Itanagar is comparatively a new town, built in 1972 named after the mysterious Ita Fort whose utterly dull brick ruins crown a hill top 2km above town. The capital city of Arunachal Pradesh is also known as ‘ The Land of the dawn Lit Mountains’. Itanagar is a small town with remarkable green surrounding, impeccable climate and lively atmosphere. The town is surrounded by densely forested hills, the town itself is little more than 4km stretch of road running between Zero Point.

Old Palace and other monuments are leftovers of the glorious past of Arunachal Pradesh. According to some historians, Itanagar was the 11th century BC capital of Mayapur under the Jitari dynasty. Presently Itanangar is divided into two parts – separate each other by a narrow length, older one is named Naharlagun. Itanagar has a huge influence of Tibetan culture and traditions. It is highly visible in the attire and customs of local people. Itanangar is unique in its own way as it is a home of numerous cultures all over from different Indian parts. This exclusive feature has given it the name – “ Mini India”.

Sights And Activities

Ita Fort
The signature attraction of Itanagar is Ita Fort, which is situated in the heart of the town. The fort was built in all bricks with irregular shape dating back to 14th century. There are three gates on three sides, eastern, western and southern, which were said to be established by Ahom rulers. The unique architecture of fort that is made up of bricks comprise of 16,200 cubic meter length is stand out with other forts in India. In fact, the Name Itanagar was also derived from the name of this fort.

The Buddhist Temple
Buddhist culture is highly predominant in Arunachal Pradesh. The small Tibetan Buddhist temple ordained by Dalai lama reflects the influence of Buddhist culture in the region. It is small and newly built but beautiful temple with yellow roofed shrine. From the grounds of the temple you can have a beautiful view of surrounding countryside.

Ganga lake (Gyaker Sinyi)
This murky brown lake is surrounded with lush jungle, can be reched 6km drive from Itanagar. The jungle is mainly of bamboo groves, orchid masses and unknown vegetation. Traveler can also take a serious jungle trek. A beautiful spot for outings and picnics.

Jawaharlal Nehru State Museum
It showcase the festivals, dances and lifestyle of the main local tribes. Displays a wide range of woodcarvings, musical instruments, textiles and model houses. Also visit the workhouse behind the museum that specialize in cane items and sales emporium that sells tribal handicrafts.