The document provides an overview of the culture, traditions, and cuisines of the seven sister states of North East India - Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura. It discusses the state capitals, natural resources, ethnic and religious compositions, and origin of the term "Seven Sisters." For each state, it summarizes the social and cultural heritage, festivals, traditional attire, and characteristic cuisines. The document presents a concise introduction to the diversity of people, languages, religions, and customs across North East India.

1. North East Culture and
Tradition
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2. State Capital
Arunanchal Pradesh Itanagar
Assam Dispur
Manipur Imphal
Meghalaya Shillong
Mizoram Aizawl
Nagaland Kohima
Tripura Agartala 2

3. INTRODUCTION
• The North East is a true frontier region. It has over 2000 km of border
with Bhutan, China, Myanmar and Bangladesh and is connected to
the rest of India by a narrow 20 km wide corridor of land. One of the
most ethically and linguistically diverse regions in Asia, each state has
its distinct cultures and traditions.
• The lushness of its landscape, the range of communities and
geographical and ecological diversity makes the North East quite
different from other parts of the subcontinent. The festivals and
celebrations in the North- eastern states of India are a colorful
reflection of the people and their lives.
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5. Natural Resources
• Main industries in the region are tea-based, crude oil and natural
gas, silk, bamboo and handicrafts.
• The states are heavily forested and have plentiful rainfall. There
are beautiful wildlife sanctuaries, tea-estates and mighty rivers
like Brahmaputra.
• The region is home to one-horned rhinoceros, elephants and
other endangered wildlife.
• There are restrictions on foreigners visiting the area, hampering
the development of the potentially profitable travel tourism and
hospitality industry.
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6. Ethnic and Religious Composition
• Except for Assam, where the major language is Assamese, and
Tripura, where the major language is Bengali, the region has a
predominantly tribal population that speak numerous Tibeto-
Burman and Austro- Asiatic languages.
• Meitei, the third most spoken language in this region is a Tibeto-
• Burman language. The large and populous states of Assam,
Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura remain
• predominantly Hindu, with a sizable Muslim minority in Assam.
• Christianity has become the major religion in the states of the
Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya.
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7. Origin of the sobriquet "The Land of Seven
Sisters”
• The sobriquet, the Land of Seven Sisters, had been
originally coined to coincide with the inauguration of the
new states in January, 1972, by Jyoti Prasad Saikia, a
journalist in Tripura in the course of a radio talk show.
• Saikia later compiled a book on the interdependence and
commonness of the Seven Sister States, and named it the
Land of Seven Sisters. It has been primarily because of
this publication that the nickname has caught on.
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9. MEGHALAYA
• LANGUAGES- Khasi, Garo, English
• Meghalaya, a Sanskrit word meaning "the abode of cloud", was created as an
autonomous State on 2nd April 1970. It is bound on north and east by the
state of Assam, and on south and west by Bangladesh. The three physical
division in the state are Garo (Western), Khasi (Central) and Jaintia (Eastern)
hill divisions.
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10. Social and cultural heritage:-
• The Khasi, Garo and Jaintia are people with a rich cultural
heritage. The important crafts of the Khasi and the Jaintia
districts are artistic weaving, wood-carving and cane and
bamboo work. Carpet and silk weaving and the making of
musical instruments, jewellery and pineapple fibre articles are
among its minor craft.
• The popular handicrafts of the Garo hills district are artistic
weaving, cane and bamboo work including poker work( in which
designs are burnt into the bamboo with a red-hot pointed
rod),wood carving, jewellery and making of clay toys and dolls
and musical instruments. 10

11. Meghalayan cuisine
• Meghalayan cuisine is the local cuisine of the Indian state of Meghalaya.
• Meghalaya is home to three Mongoloid tribes; it has a unique cuisine,
different from the other Seven Sister States of northeast India. The staple
food of the people is rice with spicy meat and fish preparations. They rear
goats, pigs, fowl, ducks and cows and relish their meat.
• The popular dishes of Khasis and Jaintia are Jadoh, Ki Kpu, Tung-rymbai,
and pickled bamboo shoots; bamboo shoots are also a favorite dish of the
Garos.
• Garos eat most non-domesticated animals, though their everyday staples
are simple foods such as rice with kapa, cooked with a special ingredient
called purambhi masala.
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13. MIZORAM
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14. MIZORAM
• Mizoram literally translated means "Land of the
Highlanders". The hills are steep with an average height of
900 meters. The highest peak in Mizoram is the Blue
Mountain (Phawngpui) with a height of 2210 metres.
• The tropical forests of Mizoram abound in a wide variety
of flora and fauna. The thick bamboo groves strewn with
wild plantations dominate the lower altitude, slowly
giving way to dense woods festooned with creepers and
canes as the hills rise higher.
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15. Cultural and social heritage :-
• The fabric of social life in the Mizo society has undergone
tremendous changes over the years. Before the British moved
into the hills, for all practical purposes the village and the clan
became units of the Mizo society.
• The Mizo code of ethics or dharma moved round
"Tlawmngaihna"an translatable term meaning on the part of
everyone to be hospitable, kind unselfish and helpful to others.
Tlawmngaihna to a Mizo stands for selfless service for others.
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16. Mizo Traditional Attire
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17. • A gregarious and close- knit society, they evolved some
principles of selfhelp and co- operation to meet social
obligations and responsibilities.
• No class distinction and no discrimination on grounds of
sex are not seen in Mizo society.
• Birth of a child, marriage in the village and death of a
person in the village or a community feast arranged by a
member of the village are important occasions in which
the whole village is involved.
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18. Festivals :-
• The cottage industries comprise of handloom and handicrafts. In the
small scale sector are the rice- milling, oil and flour milling,
mechanized bamboo workshops, saw milling, brick making and
furniture workshops.
• Mim Kut: Mim Kut or Maize festival is celebrated during the months
of August and September, after the harvest of maize. Mim Kut is
celebrated with great fanfare by drinking rice- beer, singing, dancing
and feasting. Music is a passion of the Mizos. The most colorful and
distinctive dance of the Mizo is called Cheraw.
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21. NAGALAND
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22. Nagaland
• Nagaland is almost entirely inhabited by the Naga tribes except
some Kukis, Kacharis, Garos, Mikris, Benglalees, and Assamese
etc. in the plains sector. There are several views expressed by
scholars regarding the origin of the word Naga.
• The word Naga originated from Naga meaning Snake or king of
snakes.
• Nagaland is a hilly state. The hills are a continuation of the Burma
Arc being joined with the Sub-Himalayan ranges in the north and
stretching into the hills of Manipur. Forests cover the main part
of the land and jungles it is natural that there will be lots of
animal life. 22

23. Social and Cultural Heritage
• The Nagas are not a composite people. They speak many languages.
They differ widely in dress and other cultural traits, as well as in
physical features. They belong to Mongoloid stock but yet there are
great differences in the details between one tribe and other, as well
as between different people of the same tribe. Some are tall, some
are short.
• There is no caste system among the Nagas or anyone of the non-Naga
tribes.
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25. Hornbill Festival
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26. SEKRENYI FESTIVAL
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27. • The various Naga tribes have their own cooking varieties, but
they often exchange recipes. A typical Naga meal consists of a
meat dish, a boiled vegetable dish or two, rice and a chutney
(Tathu). Nagas tend to prefer boiled edible organic leaves.
• Some common dishes are "fermented bamboo shoot" (made
frotender shoot of the Bamboo tree) with fish and
pork. Axone (soybean boiled, fermented and either smoked or
sun dried) with smoked pork and beef.
• Anishiis fermented taro leaves made into patties and smoked
over the fire or sun dried . Naga food tends to be spicy(chillies).
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28. Tripura
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29. • Tipura is strategically situated between the river valleys of Myanmar
and Bangladesh. Encircled almost on the three sides by Bangladesh, it is
linked with Assam and Mizoram in the northeast.
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30. Social and cultural heritage
•Tripura has a long historic past, its
unique tribal culture and a
fascinating folklore. Some scholars
are of the opinion that in the distant
past it was known as Kirat Desh.
•There are references of Tripura in the
Mahabharata and the Puranas.
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31. Tripuri cuisine
• The Tripuris are essentially nonvegetarians and hence
the main courses are mainly prepared using meat, but
with the addition of vegetables.
• Traditional Tripuri cuisine is known as Mui Borok.
Tripuri food has a key ingredient called Berma (also
called Shidal in Bengali, which is a small, oil-pasted
and dry fermented fish.
• The foods are sometimes considered to be healthy as
they are usually prepared without oil. Tripuri food such
as bangui rice and fish stews, Muya (Bamboo shoot,
local fishes, vegetables, herbs, Batema
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32. Festivals
• Garia Puja.
• Kharchi Puja.
• Tirthamukh-A popular
pilgrim centre for the
tribal people of Tripura.
• Ker Puja-A traditional
tribal festival held
within a specified
boundary specially
marked with prior
notification in the state
government gazetteer. 32

33. Arunachal Pradesh
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34. •Arunachal Pradesh the 24th state of the Indian
Union, is bounded by Bhutan to the west,
Myanmar to the east, China to the north and
north-east and the plains of Assam to the
south.
•Arunachal Pradesh is acknowledged to be one
of the most splendid, variegated and
multilingual tribal areas of the world.
Arunachal is the largest state (area-wise) in the
north-east region.
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35. Social and cultural Heritage
• There are three kinds of
religions practiced here.
The Monpas and
Sherdukpens in Kameng
and Tawang district, who
met the Tibetans in the
north, adopted Lamaism
of the Buddhist faith,
while the Khamptis in
Lohit district practice
Mahayana Buddhism. 35

36. •The second group,
Noctes and
Wanchos in Tirap
district, whose
long association
with the Assamese
in the south,
converted them to
Hindus.
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37. • They are associated with
the practice of head
hunting. The third group
comprises of Adi, Akas,
Apatanis, Nishings, etc.- a
large majority of the total
population, who maintain
their ancient belief and
indigenous concepts of
nature and worship- the
DonyiPolo (The Sun &
Moon).
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38. Festivals-Tribe Dance at Tawang Festival
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39. Assam
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40. • It is also known that “Assam” is derived from the word
“Asama” meaning uneven. Assam is almost separated
from central India by Bangladesh. Nagaland, Manipur
and Myanmar bound it in the east, west by West
Bengal, north by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh and
south by Meghalaya, Bangladesh, Tripura and
Mizoram.
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41. Social and cultural Heritage
• There is a gradual development of liberalism in
religious system in Assam. The indigenous groups are
Aninmism, Tantricism, Brahmanism and Vaishnavism.
The Assamese were practicing Tantric forms of rituals
until the advent of the new Vaishnavite religion formed
by Shrimanta Sankardeva (1449-1568). The pristine
form of Hinduism began only when the Aryans arrived
in Assam.
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44. Assamese cuisine
• Fish is widely used, and birds like duck, squab etc. are
very popular, which are often paired with a main
vegetable or ingredient. Preparations are rarely
elaborate. (The practice of bhuna, the gentle frying of
spices before the addition of the main ingredients so
common in Indian cooking, is absent in the cuisine of
Assam.
• The preferred oil for cooking is the pungent mustard
oil.
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45. • A traditional meal in Assam begins
with a khar, a class of dishes named
after the main ingredient, and ends
with a tenga, a sour dish.
• The food is usually served in bell
metal utensils made by an
indigenous community called
Mariya.
• The belief is that when food and
water is served in such utensils its
good for health and boost up
immunity. Tamul (betel nut,
generally raw) and paan generally
concludes the meal.
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46. Manipur
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47. • By nature, they are lovers of
flowers with which they
bedeck themselves
beautifully.
• Their dresses are simple but
tasteful.
• The woman wears colored
long stripped skirt, blouse
and white chaddar gracefully
and the man uses white
dhoti and chaddar and in
ceremonial occasions a
pagri. 47

48. Festivals
• Their Lai
Haraoba festival
is very
interesting
dance drama
led by priests
(Maibas) and
priestesses
(Maibis),
depicting the
creation of life.
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49. Manipuri cuisine
• Dishes are typically spicy foods that
use chili pepper rather than garam
masala. Oil is uncommon in most
Manipuri styles.
• The staple diet of Manipur consists of
rice, fish, large varieties of leafy
vegetables (of both aquatic and
terrestrial). Manipuris typically raise
vegetables in a kitchen garden and
rear fishes in small ponds around their
house
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