The Ziro Valley, land of the Apatani people

Ziro Valley, in Arunachal Pradesh's Lower Subansiri district, is famed for its lush rice fields, pine-clad hills, and the distinctive culture of the Apatani people. Hapoli, the main town, serves as a hub with markets, schools, and administrative centres, but is surrounded by traditional villages where Apatanis maintain their unique way of life. The Apatani villages, with their intricate farming systems, showcase sustainable practices that combine wet rice and fish cultivation in terraced fields. Deeply spiritual, the Apatanis follow the Donyi-Polo religion, revering the Sun (Donyi) and Moon (Polo) as guardians of truth and balance. In Apatani traditional marriage, the Eli ceremony plays an important spiritual role, ensuring harmony and divine approval for the union. The bride carries seeds from her parents to her in-laws, while her friends and relatives also share a basket full of rice as a blessing to the bride and bridegroom. The Nyibu (priest) conducts sacred rites to invoke blessings from Donyi (the Sun), Polo (the Moon), ancestral spirits, and guardian deities. Ziro's landscape, Apatani culture, and Donyi-Polo faith make it a cradle of living heritage in Arunachal Pradesh.