Contributed articles.

The book consists 27 research papers on religious culture of Arunachal Pradesh including tribal culture with emphasis on spirits and deities, sacred specialists, and sacred rituals etc. The Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism as practised by some Arunachali tribes are presented in a historical setting along with Brahminical culture in the foothills. This is the first such study of religious history of Arunachal Pradesh and their interaction with the people of Assam, Tibet and Myanmar through the ages.

- Beads of Arunachal Pradesh describes the cultural importance of different beads among the people of north-east India in general and Arunachal Pradesh in particular. - The book describes the legends and history of each of the beads, their importance, folklores on them, use, price, and so on. The oral history, gender questions, social dynamics, and even inter- as well as intra-tribal relationships of the tribes have been described in detail in the book. The tradition of beads has been imbedded in the lives of the people of north-east from time immemorial. The continuing popularity of beads has led to manufacture of spurious products. Despite the onslaught of globalization even in rural areas, the popularity of beads has not diminished among the people. Beads are also used as a bartering item and usually take the place of money even now. The book describes the economic, cultural, and ritual significance of beads; their historical relation to migration; and popular beliefs, classification mechanism, and ethnic specifications of beads. Contents: Preface; Introduction; Diversity of Beads; Folklore and Beads; Trade; Beads and Gender; Beads and the Emerging Realities; Beliefs, Utility, and Values of Beads; Conclusions; Bibliography; Acknowledgements; Index.

This is the first book to systematically describe the formation and historical changes of the Monpa people’s area (Monyul) through its nature, society, culture, religion, agriculture and historically deep ties with Bhutan, Tibet and the Tibetan Buddhist faith. The state of Arunachal Pradesh is located in the northeastern part of India, surrounded by the borders of Assam, Bhutan, and Tibet (China). There has been a long history of conflict over the sovereignty of this area between India and China. Foreigners were prohibited from entering the state until the 1990s and the area has been veiled in secrecy until recently. Thus, there are not many academically researched works on the region. This book serves as an essential guide for anyone who would like to learn about a unique geographical area of Monpa.