Consider the following historical elements associated with the ancient and early medieval heritage of Arunachal Pradesh: 1. The worship of local mountain deities often assimilated into pan-Indian Puranic traditions. 2. The extensive use of megalithic monuments for commemorative and ritual purposes among various ethnic groups. 3. The absolute absence of any external trade contacts prior to the British arrival. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Statements 1 and 2 are correct because indigenous belief systems in Arunachal Pradesh frequently incorporated local natural forces into broader regional religious frameworks, and megalithic traditions remain deeply rooted among several tribes for ancestral veneration. Statement 3 is incorrect because archaeological discoveries and literary accounts confirm that vibrant trans-Himalayan and inter-valley trade networks existed centuries before British annexation. Megaliths serve as important tangible heritage markers testifying to the antiquity of settlement patterns in the region.