Interesting facts about Northeast A new bird species has been found in India the first

time such a discovery has been made here in more

than 50 years. The multicoloured bird, Bugun Lio-
NE possesses more than 550 va- cichla, was spotted in May in the remote Eaglenest
rieties of orchids,which is said to Wildlife Sanctuary in India’s northeastern state of
be almost 70% of the total orchid Arunachal Pradesh near the border with China. Ra-
species identified so far. mana Athreya who discovered the bird named it after
the Bugun tribe, which lives in the area.

WHEN Alexander invaded Punjab, the Greeks discovered the Indian tradition
of using the inner bark of trees and well-beaten cotton cloth as writing materi-
als. It is believed that the Greeks were also aware of Assam’s rich tradition of
making sanchipat (parchments) from the inner bark of the sanchi (aloe) tree.
It is believed that the manuscripts were produced in Assam long before the 7th
century A.D., through a complex, long and intricate method of preparation. This
tradition is not known to have existed in any place apart from Assam.

There are also many rare and interesting birds includ-
ing the hornbills, patridges, pheasants, teals, snipes
geese and duck.
Majuli or Majoli is a river island in Assam formed by the mighty river
Brahmaputra in the south and the Kherkutia Suti, a tributary of the
Brahmaputra, joined by the Subansiri river in the north. It is often
erroneously cited as the largest river island in the world by the Indian
media. But in fact, it is the largest freshwater island in South Asia that
occupies an area of about 422 km², having lost significantly to erosion.
According to the earlier official data, in 1901 the island covered an
area of 1255 km² and shrunk half by these hundred years. So it would
not be wrong to say that Majuli was the largest river island and fastest
shrinking one.

“ The lowest voter turnout in a polling station is three! It happened

in Bomdila district in Arunachal Pradesh!”

The Cathedral Church of Mary Help of Christians commonly known

Pitcher Plants, the insect-eating as Laitumkhrah Cathedral is the principal place of worship of the
plants of botanical wonder are over 3,00,000 strong Catholics of the Shillong Archdiocese which
found in plenty in the Jaintia covers the Khasi & Jaiñtia Hills of Meghalaya.
Hills, West Khasi Hills and South The Church was built over 50 years ago. Since it also has the “ca-
Garo Hills District of Meghalaya thedra” – the seat or throne of the Bishop – it is known as a Cathe-
and it is said that such a plant is dral Church. This place of worship stands on the very site of the
found no where else in the world. first Church built by the German fathers. The earlier 1913 building
– the Church of the Divine Saviour –was a wooden structure. It was
Many rare and interesting plants
destroyed in the Good Friday fire of April 10, 1936. Built by the first
are also found endemic to the Catholic missionaries to these hills, the Salvatorian Fathers from
State like Wild Citrus and Pygmy Germany, it was the first Catholic Cathedral Church in what was then
Lily. the Mission of Assam.

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