Itanagar Travel Guide

 

Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh, is known for its rich and varied flora and fauna and is the home of a large number of tribes of different socio economic and religious pattern. Studded with hills and valleys Itanagar is predominantly rural and pastrol.Itanagar the headquarters of the State has ruins of historical Ita Fort which dates back to the 14th century.
 
ORIENTATION

Itanagar is concentrated in the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. The eastern Himalayas that border Itanagar from one side and the plains of the Brahmaputra River lie on the southern end of Itanagar.

HISTORY

History says that there is a note of Arunachal Pradesh in epics like Mahabharata, Ramayana and Kalika Purana. Itanagar is named after the Ita fort which was built by King Ramachandra around 14th-15th centuries. Itanagar was the capital state even during the 11th century in the name Mayapur at the time of Jiti Dynasty. Itanagar is situated in one of the largest state in the North Eastern region of India. Itanagar is predominantly occupied by the tribes Nishings.

FESTIVALS

Losar Festival

This is a 15 day festival which is the New Year according to Monpa calendar of the people of Arunachal Pradesh. The main feature of this festival includes the dances like Aji Lhamu Dance, Lion and peacock dance and the yak dance. It falls in the month of January. During this festival religious flags are also hoisted in houses

Torgya Festival - This festival is celebrated for a period of three days and it manily denotes the destruction of evil spirit and harmful forces and to promote good fortune, prosperity and happiness in people.

Saka Dawa - This festival signifies the attainment of Nirvana by Gautama Buddha. This falls in the fourth month of lunar calendar.

Dukpa Tse-Shi - This festival which falls in the 6th month of Lunar calendar celebrates the preaching of the four noble truths at sarnath by Buddha.

PLACES OF WORSHIP                                                                 

The Buddhist Temple

This temple is located at a distance of 67kms away from Itanagar on the top o a hill. This is a Buddha Shrine with a yellow roof. This Buddhist temple is located behind a stupa bearing the portrait of a monk. The special feature of this temple is a tree planted by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Places to visit in Itanagar                                                        
   
Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary

The sanctuary is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. The musk deer, Himalayan black deer, red panda and porcupines are amongst the most commonly found animals. Various rare species of monkeys are also found

Fort Itanagar

Located in the centre of the Capital Complex, Ita Fort dates back to the 14th century when it was ruled by Ahom rulers. The imposing structure is constructed using over 80 lakh bricks. The fort has three magnificent gates
   
Buddha temple in Itanagar

Consecrated by Dalai Lama, the shrine houses a Buddha idol along with other Buddhist articles of worship. The temple is surrounded by lush green lawns and a scenic view of the mountains. The architecture of the temple has heavy Tibetan influence.

Tourist Attractions:                                                                         

Gekar Sinyi (Ganga Lake) - A beautiful natural lake surrounded by landmass of hard rock. The name Gekar Sinyi means ‘confined water’.

Jawaharlal Nehru Museum- The museum has a rich collection of textiles, weaponry, household articles and handicrafts that reflect the tribal culture and heritage of Arunachal Pradesh.

Craft Centre & Emporium- Located at Itanagar, here one can see and buy local artifacts like wall painting, traditional costumes made of natural vegetable and herbal dye yarns, and attractive utility items made of cane and bamboo.

Zoological Park (Zoo) - Located at Chimpu, the park has a variety of fauna including avi-fauna species.

Indira Gandhi Park- It is a popular park located at Itanagar

Polo Park- It is a small botanical garden located on top of a ridge at Naharlagun (the twin capital city).

How to Reach Itanagar

By Rail

The nearest railway station to Itanagar is at Harmuti in Assam, which is located at a distance of 52 km from Itanagar. There are regular taxi services from Harmuti to Itanagar and they charge Rs.500-600 for the journey. Harmuti is well connected to other cities in the North East.

By Bus

Itanagar has a good road network and there are overnight express buses which connect Itanagar to Guwahati. Apart from that, the Arunachal State Transport Corporation run government buses connect Itanagar to other cities in the North East as well.

By Air

Lilabari in Assam is the nearest airport to Itanagar. Located 67 km from Itanagar, Lilabari is well connected by flights from Guwahati. Pawan Hans has helicopter services between Itanagar and Guwahati three times a week.

Distance to Guwahati

    From delhi - 1959 KM
    From gangtok - 589 KM
    From chennai - 2718 KM
    From nagpur - 1883 KM
    From mumbai - 2746 KM
    From hyderabad - 2370 KM