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Your true traveller finds boredom rather agreeable than painful. It is the symbol of his liberty - his excessive freedom. He accepts his boredom, when it comes, not merely philosophically, but almost with pleasure ~ Aldous Huxley
Arunachal Pradesh
More info about Arunachal......
Bounded by Tibet in the north, Assam and Nagaland in the east and Bhutan in the west, Arunachal Pradesh, formerly known as North-East Frontier Agency or NEFA, covers an area of 83,743 square kilometers and thus has the largest territory among the seven units of North East India. This hilly land of the sub-Himalayan tracts, made into a Union territory through administrative reorganization after independence, was given full statehood in 1987.
the population of Arunachal Pradesh, 858,392 according to the 1991 census, is made up of over 82 tribes and sub-tribes of Indo-Mongoloid origin. All these groups have their distinctive social and cultural identities, speaking different languages and dialects of the Tibeto-Burma family and following different beliefs and customs. The territory can be conveniently divided into three main cultural zones:
To the first zone belong the Buddhist or near-Buddhist groups of the westernmost parts, other small tribes along the northern frontier, and the Khamtis and the Singphos in the foothills of the eastern parts. These Buddhist and near-Buddhis groups have elements of civilization considerably influenced by Tibet and Burma. The Monpas and the Serdukpens are followers of Tibetan Buddhism while the Khamptis and Singphos, who are Buddhists of Burmese affiliation, have migrated from the Irrawady valley in comparatively recent times and lived in close proximity to the plains of Assam. The Buguns (Khowas), the Hrussos (Akas) and the Dhammais (Mijis), though not Buddhists themselves, have imbibed many cultural elements from their Buddhistic neighbours.
In the great central area live a large number of tribal groups who have been divided by the difficulty of communications and by the state of war in which they lived before they were brought under a common administration. The chief groups among these are the Adis (divided into several sub-groups), the Nishis (Daflas, Bangnis), the Apatanis, the Hill Miris, the Tagins and the three groups of the Mishmis.
The third area, comprising the south-eastern parts of the territory bordering on Burma, is inhabited chiefly by the Wanchos, the Noctes (who have adopted elements of Assam Vaishanavism), the various small groups collectively known as Tangsa, and small population of Singphos and Khamptis.
Although all the three cultural areas have many traits in common, there are also certain others that distinguish them form one another.
Again, there have been contacts with the plains of Assam at various levels and a kind of patois of Assamese language-sometimes designated as Nefamese, has served as lingua franca for communication among different groups.
source: A Handbook of Folklore Material of North
East India. Birendranath Datta, Nabin Chandra Sarma, Prabin Chandra
Das
More General Info:
Arunachal Pradesh, sparsely populated and mountainous state, north-east India, bordered on the south by Assam State, on the west by Bhutan, on the north and north-east by Tibet, and on the east by Myanmar. The former North East Frontier Agency, the region became the union territory of Arunachal Pradesh (“Land of the Rising Sun”) in 1972, and India's 24th state in December 1986. Arunachal Pradesh has an area of 83,743 sq km (32,333 sq mi). Itanagar is the state capital.
The terrain rises through a series of foothills in the south to the Lesser Himalaya mountains and, on the Tibetan border, to the ranges of the Great Himalaya. The state's main rivers are the Brahmaputra, known in Arunachal Pradesh as the Siang, and its tributaries—the Tirap, the Lohit, the Subansiri, and the Kameng. The climate of the foothills is subtropical; in the mountains, temperatures decrease rapidly with altitude. Rainfall averages between 2,000 and 4,000 mm (80-160 in) a year. The state's diverse terrain and climate is reflected in its plant and animal life. There are over 500 species of orchid, and the abundant forests range from alpine to subtropical. Animal species include tiger, leopard, elephant, red panda, and deer.
Arunachal Pradesh has a population of 1,091,117 (2000), giving an average density of just over 13 people per sq km (nearly 34 per sq mi). Itanagar has a population of about 17,300 (1991). Arunachal Pradesh has a largely tribal society, and its people are of diverse origins and distinct cultures. There are 20 main ethnic groups and more than 50 languages; Assamese, Hindi, and English tend to be used as lingua francas. Animism is the dominant form of religion, but there are also strong Hindu and Buddhist traditions. The Tawang Buddhist monastery, dating from the 17th century, is one of the largest in India; the sixth Dalai Lama was born there.
The economy is predominantly agricultural and, in many areas, based on shifting cultivation (jhum). The principal crop is rice. Maize, millet, wheat, pulses, potatoes, sugar cane, fruit, and oilseeds are also important. Industry is small scale and includes timber, rice, and oil mills; soap and candle making; sericulture; and handicrafts. The economic potential of Arunachal Pradesh's forests and rivers, and of its coal, oil, and other mineral deposits has yet to be exploited. This is partly because the terrain makes modern transport difficult, although there is a strong trading tradition within the region. In 1992 the state was opened up to limited tourism.
Arunachal Pradesh has a single chamber Legislative Assembly with 60 seats and sends three members to the Indian national parliament—one to the Rajya Sabha (upper house); two to the Lok Sabha (lower house). Local government is based on 12 administrative districts. The region of what is now Arunachal Pradesh is mentioned in the Sanskrit writings, the Puranas, but otherwise little is known of the state's early history. Part was annexed by the Akom kings of Assam in the 16th century. In 1826 Assam became part of British India; some 60 years later the first efforts were made to bring Arunachal Pradesh under British administration. In 1912 the region became an administrative unit within Assam, called the North Eastern Frontier Tract (NEFT); in 1954 the NEFT became the North East Frontier Agency. The northern boundary has been disputed since 1913, when China rejected British proposals that the frontier with Tibet should follow the crest of the
Himalayas. This proposed border, known as the McMahon line, has served as the de facto boundary since. Following Indian independence in 1947, China laid claim to almost the whole area of Arunachal Pradesh. Between 1959 and 1962 Chinese troops crossed the McMahon line several times, temporarily seizing border posts and capturing Indian troops. See Sino-Indian War. The eastern border of Arunachal Pradesh remains disputed between India and China.
Taken from Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia. © 1993-2001.
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