Arunchal Pradesh, one of the most sparsely populated states of India, borders China, Bhutan and Myanmar. There are five major rivers – Kameng, Subansiri, Siang (later the Brahmaputra in Assam), Lohit and Tirap and the mountation ranges follow the river systems. Arunachal Pradesh, 'the land of the dawn lit mountains', is one of the most pristine areas in India. Home to a complex mix of communities, its people are friendly, colourful and simple. The history of Arunachal Pradesh is a virtual treasure trove of myths and fascinating traditions, but the recorded history of this state is available only from the 16th century onwards, when the Ahom kings began to rule Assam. Since 1947, it was a part of the North East Frontier Agency and was later made a Union Territory. Arunachal Pradesh was made a full fledged state on 20th February, 1987.

Entry Formalities

Traveling to Arunachal Pradesh requires a number of entry formalities, which however, should not intending tourists. The formalities are general to visitors entering some of the other seven sister states of North-Eastern India. At the same time government policy has also opted for certain safety measures to allow for a gradual cultural interaction and influence in the state that is comparatively new in the field without hurting traditional values and degrading the state's pristine beauty. Any domestic tourist coming to Arunachal Pradesh has to obtain an Inner Line Permit.

Foreign Tourists intending to visit Arunachal Pradesh require a Restricted Area Permit. The foreign tourists can obtain the Protected Area Permit from: All India Missions abroad, All Foreigners Regional Registration Officers (FRROs) at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata Chief Immigration Officers, Chennai Home Ministry, Govt. of India Home Commissioner, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar. The permit can be obtained for a period of 10 (ten) days for a group consisting of four or more persons. The application giving the details like Name, passport number, its issuing authority and the expiry date, place of birth, profession, proposed duration etc.

Excursions

Itanagar
Itanagar is the capital of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Itanagar is situated at the foothills of Himalayas. It comes administratively under Papum Pare district. As a capital town, Itanagar is well connected with the rest of the country by road and air communications. Pawan Hans provides helicopter service between Guwahati and Naharlagun (Itanagar). Deluxe buses are available from Guwahati. The nearest railway station is Harmoti in Assam. Interesting places around are historical fort called Ita-fort which dates back to the 15th century (after which the city is named), legendary Ganga Lake or Gyakar Sinyi and the new Buddhist temple known as Buddha Vihar consecrated by the Dalai Lama. As of today, Itanagar has two churches.

Ziro
Ziro is the district headquarter of Lower Subansiri district and is one of the oldest towns in Arunachal Pradesh. It was the headquarters of the undivided Subansiri district comprising of the present districts of Upper Subsansiri, Kurung Kumey, Lower Subansiri and Papum Pare.

Tawang Monastery
Tawang is a small town situated at an elevation of approximately 3048 meters (10,000 feet) in the northwestern part of Arunachal Pradesh. The town once served as the district headquarters of West Kameng district, and became the district headquarters of Tawang district when it was formed from West Kameng. The Tawang Monastery of the Gelugpa sect in Tawang town was built by the Mera Lama in 1681. This monastery is one of the largest in the country.Tawang town is located approximately 555 km (344.86 miles) from Guwahati. Tawang is located at 27.58° N 91.87° E.[1] It has an average elevation of 2669 metres (8756 feet).

Pasighat
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 of Arunachal Pradesh'. 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. Pasighat town is situated at a height of 155 m. from the sea level. The climate of Pashighat Arunachal Pradesh is hot and humid in summers and temperate during winters. Pasighat and its nearby areas can justly be termed as the heart of Arunachal Pradesh because of their central location in the state. With its breathtaking hillside and lush-green river valleys domesticated by a galaxy of tribes, the area is a tourists delight and photographers paradise.

Gyangong Ani Gompa
Gyangong Ani Gompa in Tawang Arunachal Pradesh is a beautiful Nunnery, having about 50 Buddhist Nuns. The Nunnery is located on top of a beautiful hillock about 5 km away in the north of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh founded by Mera Lam Lodre Gyamtso and was consequently offered by him to his elder sister. Thus the Gyangong Ani gonpa came into existence.
This Ani Gonpa is under the control of Tawang Monastery and the nuns of this monastery get provision from the Tawang monastery. Location of nunnery and the customs being followed by nuns remind visitors of the period of Maurya Dynasty, when the Buddhism was preached in the distant hilly areas under the shade of green trees.

Singsur Ani Gompa
This Gompa is one beautiful nunneries of Tawang district. It is located at a distance of about 28 km west from the Tawang district Headquarters towards the Geshila road in Arunachal Pradesh. It houses around 30 'Anis' or Nuns. The new Singsur Ani Gompa was built by the previous Rev. Gonpatse Rimpoche in 1960. The old Singsur Ani Gompa is also in existence and is located amidst the 'Shaa' (huts) of the Anies.

Fair & Festivals

In Arunachal Pradesh festivals are celebrated throughout the year... in fact festivals form an essential part of the life of the tribals. Most of the festivals are related to agriculture and celebrated in a ritualistic manner. Festivals are celebrated either to thank God for his divine intervention or to pray for a good harvest. Dances form an essential part of their festivals and are performed to express their joy of life. Some of the important festivals are Mopin and Solung of Adis, Losar of Monpas, Sherdukpens and Boori-Boot of the Hill Miris, Dree of Apatanis, Si-doni of Tagins, Nyokum of Nishis, Reh of Idu Mishmis etc. Animal sacrifice is a habitual ritual in all festivals.

Solung -Adi festival
The 'Solung' is the main festival of 'Adis' and is a manifestation of the Adis festival cult. There are various stories about its origin, but the most commonly accepted one is that the Adis were asked by Kine-nane, the Goddesses of wealth and prosperity to perform the Solung Puja. The story goes like this. One 'Doying-Bote' (god of heaven) came in contact with Kine-nane and become sexually excited. When he was about to copulate with her two monsters Totel-Mone and Dubeng-Mone, intervened and snatched off his testicles to destroy it and in the process scattered the divine sperms over different places from some of which sprouted paddy plants. This was found by Kine-nane. Finding human beings starving for want of food, she sent the paddy seeds through a dog. Since then men have been producing paddy in plenty to meet their requirement of feed. Kine-nane asked the men so helped by her to offer Puja in the name of Solung which they were only too willing to do. Kine-name also helped them to acquire Mithu n, and pig, the two animals which are sacrificed at the time of Solung.

Mopin- Adi Festival
Mopin is another popular festival of the Adis, mainly of the Gallong community of the Arunachal Pradesh. This is normally celebrated in order to get rid of natural calamities diseases, effects of evil spirits and for good harvest, health, wealth and prosperity. In this festival Mopin, the Goddess of welfare, peace, wealth, prosperity and wisdom is propitiated in grand celebration. The festival lasts for five days from the eighth of April before, sowing of paddy. The popir dance is the most popular dance during the festival.

Myokoh -Apatani Festival
It is the most highly solemnized community festival of the Apatani society. It is purely a religious ceremony which is observed for the general well being of the whole Apatani society and is participated by each and every Apatani with great enthusiasm, devotion and respect. It is celebrated every year during the month of March and lasts for the whole month. For full participation, the whole Apatani villages of the plateau have been divided into three major groups-the first group consist of villages like Hija Duta, Mudangtage, Bamin and Michi. The second group consist of Hong village alone and the third group consists of Hari, Kalong , Tajang and Regu. The actual solemnization ceremony is conducted alternatively among the three major groups and then the other groups take full participation with the villages who actually perform the ceremonies.

Losar - Monpa Festival
Losar is one of the important festival of Monpas. The festival is celebrated to commemorate the advent of new year. Before the commencement of Losar, they make arrangement for a feast with local drinks where all the relatives and friends are entertained and wish each other happy New Year (Tashi Delek) of the 15th day of the same month they bid good bye to Losar festival with merry making.

Jomu - Monpa Festival
A religious festivals of the Monpas, this is a get together sort of festival which is observed after the completion of sowing of seeds between the 5th and 6th months of Monpa, Lunar calendar. In this festival the villagers go to the Gompa in their traditional dress. The function is graced by the oldest member of the village.

Chosker - Monpa Festival
In this religious festival of Monpas, the Lamas (Buddhist priests) read religious scriptures in the Gompa (Buddhist temple) for a number of days. Thereafter the villagers carry the religious books on their back in a procession under the guidance of senior Lama. The procession goes round the cultivated fields which fall within the jurisdiction of the village. The significance of this performance is to ensure better cultivation and protect the grains from the insects and wild animals and also for the prosperity of the villagers. Normally this festival is performed during the months of April-May, after the Jhum fields are prepared. The ritual involves the suspension of all outside activities for a definite period.

Wildlife

The fauna of Arunachal Pradesh is equally rich with as many as 25 species of mammals included in Schedule – I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The large herbivours of the foot-hills and adjoining plains are the elephant (Elephas maximus), gaur (Bos gaurus) and the wild buffalo (Bubalus bufalis). Arunachal Pradesh is perhaps the only State which has four major cats, i.e. tiger (Panthera tigris), leopard (Panthera pardus), clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) and snow leopard (Panthera uncia). Lesser cats like the golden cat, leopard cat and the marbled cat are also found here. Among the smaller mammals several Rodents (squirrel, porcupine and rats), Civets, mongoose, linsang, shrew and bat species are also to be found. On higher elevations, animals like goral, Himalayan black bear, red panda, are met with in various parts of the State. Over 500 bird species inhabit Arunachal Pradesh including some endangered and endemic ones like, white winged wood duck, Sclater’s Monal, Temmincks Tragopan, b lack necked crane, Mishmi wren and Bengal florican. Arunachal Pradesh is also the happy home of the great Indian Hornbills-the set extraordinary bird with an inordinately large beak which is also the State bird.The white winged wood duck, a rare endangered species, has been sheltered in Namdapha National Park. Namdapha sanctuary was upgraded to the status of National park in 1983.

Pakhui
East Kameng District ; Area 862 sq. km ; Wild life inhabitant Elephants, Tiger, Barking Deer, Gour, Leopard, Hornbill etc.

Daying Ering
East Siang District ; Area 190 sq. km ; Wild life inhabitant Hogdeer, Lispid bear, endemic, migratory birds and migratory water birds.

Mehao
Dibang Valley and Lohit District ; Area 281.5 sq. km ; Wild life inhabitant Hoolock, Gibbon, Tiger, Elephant, Leopard, etc.

Dibang
Dibang Valley District ; Area 4149 sq. km ; Wild life inhabitant Musk Deer, Takin, Black Bear, Leopard, Khalij and rare birds etc.

Access

By Air
The nearest airport is Lilabari (North Lakhimpur) in Assam, 57 kms from Naharlagun and 67 kms from Itanagar.

By Rail
The nearest railway station is Harmuty (near Banderdewa check gate) only 23 km from Naharlagun & 33 km from Itanagar.

By Road
Road network connects Itanagar with Guwahati (381 km) & Other important Cities of India