Itanagar (Capital of Arunachal Pradesh) has a rich mixture of archeological sites of great historical value and built up resources and institutions of great socio-cultural significance.
Itafort, ‘the fort of bricks’ from which the State capital derives its name, is situated in the heart of the Itanagar. The fort has an irregular shape, built mainly with bricks dating back to the 14th-15th Century of Mayapur of Ramachandra, a king of the Jitari Dynasty.
Geykar Sinyik (Ganga Lake) is a beautiful natural lake locally known as Geykar Sinyik surrounded by landmass of hard rock.The name Gekar Sinyi means ‘confined water’.
Jawaharlal Nehru Museum has a rich collection of textiles, weaponry, household articles and handicrafts items reflecting the tribal culture and heritage of Arunachal Pradesh.
Craft Centre & Emporium at Itanagar is worth visiting where one can see and buy local artifacts like wall paintings, traditional costumes made of natural vegetable and herbal dye yarns, and attractive utility items made of cane and bamboo.
Zoological Park (Zoo) is located at Chimpu. The park has a variety of fauna including avi-fauna species.
Indira Gandhi Park is a popular park located at Itanagar
Polo Park is a small botanical garden located on top of a ridge at Naharlagun (the twin capital city).
Essentials
Around 6km from the cen-tre of the city is the Gekar Sinyi or the Ganga Lake, which is a beautiful, naturally formed lake. ‘Gekar Sinyi’ means confined water in the Nyishi language—the lake is surrounded by hard rock banks. Beautiful tall trees, ferns, and colourful orchids around the lake make for a stunning landscape. It is a popular picnic spot among locals. Boating facilities are
also available here
One of the five historical forts located in Arunachal Pradesh, besides Bhalukpong, Rukmininagar, Bhismaknagar and MudFort, the Ita Fort was built by the Ahom Dynasty. “Ita” means brick in the Ahom language. The fort is in the centre of the Capital Complex and has two brick ramparts, three gateways(southern, eastern and western), two natural ridges, and several central structures, which are in ruins. It was an imperial structure and is said to have been constructed using 80 lakh bricks. Now, only the ruins remain, standing amidst sprawling gardens, offering splendid views of the city. There is a small bookstore behind the ticket counter, where you can buy several books on Arunachal Pradesh and the fort.
Entry: ₹10
Timings: 9.00am–5.00pm
Photography: ₹200
Closed:weekends and holidays