India's North East, called the land of the seven sisters, is a region which can be best described as virgin, wild and untouched from the modernizations taking else where in the world. It is a region guarded by mountains, the only passage being a narrow stretch of land some 30 km wide, called the Siliguri Corridor. Beyond this corridor lies the seven sister states of North-Eastern India, each state more beautiful than the other, each with its own cultures and beliefs, each having its own charm. To compare them is unwise, and to travel them is paradise. Because of the regions inaccessibility from the rest of world, it has been lucky enough to keep industrialization and modernization at bay, providing clean unpolluted air and a very rich natural habitat.
There is great religious and ethnic diversity within the seven states. The people of the North-East live a very simple life, all the various tribes and cultures still live in accordance to the environment, and nature plays a very big role in their survival. Around 60 - 70 percent of the population is predominantly tribal, and they carry a lot of resemblance to many Tibeto-Burman, Mongolian and Austro-Asiatic cultures. Christianity and Hinduism are the other dominant beliefs. A trip to North-East remains incomplete if one doesn't witnesses these many distinct tribes.
The sub-tropical climate along with a lot of monsoon rains has helped create one of the last remaining great wildernesses of India in this region. The rainforests of the North-East are a treasure trove of ecological diversity, boasting of a very diverse range of mammals (such as the One Horned Rhinoceorus, Elephants, Tigers, Leopards etc), reptiles, birds (Indian Horn-Bill, Adjutants, Storks etc) and a very rich flora and fauna. The countless National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries of the North-East leaves a traveler confused as to where to begin from. And then, there is always a chance of discovering a new species of mammal, or a plant or insect, and getting a chance to name them according to your wishes.
The great valleys of the mighty Brahmaputra river mesmerizes a traveler on first glance, taking him back in time, allowing him to shed all his burdens and instead just relax and connect with the planet. The rapids of this mighty river upstream in the Himalayan Landscape are supposedly one of the very best spots in the world to test your mettle in white water rafting. The Tea-Gardens of Assam gives the region a certain laid back feel, where one can sip on one of the best tea's of the world, and do nothing else but gaze out at all the surrounding greenery.
Rapids and rivers, Himalayan mountains on 3 sides, forests echoing with the voices of the creatures that live inside, tribal people living in perfect harmony with the nature, hunting and fishing, sweet aroma of tea in the air, Golden Mahseer to river Dolphins, North East is indeed a paradise waiting to be explored.
