Arunachal Pradesh welcomes guests with a affectionately prepared local delicacy!

A trip to the valley in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, and the one faddish drink none can resist is the local drink called, Chhang ,a pungent home-brewed local beer made from millet or rice.

Welcoming a guest with chhang is a traditional common trait among the locals in the valley — a mere 30 km from the Sino-Indian border in West Siang district — which otherwise is inhabited by a large number of tribes whose distinctive cultures are as diverse as chalk and cheese. Be it dress or dialect, there is little in common among the major tribes — Memba, Tagins, Bokar and Pailibo — as also the smaller ones.

Chhang is a must during festivals and celebrations among the locals, besides the staple food of rice and millet. Many also consume it on a daily basis.

Chhang is also consumed as a medicinal purposes to cure cold and chill in the mountains.

Rice and millet beer is made on a regular basis, for its longevity, and is also made in bulk. The distilled Chhang is a flavoured one while the other variants of Chhang are not.

In Mechuka, almost every family has a chest in their home exclusively for fermenting millet or rice for making chhang. Usually, the complete fermentation process takes about 15-20 days.
The room where the fermentation is done is always kept neat and clean.

Arunachal Pradesh better known for its mesmerizing scenic beauty has lots more to offer to its guests.

Sources: The Indian EXPRESS