Ecological and Cultural Tourism in the Seven Sisters

The North East has always existed on the Indian geographical map. Located in tougher terrains of thick vegetation, it has always been in the fringes of the mainstream media, cultural and political attention. Thanks to that, much of it remains unexplored and unexploited from the reaches of commercial tourism turning it into a Shimla, Manali or Ooty.

Due to political insurgency in many parts, the places are either depicted as ‘impoverished’ and ‘uncivilized’ lands or the vast cultural difference has given the ‘exotic’ status to it undermining the regions with people who are facing great adversity in terms of amenities, opportunities, infrastructure, human rights and life.

To take you only briefly (there's a whole lot more we still don't know) through the seven states giving you seven damned good reasons to get that inner line permit made for yourself!

 ASSAM

Picture Courtesy: Satish Krishnamurthy (http://www.flickr.com/photos/unlistedsightings/) 

Assam is any wildlife lover’s ‘Mecca’ and paradise in India. Although most popularly famed for its Rhinos in Kaziranga National Park, it has a variety of fauna ranging from tigers, leopard cats elephants and exotic birds in the wilderness of its many other sanctuaries. Notable to mention are the elephants you find in Manas National Park; the exotic variety of birds in Kaziranga and Nameri wildlife sanctuary like Indian Roller, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Jungle Fowl, Purple Swamphens, Lesser Adjutants and Parakeets; the only kind of Gibbon apes in India in the Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary near Kaziranga National Park and Jorhat; or the Pakhui Tiger Reserve on the way from Tezpur to Tipi route of Arunachal Pradesh. And this list, by any measure, is the least exhaustive.

Wildlife aside, there’s a variety of unique ecological and cultural tourist spots. Majuli, located 20 kilometers from Jorhat, is the world’s largest river island surrounded by fresh pollution free water. The inhabitations of this island are mostly tribals who migrated from Arunachal Pradesh with as many as twenty three villages and a population of 150,000 on the island. Although the island has modernized with infrastructure and facilities, much of the island still represents the traditional culture and civilization of Assam that they celebrate in a three day festival where they display utensils, tools, jewellery, pottery and weapons that are continued to be made in the same mode as those from the Harappan civilization. You can learn more about it on their official website - http://www.majuli.info/.

Another place of cultural and natural exquisity in Assam is the Namphakiyal village in the Dibrugarh district. Here, a microscopic population of the Tai Phake tribe is inhabited, who migrated from Myanmar in the 18^th century and are worshippers of the Lord Buddha. This is another tribe that has maintained much of its traditional culture and language and also celebrates Poi-Chang Ken or the Water Splashing Festival every year on 14^th of April.

Main tourist attractions of this village are sunset in Namphake, boating in the river Buridhing, Buddist Monastry, a symbolic Ashoka pillar, traditional stilt house, traditional dances like Kakong (drum Dance), Kapan (welcome dance), Kachong (umbrella Dance) and Ka feefai (diamond dance).

Knowing that Duliajan is the headquarters of Oil India will not interest you much as a ‘green tourist’ but the fact that place is one of the biggest tea growing areas in the world definitely will excite you like no other. Situated around 15 km from Margherita on the border of Assam- Arunachal Pradesh, Duliajan has much to offer in terms of natural greenery and is one of the frequently visited places of Upper Assam.

(With inputs by Emon Bora)

MEGHALAYA

Picture Courtesy: http://rootbridges.blogspot.in/

Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, has long been known as the ‘Scotland of East India’, dearly called by the once ruling English for whom the weather was far more favourable than many other stations in the country. Now it’s a nightmare of a clogged up city with bustling traffic, high rise apartments and so much pollution that it puts Delhi summers to shame.

Fortunately (or not?) for the state, its indigenous sub-cultural practices have recently emerged to global, commercial attention.

Until it appeared in National Geographic magazine some years back, fewer knew about the miracle and science of ‘The Living Root Bridge’, located in Cherrapunji, formerly the place with the position of the highest rainfall in India.  Over 30 mm long, ‘Ritymmen bridge’ is the longest living root bridge in the world, grown by the Khasi Tribe out of rubber tree roots and with the aid of hollowed out betel net trunks, the Khasis create a root guidance system to grow out across the river. The roots have been growing since over hundreds of years and continue to grow stronger, with the capacity to support the weight of more than 50 people at a time. Just like the Elephants falls, now you pay an admission ticket to walk on this beautiful work of man and nature.

Modern, urban Khasis’ sense of hygiene, décor and living is very similar to that of the English in country sides of England. They mostly live in wooden cottages that are cozy and kept clean in every nook and cranny. No surprise that the state should wear the crown of the cleanest village in Asia, Mawlynnong, located in it. Situated in the East Khasi hills, 90 kilometers from Shillong, these Khasis re-affirm how cleanliness and eco-friendly practices is culture bound, not western or board education.

The architecture of the village mostly composes of thatched huts, cozy cottages, bamboo stilt houses and bamboo bridges in an environment kept cleaned by villagers of all age groups who take turns to sweep and clean the public toilets and adjacent roads and dispose garbage in separate dustbins for organic and inorganic wastes. Much less to anyone’s surprise, the usage of polythene and smoking is banned. Model village, yeah?'

 ARUNACHAL PRADESH

Picture Courtesy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahinsajain/

Arunachal Pradesh may just be regarded as the epitome of beauty and variety that nature and exotic cultures can ever offer! Hot springs, crystal clear water lakes, mighty mountain ranges, more than 600 varieties of wild orchids, endangered animals, rivers or some of the oldest monasteries is Arunachal Pradesh in a superficial nutshell.

Although Tawang and Bomdila Pass will most commonly appear in your Google search or the tell tales of the ‘been there done that’ travelers, there many other extraordinary sites that fall in and around these key tourist locations.

In the entry point of the state is a place called Bhalukpong that is famous for archaeological ruins of the ancient ruler, King Bhaluka and the fort remains from the 10^th-12^th century AD can be found in the foothills of the region. Five kilometers forward, you reach Tipi, which is called the botanical paradise of the state where as many as 450 species of orchids grow and orchid research centers and museums for poky and passionate geeks of the flower.

Medicinal hot water springs known to cure skin ailments are found in many places like Dirang (42 Kms from Bomdila) and Walong. Siberian black necked storks are known to visit Sangti Valley during winters. Ride on the world’s second highest motorable pass - Sela Pass (45 Kms from Dirang) falling on the way to Tawang at 14000 ft with a high altitude serene crystal blue water natural lake to visit.

There are many pocket cultural and Buddhist festivals one can choose from in Arunachal Pradesh but the one celebrated on the biggest scale is the Namdapha Eco Cultural Festival in the Miao sub division of the Changlang district. This festival promotes the bonhomie among all the major tribes of the state and the north eastern region including some of the most marginalized lots to come together and share their humble and peaceful approach to life in sync with the mother nature surrounding them. During the three-day extravaganza, strange but soulful tunes and lyrics of the folk songs and dances, the ethnic food fiesta, traditional sports and adventures like river fafting and bamboo boat fafting, angling etc. There’s also the nearby Namdapha National Park that one can opt to trek to finding on their way some of the most exotic flora and fauna in the world.

Water sports adventure seekers must not miss the rapids of Siang River originating from Tibet into the main flow of the mighty river Brahmaputra. The river runs through the gorges of Nigguing and Marmon, both, with thick forest coverings. The self-contained 180-km run from Tuting to Pasighat includes a 10-mile stretch of massive rapids with enticing names like Moing Madness, Zebra Rock and Pulsating Palìsi. There’s also been much talk of an abundance of rich aquatic life. Much of the state is a gold mine for zoologists and botanists to attain their mantle pieces of world discoveries!

NAGALAND
 

Photo Courtesy: Vivek K Gupta (http://india-north-east.blogspot.in/)

Two words - Hornbill Festival

As the winter season sets in Nagaland, the chill in the air is accompanied by a very loud and infectious buzz amongst the people for the impending Christmas celebrations in the Christian dominated state and in organizing the annual Hornbill Festival. Named after the greatly admired Hornbill bird, the grandeur of the bird is colorfully represented in the Naga folklore, dances and their attire i.e. the feather on the headgear.

The Hornbill Festival, since its inception 11 years back, has gone on to set a benchmark for cultural festivals in India and has quite single handedly brought commercial and central attention to the region leading to the infusion of corporate enterprises and independent ventures and closing the wide gap of ignorance between mainland and the marginal state.

Held in the first week of December at the Naga heritage village in Kasima, over 18 Naga tribes showcase their traditional dance, folk songs, attires, hunting gear, tools, huts etc. along with tribes from neighbouring states like Manipur and Mizoram, even including nations like Myanmar and Thailand.

A medley of activities to choose from, you can skip and hop between checking out dance shows (must see, bamboo dance), food stalls that will redefine the word ‘edible’ for you, fashion shows, beauty pageants, traditional archery, shopping stalls selling handicrafts made of bamboo & wood and beautifully hand woven shawls of various tribes, Naga wrestling matches or the epic ‘Hornbill National Rock Contest’ widely popular among the head bangers of the country.

Other than this, Mokokchung (originally home to the Ao Nagas) is another small town worthy of visit for its warm hospitality, interesting cultural offerings (museums, folktale plays) and picturesque location.

MANIPUR

A view of the Dzuko Valley (Picture Courtesy: http://zolengthe.net/2011/06/20/dzuko-valley-in-manipur/)

Due to the lack of any promoted tourism and the graveness of insurgency problems like the routine bandhs and bomb blasts, Manipur remains one of the least exploited of nature’s beauty in the North East. This state is definitely for those adventure trekkers looking to explore relatively unseen and undiscovered areas with the minimal risks of running into trouble with the local underground outfits.

The well known ‘Shiroi Lily’ (Botanical name: Lilium mackliniae. Also, known as Kashung Timrawon, in Manipuri language) a rare and endangered species Himalayan flower grows in the Shiroi hills in Ukhrul district of Manipur at an elevation of 1730-2590 metres above sea level. Discovered by Dr. Frank Ward and his wife Jean Macklin in 1946, it won the Royal Horticultural Society Flower Show in London in 1948. It blooms best in the summer season between May and June.

A little less popular in the mainstream news is the Dzuko Valley where similarly a rare flower species called ‘Dzuko Lily’ grows and at 8052 feet above mean sea level, the temperatures go below freezing point making it the only place in Manipur with snow and ice formations in winters.  

Due to the lack of awareness and education in conservation amongst the locals in Manipur, the Shirui & Dzuko Lilies are fast becoming rare and endangered and the lack of attention from the state or the central government to fund research has led to no scientific measures in protecting this species from depletion.

Like all other states in the North East, Manipur too celebrates many cultural festivals respective to the variety of tribes and sub-tribes but notable of all is the Chavang Kut Autumn Festival celebrated on the 1^st of November, every year. The harvest festival is a thanksgiving to the year of hard labour celebrated in songs, dance, beauty pageants, rock concerts and a grand feast primarily rejoiced by the Kuki-Chin-Mizo tribes of the state, although other tribes also collectively participate in this great festivity.

TRIPURA      

Neermahal in Tripura 

You probably didn’t even realize that it was a state and not a small town. And I wouldn’t be surprised if you were surprised that it was in the north east of India.

Most neglected of all the seven sisters, Tripura has much variety to offer ecologically and culturally. The Bengali culture dominantly stands out with the love of ‘Robindro Shongeet’ floating in the lush green hills and the enthusiasm during Pujo but the unified participation of tribals & non-tribals in indigenous or imported festivals alike, is unmatched to any of its sibling states. 

The Baramura range, located in West Tripura District, is known as the origin of the river Howrah. The forest covered hills in this range have mostly been vacated of inhabitation, save a few nomadic Jumiya families, because of the paramilitary presence and the Government thermal project. But the hills hold a mystic charm because of the stories of ‘El Dorado’ like treasures buried inside the ranges. These stories are entwined in history of the Maharaja of Tripura and other rulers all the way from Udaipur having hidden away their “precious” and some of it (such as ancient Nepali coins) being found by excavators from earlier days (To know more, read this investigative piece by The North East Today). Then, there’s also the touristy Baramura Ecological Park on National Highway 44 towards Guwahati and Shillong where one can enjoy a panoramic view of the sylvan green forest with a stream flowing through it and quaint little huts all around the park.

Jal Mahal in Jaipur, Rajasthan is not the only ‘water palace’ in India, partially submerged in a lake. Built by king Birbikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur (of the second largest dynasty of the world – Manikyas) in the year 1930 as a summer resort  in the middle of the lake Rudrasagar, half of the Palace is an open-air theatre and the other half called the Andar Mahal that was used by the Royalty. A unique blend of Hindu and Muslim culture in its architecture and carvings, the palace is 400 metres long located at Melaghar, in South Tripura, about 55 km from the capital Agartala.

Despite its global popularity and huge margins in revenues for the state, it has been very poorly maintained. Weathered by rains, vandalized by irresponsible Indians scribbling their love on the walls in the hopes of its “immortality” and crumbling in the decreasing level of the water in the lake, the palace is currently awaiting government funding on its restoration.

MIZORAM 

Picture Courtesy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahinsajain/

Mizoram is one of the more modern states in the North Eastern hub (primarily because of its high literacy rate and low level of insurgency) that has its own self commercialized, indigenious pop culture comprising of Christian Gospel music, fashion and many other elements going for itself. I don’t want to fill anyone’s heads with ideas but if any of the states could pull off sovereignty from the centre, it is definitely the Mizos. But look beyond Aizawl, the capital of the state, where most of this description is evident, there is a treasure trove of natural beauty and cultural richness in the state.

For a cultural experience, you can visit Falkawn falls, 18 kilometers from Aizawl, has a recreated Mizo village where one can get a taste of the traditional Mizo lifestyle with their traditional dishes, traditional tools and items that are sold here and entertained with their folklore songs and dances. Essentially, a Mizo “Choki Dhani” (Jaipur) experience.   

Archaeology junkies must pay a visit to Vangchhia village in Champhai District , which has been proposed to be declared as a historical site of national importance last year because of over 170 menhirs with different carvings being discovered in this town bordering close to Myanmar. Estimated to be over 300 years old, these stones carved figures of human beings and animals, reportedly akin to the stones found in South and Central India of warrior chiefs and hunters of a particular clan or tribe. Since the Mizos don’t have a recorded history of their ancestors nor any indigenous script, it’s fascinating to speculate who had erected these stone carvings. Read more on it here.

Three kilometers into Myanmar from the border village of Zokhawthar (India), rests one of the most serene looking lakes known to mankind. As per ancient Mizo folklore, Rih Dil was believed to be the passage of souls of the departed ones to their eternal abode. The Mizos in the past believed that the ‘other world’ was divided into two, and that all spirits went to a place called ‘Mitthi khua’ (village of the deaths), then some moved on to ‘Pialral’ (heaven); but to reach their eternal abodes, they had to pass through the lake Rih Dil. (For more on Rih Dil, read here).

Most people have heard of the Blue Mountains National Park in Australia but behold, Phawngpui - the Blue Mountain National Park of India. Considered by locals as the abode of the Gods, it is the highest mountain peak in Mizoram, rising about 2165 metres. Known for orchids and rhododendrons, Phawngpui has a spectacular scenic view with trees and flowers of all colours with an abode of clouds floating below the blue hazed hills.

We’re sure to have missed many interest and undiscovered locations, activities and festivities in the North East. Enlighten us as an extensive traveler or a residing local!