East Garo Tura Cotton Sal Forest Nokrek Biosphere Meghalaya

East Garo Hills district centred on Tura is the Garo tribal homeland — the Garo people (Achik Mande) are matrilineal, with clan identity and ancestral land passing through the mother's line, in one of Asia's few surviving matrilineal systems. Garo women weave Dakmanda and Gando (warp-dominated handloom fabrics) on traditional loin-loom from local cotton, with bold stripe patterns in red, black, and white. The Nokrek National Park and Biosphere Reserve in East Garo Hills contains wild Citrus indica — the ancestor of all cultivated citrus fruits — in its primary forest. The district grows ginger, turmeric, and black pepper as cash crops on jhum (shifting cultivation) plots and permanent gardens.