Forgetting Indigenous Toponyms: Preventing the Loss of Cultural Memory in Arunachal Pradesh.

This research paper analyzes the gradual erosion of traditional toponyms in Tawang and West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh. For the indigenous communities like Monpa, Shertukpen, Bugun, Miji, Aka and Sartang traditional nomenclature of places are part of living archives. These names and places are encoded with ecological knowledge, historical migration, sacred spiritual sites and have ancestral ties to the landscape. The gradual but consistent layered of distortion and and its accumulation disconnects the communities from their cultural and environmental heritage, leading to profound ramifications. It also covers the precautionary tale from government institution like Department of Karmik and Adhyatmik (Chos-Rig) Affairs (DoKKA) and its 2017 initiative of restoring 506 names through community consultation. Challenges do not cease to exist and distortion of names still continues. The issue needs more proactive efforts from the whole community. The research is an attempt to understand historical amnesia of masses and deterioration of indigenous knowledge