Home :: India City Destination :: Itanagar

The capital of the state of Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar is scattered with light, earthquake-proof, wooden-framed buildings balanced on the slopes of verdant hills. Traditional huts are strewn among the more recent concrete buildings. The residence of the Governor regally decorates one peak while a new Buddhist Temple sits atop the other. Between them lie the government and administrative offices, shops, daily bazaars and thatched houses.

History
Arunachal Pradesh finds mention in the Kalika Purana and in the epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana. It is believed that sage Vyas meditated here. Itanagar was called Mayapur during the reign of the Jiti Dynasty that ruled the region in the 11th century. Even during the reign of the Jiti kings, Mayapur was the capital city. The magnificent Ita Fort (ita, brick), dating back to the 14th-15th century, is believed to have been built by King Ramachandra.
Itanagar today is divided into two parts, each 10 km apart from each other, with the older one named Naharlagun. The township is situated at 350 metres above mean sea level. It comes administratively under Papumpare district. The Nishis or Nishings is the major tribe in Itanagar area. However, Itanagar can be called as mini India, as people from all over the country, live here in harmony

Places to See
Ita Fort
Itanagar is famous for the excavated ruins of the historical Ita Fort, some of which is still standing. It is estimated that more than 80 lakhs of bricks, 45 cubic meters of stone and 46,300 man-days were required to build the fort.

Jawaharlal Nehru Museum
The Museum has a wide ethnological collection of tribal art, instruments and objects of worship that depict the socio-cultural heritage and lifestyle of the people of Arunachal Pradesh. There is also a section on archaeology worth seeing.

Buddhist Temple
The yellow roofed BuddhistTemple stands atop a small hillock and is surrounded by well-maintained gardens. The main shrine is behind the stupa (Buddhist monument). Oft visited here is the tree planted by the Dalai Lama.

Ganga Sekhi Lake
6km from Itanagar, is a picturesque picnic spot at the base of a red clay hill accessible by a curious bamboo bridge spanning a small culvert. It is a beautiful picnic spot, surrounded by primeval vegetation, orchids in full bloom atop tall trees and bamboo groves.

Itanagar Sanctuary
7 km from Itanagar , was established in 1978 on 140 sq. km of land, has semi-evergreen forests, a small tiger population and visiting herds of elephants.

Polo Park
The park in Naharlagun is situated on a small ridge and has interesting botanical specimens and a small zoo.

Excursion
The getaways from Itanagar do not have the best connections, but once you are there, you will forget the arduous journey through hilly country.

Bomdila
If the mountains beckon you, it is Bomdila and Tawang you must head for. Chauffer driven 4WDs are available on rent at Itanagar. At an altitude of 8500 ft, the Himalayan landscape of Bomdila is snow-clad for most of the year. The apple orchards and the Buddhist "Gompas" are an added attraction. It is accessible by air and by road. You will need woolens even in summer.

Tawang
From Bomdila, take the mountainous road up to Tawang at 12000 ft. On the way, you’ll drive past the SelaPass, the second highest pass in the world. Tawang has a 400-year-old Buddhist monastery, which has an 8ft statue of the Buddha and ancient scriptures of the Buddhists inscribed in gold.

Namdapha
The wildlife sanctuary at Namdapha is renowned for the four cats - snow leopard, clouded leopard, tiger and the leopard. Home to the rare "hoolok gibbon", it is spread over an amazing range of altitude from 200m to 4500m. It is accessible by road from Tezpur (Assam) and the best time to visit is between October and April.

Ziro
It is a hill station 150 kms from Itanagar with high altitude fish farms, pine and bamboo groves, terraced farms and crafts centers. You can rent a car or a 4WD to take you to Ziro from Itanagar. The nearest railhead for Ziro is North Lakhimpur.

Pasighat
Is the ideal place to visit if you love fishing in the back of beyond with no disturbances whatsoever. Murkongselek is the nearest railhead; apart from that, you can rent a 4WD that will take you this small town from Itanagar. The river Siang that skirts the town is swarming with fish of all kinds, especially the Mahaseer. The locals will show you how to dig out the worms that are the most effective bait. Bamboo poles make good fishing rods and can easily be hired from the locals for a small sum of money. While in Pasighat, take time out to visit the Daing Ering Wildlife Sanctuary that boasts of tigers apart from hispid hares and buffalo

Dining Out
The hotels and circuit houses have restaurants attached and Indian cuisine is yours for the asking. You may feast on the different types of cuisines available in Itanagar. Tibetan food is available in abundance and is a must eat in Itanagar.

Shopping
you are an avid shopper, the idea of returning from a tour without shopping some souvenirs or gifts for your near and dear ones may sound absurd to you. Do not worry. In terms of touristy shopping, Itanagar would not disappoint you.

The state of Arunachal Pradesh has a rich tradition of handicrafts. The ace artisans of the region craft out exquisite items from wood, metal, bamboo and wool. It might be hard to resist your temptation seeing these artifacts and utilities.

Since the Himalayan region is rich in wood, it plays a vital role in making the handicrafts. Check out cups, dishes and fruit bowls made of local Monpa wood while shopping in Itanagar.

Baskets and masks made of bamboo and cane are also popular items for shopping in Itanagar. Beautiful ornaments and bangles made of beads may also feature in your shopping cart in Itanagar.

You may not find the swanky commercial centers or plush shopping malls in Itanagar. But the colorful local bazaars are delightful places for shopping in Itanagar. You would also find vendors erecting stalls on the streets. If you do not mind a little bit of bargaining, give them a shot. Visiting The climate of Itanagar is very pleasant. Although there is a lot of humidity and considerable heat during summer, a mild breeze blows during the day that keeps the entire area cool. During winter, it witnesses snowfall between December and January.

How to get there
By Air : Located 10 km away from the city, Indore’s airport is serviced by flights to Delhi and Mumbai.

By Train : Indore has trains to Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Bhopal, Agra, Gwalior and Jabalpur.

By Road : The city is well connected by bus to Ujjain (55 km) and Bhopal (186 km).