Backpacking North East India


Book Description

…Strikes first blood in its league to present an inspirational account of journeys through North East India and its people, culture and lifestyles. BHAICHUNG BHUTIA International soccer player, recipient of Arjuna and Padma Shri Awards, and politician An absolutely awesome account of a traveler telling the true picture of this beautiful region of our country. Thanks for highlighting the beauty of our people too. Great work and a great book. L. SARITA DEVI Two-time World title and five-time Asian titles holder in women's boxing, and recipient of Arjuna Award Backpacking North East India packs a powerful punch. If you think of travel in this unexplored land, pick up a copy today. M.C. MARY KOM Six world boxing titles, Olympic medallist, Asian champion, and recipient of Padma Bhushan award Brisk and colourful, peppered with personal anecdotes of bandhs, reflections on politics and social values, drawn upon wandering on the highlands and low plains of the states of the North East, Abhijeet and Navita Deshpande pack a lot literally into their rucksacks for this backpacker's manual which should be a useful guide on not just where to go and what to do, what not do and where not to venture but also what to keep your eyes and ears open for, in these lands of many stories, ethnic groups and magical experiences, the warmth of ordinary people and the challenges of daily life. SANJOY HAZARIKA Director and founder, Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research (C-NES), JMI; innovator of boat clinics in Assam; eminent journalist; independent filmmaker; author of many books including Strangers of the Mist




The Rough Guide to India (Travel Guide eBook)


Book Description

The Rough Guide to India Make the most of your time on Earth with the ultimate travel guides. World-renowned 'tell it like it is' travel guide, now with free eBook. Discover India with this comprehensive and entertaining travel guide, packed with practical information and honest recommendations by our independent experts. Whether you plan to look for leopards in Kanha National Park, visit the world's greatest building, the Taj Mahal, or explore the immaculately preserved temples of Khajuraho, The Rough Guide to India will help you discover the best places to explore, eat, drink, shop and sleep along the way. Features of this travel guide to India: - Detailed regional coverage: provides practical information for every kind of trip, from off-the-beaten-track adventures to chilled-out breaks in popular tourist areas - Honest and independent reviews: written with Rough Guides' trademark blend of humour, honesty and expertise, our writers will help you make the most from your trip to India - Meticulous mapping: practical full-colour maps, with clearly numbered, colour-coded keys. Find your way around Delhi, Mumbai and many more locations without needing to get online - Fabulous full-colour photography: features inspirational colour photography, including the phenomenal Lotus Temple and the vibrant Pichola Lake - Time-saving itineraries: carefully planned routes will help inspire and inform your on-the-road experiences - Things not to miss: Rough Guides' rundown of Gokarna, Udaipur and Madurai's best sights and top experiences - Travel tips and info: packed with essential pre-departure information including getting around, accommodation, food and drink, health, the media, festivals, sports and outdoor activities, culture and etiquette, shopping and more - Background information: comprehensive 'Contexts' chapter provides fascinating insights into India, with coverage of history, religion, ethnic groups, environment, wildlife and books, plus a handy language section and glossary - The ultimate travel tool: download the free eBook to access all this from your phone or tablet - Covers: Delhi; Rajasthan; Uttar Pradesh; Uttarakhand; Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh; Himachal Pradesh; Jammu and Kashmir; Punjab and Haryana; Gujarat; Mumbai; Maharashtra; Goa; Kolkata and West Bengal; Bihar and Jharkhand; Sikkim; The Northeast; Odisha; Andhra Pradesh and Telangana; The Andaman Islands; Tamil Nadu; Kerala; Kamataka You may also be interested in: The Rough Guide to Nepal, The Rough Guide to Sri Lanka, The Rough Guide to Myanmar (Burma) About Rough Guides: Rough Guides have been inspiring travellers for over 35 years, with over 30 million copies sold globally. Synonymous with practical travel tips, quality writing and a trustworthy 'tell it like it is' ethos, the Rough Guides list includes more than 260 travel guides to 120+ destinations, gift-books and phrasebooks.




North-East India: Land, People and Economy


Book Description

North-East India, comprising the seven contiguous states around Assam, the principal state of the region, is a relatively unknown, yet very fascinating region. The forest clad peripheral mountains, home to indigenous peoples like the Nagas, Mizos and the Khasis, the densely populated Brahmaputra valley with its lush green tea gardens and the golden rice fields, the moderately populated hill regions and plateaus, and the sparsely inhabited Himalayas, form a unique mosaic of natural and cultural landscapes and human interactions, with unparalleled diversity. The book provides a glimpse into the region’s past and gives a comprehensive picture of its physical environment, people, resources and its economy. The physical environment takes into account not only the structural base of the region, its physical characteristics and natural vegetation but also offers an impression of the region’s biodiversity and the measures undertaken to preserve it. The people of the region, especially the indigenous population, inhabiting contrasting environments and speaking a variety of regional and local dialects, have received special attention, bringing into focus the role of migration that has influenced the traditional societies, for centuries. The book acquaints the readers with spatial distribution, life style and culture of the indigenous people, outlining the unique features of each tribe. The economy of the region, depending originally on primitive farming and cottage industries, like silkworm rearing, but now greatly transformed with the emergence of modern industries, power resources and expanding trade, is reviewed based on authentic data and actual field observations. The epilogue, the last chapter in the book, summarizes the authors’ perception of the region and its future.




Troubled Periphery


Book Description

This book maps the evolution of India′s North East into a constituent region of the republic and analyses the perpetual crisis in the region since Independence. It highlights how land, language and leadership issues have been the seed of contention in the North East and how factors like ethnicity, ideology and religion have shaped the conflicts. It also throws light on the major insurgencies, internal displacements, protest movements and the regional drug and weapons trade in the region. It examines ′the crisis of development′ and the evolution of the polity before offering a policy framework to combat the crises. The book includes a large body of original data, documentation and field interviews with major players as well as stakeholders. It is an important reference resource for students of politics and international relations, especially for those involved in South Asian studies and conflict studies. It is also an informative read for decision-makers, bureaucrats dealing with the North East and those involved in counter-insurgency operations in the area.




Strangers Of The Mist


Book Description

This book would have been completed earlier but for events that disrupted millions of lives across India, including those of journalists : the demolition of the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya, by a Hindu mob on 6 December 1992 and the communal riots that followed across the country. In January 1993, the selective massacres of Muslims at Bombay and the devastating revenge bomb blasts there two months later led to extensive travelling and reporting for the New York Times. In addition, there was 'normal reporting' : the Punjab, environmental, economic and political issues such as the billion dollar scam.




Northeast India and India's Act East Policy


Book Description

This book offers an understanding of the expectations and challenges of Northeast India in the context of India's Act East policy. It critically examines how the policy is being pursued by the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government and analyses its relevance from local perspectives. Contributors to the book provide an examination of the differences between Look East and Act East policy and explanations of the expectations of India's neighboring countries, particularly Myanmar, towards Northeast India. They ask the following questions: a) What is to be done to integrate India’s Northeast region meaningfully into the Act East policy? What is the motive of linking this policy with these states? How is this policy received by the local communities? b) What are the challenges of the Northeast region? What are their needs and priorities? How can these states showcase their potentials to Southeast Asia and East Asia? c) What is the significance of the changes from Look to Act East Policy? Has the regime change affected the continuity in the policy? What are the short- and long-term goals? d) What are the expectations of Southeast Asia and East Asia? By addressing these questions, they bridge the knowledge gaps that exist in the understating of the the Northeast region of India vis-à-vis the Act East policy. The first book to combine a balanced view of India's Act East policy and Northeast India, it will be of interest to policy makers and academics in the fields of Development Studies, International Relations, Northeast India and South Asian Politics.




Literatures from Northeast India


Book Description

This book showcases the diverse literary traditions from India’s Northeast and their shared connections and lineages. It critically analyses a selection of literary works from authors and poets from this region and the hegemonies of language, ethnicity and politics that have framed these voices. As a region with rich cultural and ethnolinguistic diversity, Northeast India’s literature is representative of varied histories, languages, socio-cultural and religious practices. The book highlights the distinct use of language, forms, cultural symbols and metaphors which articulates the unique experiences of conflict, beauty and culture in this area. Focussing on the translingual and transcultural aspects of these literary works it examines the dynamics between literature, language and their socio-cultural influences. The book pays attention to themes of representation, identity and power to showcase voices and perspectives of dissent, criticism and introspection. It explores contemporary critical approaches to literature from the Northeast, by re-examining the idea of the centre and the periphery and the position of subaltern literary voices. This book will be of interest to students and researchers of literature, language, cultural studies, postcolonial studies and South Asian studies.







Tribal Architecture in Northeast India


Book Description

Traditional houses among the tribal populations of northeast India have long attracted the interest of anthropologists and visitors. Until now, however, they have not been carefully documented. René Kolkman, a professional architect in Amsterdam, studied the homes of 37 different ethnic groups in Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. His detailed drawings, photographs and personal stories show us the diversity of living spaces in this fascinating cultural area. Longhouses and square houses, built on platforms, built on plinths and housing as many as eighty-six people, these traditional houses are distinct. And although they have changed and are changing still, each of these 34 individual house-types remains immediately recognisable.




The Shooting Star


Book Description

Shivya Nath quit her corporate job at age twenty-three to travel the world. She gave up her home and the need for a permanent address, sold most of her possessions and embarked on a nomadic journey that has taken her everywhere from remote Himalayan villages to the Amazon rainforests of Ecuador. Along the way, she lived with an indigenous Mayan community in Guatemala, hiked alone in the Ecuadorian Andes, got mugged in Costa Rica, swam across the border from Costa Rica to Panama, slept under a meteor shower in the cracked salt desert of Gujarat and learnt to conquer her deepest fears. With its vivid descriptions, cinematic landscapes, moving encounters and uplifting adventures, The Shooting Star is a travel memoir that maps not just the world but the human spirit.