 |
| Location |
North East of India |
| Area |
26,2185 sq. m. |
| Population |
3 crore , 89 Lakhs |
| Best time |
September - May |
| Topography |
Hilly terrain elevation from 600 ft.
to over 28,509 ft above sea level |
| Temperature |
Summer Max- 42°C; Min- 13°C |
| Winter |
Max -17°C; Min- 0.48°C |
| Rainfall |
250 - 350 cm per annum |
| Languages |
English, Hindi, Assamese, Khasi, Garo,
Jaintia, Manipuri, Mizo, Nagamese, Bengali, Nepali,
Bhutia (Sikkimese), Bhutia (Tibetan), Lepcha, Limboo,
Local dialects |
The Seven Sister States are a region in northeastern
India, comprising the contiguous states of Arunachal
Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and
Tripura. The sisters lie deep in the lap of easternmost
Himalayan hills in north-eastern part of India. Connected
to rest of India by merely 20 km of wide land (at Siliguri,
West Bengal), the North-East India shares over 2,000 km of
border with Bhutan, China, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
When India became independent from the United Kingdom in
1947, only three states covered the area. Manipur and
Tripura were princely states, while a much larger Assam
Province was under direct British rule. Its capital was
Shillong. Four new states were carved out of the original
territory of Assam in the decades following independence,
in line with the policy of the Indian government of
reorganizing the states along ethnic and linguistic lines.
Accordingly, Nagaland became a separate state in 1963,
followed by Meghalaya in 1972. Mizoram became a Union
Territory in 1972, and achieved statehood - along with
Arunachal Pradesh - in 1987.
Assam is the gateway through which the sister states are
connected to the mainland. Tripura, a virtual enclave is
almost surrounded by Bangladesh. Nagaland, Meghalaya and
Arunachal depend on Assam for their internal
communications. Manipur and Mizoram's contacts with the
main body of India are through Assam's Barak Valley.
The people of the region are a mixture of Aryan and
Mongoloid origin, most of the tribal groups racial origins
being visibly those of the peoples of Tibet, Burma,
Thailand and Laos. They consequently have little in common
with the rest of India. Their complete integration with
India came about only during the British Raj.
The sobriquet, the Land of Seven Sisters, had been
originally coined, coinciding with the inauguration of the
new states in January, 1972, by Jyoti Prasad Saikia, a
journalist in Tripura in course of a radio talk. Saikia
later compiled a book on the interdependence and
commonness of the Seven Sister States, and named it the
Land of Seven Sisters. It has been primarily because of
this publication that the sobriquet has caught on.
The region is known for its unique culture, handicrafts,
martial arts, and scenic beauty. The North-East India is
home to varied number of tribal groups (almost 166). Each
tribe has their own distinct culture, which gives them a
unique cultural identity. Numerous of art forms and
festivals of the region are intrinsic part of its rich
culture and tradition. Many of festivals like Bihu, Jhum
Cultivation, Ke Pemblang, Nongkrem, Durga Puja and Karchi
Puja are some of the most important festivals, which are
mirror to rich socio-cultural life of North-East India.
Manipuri dance is the perfect representation of Manipuri
culture. The dance is often devoted to religious themes,
while the Raas Lila (love story of Radha and Krishna)
dominating it. The 29 tribes of Manipur have different
dances to offer - Lai Haroba (feast of dances,
representing celebrations of Gods), Pung Cholem (Mridang
dance), Mao Naga dance, the priestess dance of Malbe Jagoi,
Thangal Surang dance etc. The vibrant culture of the
Manipuris is reflected in their dance and drama.
Main industries in the region are tea-based, crude oil and
natural gas, silk, bamboo and handicrafts. The states are
heavily forested and have plentiful rainfall. There are
beautiful wildlife sanctuaries, tea-estates and mighty
rivers like Brahmaputra. The region is home to one-horned
rhinoceros, elephants and other endangered wildlife.
Best time to go:
September is generally the best time for flowers,
following the rains. October - November is harvest time.
The rivers are at their lowest by springtime but still
have enough Himalayan run-off to guarantee a good rafting
trip.
Festivals happen in all states throughout the year. The
Naga Hornbill Festival in early December is excellent
though no doubt others such as the Buddha Mahotsava
Festival in Tawang in mid October is equally remarkable.
How to get there:
Gateway to Northeast India is Guwahati which is
conveniently connected from Delhi & Kolkata with rail and
air. Once in Guwahati, you can easily connect to other
north-eastern cities, either by air or road.
Permits:
Only Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura can be visited without
PAP (Protected Area Permits) or RAP (Restricted Area
Permits). Getting them is possible but not easy for
independent travelers though no problem for groups
traveling with an Indian Tour Operator who will do all the
paperwork.
Foreign tourists require restricted area permit to visit
Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram.
Travel documents required to obtain the permit are :
A)
Xerox copy of passport and visa details along with filled
application form.
B) Two passport size photographs.
Restricted Area Permit for Foreign tourists is granted for
10 days which is extendable.
Clothing:
Warm woolens for winters (Nov to Feb) and light clothing
for the rest of the season.
Health:
Chloroquine and Proguanil are recommended against malaria
though much of the time you are likely to be over 2000m
and malaria free. Insect repellents and after-bite creams
are worth considering in jungle terrain. If going above
4000m, acclimatization is recommended.
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