chalet school ebooks Assamese people might look Indian, but Assamese culture is proudly distinct: their Vishnu-worshippin

Assamese people might look Indian, but Assamese culture is proudly distinct: their Vishnu-worshipping faith is virtually a regional religion chalet school ebooks (see the boxed text, p 562 ) and the gamosa (a red-and-white scarf worn by most men) is a subtle mark of regional costume. chalet school ebooks

Of four Hindu temples chalet school ebooks around the palace compound, the most fanciful is Jagannath Mandir (h4am-2pm & 4-9pm). Its massive sculptured portico leads into a complex with wedding-cake architecture painted in ice-cream sundae colours. Several royal mausoleums are decaying quietly on the riverbank behind Batala market. To get to them walk west down HGB Rd, turn left at Ronaldsay Rd and right along the riverbank. chalet school ebooks Chaturdasha Devata Mandir (Temple of Fourteen Deities) hosts a big seven-day Kharchi Puja festival in July in Old Agar- tala, 7km east down Assam Agartala (AA) Rd (NH44) at Kayerpur. chalet school ebooks

569 NORTHEAST TRIBAL chalet school ebooks STATES W E S T E R N A R U N AC H A L P R A D E S H NAMDAPHA NATIONAL PARK Arunachal Pradesh is said to contain fifty percent of India s bio-diversity. In fact, so rich is life in Arunachal that the whole area has been proclaimed a world bio-diversity hotspot. Nowhere is the gathering of habitats and plant and animal species so dense as in eastern Arunachal and it s here that the staggering chalet school ebooks Namdapha National Park (Indians/foreigners/ cameras/cameras chalet school ebooks with zoom lens/video 10/50/75/400/750) chalet school ebooks can be found. Covering 1985 sq km this vast park has an altitude range from 200m to 4500m and contains an exceptional diversity of habitats chalet school ebooks and an equally varied array of wildlife. Namdapha is famous for being the only park in India to have four big cat species (leopard, tiger, clouded leopard and snow leopard). It s also a birdwatching hotspot with around 500 species recorded. The park is a long haul from anywhere but it s slowly opening up to tourism. The access point is the small town of Miao. From here you will need private transport to take you 26km to Deban where the park headquarters are located. Simple accommodation is available in Miao at the Eco-Tourism Guest House (%9436228763; per person Indian/foreigner 400/600) or in Deban at the Forest Rest House (%3807-222249; s/d from 175/300). To really get into the middle of nowhere you ll have to stay at one of the campsites inside the park. Bring a tent and all supplies. Porters and guides can be obtained in Miao or Deban. Tour companies in the northeast can help with the logistics of a visit, or UK-based tour company Naturetrek (www.naturetrek.co.uk) chalet school ebooks runs pioneering 16-day tours of Namdapha and other northeastern parks. However you do it, prepare for real adventure. 569 NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES W E S T E R N A R U N AC H A L P R A D E S H NAMDAPHA NATIONAL PARK Arunachal Pradesh is said to contain fifty percent of India s bio-diversity. In fact, so rich is life in Arunachal that the whole area has been proclaimed a world bio-diversity hotspot. Nowhere is the gathering of habitats and plant and animal species so dense as in eastern Arunachal and it s here that the staggering Namdapha National Park (Indians/foreigners/ cameras/cameras with zoom lens/video 10/50/75/400/750) chalet school ebooks can be found. Covering 1985 sq km this vast park has an altitude range from 200m to 4500m and contains an exceptional diversity of habitats and an equally varied array of wildlife. chalet school ebooks Namdapha is famous for being the only park in India to have four big cat species (leopard, tiger, clouded leopard and snow leopard). It s also a birdwatching hotspot with around 500 species recorded. The park is a long haul from anywhere but it s slowly opening up to tourism. The access point is the small town of Miao. From here you will need private transport to take you 26km to Deban where the park headquarters are located. Simple accommodation is available in Miao at the Eco-Tourism Guest House (%9436228763; per person Indian/foreigner 400/600) chalet school ebooks or in Deban at the Forest Rest House (%3807-222249; s/d from 175/300). To really get into the middle of nowhere you ll have to stay at one of the campsites inside the park. Bring a tent and all supplies. chalet school ebooks Porters and guides chalet school ebooks can be obtained in Miao or Deban. Tour companies in the northeast can help with the logistics of a visit, chalet school ebooks or UK-based tour company Naturetrek (www.naturetrek.co.uk) runs pioneering 16-day tours of Namdapha and other northeastern parks. However you do it, prepare for real adventure.

GARO HILLS The lush, green Garo Hills in the far west of Meghalaya are well off the beaten path. The towns are not visually distinctive, but most houses in small hamlets remain chalet school ebooks traditionally chalet school ebooks fashioned from bamboo-weave matting and neatly chalet school ebooks cropped palm thatch. The Garo Hills are easier to visit from Guwahati than from Shillong. Sprawling Tura is the western Garo Hills regional centre chalet school ebooks and an unhurried transport hub. The tourist office (%03651-242394; h10am-5pm Mon-Fri) chalet school ebooks is 4km away towards Nazing Bazaar. Friendly staffoffer brochures and sketchy maps, and arrange guides for anywhere in the Garo Hills, including a three-day hike to Nokrek Biosphere Reserve where it s possible to watch for Hoolock Gibbons from a traditional-style borang (Garo tree house). There are some cheap and not very cheerful places to stay near the market in Tura or, for something a little more comfortable, try the Rikman Continental (%03651-220744; Circular Rd; s/d from 900/1080; ai). Almost on the Bangladesh chalet school ebooks border, Baghmara is the southern Garo Hills district centre. From Baghmara you can visit the Balpakhram National Park, 45km away, but jeep and guide hire will have to be organised in Tura.