Assam, located in the northeast part of India, is a place of awe-inspiring beauty and cultural wealth. The large tea gardens that cover its hills to the vast Brahmaputra River that cuts right through the center of it make Assam a place you will remember. And it is a land of myths, and of a people who have endured, and of a stunning natural legacy, unparalleled in other parts of the world.
The Saga of the Ahom Kingdom
The history of Assam is dominated by the Ahom dynasty, a Tai-Ahom kingdom that occupied the Brahmaputra Valley in the period between the 13th and the 19th century, or rather their reign lasted 600 years. The Ahoms were a race of good warriors and rulers and were started by Sukaphaa, one of the princes who had passed through the Patkai mountains. Their greatest moment of triumph was in the Battle of Saraighat (1671) against the mighty Mughal army under the legendary general Lachit Borphukan. The Ahoms left behind them an impressive legacy of monuments, a distinctive system of administration and a culture that easily fused with local traditions.
Culture & Festivities
Assamese culture is a colorful patchwork of different people and cultures. The most notable cultural icon is the Bihu festival which is a combination of three festivals which are held at various times of the year and each is associated with a different agricultural cycle.
- Rongali or Bohag Bihu (April): the most celebrated Bihu, the Assamese New Year, and the beginning of spring. The air has a feel of the leaping music of dhol and melodies of pepa as young men and women dance the vigorous Bihu dance.
- Kongali or Kati Bihu (October): It is a more solemn festival, the earthen lamps (saki) are lit in the paddy fields to seek blessing of a good crop.
- Bhogali or Magh Bihu (January): The harvest festival celebrated with communal feasts, bonfires and traditional games.
Other than Bihu, Sattriya dance is also practiced in Assam and is one of the eight classical dance forms of India which started in Vaishnavite monasteries known as satras.
Where the Wild Things Are
Assam has been rated as a biodiversity hot spot and is the home to some of the most iconic wildlife in India. The river Brahmaputra, one of the lifelines of the state, forms a fertile plain and unique hydro-geomorphic environment.
- Kaziranga National Park: UNESCO World Heritage, Kaziranga is the final home of the great one-horned rhinoceros, whose population in the world comprises of two-thirds. It also serves as a refuge to tigers, elephants and a host of migratory birds.
- Manas National Park: This is another UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a Project Tiger and Elephant Reserve, Manas is a unique wild-life park, which boasts of endangered species like the golden langur, and pygmy hog.
It is also a place of Vaishnavite culture in Assam which has the largest river island in the world, Majori.
The Golden Thread of Tea and Silk
Assam is synonymous with tea. It is the biggest tea-producing state in the world, and Assamese tea industry is one of the principal branches of the state economy. In addition to tea, Assam is a land of sericulture and is the only place in the world that monopolizes the production of golden Muga silk. Its large reserves of petroleum and natural gas also help to boost the economy of the state.
Challenges and Revival
Notwithstanding its natural wealth, Assam has challenges, the most notable being the yearly floods along the Brahmaputra River that wreak havoc to lives, livelihoods and infrastructure. Nonetheless, the state government in cooperation with the central government are making efforts to alleviate the effects of floods and stimulate the economy by investing in infrastructure, tourism and other sectors.
Assam is a country of contradictions, old glory, new troubles, peaceful landscapes, and mighty rivers. It is the same duality that makes it so compelling. It is a place that narrates a tale of survival, and with its amazing nature and rich culture; it is about to have its moment in the sun.
