'Shrines of Arunachal deny Chinese claim over state land'

The religious shrines in Arunachal Pradesh stand as "more political evidence rather than historical evidence" to dismiss the oft-repeated Chinese claims over the state's territory, claimed Sahitya Akademi awardee Y D Thongchi.

"Puranic shrines such as Parshuram Kund (in Lohit district), Malinithan (West Siang) and Bhismaknagar (Lower Dibang Valley) are mentioned in articles found in the Indus Valley Civilization. So we can refute Chinese claims on the territory of our state, from the cultural point of view," Thongchi, the Chief Information Commissioner of the state, said this during a seminar here yesterday.

The seminar "Cultural Heritage of Arunachal Pradesh" was organized by the state Directorate of Research.

Stating that culture encompasses every aspect of human life, not just songs and dances as perceived by commoners, Thongchi said, "Time has come to preserve and document the state's cultural heritage such archaeological sites, languages, traditional handicrafts and indigenous knowledge system."

Rajiv Gandhi University Vice Chancellor Prof Tamo Mibang deliberating on the seminar called upon academicians and intellectuals to do research on local languages in order to document the languages to preserve and promote the state's rich cultural heritage.

While asserting that language was the vehicle of cultural preservation, Mibang said, "Research on cultural heritage will definitely lead to societal transformation in the state."

Altogether 23 papers were presented at the seminar where anthropologists, sociologists, philologists, archaeologists and academicians from different institutions took part.