A PPT ON ARUNACHAL PRADESH
AND MEGHALAYA
EARLY HISTORY OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH:
During the period in between 500 B.C. and 600 A.D., this area was ruled by the
Monpa kingdom. Post that the northern region was controlled by Bhutan and
Tibet whereas the other parts were under the supervision of the Ahom and
Assamese till British annexation in the year 1858. The then population of the
states comprised of people mainly of Tibeto-Burmese origin. Tribes like Bangnis,
Daflas and Monpas were the majority.
Similar to any other state, the history of Arunachal Pradesh plays a
significant role in attracting tourists. The state's ancient history can
even be associated with the excavated ruins of the Hindu temples of
Malinithan. Located at the foot hills of Siang, the remains of those
temples date back to the 14th century. Though most of them are found
towards the state of Assam, still the places are said to be associated
with Arunachal Pradesh.
The historical relationship with Tibetans becomes evident from the
Tawang Monastery towards the north west of Arunachal Pradesh.
This monastery is most likely to be of 400 years old. Earlier the state
was popularly called as the North Eastern Frontier Agency (N. E. F.
A.), which was constitutionally included within the state of Assam.
.
DRAWING OF MCMAHON
LINE:
• The Simla Accord, a treaty in the country was negotiated by the representatives
of Tibet, China and Britain in between the period of 1913 and 1914. This treaty
drew a boundary of 890 km, which is famously known as the McMahon Line,
between the country of India and Tibet. The border line was not accepted by the
country of China and thus, was not strictly followed even after two decades of
the conference though.
• However, in the year 1937, a map was published, which showed the official
boundary between Tibet and India. Post that, British administration was founded
there in 1944, when they set up their rule from Walong towards the east of this
region to Dirang Dzong towards the west. During 1947, when the position of
Tibet was changed on the McMahon Line, official announcement about the
border was made by the country of India that compelled Tibet not to include
Tawang within Tibetan administration. This change of position of Tibet on the
GAINING STATEHOOD
After Indian independence, victory was declared by China in the year
1962. That helped the nation to withdraw the border line, which in
turn assisted India in getting back its prisoners. Till the year 1965,
the External Affairs Ministry as well as Home Affairs Ministry used to
administer N. E. F. A. The Union Territory of Arunachal Pradesh came
into existence, when the region was renamed as Arunachal Pradesh
in 1972. Finally, the place gained its statehood on 20th February,
1987, when Arunachal Pradesh got included in the Indian Union as
the country's 24th state. However, after 20 years from that time,
during the year 2007, the Government of Arunachal Pradesh again
CULTURE OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH:
• Arunachal Pradesh is well known for its ancient culture. Known as the
'The Land of Dawnlit Mountains', Arunachal Pradesh finds mention in
prominent scriptures of India, such as the Kalika Purana and
Mahabharata. Sage Parashurama washed away his sins in Arunachal
which was then known as Prabhu Mountains. Sage Vyasa meditated in the
forests of this region and Lord Krishna married Rukmini at this legendary
site of India.
FOOD OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH:
• Arunachal Pradesh is situated in the farthermost north-eastern border of
India. The influence of tribal communities and nearby Himalayan
civilisations is quite evident in the local cuisine. Rice and meat are the
staple food of Arunachal. Lettuce is quite popular among locals and it is
cooked using green chillies, coriander and ginger. Boiled rice cakes, Thukpa
and momos are the traditional dishes devoured by people. The food is less
on spices and is generally mild. Various forms of rice beers are prepared by
local communities, one of them being Apang which is prepared by
fermenting rice and millet. Due to the high amount of variedness among
local communities, the food preparation methods differ slightly from district
to district.
FESTIVALS AND CELEBRATIONS IN ARUNACHAL
PRADESH:
The people of Arunachal celebrate
various occasions and for various
reasons, be it religious, socio-cultural or
agricultural. The tribal people are simple
living people and derive happiness out
of small things in life. Since agriculture is
the main occupation, there are various
festivals where people pray and thank
god for a good harvest. Some of the
prominent festivals celebrated in
Arunachal Pradesh are Losar, Solung,
Boori-Boot, Mopin, Dree, Nyokum, Reh,
DANCE AND MUSIC OF ARUNACHAL
PRADESH:
Dance and music are an essential part of
the life of Arunachali tribes. They dance
and sing on important occasions and
during the time of festivities and
weddings. Various dance forms are seen in
different parts of Arunachal. From
elaborate religious dance dramas of the
Buddhists to the martial arts and colourful
dance performances of the Noctes and
Wanchos, dance forms of Arunachal come
in various formats. They can broadly be
divided into four categories- Festive
Dances, Ritual Dances, Recreational
Dances and Dance Dramas.
LANGUAGES OF ARUNACHAL
PRADESH:
• Arunachal Pradesh is perhaps one of the most linguistically
diverse states in Asia. More than 50 dialects of the Tibeto-
Burman language structure can be observed here. Nyishi,
Apatani, Bokar, Galo, Tagin, Adi are common languages which
fall under the Tani dialect. Mishmi language is popular in the
eastern part of the state. Digaru, Idu and Miju fall under mishmi
and have been recognised as endangered languages. In the
western and the northern districts, Bodic language is commonly
spoken which is sub-divided into Dakpa and Tshangla.
A TALE OF ANCIENT MIGRATIONS:
The region that today constitutes Meghalaya can
be termed as a microcosm of diversity – a place
that has witnessed many layers of migration.
The Pnars, Khasis, and the Garos are
communities of Paleo-Mongoloid descent and are
believed to be one of the earliest settlers in the
present-day North-East India. The Achiks or
Garos are closely related to the Bodos of Assam
and belong to the Tibeto-Burman family while
the Khasis and Pnars come from Mon-Khmer
family. Some of the more recent pre-colonial
chronicles and mentions of the Pnars have been
found in records made during the days of the
DAWN OF THE MODERN ERA:
The Khasi and Pnar communities (who are regarded as
distinct groups under the same tribal umbrella) were adept
in trade and commerce and their influence was spread from
the hills into the plains of Sylhet (present-day Bangladesh).
Limestone and iron were some of the major exports from
the region – as recorded in some 18th-century records. In
the early 19th century (1824), the British were firmly
entrenched in most of the sub-continent. To deal with a
conflict with the Burmese empire they developed diplomatic
relationships with the Khasi-Pnar tribes to create corridors
for easier access to the Assam plains. Over the next
decades, they faced stiff resistance from some unwilling
chiefs and royals who did not trust their trespass of
independent tribal lands and this gave the Europeans a
pretext for military action and ultimately, political
domination. The most well-known freedom fighters of the
tribes were U Tirot Sing (Khasi Hills), U Kiang Nongbah
(Jaintia Hills), and Pa Togan Sangma (Garo Hills).
THE FORMATION OF MEGHALAYA
STATE:
For a major part of British Rule, the tribal areas
of the North-East were part of the larger East
Bengal and Assam administrative divisions. Post-
independence, it was not until 1972 that
Meghalaya gained statehood after a firm but
largely peaceful agitation, the Hill State
Movement. A major reason for the struggle was
the imposition of Assamese as an official
language on the tribal areas (1960), something
which the fiercely autonomous indigenous
communities were against as it eroded their
linguistic and cultural distinctiveness. Captain
Williamson A Sangma, who was one of the
leaders of the Hill State Movement, was the first
chief minister of Meghalaya.
MEGHALAYA – CULTURE:
MEGHALAYA is a unique and
small state in the north-
eastern region of India, it is a
paradise on earth. It means
“the abode of clouds” in the
Sanskrit language, and
became one of the famous
tourist destinations
in India. The state has a lot of
attractive things with vibrant
culture, great scenic beauty,
• Each community has its customs and cultural traditions the Khasis (of Mon-
Khmer ancestry), the Garos (of Tibeto-Burman origin), and the Jaintias said to
be from South East Asia. The common trait binding all three communities is its
matrilineal system in which the family linage is taken from the mother’s side.
• While many people from the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo communities have
converted to Christianity hence we can easily see many churches, temples,
mosques, gurudwaras, and monasteries in Meghalaya.
• The region is rich in tribal culture and folk tradition. Dance and drinking along
with the sound of buffalo horns, flutes, and mridangas form an integral part of
the social ceremonies and religious ceremonies. Marriage relationships are
outside their clan.
• English is the most spoken and official language of the state. The other main
languages of the state include Khasi and Garo. Many other languages are also
used in Meghalaya. For example, Panar, Tiwa, Baite, Nepali language is used in
almost all parts of Meghalaya state.
• Most of the people in the cities use the English language and people in rural
areas use different languages.
CUISINES OF
MEGHALAYA:
The main food of the residents here
is rice, dried fish, and meat, it can be
called a “Non-vegetarian’s” paradise.
These hunting people are very fond of
them, meat is their delicacy. They eat wild
animals like deer, bison, wild pigs, fish,
prawns, crabs, eels, and dry fish. They
rear domestic animals like goats, pigs,
fowls, and ducks only to feast on them.
They take cooked, dried, and smoked
meat and fish. Beef is popular in
Meghalaya, you will find shops selling red
meat in every corner of Shillong city.
Arum plant and bamboo shoots are the
• There are many varieties of food available, the common one is
the traditional Garo food. Traditional Garo food includes boiled
rice, different preparations of pork, beef, chicken, and dry fish.
Some of the delicacies of Garo Food are Nakam Bitchi (it is
dry fish made with chilies and soda), Wak Pura (it is Pork
cooked with crushed rice).
• Kyat is a local drink made of rice and beer and alcohol
features in their everyday menu. They prepare rice beer,
where rice is first boiled and sprinkled with some yeast. The
preparation is laid in a ware, the mouth is covered with a
plantain leaf neatly rolled. The ware is kept as it is for a few
weeks until it is ready. Bear is also prepared from sticky millet
DANCE AND MUSIC:
Meghalaya is the home of famous music and dance forms of North
East India. The dances are associated with their festivals or seasons
and hence enjoyed round the year. The dances are social, religious,
agricultural, funeral and recreational. The land resounds the sound
of perfect tempo, beautiful songs, and traditional instruments. The
dances of Meghalaya are mostly held under the open sky.
They have their old war haunts, harvest, partner choice, and
fertility dances. In almost all the festivals and ceremonies
celebrations, there is the involvement of dance and music. Besides,
there is a general dance where both men and women dance. They
depict different moods and gestures reflecting cultural emblems.
The war dance (Grika) belongs to men, while women from the
corners just cheer up. The harvest dance is Wangala, The
partners or elopement dance (jikseka), girls and boyas appear
inappropriate gestures as if they were suitors approaching and
advancing while girls expressed either decline or acceptance. The
dance represents plucking of fruits (chamdilroa) and group
dance (chroka) is also performed.
Gariroa is a merry-go-round, boys taking a side on the left row
and performing blowing of pipes and trumpets, beating gongs and
drums in an orchestra while girls on the right row dance and hop
forward and both go round and round in a circle. Musical
instruments like mouth organ, tobacco pipe, flute, cup violin,
A POWER PRESENTATION BY:
SAKSHAM RAJPUT
X MIMOSA
