Itanagar is the capital of the Indian state of Arunachal
Pradesh. Itanagar is located at the foothills of Himalayas. It
comes administratively under Papum Pare district. The capital
houses the Rajbhawan , the official residence of the Governor
has also many worth visiting places in and around Itanagar.
Itanagar is located at 27.1°N 93.62°E. It has an average
height of 750 metres.
Interesting places around are historical fort called Ita-fort
which dates back to the 15th century legendary Ganga Lake or
Gyakar Sinyi and the new Buddhist temple known as Buddha Vihar
set apart by the Dalai Lama.Itanagar is the capital of Arunachal Pradesh which is
scattered with archeological sites of great historical value.
There are also institutions of great socio-cultural
The city is named after the irregular shaped Itafort (the fort
of bricks) which is a centre of attraction located within the
heart of Itanagar. The bricks used in the fort with total
brickwork of 16,200 cubic metre length dates back to the
14th-15th Century. According to some scholars, these bricks
are similar with those made during the supremacy of
Ramachandra of Mayapur who was a king of the Jitari Dynasty.
Itanagar has been the capital of Arunachal Pradesh since 20th
April 1974. Itanagar is located at the foothills. The township
is located 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.
Other important places of interest around Itanagar is Donyi-Polo
Vidya Bhawan a Premier Publics School, North-Eastern Regional
Institute of Science and Technology(Nirjuli) - a engineering
insitute providing innovative way of education, Arunachal
University (Doimukh) and Government Piggery and Poultry Farm (Nirjuli),
Indira Gandhi Park.
Itanagar has been identified with Mayapur, the capital of the
11th century AD Jitri dynasty.Itanagar is presently occupied
by a number of mixed tribes (Adi,Apatani,Nyishi being the most
predominant among many other tribes).Important economic activities include farming and
agriculture.Itanagar features an oceanic climate with dry,
mild (however, cold for Indian standards) winters and cool,
Festivals of Itanagar
number of festivals are celebrated in Itanagar.
Losar is the New Year celebration of the Monpas. It is
celebrated for a period of five days. The festival is marked by
prayers, hoisting of religious flags atop the homes, reading of
Buddhist scriptures, and lighting butter lamps in the houses.
Dree Festival is an Apatani agricultural rite. It involves
the sacrifice of fowls, eggs and animals to the gods – Tamu,
Metii and Danyi Pilo (Sun and Moon God). The purpose of the
festival is to appease these gods so that famine can be avoided.
Nyokum is a festival which is celebrated by the Nyishi
people of Arunachal Pradesh. The Word Nyokum has been derived
from two words - Nyok means land (earth) and Kum means
collectiveness or togetherness. Therefore, the Nyokum festival
may be interpreted as inviting all the Gods and Goddesses of the
universe, with the Nyokum Goddess as the principal deity, to a
particular venue at a particular time and is normally worshipped
by the people irrespective of caste, creed or class for better
productivity, prosperity and happiness for all human beings on
Reh festival is mainly connected with the Idu Mishimis. The
special attraction of the six-day celebrations is the priest
dance. During Tamladu, the Digaru Mishimis offer prayers to the
God of the Earth and the God of the Water. The supreme God
Jebmalu is also worshipped. Khan is significant because of a
ceremony where the priest ties a piece of wool around
everybody's neck. During Sangken, people sprinkle water on each
other as a sign of cheerfulness, while coating of rice powder on
each other's face marks the beginning of the five-day
celebrations of Mopin.
Solung Festival is the prime festival of Adi in the first week
of September for five days or more. It is a harvest festival
performed after the sowing of seeds and transplantation, to seek
for future bumper crops.
Tourist Attractions in Itanagar
Tourist Attractions in Itanagar are-
Ganga Lake is a beautiful natural lake locally known as
Gekar Sinyi (Confined water in the Nyishi dialect) which
is bounded by a landmass of hard rock. Primeval
vegetation, orchids masses on tall trees and tree ferns
contribute to its popularity as a picnic spot. Boating
facilities and a swimming pool are available at the site.
From here tourist places like Bomdila, Parshuram Kund (in
Lohit district), Malinithan (in west Siang district),
Bhishmak Nagar (in Dibang Valley) are also easily
accessible by mini bus or share-taxi.
Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary
One of the major tourist attractions in the city, this
sanctuary is an animal lover's delight. The park is home
to many species of animals, birds and plants, such as
macaque, hillock gibbon, musk deer, Himalayan black bear,
red panda, apart from being home to over four hundred
species of birds.
Jawaharlal Nehru State Museum
It provides a kaleidoscope of Arunachal Pradesh and
one can see musical instruments, textiles, wood carvings,
handicrafts and archeological finds, while a workshop in
the Handicrafts Centre specializes in traditional cane
manufacture. There is also a library within the museum
complex, which is open to the public.
This is a beautiful botanical garden and has evolved
as a popular tourist attraction in Itanagar. The park also
has a mini zoo, which houses reptiles, rabbits, and guinea
The Ganga Lake, also known as the Gyaka Sinyi is a
striking lake which is a famous tourist attraction in
Itanagar. The lake is set in the middle of a lot of
greenery and is also known as the forest lake.
Craft Centre & Emporium
Craft Centre & Emporiumis Situated 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
Ita Fort is one of the most significant historical sites
in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. The name literally
means "Fort of bricks"( brick being called "Ita" in the
Ahom language). The Ita Fort at Arunachal Pradesh was
constructed as early as the 14th or the 15th century. The
fort has an uneven shape, built mainly with bricks dating
back to the 14th-15th Century. The total brickwork is of
16,200 cubic metre lengths which have been identified by
some scholars with Mayapur of Ramachandra, a king of the
Jitari Dynasty. The fort has three different entrances at
three different sides, which are western, the eastern and
the southern sides. Jawaharlal Nehru Museum, Itanagar is
also known for showcasing tribal culture of the state.
Indira Gandhi Park
Indira Gandhi Park is a popular park located at Itanagar.
Zoological Park (Zoo)
Zoological Park is located at Chimpu, the park has a
variety of fauna including avi-fauna species.
Gompa Buddhist Temple: Consecrated by the Dalai Lama,
the Buddhist temple, a beautiful yellow roofed shrine
reflects the extensive Tibetan influence and provides good
views of Itanagar and the surrounding countryside.
Apart from these tourist attractions, Itanagar is also
popular for trekking options for adventure lovers. The
Itanagar-Ziro-Daporijo-Pashighat is a beautiful trekking
route which begins in Itanagar and is gaining popularity
How to reach Itanagar
The nearest railway station to Itanagar is at Harmuti in Assam,
which is situated 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. - See more at:
Itanagar has a good road network and there are overnight express
buses which connect Itanagar to Guwahati. Apart from these, the
Arunachal State Transport Corporation run government buses which
connect Itanagar to other cities in the North East as well.
Lilabari in Assam is the nearest airport to Itanagar which is
located about 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. There is also
helicopter service between Guwahati and Naharlagun (Itanagar)