The land of the seven sisters, guarded by the mountains and fed by the mighty Brahmaputra River encompasses amazing valleys, magical waterfalls, and dense forests with their exotic fauna. This slice of paradise is home to diverse religious, ethnic, and linguistic tribes each with their own cultures and beliefs.
Untouched from the modernization, the North-Eastern states of India remain wild and unexplored making it a treasure trove of biodiversity. The sub-tropical climate along with a lot of monsoon rains has helped create one of the last remaining great wildernesses of India in this region.
From head-hunting to brewing various alcoholic beverages, this land is home to many cultures and traditions. Exotic and endangered species like the Red Panda and Golden Langurs are found in the dense forests .
The gateway to these North-Eastern states is Assam, the most vibrant of seven states. With thousands of hectares under tea cultivation and an impressive 35 percent under forest cover, this place is predominantly symbolic of one color-green. It houses not only Asia's largest river island but also the world's smallest river island, mentioned India today Website.
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Assam is also the land of mysteries. The mystery revolving around the disappearance of the visitors to the two secret tunnels of Talatal Ghar, built by the Ahom kings of Assam has made authorities to restrict access to them.
Bhut jolokia (also called bih jolokia, raja mirchi or ghost chillies) is the hottest chilli in the world with 1,001,300 Scoville heat units. Mostly found in Assam and Nagaland, it plays an important role in the kitchens of the North East.
Head-hunters in Nagaland. Image Source: Indiatoday.in
The North-East is home to the last surviving head-hunters. Even though the Naga headhunting stopped back in the 1940s you can still spot many elders of the Konyak tribe with tattooed faces, meaning they're from the headhunting clans. According to the culture, killing and severing an enemy's head was considered a rite of passage for young boys and this triumph was rewarded with a prestigious facial tattoo.
The only matriarchal society of India is in Meghalaya. Women are the head of the household of the Khasi tribe which is one of the few societies in the world that follows a matrilineal system. They are the one that does the hard labour to earn a living for the family while men take the back seat. The birth of a girl brings cheers of jubilation and when a boy is born, they accept it humbly as God's gift.
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Participants play music in Nagaland. Image Source: alamy.com
On January 12, 2013, 368 participants in Nagaland gathered to play Knocking On Heaven's Door, by Guns N' Roses with an aim to promote the brotherhood, the Sky Group. A Guinness World Record was created for the world's largest electric guitar ensemble.
Jonbeel Mela is an annual fair which dates back to the 15th century when the kings organised it to discuss the prevailing political situations. Held in the Morigaon district of Assam, the main attraction of the fair is the barter system that takes place.
Nghah lou dawr, meaning shops without shopkeepers is something unique you find in Mizoram. All you need to do is drop the money in the deposit box for the items taken. This act of trust is something very rare and hard to see in this world.
– prepared by NewsGram team.
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