Welcome to Minds Abroad

Abruptly rising from the Assam plains as a mass of densely forested hills and continuing into the fabulous snow-capped peaks along the China border the “ Land of Dawn-lit Mountains” Arunachal will surprise you with a taste of India’s scenic and culturally distinct Himalayan frontier. Sporting a unique identity from the mainstream culture of India’s plains Arunachal nestles semi-evergreen forests, untamed tribal culture and splendid Tibetan-Buddhist monastery villages.

Our programs are based at Itanagar and we aim to blend culture immersion, trekking and service learning opportunities among indigenous tribes to provide a thorough understanding of people and cultures of this ethnically rich belt.

Home to 61 unique ethnicities, including the Monpas, Thongis, Hrussos, Adis and Mishmis, modern-day Arunachal Pradesh is a microcosm of the Himalayan cultures. It is one of the linguistically richest regions in all of Asia, being home to at least 30 distinct languages, in addition to countless tribal dialects and sub dialects. A number of colorful festivals are celebrated in Itanagar amongst which Losar, the new-year celebrations of the Monpas and Reh which is mainly associated with the Idu Mishmis are significant ones. The enthralling legacy of Itanagar lies in its diversity, which is also reflected in its lakes, hot water springs, snow-capped mountains and lush green forests that embrace its mountains. A short visit to a small tribal village around Itanagar or one of the several Buddhist monasteries in Bomdila is enough to testify that. If you are a shopaholic you should not miss out on a trip to the craft emporium at Itanagar, for traditional costumes made of organic dye yarns, paintings and cane and bamboo artifacts.

The history of Itanagar dates back to the 11th century when the city was known by the name of Mayapur and served as the capital of the Jitri dynasty. Still untouched by the concrete din and bustle of city life the sparse population of Arunachal Pradesh is predominantly tribal in character. In fact you will come across some of the most hospitable and hard-working people through your travel in Itanagar. The calendar year of each tribe is punctuated with festivals which are mostly agricultural, socio-cultural and religious in nature. Since agriculture is the basic means of survival for these tribal communities their festivals revolve around agriculture. Some of these auspicious festivals have their basis in nature worship.

The unparalleled cultural and scenic diversity of Itanagar make it a great site for study abroad immersion. Minds Abroad programs blend cultural immersion and service learning experiences with excursions amidst unspoiled nature and unexplored cultures.