Exploring the Seven Sisters of India | Hidden Gems of the Northeast

 A scenic view of lush green hills, clouds drifting over a remote village road.

Seven Sisters of India

Welcome to the mystical and mesmerizing land of the Seven Sisters of India – seven northeastern states that are rich in culture, nature, and diversity, yet often overlooked on the mainstream travel map.

The seven Sister States also known as "Paradise Unexplored" is a name given to the neighboring states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura in northeastern India. These states cover an area of about 250,000 km2, or about seven (7) percent of India's total area. They had a population of 38.6 million in 2000, about 3.8 percent of India's total. Although there is great ethnic and religious diversity within the seven states, they also have similarities in political, social and economic contexts.

History

When India became self-governing from the United Kingdom in 1947, only (3) three states covered the area. Manipur and Tripura were princely states, while a much bigger Assam Province was under direct British rule. Its capital was Shillong (current day Meghalaya's capital).Four (4) new states were carved out of the original territory of Assam in the decades following independence, in line with the strategy of the Indian government of reorganizing the states along ethnic and linguistic lines. Therefore, Nagaland became a separate state in 1963, followed by Meghalaya in 1972. Mizoram became a Union Territory in 1972, and achieved statehood - along with Arunachal Pradesh - in 1987.

Ethnic and religious composition

Apart from for Assam, where the main languages are Assamese and Tripura, where the major language is Bengali, the province has a predominantly tribal population that speaks plentiful Tibeto-Burman and Austro-Asiatic languages. Meitei, the third most spoken language in this region is a Tibeto-Burman language. Hinduism and Christianity are the predominant religions in this region. The large and populous states of Assam, Tripura and Manipur remain predominantly Hindu, with a sizeable Muslim minority in Assam. Through the work of Christian missionaries, Christianity has become the major religion in the states of Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya. Seven Sisters in derived from the word- northeast states

Seven Sisters of India Map

Natural resources

Most important industries in the area are tea-based, crude oil and natural gas, silk, bamboo and handicrafts. The states are greatly forested and have plentiful rainfall. There are beautiful wildlife sanctuaries, tea-estates and mighty rivers like Brahmaputra. The region is home to one-horned rhinoceros, elephants and other endangered wildlife. For security reasons, including inter-tribal tensions, widespread insurgencies, and disputed borders with neighboring China, there are restrictions on foreigners visiting the area, hampering the development of the potentially profitable tourism industry.

India Cuisine North East 

Peoples are fundamentally non-vegetarian. Even if they chef vegetable they will add non-vegetarian to the same. In most parts of this region, especially Nagaland people eat every accessible animal and do not throw away any part of it. Fish remains the much loved dish for most. Tripura and Assam, due to their closeness with parts of Bengal shows more love for fish than any other state. Rice is the fastener food in this region. In Assam people eat rice in variety of forms and flavors. Pitha, a rice based sweet is a well-liked dish of this region. People put less oil and utilize mustard oil as the medium of cooking. Dishes prepared from ducks, bamboo shoots etc are very much popular in North-East Zone.

Popular Cuisine

• Panch Phoron Taarkari
• Misa Mach Poora (Grilled shrimps)
• Assam Laksa Stock
• Koat Pitha (Banana pitha)
• Bamboo Shoot Fry
• Thukpa /Gya-Thuk (Noodle soup)

Tribes in North East

Whenever we speak of tribes and tribal civilization in India, the north-eastern region of India at once comes to mind. And there are suitable reasons for that. The region in the north east is still undamaged by modernization. Apart from protection a magnificent tribal life, North East is also rich in terms of landscape, flora and fauna. Arunachal Pradesh has 26(Twenty Six) major tribes. Most important tribes in Orissa include Bondas, Gadabas, Koyas, Kondhas and Sauras. Nagaland is home to 16 major tribes in northeastern India. These include Khamti, Phakial, Khamyang, Aitonia, Nara, Gurung and Shyam.

North East Attractions

• Bihu Festival 
• Assam Tea Garden
• Rhino
• Trekking in Sikkim
• Tirbes
• Kaziranga Park
• Kanchenjunfa

The Only Brother, ‘Sikkim’

Sikkim is also a part of the Northeast but is not included in the Seven Sisters of India because, while the other seven states are contiguous, Sikkim is sort of a neighbour, divided by the Siliguri Corridor.  
Sikkim is also referred to as the ‘Brother’ of the Seven Sisters.

Conclusion

Among the most breathtaking places on earth are these seven sisters of India. Their pure and fabulous beauty is unmeasurable, endowed with lush, rugged hills, secret waterfalls, and exceptional climatic conditions. Due to years of marginalisation, people from the northeast frequently feel excluded within their own nation. Maybe if we learn a little more about these "Seven Sisters" of India, the rest of the nation will be more accommodating to people from the northeast.