Assam: Unparalled Diversity

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 tradition that acts as the vital ancient cultural link with mainland India.

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 for Independence.

There are several historical tourist destination spots across the state.

CONNECTIVITY GUARANTEED

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.
 
ASSAM: A PRIDE OF PLACE IN WORLD HISTORY

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.

ASSAM: AN ANTHROPOLOGIST’S DELIGHT

There are ancient temples, fantastic tourism destinations spots and above all the Kaziranga National Park is the only habitat in the world of the one-horned rhinoceros.

You can go for the elephant safari, witness the foreign avian tourists flocking past you or nesting on the trees around watch the wild buffaloes, or see the other wild animals in their carefree nature.

There is another famous national wildlife sanctuary gifted with nature’s bounty. This is the Manas sanctuary. You can also tour the winter palace of the king of Bhutan.

The scenic beauty is bewitching!

You savor the sights of the undulating plains, the green carpets of the tea gardens and the crisscrossing rivers, rivulets and the occasional waterfalls while driving across the state or even when you go on a river cruise on the Brahmaputra river.

Have your lunch or your supper at the roadside dhaba or motels. Listen to the old-time tunes wafting from the radio while lounging on the charpai or the wood-and-reed beds under the open sky.

Go for angling on the Jia Bhoroli, chase the mahseer, stay overnight at the Bhalukpung eco-camp located nearby and enjoy the campfire. It will be a lifetime experience.

ASSAM: A RELIGIOUS CULTURAL CAULDRON
 
Assam is also a treasure house of religious diversity. There are many pilgrimage spots of the Hindus, Muslims and also the Buddhists besides the Christians.

Mention may be made of the ancient Shakti peeth – Kamakhya. Hindus deem this temple atop the Nilachal hill in Guwahati as one of their most revered sites. Hundreds of pilgrims and tourists visit the temple daily. The myth surrounding the Kamakhya Temple is that the yoni or the vagina of Goddess Parvati fell on this spot.

There are many other ancient temples across the state.
 
The Dah Parvatia ruins and those of the palaces atop the Bamunipahar in Tezpur; the rock sculptures on the Surya Pahar besides the remnants of the Ahom legacy in Rongpur bear testimony to the rich cultural heritage of the Assamese people. In fact, the oldest standing amphitheatre of Asia is in Rongpur. Known as the Ranghar, it was built by the Ahom rulers.

Hajo is one of those places that symbolize religious amity what with Hindus, Muslims, and Buddhists having their pilgrimage sites there. Hajo houses the Hayagriba-Madhaba temple, the Poa Mecca and the Buddhist monastery. All pilgrims and tourists usually make it a point to pay their obeisance to all these three places. 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.

The dargah of Ajan pir in Sivasagar district is another tourist destination spot. Ajan pir is the saint who composed a genre of mellifluous religious songs known as ‘jikir’. These couplets are sung with religious fervor and dedication to the accompaniment of a typical stringed musical instrument.

Bardowa in Nagaon situated in middle Assam and Barpeta in Lower Assam are the epicenters of the Sankari Hindu culture. Bardowa is the birthplace of the Vaishnavite guru and Hindu reformer Sri Sri Sankardeva. The Holi or Spring festival celebrated in Barpeta Satra has lots of similarities with the one that is celebrated in the birthplace of Lord Krishna in mainland India.

The Presbyterian Church in the heart of Guwahati city is a popular destination spot. The Worl War soldiers’ cemetery at Silpukhuri in Guwahati is a famous tourist spot.

BIHU: THE CULTURAL IDENTITY OF ASSAM

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.

RONGPUR: RUINS, SCULPTURES & MONUMENTS GALORE

Sivasagar district in upper Assam houses the ruins, monuments, temples and other monuments of the Ahom period. There are many at Rongpur in Sivasagar. Rongpur was 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.

HISTORICAL MILESTONES

350 AD: The Barman dynasty established in Kamrupa by Pushya Barman.

636 AD: Chinese Buddhist monk Hsüan-tsang visits the court of Bhaskar Barman.

650 AD: The Barman dynasty ends with the death of Bhaskar Barman.

655 AD: The Mlecha dynasty established by Salasthamba in Kamarupa.

900 AD: The Pala dynasty set up by Brahmapala begins rule in Kamarupa.

1100 AD: Ramapala of Gaur defeats Jayapala, the last Pala king.

1185: The Khen dynasty established by Prithu and this marks the beginning of the Kamata kingdom.
 
1187: The Chutiya kingdom set up by Birpal.

1228: The first Ahom leader – Sukaphaa – enters Assam through the Patkai ranges.

1253: Sukaphaa establishes capital at Charaideo

1449: Srimanta Sankardev is born

1490: The first Ahom-Kachari battle takes place.

1498: Hussein Shah of Gaur removes the last Khen ruler of Kamata kingdom

1515: Vishwa Singha establishes the Koch dynasty

1522: Ahom king Suhungmung annexes the Chutiya kingdom.

1527: The Ahoms repulse the first Muslim invasion.

1532: Gaur Muslim commander Turbak achieves some success against the Ahoms.

1533: The Ahoms defeat Turbak defeated and pursue the invading army up to the Karatoya River.

1536: Dimapur, the capital of the Kachari kingdom, destroyed by the Ahoms

1568: Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardev breathes his last.

1584: The Koch kingdom breaks into Koch Bihar and Koch Hajo following the death of King Naranarayana.

1602: The Nawab of Dhaka invades Koch Hajo then ruled by Lakshmi Narayana.

1609: The Paik system of the Ahom kingdom restructured by Momai Tamuli Borbarua.

1662: Mughal general Mir Jumla occupies the Ahom capital, Garhgaon.

1663: The Treaty of Ghilajharighat signed; Mir Jumla returns to Dhaka but dies on the way.

1671: The Ahoms defeat the Mughals and wins the Battle of Saraighat

1679: Laluk-sola Borphukan deserts Guwahati

1681: Gadadhar Singha becomes Ahom swargadeo

1682: Ahoms win battle at Itakhuli. The Mughals flee from Koch Hajo.

1769: The first phase of Moamoria rebellion; Rangpur – the Ahom capital falls but recaptured within a few months

1783: Rangpur fall the second time to Moamoria rebels. The rebel leaders strike coins in their names.

1794: Ahom royalty seeks help from the Britishers. Captain Thomas Welsh restores Rangpur to Ahom king from Moamora rebels.

1817: The first Burmese invasion of Assam takes place.

1826: The Treaty of Yandaboo signed.

1979: The Assam agitation begins against the Bangladeshi influx. The apex student body of Assam, the All Assam Students Union (AASU) along with the Asom Gana Sangram Parishad (AGSP) and other social organizations spearhead the movement.

1985: The signing of the Assam Accord signed signals the end of the Assam agitation.

NOMENCLATURE

The name of the state ‘Assam’ is attributed to the British rulers. Since they could not pronounce ‘Ahom’ – the name of the majority of the community – they started pronouncing it as Assam.

There are several reasons for calling this state Assam.

This land is peerless or unparalled or asom in senses more than one be it the geographical or the anthropological or the historical aspects or with reference to the natural resources.

First, the region is gifted with diversity.

Secondly, the land was united politically by the martial Shan race – Tai Ahoms – who trace their origins to China. The Ahoms extended their suzerainty over this land inhabited by myriad of tribes through a dual policy of marital reconciliation – something that was unheard of before. This added to political wisdom and social tolerance built up the broad and strong base of the present-day Assam.

In fact, the Ahoms were the longest serving dynasty in Asia what with a record of 600 years of continuous rule.

Hence the Ahoms have been considered as asom or unparalled by the local tribes.

Let us now analyze the term asom or unparalled with respect to the region and natural resources.

The erstwhile undivided state of Assam had snow-capped peaks, tropical forests, exotic flora and fauna besides many other natural wonders. Moreover, this state of the north-eastern part of India is still the home to hundreds of indigenous tribes and communities.

In fact, one comes across a different dialect after every 100 kilometer.

Despite such diversities there is unity typical of the Indian culture.

CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

Assam falls in the tropical monsoon region.

The people of Assam experience four seasons, namely summer, winter, spring and autumn.

The temperate climate is marked by heavy rainfall during the monsoon season in summer. It turns rather humid during this time of the year. However, the shower brings down the temperature to a large extent.

The summer season commences from the middle part of May. The average temperature during this phase fluctuates between 35 and 38 degree Celsius.

The monsoon rains start pounding the state from the middle part of June till August. This is a much sought-after part of the year. This is primarily because the majority of the Assamese people depend on agriculture for their livelihood. The farmers depend on the monsoon rains for sustenance.

The showers are accompanied by thunderstorms and winds – a natural phenomenon locally termed as ‘Bordoisila’. The Assamese have to face such nature fury in the forms of floods and devastation every year.

The rains are followed by the spring and then by the autumn seasons. The general temperature is quite moderate.

The winter season commences from the fag end of October which, incidentally, is the puja season too. The winter season continues till the beginning part of March. The average temperature during the winter season fluctuates between five and eight degree Celsius.

A BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF ASSAM

State Formation Date                : August 15,1947
Capital                                          : Dispur
Ideal time to visit                         : Between November and April

ADMINISTRATIVE DATA

Largest city                                    : Guwahati
Total towns                                    : 120
Total villages                                 : 26,312
Total tehsils                                   : 149
Total sub-divisions                       : 48
Total districts                                 : 23
Vidhan Sabha seats                     : 126
Rajya Sabha seats                       : 07
Lok Sabha seats                           : 14

GEOGRAPHICAL DATA

Latitude                                            : Between 24.30 degree and 28.00 degree North
Longitude                                        : Between 89.50 degree and 96.10 degree East
Time zone                                        : IST (UTC+5:30)

CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

Average rainfall                                : 2,818 mm (including Meghalaya)
Temperature                                    : 35-38 degree Celsius in summer; and 6-8 degree Celsius in winter

LAND SPECIFICATIONS

Total Area                                           : 78,438 sq. km
Forest area                                        : 26,781.91 sq. km

POPULATION PATTERN

Population (2001)                             : 26,638,407
Population Density                           : 340
Sex ratio                                              : 932 females per 1000 males
Males                                                   : 13,787,799
Females                                              : 12,850,608

LITERACY
Literacy rate                                        : 64.28

INCOME

Per Capita Income (03-04)                : Rs.12, 593

RELIGIONS

Hindus, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism & also animism

LANGUAGES SPOKEN

Assamese & its dialects, the tribal dialects, Bengali, Hindi, and English

BORDERS & BOUNDARIES

Assam has a common border with Bangladesh on its south and south east.

A land-locked state, Assam is surrounded by her six sisters, viz., Nagaland in her east; West Bengal in the west; Arunachal Pradesh in the north and the north east;  and Tripura and Mizoram in the south.

GEOGRAPHICAL SURROUNDINGS

Assam is known as the land of the red river and the blue hills.

The red river is the Brahmaputra while the blue hills surround the valley that is now known as Assam.