North East India: So Enchanting, yet So Unexplored

Nishi Daas
Nov 2 · 9 min read

By Nishi Daas (Founder Director, Anvayins)

Nishi.Daas@anvayins.com

Introduction

Historically, North East India, particularly the seven sister states comprising of Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura hasn’t witnessed high tourist interest among Indian and overseas leisure travellers. Statistically, visits to the region as a whole accounted for less than 0.5% of domestic and foreign tourist visits in 2017. In comparison, Tamil Nadu itself accounted for more than 20% of tourist arrivals during the year.

The paltry numbers do no justice to a region that is blessed with fascinating natural and cultural diversity. It is home to some of the most intriguing natural formations found in the country — picturesque rolling hills, snow-filled mountain passes, gushing waterfalls, enigmatic living root bridges, mysterious caves, transparent rivers, reclusive valleys, tea and spice plantations, and numerous varieties of flora. The region is among the best destinations to spot rare migratory birds and is home to the rare one-horned rhinoceros.

North East India is also home to some of the most captivating cultures and tradition — the headhunting Naga warriors of the Konyak tribe, the art and dance forms of the Vaishnavite culture at Majuli, the progressive and morally rich customary laws of the Galo tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, or the traditional sport of archery of the Khasi tribe of Meghalaya.

This article, therefore, attempts to analyse the reasons for the relatively low tourist preference for the region so far, offers a glimpse of the reality on the ground and highlights factors that make this region among the most alluring travel destinations in the country.

Why the low turnout?

There are two broad factors that have constrained tourist interest so far in the region — factors attributed to legacy and those that are to do with perceptions based on inaccurate and obsolete information.

Legacy factors

Absence of the British blessing: Many of the famous Indian tourist destinations, particularly the hill stations, were developed by the British during their rule of India. Shimla, Mussourie, Ooty, Darjeeling, among others, assumed prominence as the British either designated them as their summer capital or chose them as places of recreation. In the North East, they were not interested in much other than tea and oil, and accordingly, development was non-existent in large parts of the region. Shillong was developed by the British as the regional headquarter, and the place continues to be among the most famous tourist destinations in the region.

What’s in it for the pilgrims and monument seekers: Many of our high tourist-attracting states are home to religious sites and monuments. Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, among others, boast of famous temples, mosques and churches, and other architectural marvels. The North East, with the exception of the Kamakshya temple in Guwahati, Shiva temple in Shibsagar, and the war cemetery at Kohima isn’t exactly endowed with pieces of historical or cultural legacy.

The missing blockbusters: Bollywood is credited with popularizing many destinations — Indian as well as overseas. In India, Kashmir, Shimla, Ooty, Darjeeling, and the more recent Ladakh owe their national popularity to Bollywood blockbusters. North East India is yet to host a blockbuster that could ignite the imagination of travellers.

Perceptions based on inaccurate or obsolete information

Hard to get there

Perception: Guwahati is the only gateway to the North East, in terms of both rail and air connectivity, which given the large size of the region, restricts access to many destinations.

Reality: While this has been the case over the years, Guwahati is not the only gateway to the North East anymore. Airports at Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Shillong, and Dimapur offer excellent access to different and even remote areas of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Meghalaya.

While the Dibrugarh airport offers excellent access to upper Assam and central and eastern Arunachal Pradesh, Jorhat allows good connectivity to Nagaland, central Assam, and is, in fact, the nearest airport to Kaziranga National Park. The Dimapur airport not only caters to Nagaland but offers good access to Manipur. Importantly, these airports host wide-bodied aircraft of various national airlines that have daily service to these destinations.

Infrastructure sucks!

Perception: North East India has bad roads that, together with large distances between places of interest, hinder coverage of destinations. Furthermore, hygienic restaurants and good quality hotels are a rarity.

Reality: It is true that many parts of this mini-country have weak infrastructure and logistics. The plains of Assam are vulnerable to floods during the monsoon, while the hilly terrains of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland face landslides during the season. Thus, newly developed roads suffer damage soon after their construction. To add to this, governments in many states have not been sincere to the need for development and maintenance of good roads.

Notwithstanding the above, it is not accurate to generalize the view for the entire region. Meghalaya has been conscious of the importance of roads to tourism and maintained them well. Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland are witnessing brisk activity in terms of redevelopment in many sections.

Regarding hotels and restaurants, there are premium options available though one needs to plan itineraries carefully to avail them during the journey. British-era tea bungalows, waterfall-facing resorts, homestays amidst orange orchards, eco-resorts by the river-side, all add to the magic of the region.

View from a homestay in Arunachal Pradesh

Is it really safe?

Perception: Many states in North East India have high crime rates and hence not safe for leisure travel.

Reality: Nothing can be farther from the truth. The table below lists out crime rates in some of the high tourist-traffic destinations.

Assam, the state with the weakest numbers in the region, has a crime rate lower than that of Delhi, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh. The other states in the North East are safer than Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. Specifically, crime against foreigners is almost non-existent in this region.

The region can reasonably claim to be very safe for women. Barring Assam, all other states in the region reported crime rates lower than those reported from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

The reason is not hard to find. Many tribes in the region accord a high degree of respect and empowerment to their women. The Mishmi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh is a shining example of this culture that has churned out numerous Everest summiteers and woman achievers. Many tribes of Meghalaya are matrilineal, and contrary to the practice in many parts of India, the youngest daughter is the legal heir to parental property.

The perception around low safety is borne out of three impressions among people at large — insurgency, that tribals are aggressive in nature and prone to violence, and some in certain states don’t even consider themselves as Indians.

Plague of insurgency

The insurgency by groups demanding autonomy or secession in some states like Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh has caused unease amongst travellers. North East India shares its borders with China, Myanmar, and Bangladesh at various places, and insurgents have found support from different regimes in these countries. However, it is essential to note that in recent times, a couple of these countries have been cracking down on insurgents operating or drawing support from them. Furthermore, such incidents, even when they occur, are confined to regions near the border with minimal impact in the hinterland. It is like worrying about the insurgency in Himachal Pradesh because of disturbances in Kashmir.

Tribals are aggressive

Seeds of this common perception may have actually been laid by the British, who commonly referred to the tribes in the region as savages. Indeed, the system of Inner Line Permit in states like Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland was instituted by them to set boundaries for their respective territories and ensure minimal interaction with them. Given the backdrop, any act of violence today is quickly branded as common tribal behaviour.

The reality, however, is that most of the communities have moved on from their aggressive past and are as hospitable as those in other parts of the country. Many tribal groups across the region have their own customary laws that prohibit violence and encourage good behaviour. And when it comes to travellers, the locals are known to be very courteous to tourists and guests.

Some don’t even consider themselves Indians

The reality on the ground is very different. Take Arunachal Pradesh, for example. Unlike what our neighbouring countries would like us to believe, the majority is clear about its sovereignty with India for three simple reasons.

— The British handed over the governance of the region to India, and hence they are indisputably Indian citizens.

— The citizens are now a part of the Indian system in all respects — education, commerce, and culture, and a realignment at this stage is unimaginable.

— The experience of Tibet under Chinese rule is anything but inspirational.

Independence Day Parade at Menchukha, Arunachal Pradesh, 40 km from the Chinese border

In Nagaland, there was deep angst among the locals against the Indian government for events that happened in the ’50s and the ’60s. While many of that generation still harbour the hatred, the bitterness is aging and is being replaced by a generation that is more optimistic of its future and happy to be part of the national mainstream. The fact that the present government has been proactive in its outreach and initiated several developmental projects is further enhancing the change in mindset.

A Vegetarian’s nightmare

Perception: Vegetarian food is a rarity as most of the population eats fish and meat. Indeed, beef and pork are the most common delicacies.

Reality: Traditionally, many of the north-eastern tribes have been food hunters. Accordingly, fish and meat have been part of their regular diet. However, vegetables too form an important intake as dishes of potato, cabbage, pumpkin, beans, bitter gourd, bamboo shoots — organically grown in local fields, are commonly prepared and served. An increase in tourism has exposed locals to preparation in regular Indian style, including what is commonly known as Jain form of vegetarian food, i.e. without the inclusion of onions and garlic.

Lost in the sea of languages

Perception: Communication is a major challenge since North East India is home to many tribes who speak their own languages.

Reality: It is true that more than 200 languages are spoken in the North East. However, Hindi and English are common in many regions and used for business and commercial communication since most of the local tribal languages do not have their own script. In terms of regional preferences, both languages are equally common in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, while English is the preferred language in Nagaland and Meghalaya.

In any case, since when has language held back travellers from exploring! If that were true, the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka would not have been among the top tourist destinations in the country.

The enchanting land beckons

North East India has everything that a discerning traveller looks for — pristine, untouched nature, colourful melange of unique cultures and tradition, and above all, solitude that is unparalleled. A land where nature and humanity bond the best. With improving connectivity and infrastructure, travel to the region is even more alluring.

Anvayins

Anvayins takes discerning travellers on magical journeys of North East India, rich in extraordinary socio-cultural practices and exquisite natural beauty.

Nishi Daas

Written by

Nishikaunt Daas (Nishi), the brain behind Anvayins, is an ex-investment banker with more than 20 years’ experience in the financial services industry across org

Anvayins

Anvayins

Anvayins takes discerning travellers on magical journeys of North East India, rich in extraordinary socio-cultural practices and exquisite natural beauty.

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