Facts about Arunachal Pradesh – Arunachal Pradesh, also called “the land of rising sun”, lies in northeast India. The state is the largest of the North-Eastern states, spread over an area of 83,743 km. Arunachal Pradesh, with its snow-clad peaks, towering mountains, roaring rivers, high altitude meadows and vast unspoiled sub-tropical forests is aptly known as the Last Shangri La on Earth’.

Geographical Facts about Arunachal Pradesh

• Arunachal Pradesh is known to be rich in flora, fauna, power and mineral potential. Previously this region was known as the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) and constituted a part of the state of Assam.
• Arunachal Pradesh became an independent state on 20th February 1987. It is bounded by independent countries on the three sides and by Assam and Nagaland in the south.
• The major rivers of the state are the Brahmaputra and its tributaries—the Dibang [Sikang], Lohit, Subansiri, Kameng, and Tirap.
• Arunachal Pradesh, whose name means Land of the Dawn-Lit Mountains in Sanskrit, is also known as the Orchid State of India or the Paradise of the Botanists.
• Geographically, it is the largest among the North-east Indian states commonly known as the Seven Sister States.

Historical Facts about Arunachal Pradesh

• The history of  Arunachal Pradesh remains shrouded in mystery.
• Oral histories possessed to this day by many Arunachali tribes of Tibeto-Burman stock point unambiguously to a northern origin in modern-day Tibet.
• Recorded history from an outside perspective only became available in the Ahom and Sutiya chronicles.
• The Monpa and Sherdukpen do keep historical records of the existence of local chiefdoms in the northwest as well.
• Northwestern parts of this area came under the control of the Monpa kingdom of Monyul, which flourished between 500 B.C. and 600 A.D.
• This region then came under the loose control of Tibet and Bhutan, especially in the Northern areas.
• The remaining parts of the state, especially those bordering Myanmar, were under the control of the Sutiya Kings until the Ahom-Sutiya battle in the 16th century.
• The Ahoms held the areas until the annexation of India by the British in 1858.
• However, most Arunachali tribes remained in practice largely autonomous up until Indian independence and the formalisation of indigenous administration in 1947.

McMahon Line

• The McMahon Line is a line agreed to by Britain and Tibet as part of the Simla Accord, a treaty signed in 1914.
• It is the effective boundary between China and India, although its legal status is disputed by the Chinese government.
• The line is named after Sir Henry McMahon, foreign secretary of the British-run Government of India and the chief negotiator of the convention at Simla.
• It extends for 550 miles (890 km) from Bhutan in the west to 160 miles (260 km) east of the great bend of the Brahmaputra River in the east, largely along the crest of the Himalayas.

State Symbols of Arunachal Pradesh

Seats in Arunachal Pradesh

• Assembly Seats: Unicameral (60 seats)
• Lok Sabha Seats: 2
• Rajya Sabha Seats: 1

Wildlife Sanctuaries in Arunachal Pradesh

• D’Ering Memorial (Lali) Wild Life Sanctuary
• Dibang Wild Life Sanctuary
• Eaglenest Wild Life Sanctuary
• Itanagar Wild Life Sanctuary
• Kamlang Wild Life Sanctuary
• Kane Wild Life Sanctuary
• Mehao Wild Life Sanctuary
• Pakhui/ Pakke Wild Life Sanctuary
• Sessa Orchid Wild Life Sanctuary
• Tale Valley Wild Life Sanctuary
• Yordi-Rabe Supse Wild Life Sanctuary

National Park in Arunachal Pradesh

• Mouling National Park
• Namdapha National Park

Famous Temples in Arunachal Pradesh

The land of rising sun (as dawn breaks first in this north-eastern state in India) has few temples which have historical significance and attracts thousands of devotees on sacred days.

However, Arunachal is dotted with monasteries and nunneries of various dimensions as people follow Buddhism strictly as per religious edicts.

• Tawang Monastery – This is the second largest monastery in the world after the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet.
• GRL Gompa Monastery
• Urgelling Monastery
• Gorsam Chorten
• Taktsang Monastery (Tiger’s Den)
• Old Bazaar Gompa
• Rigyaling Gompa
• Parasuram (Parshuram) Kund temple
• Malinithan temple (or Akashganga temple)
• Sacred Kund
• Nunneries
• Brama Dung Chung Ani Gompa
• Gyangong Ani Gompa
• Singsur Ani Gompa

Natural Resources in Arunachal Pradesh

• Coal
• Copper Ore
• Gold
• Pyrites
• Graphite
• Dolomite
• Flux Grade

Main Festivals in Arunachal Pradesh

• Losar
• Dree
• Solung
• Reh

Major Dances in Arunachal Pradesh

• Aji Lamu (Monpa Tribe)
• Chalo (Nocte Tribe)
• Hiirii Khaniing (Apatani Tribe)
• Lion and Peacock dance (Monpa)
• Pasi Kongki (Adi)
• Ponung (Adi Tribe)
• Popir (Adi Tribe)

Major Airports in Arunachal Pradesh

• Along Airport
• Daporijo Airport
• Itanagar Airport
• Pasighat Airport
• Tezu Airport
• Zero Airport

Some Famous Personalities in Arunachal Pradesh

• Tapi Mra- mountaineer from India and the first person from Arunachal Pradesh to scale Everest
• Kiren Rijiju- BJP Member of Parliament; Union minister
• Nabam Tuki- ex CM of Arunachal Pradesh

Some other facts about Arunachal Pradesh

• Arunachal Pradesh, meaning “Land of the Rising Sun,” long has been a recognized region of the Indian subcontinent, receiving mention in such ancient Hindu literature as the Kalika-Purana and the epic poems Mahabharata and Ramayana.

TRIVIA

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