sun peaks mountain Southern Tripura s best-known sights can be combined into a long day trip from Agartala, though slee

The great muddy-brown Brahmaputra River s ever-shifting puzzle of sandbanks includes Majuli, which at around 421 sq km (2001 figures) is India s largest river island (many locals will tell you that Majuli is the world s largest river island, but in fact this honour belongs to Brazil s Bananal Island). Size aside, sun peaks mountain what there is no doubting is Majuli s sheer beauty. The island is a relaxed, shimmering mat of glowing rice fields and water meadows bursting with flowers. Aside from relishing the laidback sun peaks mountain vibe that permeates island life, highlights of a visit include birdwatching and learning about neo- Vaishnavite philosophy at one of Majuli s 22 ancient satras (Hindu Vaishnavite monasteries and centres for art). If all this makes Majuli sounds like your kind of place then don t waste time getting there surveys indicate that at current levels of erosion the island sun peaks mountain will cease to exist within 20 years.

Southern Tripura s best-known sights can be combined sun peaks mountain into a long day trip from Agartala, though sleeping at Neermahal sun peaks mountain is worthwhile. Any of Agartala s hotels can arrange a taxi, or you can engage English-speaking Partha Laskar (%09774702908; partha.laskar@rediffmail.com) for a day trip in an AC car ( 1300 plus 12 per km).

CENTRAL sun peaks mountain ARUNACHAL S TRIBAL GROUPS The variety of tribal peoples in central sun peaks mountain Arunachal Pradesh is astonishing, but although sun peaks mountain the Adi (Abor), Nishi, sun peaks mountain Tajin, Hill Miri and various other Tibeto-Burman tribes consider themselves different from one another most are at least distantly related. Over the last few decades Christian missionaries have been highly active throughout the Northeast and in the process sun peaks mountain have brought huge changes sun peaks mountain to the region s traditional cultures, sun peaks mountain religious beliefs and ways of life. Despite this, some aspects sun peaks mountain of the traditional lifestyle are just about holding on and many people continue to practise the traditional religion of Donyi-Polo sun peaks mountain (sun and moon) worship sometimes at the same time as proclaiming themselves Christian. For ceremonial occasions, village chiefs typically wear scarlet shawls and a bamboo wicker hat spiked with porcupine quill or hornbill feathers. A few old men still wear their hair long, tied around to form a topknot above their foreheads. Women favour hand-woven wraparounds like Southeast Asian sarongs. House designs sun peaks mountain vary somewhat. Traditional Adi villages are generally the most photogenic with luxuriant sun peaks mountain palmyra-leaf thatching and boxlike sun peaks mountain granaries stilted to deter rodents.