Arunachal Himalaya - Region

Arunachal Himalayas are composed of hundreds of tribes and all areas of Arunachal Pradesh are a mixture of Indigenous Tribal Religions, Hinduism and Christianity. Additionally Tibetan Buddhism is present in Tawang & vicinity, and Theravada Buddhism from Burma - in "South Arunachal Hills" sub-region. Many of the tribes continue into bordering areas of China, Burma and Bhutan.
The Tribal Religions of the Arunachal Hills, while having different names are much the same.
Christianity is very recent(compared to rest of NE) and mostly from younger people.

2011 Census statistics of Arunachal Pradesh State are as follows:

Tribal Religions: 362,553 (26.2%)

Hindu: 401,876 (29.04%)

Christian: 418,732 (30.26%)

Buddhist: 162,815 (11.76%)

Muslim: 27,045 (1.9%)

Detailed studies of the above statistics indicate that 1/3 of the States Hindu are Tribal-Hindu, and 2/3 are not. Thus concerning the religious composition of the Tribes of the state - the religious statistics of just the Tribes would be : 10% Hindu, 40% Indigenous Tribal Religions, 10% Buddhist, and 40% Christian.
The Tribal Hindu of Arunachal Himalaya are mostly from the major Mishmi tribe(of 50,000 - 70% of tribe are Hindu and 30% Tribal Religion), of the Mishmi Hills. The Tani tribes are the main Tribal Religious.


Sub-Regions of Arunachal Himalaya Region

According to Tribal Regions and Religious Composition. This is a hybrid of the district statistics and the tribal regions - and not the exact religious composition of just the tribals of those regions.

Tani Hills - of the Tani group of tribes, most 60% follow Tribal Religion (Donyi-Polo), Hindu - 10%

Mishmi Hills - of the Mishmi group of tribes - 50% Hindu,  Tribal Religion (Rangfrah) - 30%, Mishmi are the main major Hindu tribe of the Arunachal Hills, The % of just the tribe and not the political area is Hindu 70%, 30% Tribal relgion.

Kameng Hills - of various tribes: Bugun, Aka, Hruso, Miji and Sherdukpen Tribes.
- buffer/mix area between Buddhist tribes of Bhutan and Tibet and the Tribal Religion and Hindu Tribes of Arunachal. Mixed religious composition of Hindu, Tribal Religion and Tibetan Buddhism in about equal proportions(total 75%)

South Arunachal Hills - of the Tai, Singpho and Tangsa Tribes - 30% Hinduism and 30% Theravada Buddhism of Burma, Tribal religion 10%.

Tawang Hills - Geologically part of the Himalayas of Bhutan, Tibetan Buddhist Tribes 70% and Hindu 30%.





Temples and Places of the Arunachal Himalaya Region