Literature of Arunachal Pradesh (English)

LITERATURE OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH Made By: Sneha Bansal X-B

Acknowledgement I am over helmed in all humbleness and gratefulness to acknowledge my depth to all those who have helped me to put these ideas, well above the level of simplicity and into something concrete. I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to my English teacher Ms. Nilam Gupta who gave me the golden opportunity to do this wonderful project, which also helped me in doing a lot of Research and I came to know about so many new things. I am really thankful to them. Any attempt at any level can’t be satisfactorily completed without the support and guidance of my parents and friends. I would like to thank my parents who helped me a lot in gathering different information, collecting data and guiding me from time to time in making this project, despite of their busy schedules, they gave me different ideas in making this project unique. By- Sneha Bansal Class- X-B

Contribution Of Writers Oral literature is a manifestation of folklore. Written literature includes works of fiction, poetry, drama, short stories, in creative interaction with oral literatures. There is an organic relationship between oral and written literature. The 20th century brought written literature to Arunachal Pradesh. They were the first generation of literary luminaries from Arunachal. Lummer Dai’s debut novel Pharor Xile Xile (1961) could perhaps be considered the first novel of Arunachal Pradesh, written by an Arunachali. The first generation writers made an important contribution in the growth of literature in Arunachal Pradesh. Their works were reflections of social reality. They often looked to folklore as a source for their writing. They derived unique inspiration from orature (oral literature), myth, folk belief and customs, and this finds expression in their writings.

Alphabets ◦ Apart from sanskrit, english and hindi are the main and the mostly spoken languages of Arunachal Pradesh.

Handicrafts Arunachal Pradesh is a land of beautiful handicrafts comprising a wide variety. Cane and Bamboo works The cane and bamboo industry of the state has made a name for itself. As a matter of fact most of the domestic requirements are made of these materials. Hats, baskets, cane vessels, cane belts – woven and plain, bamboo mugs with carvings, a wide variety of ornaments and jewelry items are all crafted by workmen. Carpet Making A specialty of the Monpas, the Buddhist community, is carpet weaving, with exotic designs of dragons, geometric and floral patterns. Carpet weaving has today become a major occupation of the womenfolk and with an increase in demand, production of the carpets is now being undertaken on a large scale. Wood Carving Wood carving is a tradition with some of the tribes of the state. The Monpa wood carver scoopes out beautiful cups, dishes and fruit bowls and magnificent ceremonial masks for dances and pantomimes. Another tribe that is famed for this art is the Khamptis who carve out beautiful religious images, figures of dancers, toys and other objects



Dressing style People here love their traditional costumes and are proud to showcase them on each and every occasion that comes across. Among the traditional dresses of Arunachal Pradesh include shawls, wraps and skirts. The most significant tribes of Arunachal Pradesh include Adi, Aka, Galo, Nyishi, Bori, Apatani, Bokar and Tangsa. Sherdukpen Tribe A male wears sleeveless silk material with its edges attached to the shoulder, the costume falls down till knee length, a skull cap which has yak's hair decorated on it is worn as a cap. Whereas, a female wear collarless and sleeveless dresses till knee length, waist cloth along with a fully embroidered jacket having full sleeves is worn. Women make a bun on the backside of their head.

Paintings/Folk Art Tangkha paintings are religious paintings which depict Buddha and his preachings. The display of Tangkha signifies a great dedication towards religion and self reliance to achieve salvation. Tangkha is Kuthang in local terminology of the Monpas of Arunachal Pradesh. It is regarded as an object of worshipping which is primarily been displayed in the monasteries, Gompas (Buddhist temples), and Lhagang i.e. family chapels. The belief amongst the Buddhists is to pay heed, to preserve and display Tangkha and sculptures in the holy shrines for offering worships and prayers. Thus the importance of Tangkha and sculpture among the Buddhists of Tibetian Mahayana sect are narrated in the literature.



Dance Dance and music are an essential part of the life of Arunachali tribes. They dance and sing on important occasions and during the time of festivities and weddings. Various dance forms are seen in different parts of Arunachal. From elaborate religious dance dramas of the Buddhists to the martial arts and colourful dance performances of the Noctes and Wanchos, dance forms of Arunachal come in various formats. They can broadly be divided into four categories- Festive Dances, Ritual Dances, Recreational Dances and Dance Dramas. Some popular folk dances in Arunachal Pradesh are - Aji Lamu Chalo Hiirii Khaniing Popir Ponung Pasi Kongki Rekham Pada Roppi

Medicinal plants There are over 500 species of medicinal plants reported so far from Arunachal Pradesh. They can not only cure our ailments but can also be potential source of economy to the state. Sweet Flag (Acorus calamus)- This perennial herb of marshy habitats is easy to cultivate through rhizome cuttings in tropical and sub-tropical zones. The tubers are traded as it is reputed as brain tonic, coolant and drug for colic. It has high demand in the market. Green chiretta (Andrographis paniculate)- This bitter annual herb hepato protective properties and is an anthelmentic and liver tonic. It is a blood purifier too. The whole plant is used. Dioscorea floribunda - This is a tropical climber with underground tubers and bulbils. The tubers yield diosgeninan alkaloid used in pharmaceuticals.