Itanagar

The capital city of Arunachal Pradesh is the beautiful town of Itanagar. The town has been planned in a well organized manner. The administrative centre of the state is located in this region along with the town of Naharlagun, which is located at a distance of 10 Kms away. The house of the Governor is situated on the top of the hill, while the Buddhist temple is situated on the adjacent side; both of the two are set comfortably between two hills. The new structures that have been built in Itanagar are light weight, wooden framed as well as earthquake protected. The Buddhist Temple present here, which is dedicated by Dalai Lama, portrays the Tibetan customs, traditions and their lifestyle. The temple has a lovely yellow colored roof. A spectacular view of the surrounding is obtained from the temple.

                                       TOURIST PLACES IN ITANGAR

Itanagar: The small town of Itanagar is a breathtakingly beautiful hill station. A spectacular vision of the convergence of the evergreen rain forests with the temperate Himalayan jungles can be obtained. The house of the Governor is situated on the top of the hill, while the Buddhist temple is situated on the adjacent side. Various shops, bazaars, ancient huts and new building structures are present on the hill slopes.

Buddhist Temple: On top of a small scale hill or a hillock, the Buddhist temple, which has a yellow colored roof, is situated. Well groomed and well manicured gardens surround the temple. On the back side of the stupa there is the main shrine. One of the special feature of the place is the tree which has been planted by Dalai Lama himself. 

Gayker Sinyi: At a distance of 6 Kms from Itanagar, the lake of Gayker Sinyi is located. The lake is otherwise popularly known as the Ganga Lake. In the midst of thick forests, the little lake is situated. The place serves as a spectacular location for a picnic spot against the backdrop of ancient trees, orchids present of top of altitudinous trees and also bamboo groves.

The Jawaharlal Nehru Museum: A varied assortment of tribal handicrafts, instruments and items related to religion are displayed in the Jawaharlal Nehru Museum. The displayed items reflect the customs and traditions of the dwellers of the state of Arunachal Pradesh. A portion of the museum is also dedicated to archeology.

The Polo Park: In Naharlagun, the Polo Park is situated. On top of a tiny ridge, this place is located. Varied interesting species of plants can be observed here. A small scale zoo is also present.

Itanagar Sanctuary: In the year 1978, the Itanagar Sanctuary was constructed. It is located at a distance of 7 Kms from Itanagar. The area of the place is 140 square kilometers. There are less numbers of tigers here. One can also see herds of elephants roaming around. Adventure sport like river rafting can be carried out by the tourists in the rivers along Kameng, Subansiri, Siang and Dibang. 

Ganga Sekhi Lake: The distance between the Ganda Sekhi Lake and Itanagar is a mere 6 Kms. The journey to the lake from Itanagar offers the experience of inhaling in the beauty of the dense forests of bamboo, tree ferns and orchids on altitudinous trees. 

Tawang Monastery: In Tawang one can find the Tawang Monastery, set amidst the spectacular scenery. The elevation of Tawang is 3050 meters above the mean sea level. The monastery came into existence before 350 years. It is considered to be one of the biggest monasteries in India. The birth of the sixth Dalai Lama took place here. In the 17th century the construction of this monastery took place. Surrounding the temple architecture, there are as many as 65 houses for dwelling purposes, are present. Till today as many as 500 lamas, who hails from the Gelugpa or Reformed Sect of Mahayana Buddhist monks, dwell here. A huge statue of Buddha as well as numerous important documents, books and Tankhas are present here. 

  

Malinithan: Malinithan is located in West Siang’s foothills. One can find ancient images of Hindu gods and goddesses here. 

Parshuram Kund: Close to Tezu, there is a lake present named Parshuram Kund. It is considered to be a renowned pilgrimage location for the Hindus. Hundreds and hundreds of pilgrimages come here during the festival of Makar Sankranti to visit the fair, which is hosted here. They also take a bath in the sacred water because it is so believed that if one takes a dip in the holy water, then all his sins are washed away.

Bomdila: Kameng is situated in the extreme western part of Arunachal Pradesh. Bombila is the headquarter town of the district of Kameng. The elevation of Bomdila is a mighty 2800 meters above the sea level. It is known for its breathtakingly beautiful terrain. A renowned Buddhist monastery and a museum displaying folk arts are present here.

                                        HOW TO REACH ITANGAR

By Air: Lilabari has the closest air terminal. It is located in North Lakhimpur in the state of Assam. The distance between Lilabari and Itanagar is 67 Kms and that between Lilabari and Naharlagun is 57 Kms.

By Rail: Hamuty, Assam has the closest railway station. It is located at a distance of 33 Kms from Itanagar. Another railway station is present in North Lakhimpur, Assam. It is set at a distance of 60 Kms from Itanagar.

By Road: In order to reach Itanagar, one can travel on the National Highway No. 52 from Guwahati.