INTRODUCTION
Popularly called as the land of the red
river and blue hills, Assam is the
gateway to the north-eastern part of
India. Located south of the eastern
Himalayas, Assam comprises the
Brahmaputra and the Barak river valleys
and the Karbi Anglong and the North
Cachar Hills. With an area of 78,438 square kilometres (30,285 sq mi) Assam is
almost equivalent to the size of Ireland or Austria. Assam is surrounded by the rest
of the Seven Sister States: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram,
Tripura and Meghalaya. These states are connected to the rest of India via a
narrow strip in West Bengal called the “Chicken's Neck”. Assam also shares
international borders with Bhutan and Bangladesh; and cultures, peoples and
climate with South-East Asia.
Assam is known for Assam tea, petroleum resources, Assam silk and for its rich
biodiversity. It has successfully conserved the one-horned Indian rhinoceros from
near extinction in Kaziranga, the tiger in Manas and provides one of the last wild
habitats for the Asian elephant. It is a popular destination for wild-life tourism and
notably Kaziranga and Manas are both World Heritage Sites.
78,438 km²
Area:
Capital: Dispur
Population (2001): 26,655,528
Largest city: Guwahati
Districts: 27
Official language(s): Assamese, Bodo, Karbi
Literacy rate: 64.28% (2001 census)
Refineries: 4 Digboi, Noonmati, Bongaigaon, Numaligarh
National parks: 5 Kaziranga, Mans, Dibru, Saikhowa, Nameri, Orang
PEOPLE OF ASSAM
Assam is a mixing pot where culture, heritage, tradition, lifestyle, faith and belief
of her Aryan & Non-Aryan, numerous tribes & sub-tribes, Mongoloids & Australoids,
drawn from various hives at different points of time have gone into form the
Assamese culture - a fascinating and exotic recipe of delightful flavour. The large
number of ethnic and linguistic groups, the population
composition in the state has led to it being called an
"India in miniature”
The people of Assam are the result of fusion of people
from different racial stocks who migrated to Assam down
the ages. The earliest settlers were the people from
Southeast Asia. These people settled in the foothills but
were pushed up into the hills (Khasi/Garo Hills, Karbi
Anglong, North Cachar Hills) by the second group of
people who spoke Tibeto-Burmese of the Eastern Himalayan, North Assam, Bodo
and Naga groups of languages. These people are today identified as Mishings and
Deuris of Upper Assam; the Bodo-Kachari groups scattered all over Assam and the
Nagas of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills.
The third major ingress into Assam are attributed to the Hindu Indo-Aryans from
North India into the Brahmaputra valley after 500 BC, and around the same time,
from the Gangetic Delta of Bengal into the Barak valley.
In the medieval times, the first Muslims, captive soldiers of the defeated Bakhtiar
Khilji (in 1205), settled in the Hajo area. This was followed by the Ahoms (5) when
Sukaphaa lead his group into Assam via the Pangsau pass in the Patkai from South
China. The Ahoms were followed by the same ethnic people, but who were
Buddhists , a stream that continued well into the colonial period. They are today
the Khamti, Khamyang, Aiton, Phake and Turung peoples settled in Upper Assam.
In the beginning of the colonial period in Assam, Kachin and Kuki-Chin people
immigrated into the region across the Patkai and Arakan Yoma. They constitute the
Singphos in Upper Assam, and the Kuki-Chin tribes in Karbi Anglong and North
Cachar Hills.
The beginning of tea plantations in Assam (1835) by the British led to settlements
of Mundari speaking people (Munda, Santal, Savara, Oraon, Gond etc. tribes). The
beginning of British administration also led to a large influx of service holders and
professionals from Bengal, Rajasthan, Nepal, etc. To increase land productivity,
the British encouraged Muslim peasants from Mymensingh district of present-day
Bangladesh to settle in Assam that began in 1901. The last major group to
immigrate are the Bengali Hindu refugees especially from the Sylhet district of
Bangladesh following the Partition of India.
Inputs from these and other smaller groups have gone towards the building of a
unique multi-ethnic socio-cultural situation.
LANGUAGE
The people of Assam speak languages that belong to three main language groups:
Austro-Asiatic, Tibeto-Burman and Indo-Aryan. Assamese and Bodo are the major
indigenous and official languages while Bengali holds official status in the three
districts in the Barak Valley.
CULTURE & FESTIVALS
The superb blend of heritage extracted from
numerous races have made Assam the home to
the most colourful festivals. Most of the
festivals celebrated in Assam have their root in
the varied faith and belief of its people. Diwali,
Holi, Durga Puja, Swaraswati Puja, Lakshmi
Puja, Kalipuja, Shivaratri are some of the
major festivals celebrated by the Hindus of
Assam. Those of Islamic faith celebrate Idd and
Muharram. Similarly, Christians celebrate
Christmas.
Besides the religious and national festivals observed throughout the Country,
Assam has a large number of colourful festivals of its own replete with fun, music
and dances. Assam’s fairs and festivals are as varied as its population which comes
from different racial origins, both tribal and non-tribal.
Bihu, the agricultural festival of Assam is celebrated by all Assamese, irrespective
of caste, creed or religion. It is a series of three
prominent festivals. Primarily a non-religious
festival celebrated to mark the seasons and the
significant points of a cultivator's life over a
yearly cycle. Three Bihus, rongali or bohag,
celebrated with the coming of spring and the
beginning of the sowing season; kongali or kati,
the barren bihu when the fields are lush but the
barns are empty; and the bhogali or magh, the
thanksgiving when the crops have been
harvested and the barns are full. Bihu songs and
Bihu dance are associated to rongali bihu. The day before the each bihu is known
as 'uruka'. The first day of 'rongali bihu' is called 'Goru bihu' (the bihu of the cows),
when the cows are taken to the nearby rivers or ponds to be bathed with special
care.
In addition to all this, the tribals of Assam have their own colourful festivals like:
- The Kherai Puja of the Bodos
- The Baikhu and Pharkantis of the Rabhas
- Ali-ai-ligang and Prag by the Missing tribe
- The Sagra-misawa wansawa and laghun by the Tiwas.
- The Ahomes of Tai origin celebrate Me-Dem-Mehfi.
- The Ojapali dances of Non-Vaishnavite origin are usually associated with
Manasa - the Serpent Goddess.
- Bathow festival is celebrated by the kacharis through sacrifice of goates and
chickens.
- The Boros of the plains in general have an intricate pattern of indigenous
dances associated with the primitive rituals like the Kherai Puja.
- The Dimasas celebrate Rangi Gobr and Harni gobra at the start of the cropping
cycle.
- The Deoris observe Bohagiya visu- the Spring time festival.
- Ambubasi Mela is held during monsoon at the famous Kamakhya Temple.
- Jonbeel Mela is held every year during winter at Jonbeel. The festival is
celebrated by the tribes like Tiwa, Karbi, Khasi, Jaintia etc.
CUSINE OF ASSAM
The Cuisine of Assam, is a mixture of different indigenous styles with considerable
regional variations and some external influences. It is characterized by very little
use of spices but strong flavors due mainly to the use of endemic exotic herbs,
fruits and vegetables that are fresh, dried or fermented. Fish is widely used, and
birds like duck, pigeon etc. are very popular. Pork dishes are particular favorites.
Preparations are rarely elaborate—the common practice of gentle frying of spices
before the addition of the main ingredients in Indian cooking, is absent in the
cuisine of Assam.
A traditional meal in Assam begins with a khar, a class of dishes named after the
main ingredient, and ends with a tenga, a sour dish. These two dishes characterize
a traditional meal in Assam. The food is usually served in bell metal utensils made
by an indigenous community called Mariya. Tamul (betel nut, generally raw) and
paan generally concludes the meal.
PLACES OF INTEREST
Kaziranga National Park
The first and the oldest National Park in Assam is a
World Heritage site spread over an area of 430 sq.
kms. This National Park is the natural home of the
world famous one-horned Indian rhinoceros. It was
declared a National Park in 1974.
The one horned Rhinoceros, Elephant, Indian bison, Swamp Deer, Sambar, Hog
Deer, Sloth Bear, Tiger, Leopard cat, Jungle cat, Hog badger, Capped langur,
Hollock gibbon, Jackal, Goose, Hornbills, Ibis, Cormorants, Egret, Heron fishing
eagle etc. all form a part of the park. During Winter a large number of migratory
birds are also seen here. The best season to visit is from November to April.
Kamakhya Temple
This temple of Mother Goddess Kamakhya is situated
on the top of the scenic Nilachal Hills overlooking the
majestic river Brahmaputra.
The greatest shrine of tantric Shaktism finds mention
in many old scriptures. Devotees from all over India
converge on this holy place during Ambubashi.
Nabagraha Temple
The temple of nine planets is situated on Chitrachal Hill in
Guwahati, Assam. In ancient times, it was said to have been a
great centre of study of astronomy and astrology. This is also
one of the reasons why Guwahati is referred to as
Pragjyotishpur or the city of eastern Astrology.
Madan Kamdev
Barely 40 kms. away from the sprawling metropolis of
Guwahati, Madan Kamdev is an enigma, a mystery.
Very little is known about the origin of these
magnificent archaeological ruins. Written history is
almost silent on it.
Umananda Temple
The great Shiva temple is situated on the Peacock
island in the middle of the Brahmaputra in Guwahati,
Assam. It attracts devotees from all over the country
during Shiva Ratri.
Majuli
Majuli, the world's largest river island is situated in the
midst of river Brahmaputra, is the centre of Vishnava
culture in Assam. There are nearly twenty two
Vaishnava monasteries or satras in Majuli. The major
satras are Kamalabari, Natun Kamalabari, Auniati,
Garmur, Samoguri, Dakhinpat and Bengenaati. These satras are regarded as the
main centres for Assamese art, music, dance.
