![]() |
![]() |
ASSAM
Assam is the gateway to the entire North East except Sikkim.
Assam is situated on the banks of the Brahmaputra river which is the lifeline of the people of the Assamese people.
The Assamese people have a rich cultural and tradition.
Assam was originally an independent kingdom where kings of different dynasties ruled.
The Britishers took over Assam by subterfuge. The Assamese people had a valiant role in India’s fight fr Independence.
The Assamese people have a pride of place in world history.
This is because the longest reigning dynasty of the world is from this state.
The dynasty is that of the Ahoms – a group of martial people from China – who united the other martial tribes of the NE India via diplomatic and marital strategies.
There are ancient temples, fantastic tourism destinations spots and above all the Kaziranga National Park is the only habitat in the world of the unicornis rhinoceros or the one-horned rhinoceros. There is another famous national wildlife sanctuary gifted with nature’s bounty. This is the Manas sanctuary.
Assam is also a treasure house of cultural diversity. Hajo is one of those places that symbolizes religious amity what with Hindus, Muslims, and Buddhists having their pilgrimage sites there.
Poor Muslims who cannot afford to proceed to Mecca for Haj can pay their obeisance to Allah in the designated spot in Hajo. It is equivalent to going on Haj.
Bardowa in Nagaon situated in middle Assam and Barpeta in Lower Assam are the epicenters of the Sankari Hindu culture.
Assam’s main culture and festival is Bihu which is celebrated thrice a year. These are the rongali, Bhogali and the Kongali Bihu. Dance and songs are the specialties during these occasions particularly during Bhogali Bihu in January and Rongali Bihu.
Bhogali Bihu is observed to celebrate the bountiful harvest while Rongali Bihu celebrates the onset of the Assamese New Year in April. Many delicacies are prepared with a particular type of sticky rice (when soaked), seasam, and molasses. The young people seek the blessings of the elders.
A particular festival during the Bhogali Bihu is observed on the first day which is called the ‘Goru (cow) Bihu’. Since the backbone of the Assamese economy is agriculture, the people give particular importance to the mainstay of the profession, namely the ox, or the buffalo or the cow. There are typical ways in which this is done. The other Bihu is the Kongali Bihu during the fag end of October. This is the time when the people burn earthen oil lamps beside the Tulsi plant and pray for a good harvest.
There are several historical tourist destination spots. The prominent among them are those in Rongpur in Sivasagar. This place has been the capital of the Ahoms.
There are the typical middle age palaces (prashad), temples (mandir) and burial constructions (maidam) besides the ammunition houses (khar ghar) and the ponds. The architectures are typical with their arches and the monolithic designs. The largest as well as the oldest standing open air amphitheatre – Ranghar – is located here. The Talatal ghar – a palace of the Ahom royalty – has underground tunnels.
The tombs or the ‘maidams’ at Charaideo in Sivasagar district of Assam have close affinity with the pyramids of Egypt. Even the manners of entombing and embalming of the dead bodies have lots of similarities. This is despite the fact the two cultures are separated not only by geographical distances but also by heritage.
The Ahoms never dug their ponds. They had a typical religious and scientific manner of building ramparts to create the ponds. The typicality of these ponds is that they never overflow. Many such ponds are located much above the highways and the surrounding areas. Despite this, the waters of the ponds never over flow or even flow backwards when the surrounding areas are over-flooded.
The air, road, and rail networks to Assam are well connected.
There are world-class lodging facilities.
You can also avail of the varied services of the well-managed tour operators and the transport agents to visit the different places.
All in all, it will be a rewarding experience altogether.
No tourist needs permit to tour Assam.