost year-round feature, is uneven. The
best time to visit this state is October to April.
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