ArunachalPradesh the land of rising sun or the land of the Dawn - lit mountains being a part of eastern Himalayan ranges is on the northern-East tip of India and borders Bhutan, China, Myanmar and the State of Assam. The ever green wooded forests with streams, rivers meandering through mountains offer the cooling tranquility and scenic beauties where every morning the sunrise spreads its golden carpet first. The fleeting references of the place in the Purans like the Kalika Purana, the Mahabharat and Ramayan suggest early civilisation. Here was the land where Parasuram washed away his sins, Vyasa meditated, Bhishmaka found his kingdom, Lord Krishna married his consort Rukmini and king Balinarayan drew men for his armies from among the hardy people. However, it is only in 16th century, the history of Arunachal Pradesh gained coherence from the legends and traditions under the rules of Ahom Kings of Assam. Originally known as North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) it came under the control of the British when they subjugated Assam from the Ahom kings following the treaty of Yandabo in 1838 with the Burmese invaders. The British did not interfere with the hill tribes and declared the place as off-limits in 1873 till the eve of world war II. Following independence of India, The Government on the advice of Verrier Elwin, the British-born anthropologist who accepted Indian citizenship prepared the tribes to cope up with the modern world and thus introduced village democracy in preparation of a statewide legislation. Development in this area stepped up following the Chinese aggression in 1962. In 1971 NEFA was re-named to Arunachal Pradesh and in 1972 it became a union territory. On 20th February 1987, it was declared as the 24th State of the Indian Union.

The mightiest of these river is Siang, called Tsangpo in Tibet, which becomes Brahmaputra after it is joined by the Dibang and the Lohit in the plains of Assam.

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 elove 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.

The climates varies from hot and humid in the Shivalik range with heavy rainfall. 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. Tropical rain forests are to be found in the foothills and hills in the east on the border with Myanmar. Northern most border is covered with Alpine forests. Amidst the highly rugged terrain, there are green forests and plateaus.

Arunachal Pradesh is inhabited by people of tribal origin. These groups had distinct culture. In the16th century the Ahom Kings influenced the region. The population were of Tibeto-Burmese linguistic origin. The tribe consisted of the Daflas, Bangnis, the Monpas and they were influenced by Buddhist ideals. The Miri along with the Daflas and Tagin lived in the hills. The Apatanis were believed to be more advanced. They were agriculturists. Besides this the Abor who called themselves as Adi lived in the valley of Arunachal Pradesh. Besides them the Membas, Ramos and Boris formed minor groups. The Mishmis exists as Idus, Taraons, and Kamans. They excelled in handicrafts. Today tourism forms an important source of revenue for the state economy.

Attractions In Arunachal Pradesh

There are plenty of tourist attractions in Arunachal Pradesh. Verdant forests at the backdrop of the lofty placid mountains, colourful tribes with their curious social customs make the land a picturesque one. Unspoilt natural beauty, interesting life style of the tribes and mythology play a large part to form the tourist attractions of Arunachal Pradesh. Following are only a few of them :

Itanagar
This is the capital of the state and includes many tourist attractions of Arunachal Pradesh. The historical fort made of bricks from which the drives the name, is 14-15 centuries old. The Rajbhawan, the official residence of the Governor, Jawaharlal Nehru State Museum, the legendary Ganga Lake (Gyakar Sinyi) are also worth a visit.

Bomdila (8500 ft.)
Home to the tibes like Monpa, Sherdukpen, Aka (Hrusse), Miji and Begun (Khawas). Colourful gomphas tucked in the brilliant landscape makes it an ideal Himalayan destination.

Tawang
The meandering highland pass that leads to this picturesque valley itself is one of the tourist attractions of Arunachal Pradesh. 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.

Parashuram Kund
Ancient Indian mythology has it that Parashuram, a great sage of ancient India had washed his sin of matricide in the bank of the rive Lohit, which later came to be known as Parashuram Kund. People come from far and wide to take part in the Parashuram Mela during the month of January.

Bhismaknagar
Mythology says Lord Krishna carried away Rukmini one of many wives from her father Bhismaka who rule this kingdom. Excavations have revealed a very early settlement of the Aryans here.

Malinithan
Malinithan has a 7 to 8 centuries old temple site in ruins. A series of excavations have unearthed a decorated basement of a temple, icon of deities, animal motifs and floral designs, carved columns and panels reminding of an unknown past.

Akashiganga
Mythology again comes into play. When the Lord Shiva was frantically carrying the corpse of Parvati, his wife, Lord Vishnu cut her body into pieces with Sudharshan Chakra. One of the pieces fell in this area so the place is considered divine. The place also provides a magnificent bird's eye view of the Brahmaputra river glimmering far below.

NATIONAL PARKS ·
Namdhapa National Park (Tiger Project), Miao · Mouling National Park, Jengging · Sessa Orchid Sanctuary, Tipi · Dihang-Debang Biosphere Reserve, Dibang Valley

Five major rivers -
Kameng, Subansiri, Siang, Lohit and Tirap - branching out from the mighty Brahmaputra and countless other rivulets crisscross the mystic land. Alongwith the breathtaking view, they also offer good rafting and angling opportunity.

Fairs and Festivals In the socio-cultural life of the tribes, fairs and festivals play an important. Colourful festival are celebrated throughout the year. Some of the important festivals are Solung, Mopin, Losar, Boori Boot, Dree, Nechi Dau, Khan, Kshyat-Sowai, Loku, Longte Yullo, Mol, Nyokum, Ojiale, Reh, Sanken, Si-Donyi and Tamladu.