Assamese is the principal language of Assam, and one of the 22 officially recognized languages of India. Hindi, the official language of a united India, is spoken here as well as Bengali and English. The major indigenous languages other than Assamese are Bodo, Karbi, Mishing and Rabha. Approximately 20 million people speak Assamese throughout Assam, and the neighboring Indian states of Meghalaya & Arunachal Pradesh, and also in the countries of Bangladesh & Bhutan. Foreign tourists will enjoy Assam without fear of language barriers. Local travel agencies are experts in matching English speaking guides with visiting guests.

Assamese is the easternmost Indo–Aryan language thought to have originated around the 14th century. Assamese script originated by the Gupta script, a variant of the Eastern Nagari script. The unique style of writing did not prove possible for phonetic based spelling. Thus, when a second dictionary of Assamese was introduced, Sanskrit spellings in the language were incorporated and are still relevant today.

The Assamese script has 41 consonants and 11 vowels. These are similar to the Devnagari script which is used by Hindi, the present national language. The language has a number of juktakhars which are combination of consonants. They are not simple juxtaposition, rather some combination of modified versions of the consonants. Surprisingly about 80 of them exists and each of them need to be defined in the font for a complete representation. Another characteristic of Sanskrit based language is the use of post-consonantal forms of the vowels. Unlike the Roman script, a vowel used after a consonant changes form and gets attached to the consonant.

Travel to the seven sister states of North East India by foreigners or Indians can be limited and requires the use of permits in some states. Ethnic issues as well as the sensitive nature and proximity to the borders of China, Bhutan, and Myanmar deems this necessary. A similar permit is needed for travel along the eastern border of Himachal Pradesh and Tibet, however, with fewer limitations. Below is what tourists need to know by state updated as of January 1, 2011:

Arunachal Pradesh

“Government policy has opted for certain safety measures to allow for a gradual cultural interaction and influence in the state that is comparatively new in the field without hurting traditional values and degrading the state’s pristine beauty”.  Arunachal Tourism

Indian tourists need an Inner Line Permit. This is available from any Government of Arunachal Pradesh office.

Foreign tourists can visit in a group of two or more persons as against the earlier requirement of four or more persons. The stay permit for foreign visitors has also been extended to 30 days from the earlier permit of 10 days.

Foreign Tourists intending to visit Arunachal Pradesh require a Restricted Area Permit. Foreign tourists will have to pay US$ 50 per head to Government of Arunachal Pradesh and application for RAP should be applied through a local approved tour operator for maximum results. Foreigners can also obtain the Restricted Area Permit from the following locations:

All India Missions abroad,
All Foreigners Regional Registration Officers (FRROs) at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata
Chief Immigration Officers, Chennai
Home Ministry, Govt. of India
Home Commissioner, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar

Assam

No entry permits are required for Indians or Foreigners

Manipur

Indian tourists visiting Manipur via Dimapur/Kohima require a Manipur Inner Line Permit to pass through Nagaland, valid for 10 days. This is available from any Nagaland House, or Government of Nagaland office.

Foreign tourists as of January 1, 2011 no longer require a Protected Area Permit (PAP). Under the previous rule tourists were required to travel in groups of four or more people, or as a married couple. Duration of stay was limited to 10 days, and only select areas could be visited including: Imphal, Loktak Lake, Moirang INA Memorial, Keibul Lamjao Deer Sanctuary, Waithou Lake, and Khongjom War Memorial.

The new rules only require foreigners to register themselves at the local Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) of the district they visit within 24 hours of their arrival. Citizens of some specified countries would, however, continue to require an approval from the Home Ministry to visit these states. The ministry statement did not say which these countries were. This is a temporary change in effect for one year. The PAP application process is included below for those tourists who may still be affected by the previous rules.

Apply for the PAP at least 4 weeks in advance of your visit. For best results, send your application to:

Delhi Manipur Bhawan (2 Sardar Patel Marg, New Delhi. Ph: +91 11 6870101

There is an application fee of Rs 10 unless you print the included form above. If an application is approved, a fee of Rs 1500 will be imposed. Any extension of the period of the permit requires the payment of an additional fee to be decided by the state government. Foreigners associated with Government projects will be given permit for full period of the work.

Meghalaya

No entry permits are required for Indians or Foreigners

Mizoram

Indian tourists need an Inner Line Permit. The application is to be presented in person with two passport size photographs to any of the Liaison Officers posted in Mizoram Houses in selected cities and towns. However, tourists arriving by flight may obtain permit at Lengpui Airport, Aizawl.

Foreign tourists as of January 1, 2011 no longer require a Restricted Area Permit (RAP). Previously tourists traveling in groups of 4 or more persons required the permit  which was obtained from the Government of Mizoram through Liaison Officers posted at New Delhi, Kolkata & Guwahati. For less than 4 persons, RAP was to be obtained from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

The new rules only require foreigners to register themselves at the local Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) of the district they visit within 24 hours of their arrival. Citizens of some specified countries would, however, continue to require an approval from the Home Ministry to visit these states. The ministry statement did not say which these countries were. This is a temporary change in effect for one year. The RAP application process is included below for those tourists who may still be affected by the previous rules.

For best results, apply for the RAP at:

Delhi Mizoram House (Circular Road, Chankyapuri, New Delhi. Ph: +91 11 3016408. +91 11 6440954

RAP’s are valid for 10 days and allow access to limited areas only.

Nagaland

Indian tourists need an Inner Line Permit. This is available from any Nagaland House, or Government of Nagaland office at a cost or Rs 6 per applicant.

Foreign tourists as of January 1, 2011 no longer require a Restricted Area Permit (RAP) / Protected Area Permit (PAP) to enter Nagaland. Previously, tourists were required to travel in a minimum group of four people. They were allowed to visit all 11 district headquarters and specified places with this permit, valid for 10 days, with an option to extend for up to a month.

The new rules only require foreigners to register themselves at the local Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) of the district they visit within 24 hours of their arrival. Citizens of some specified countries would, however, continue to require an approval from the Home Ministry to visit these states. The ministry statement did not say which these countries were. This is a temporary change in effect for one year. The RAP/PAP application process is included below for those tourists who may still be affected by the previous rules.

For best results, apply for the permit at:

Nagaland House in Delhi (29 Aurangzeb Road, New Delhi. Ph: +91 11 23012296

Tripura

No entry permits are required for Indians or Foreigners

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Admittedly I am a Do-It-Yourself traveler of India but in this situation, a travel agency may be your best option to cut through infamous Indian red tape. Be prepared to pay substantial service charges which may come in the form of printed convenience charges, or under the table baksheesh. Permits are typically available within 1-3 days unless otherwise stated.