Tawang Monastry
Hoolock Gibbon
The Monpas and Sherdukpens of Tawang and West Kameng district follow the lamaistic traditions of Mahayana Buddhism. Culturally similar to them are Membas and Khambas who live in the high mountains of the northern borders. Khamtis and Singphos inhabiting the eastern part of the State are Buddhist of Hinayan Sect.
The second group of people are Adis, Akas, Apatanis, Bungnis, Nishis, Mishimis, Mijis, Thangsos etc. who worship the Sun and the Moon namely Donyi Polo and Abotani. Their religious rituals largely coincide with the phases or agricultural cycles.
Arunachal finds mention in the literature of Kalika Purana and Mahabharata. This place is supposed to be the Prabhu Mountains of the Puranas. It was here that the sage Parashuram washed away his sins, sage Vyasa meditated, king Bhismaka founded his kingdom and lord Krishna married his consort Rukmini.
The third group comprises of Noctes and Wangchos, adjoining Nagaland in the Tirap district who are known for their structured village society in which the hereditary village chief still plays a vital role. The people of Arunachal Pradesh have a tradition of artistic craftsmanship and sense of aesthetics manifested through a variety of crafts like weaving, painting, basket making, woodcarving etc. Festivals are an essential part of the socio-cultural life of the people and these festivals are usually connected with agriculture to thank god or to pray for bumper harvest. Some of the important festivals are Mopin and Solung of Adis, Lossar of Monpas, Sherdukpens and Boori-Boot of the Hill Miris, Dree of the Apatanis, Sidonyi of Tagin, Nyokum of Nishis, Reh of Idu Mishmis etc.
FLORA AND FAUNA
Out of about a thousand species of orchids in India, over 500 are found in Arunachal alone. These are colourful, spectacular and some bear exotic names such as Sita-Pushpa and Draupadi-Pushpa believed to have been worn by Sita and Draupadi. Some of the orchids are rare and classified as endangered. Arunachal Pradesh Forest Development Corporation has established an Orchid Research and Development Station at Tipi in West Kameng district for propagation and conservation of these species. In addition to Orchidarium at Tipi, two orchid conservation sanctuaries have been established at Sessa and Dirang respectively. The wildlife is equally rich and varied. Elephants and Tigers abound, especially in the grassy foothills and leopard and jungle cats are quite common. The white gibbon is found in Tirap and Lohit district and red pandas and musk in the higher ranges. The 'Mithun' (Bos Forntails) exists both in wild and semi domesticated form. Traditionally, the Mithun has been a unit of wealth and is allowed to move freely in the jungle till it is either used for food on festive occasions, marriage or for barter. Birds found in the state are the great Indian Hornbill, Wood Duck, Green Pigeon etc.
ENTRY FORMALITIES :
FOREIGN TOURISTS : All foreign tourists intending to visit Arunachal Pradesh require Restricted Area Permits. These permits can be obtained from Indian Missions abroad, Foreigners Regional Registration Offices (FRRO) at New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata (Calcutta), Chief Immigration Officer, Chennai, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi and Home Commissioner, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar for a period of ten days for a group of four or more persons. Foreign tourists visiting Arunachal Pradesh on their own arrangement are required to pay US$ 50.00 per head to the Government of Arunachal Pradesh.
The Indian cuisine boasts of an immense variety not restricted to only curry. An authentic Indian curry is an intricate combination of a stir-fried Masala - a mixture of onion, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes; various spices and seasonings with which meat; poultry, vegetables or fish is prepared to produce a stew-type dish. Note: the word Masala also means spice. 
The unique and strong flavours in Indian cuisine are derived from spices, seasonings and nutritious ingredients such as leafy vegetables, grains, fruits, and legumes. Most of the spices used in Indian cooking were originally chosen thousands of years ago for their medicinal qualities and not for flavour. Many of them such as turmeric, cloves and cardamoms are very antiseptic, others like ginger, are carminative and good for the digestion. All curries are made using a wide variety of spices.
The Colourful mosaic of Indian festivals and fairs - as diverse as the land, is an eternal expression of the spirit of celebration. Observed with enthusiasm and gaiety, festivals are like gems ornamenting the crown of Indian Culture. They are round the year vibrant interludes in the mundane routine of life. 
Packed with fun and excitement, festivals serve as an occasion to clean and decorate houses, to get together with friends and relatives and to exchange gifts. New attire, dance, music and rituals- all add to their joyful rhythm. It is a time for prayer, for pageantry and procession…a time to rejoice, in celebration of life.
In a country as diverse and complex as India, it is not surprising to find that people here reflect the rich glories of the past, the culture, traditions and values relative to geographic locations and the numerous distinctive manners, habits and food that will always remain truly Indian. According to five thousand years of recorded history. 
Indians believe in sharing happiness and sorrow. A festival or a celebration is never constrained to a family or a home. The whole community or neighbourhood is involved in bringing liveliness to an occasion. A lot of festivals like Diwali, Holi, Id, Christmas, Mahaveer Jayanthi are all celebrated by sharing sweets and pleasantries with family, neighbours and friends. An Indian wedding is an occasion that calls for participation of the family and friends. Similarly, neighbours and friends always help out a family in times of need. 
India is set apart from the rest of Asia by the Himalayas, the highest, youngest and still evolving mountain chain on the planet. The subcontinent as it is rightly called, touches three large water bodies and is immediately recognizable on any world map. This thick, roughly triangular peninsula defines the Bay of Bengal to the east, the Arabian sea to the west, and the India Ocean to the south. 
Nearly five thousand years back flourished India's first major civilisation along the Indus River valley. The twin cities of Mohenjodaro and Harappa now in Pakistan were ruled by priests and held the rudiments of Hinduism. These civilisations are known to possess a sophisticated lifestyle, a highly developed sense of aesthetics, an astonishing knowledge of town planning and an undecipherable script language. The Indus civilization at one point of time extended nearly a million square kilometres across the Indus river valley. It existed at the same time as the ancient civilizations of Egypt and Sumer but far outlasted them. Surviving for nearly a thousand years the Indus valley civilisation fell to tectonic upheavals in about 1700 BC, which caused a series of floods. 
The coming of the Aryans around 1500 BC, gave the final blow to the collapsing Indus Valley civilisation. At the dawn of Vedic ages the Aryans came in from the North and spread through large parts of India bringing with them their culture and religious beliefs. The Four Vedas or the important books of Hinduism were compiled in this period.
