| Pasighat | |
| Settlement Type: | Town |
| Pushpin Map: | India Arunachal Pradesh#India3 |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Arunachal Pradesh, India |
| Coordinates: | 28.07°N 95.33°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  India |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Arunachal Pradesh |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | East Siang |
| Established Date: | 1911 |
| Government Type: | Multi Party democracy |
| Leader Title1: | Deputy Commissioner |
| Leader Name1: | Mr. Tayi Taggu, IAS |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Total Km2: | 14.60 |
| Elevation M: | 152 |
| Population Total: | 24,656 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | 1504.9 |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Demographics Type1: | Languages[2] [3] |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Official |
| Timezone1: | IST |
| Utc Offset1: | +5:30 |
| Postal Code Type: | PIN |
| Postal Code: | 791102 |
| Area Code Type: | Telephone code |
| Area Code: | 0368 |
| Registration Plate: | AR-09 |
| Blank Name: | Climate |
| Blank Info: | Cwa |
| Iso Code: | IN-AR |
Pasighat is the headquarters of East Siang district in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Situated at the eastern foothills of the Himalayas at 155metre above mean sea level, Pasighat is Arunachal's oldest town.[4] The Government of India included Pasighat in the Smart Cities Mission development scheme in June 2017.
It is also an Advance Landing Ground (ALG) of Indian Air Force.
Pasighat was founded in 1911 by the British Raj as a gateway to administrative convenience of the greater Abor Hills and the north area in general. Primarily there were settlements of Adi tribesmen who are still living in the villages in and around Pasighat.
Cognizance of Pasighat emerged due to the last Anglo-Abor War that was fought in 1912 subsequent to the fourth Anglo-Abor War in 1894. This necessitated the first-ever administrative headquarters being established here with an Assistant Political Officer posted. In the post-independence era, Pasighat is credited with the first Airfield (near Paglek, P. I. Line) established in 1946.
The first Agricultural Institute in Arunachal Pradesh was also established at Pasighat in 1950. Other forms of later infrastructural development include:
Early proponents for moving the state capital from Shillong (the then NEFA), underlined Pasighat's better infrastructure. However, the privilege was lost to the present capital Itanagar in 1974. The only significant development in Pasighat that came after that was the College Of Horticulture and Forestry Central Agriculture University established on 7 March 2001.
Pasighat is located at .[6] It has an average elevation of 153m (502feet). Pasighat has a typical lowland Northeast India humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa) a little too cool to qualify as a tropical monsoon climate (Am).
The unique trough-like features surrounded by high hills on three sides make Pasighat ideal for attracting rain-bearing clouds that come in from the Assam plain. The rain-bearing wind gets obstructed by the hills and brings exceptionally heavy rainfall from June to September when the average monthly rainfall is 7962NaN2 – equivalent to over 11NaN1 per day. Winter is marked by strong, cool, dry northeasterly winds from the Siberian High, which make Pasighat fog-free even in winter. Days during the “cool” season from November to February are generally warm and clear, whilst the “hot” spring season from March to May sees an increasing frequency of heavy thunder downpours and very warm to hot, humid weather with even mornings warm.
The Brahmaputra River emerges from the foothills under the name of Dihang or Siang in Pasighat. It enters the plains from here, in the west of Sadiya town in Arunachal Pradesh. Flowing south-west, it receives its main left-bank tributaries, viz. Dibang and Lohit; thereafter, it is known as the Brahmaputra in the plains. Then it crosses the Pasighat area heading for the Assam plains.
Agriculture is the main occupation of the local people. Rice is the main food crop produced in the area. There are several large tea gardens in the vicinity of the town which attract workers from all over the region. Lumbering was a big sustaining industry till the Supreme Court clamped down on the industry during the 1990s. There is also a bit of tourism in Pasighat, being the oldest town in Arunachal Pradesh. Agriculture, horticulture, and tourism continue to be the main source of economy for the town.
As of 2011 India Census,[7] Pasighat had a population of 24,656.[8] Males constitute 50.62% (12,482 males) of the population and females 49.37% (12,174 females). Pasighat has an average literacy rate of 79.6%: male literacy is 85.33%, and female literacy is 73.74%. In Pasighat, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Pasighat is predominantly inhabited by the Adi people.
According to 2011 census, Adi was the most spoken language with 9,074 speakers followed by Nepali at 4,269, Bengali at 2,621, Bhojpuri at 2,511, Hindi at 1,905 and Assamese at 1,181.
The people of Pasighat celebrate a variety of festivals. Solung, Aran, and Etor are important festivals. Legend has it that the festival regarded as Solung, which is the principal festival of the Adi, came into existence when the Goddess of wealth, Kiine-Naane, had asked them in person to carry out this worship or 'puja'.
Solung is celebrated by the Adis for five days in the month of September. The first day or the Solung Gidi Dogin is the day when they prepare for this event. Doreph Long, the second day is the day of animal slaughters. Binnyat Binam or the third day is the day of prayers. Taktor of Ekoph is the fourth day and on this day arms and ammunition are manufactured. Miri or the fifth day is the day of farewell.
The Adi people are known for their colourful Ponung dance and war dance called Taapu.
Pasighat is connected by the NH-515 and have frequent services from Guwahati, Lakhimpur and Itanagar. Waterways crossing the Brahmaputra River from Dibrugarh by ferry to Oryamghat that is situated at a distance of 32 km from Pasighat and can take a bus or taxi. Nearest rail head is at Murkongselek which is terminal station of the Rangia-Murkongselek broad gauge track.
The 227-km Murkongselek-Pasighat-Tezu-Rupai line is being undertaken as a strategic project.[9] [10] The rail head is proposed to be extended up to Pasighat. The BG railway line will link North-Assam area with Pasighat town, the district headquarter of East Siang of Arunachal, located at a rail route distance of 26.5 km. About 24.5 km of the route falls in Arunachal territory. The Rangia - Murkongselek BG conversion (with extension up to Pasighat) project was one of the two major rail projects in Northeast announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during 2010. This broad gauge line is supposed to be proceeding on to Roing, Parsuramkund, Rupai, and other places in the state. A preliminary engineering-traffic survey for the Pasighat-Tezu-Parshuram Kund was conducted by Northeast Frontier Railways at the request of the state government.[11] Arunachal Pradesh State Transport Services (APSTS) is another means of transportation in the district which is linked with other districts and nearby villages. APSTS buses are also run from Pasighat to Itanagar, the capital of the state, from Pasighat to Shillong, Meghalaya via Guwahati on the daily basis. Bus services are available to Guwahati, Assam which are run by private operators. Private-owned Winger and Tata Sumo services also run across the district and run in the other districts. Also, regular flights from Pasighat to Guwahati and Guwahati to Pasighat on selected weekdays have also started since April 2018. Guwahati and Kolkata are connected with Pasighat Airport by Alliance Air.
500px|thumb| Siang river meeting the plainsPasighat is the land of the Siang river and indigenous hanging bridges. A waterfall graces the mountain cliffs and chills the vicinity. Attractions in the town include: