Nalbari Raas Mela 2011 Begins

The famous Raas Mela or festival of Nalbari, Assam, at Sri Sri Harimandir began with a 13-day programme. Union Minister for DoNER Paban Singh Ghatowar inaugurated the Nalbari Raas festival by cutting the ribbon of the main gate.

In Nalbari Raas three 25 feet high idols of Ram, Ravan and Hanuman are being installed. Eight electric gates are being displayed at the entrances of various link roads. Besides, 20 stalls containing the idols have been electrified. An artist of Chandan Nagar of Kolkata Uttam Bhaskar himself electrified the clay models of the Nalbari Raas. About one thousand idols have been displayed at around one hundred make shift stalls.

During the celebration of Raas Mela, this tiny town in fact transforms into a sea of humanity as all roads lead to the Nalbari Hari Mandir premises. Thousands of visitors irrespective of cast, creed and religion throng the venue to witness the famous Raas festival held during the time of Autumn. During Raas festival, the whole Nalbari town wears a new look with the spectacles of artificial electric light and the long que of visitors leave no space on the roads of the town.

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Cruising on the mighty Brahmaputra, Assam

Cruising on a riverboat on the mighty Brahmaputra, world’s highest river, is the best possible way to explore the untouched beauty of this unique region of northern part of India.

Traveling by train or plane through India is one of the most desired option, or who has traveled to India, will be surprised when came to know that it's really the way to go in the country in total tranquility and comfort. Yet, in reality, you can cruise for around 1700 plus miles of some rivers and inland waterways in India through the big city, next to the wildlife sanctuaries and historical monuments, and the heart of rural India. Assam Bengal Navigation are pioneers in this research.

Brahmaputra

Brahmaputra acts as a lifeline of Assam. Originally from Tibet Yarlung Tsangpo name of the river, when the named Dihang Arunachal Pradesh. In addition, it passes through the valley of Assam and Bangladesh when the Jamuna river named.

Assam is the place where the Ganges and Brahmaputra merge creates Sunderban delta and then lift from the Hooghly and the Padma tributaries.

Cruise on the Brahmaputra River began in 2003. It is operated by Assam Bengal Navigation (ABN), an Indo-British company with offices in Guwahati and London. ABN offers a variety of river boats luxury, and as Charaidew Sukapha. These boats are made to perfection luxurious rooms, kitchen and pleasant water views.

These cruises can last as long as 12 days and may also include the river Hugli. The boat does not sail at night. Tourists are provided with breaks during the cruise to enjoy jeep safaris into the forests and Assam's wildlife sanctuaries and national parks to locate the rhinoceros and the tiger before dawn elephant safari in Kaziranga and Manas National Park and visits to birding .

Rhinos can be seen by the water at night. Apart from this, wild elephant, Indian bison, monkeys, deer, peacocks, tigers and leopards, mongoose can be seen here. Rhino cruises are very popular in areas upstream and downstream. They operate from Guwahati - Tejpur or vice versa. These cruises can be combined with Tiger cruises on request.

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A Tribute to Dr. Bhupen Hazarika

Tribute to Bhupen Hazarika, also known as the "Bard of Brahmaputra" who used traditional Assamese music and released successful songs such as "Dil hoom hoom kare" and "O Ganga behti ho" and inspired millions across generations

As a singer, Hazarika was known for his baritone voice and diction.











Awards

• National Award as the Best Regional Film (1975)
• Padma Bhushan (2001)
• Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1992)
• Asom Ratna (2009)
• Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2009)
• Conferred as the first Indian Music Director for best music Internationally for the film Rudaali at the Asia Pacific International Film Festival at Japan in 1993.
• All India Critic Association Award for best performing folk artist (1979)

In February 2009, the All Assam Students Union felicitated Dr. Hazarika by erecting a life size statue in the heart of Guwahati. It was unveiled by Dr. Bhupen Hazarika himself, a great son of Assam.

(Image source: last.fm)

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Assam Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks

Assam wildlife or a hub of birding itinerary is a very talked about topic with tourists and nature lovers alike from all over the world. It has rich varied culture. Nature has ungrudgingly blessed Assam with an ample quantity of scenic grandeur. A wealth of rarest and near-extinct species of wildlife are found in Assam, which includes Golden Langur, Hoolock Gibbon, Pygmy Hog, Hispid Hare, White-Winged Woodduck, Tiger, Clouded Leopard, Swamp Deer, Gangetic Dolphins etc. Moreover, During season flock of resident and migratory birds make Assam their natural habitats.

The gateway to the mystic northeastern frontiers abounds in dense forests, wildlife sanctuaries and national parks. Quite naturally, these wildlife tours are a rage with tourists.

Assam wildlife's claims to fame lie in the two legendary UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Kaziranga National Park and the Manas National Park.

National Parks Name Area in Sq. km Main attraction Nearest Town Contact Person Telephone Kaziranga National Park 858.98 Rhino, Tiger, Bears, Wild Buffalo,Swamp Deer, Gaur, Gibbon, Bengal Florican, Dolphin, Otter Bokakhat Director Kaziranga National Park 03776-268095 (O) 03776-268086 (R) Manas National Park 500.00 Tiger, Asiatic Wild Buffalo, Asian Elephant, Gaur, Dhole Pigmy hog, Hispid hare, Golden langur, Bengal florican Barpeta Road Director, Manas National Park 03666-261413 (O) 03666-260288 Dibru-Saikhowa NP 340.00 Ferel horses, Asiatic Wild Buffalo, White winged wood duck and Salix swamp Tinsukia DFO, Tinsukia Wildlife Division 0374-2331472 (O) 2333082 (R) Nameri National Park 200.00 Tiger, 4 species of Hornbill, White Winged Wood duck, Golden Mahaseer Tezpur DFO, Western Assam Wildlife Division 03712-268054 (O) 268003 (R) Orang National Park 78.91 Rhino, Tiger, Maljurias Bengal Florican, Otter Mangaldoi DPO, Mangaldoi Wildlife Division 03713 -230022 Wildlife Sanctuaries Garampani 6.05 Elephant, Hot Water Springs Diphu DFO, Karbi- Anglong East Division 03371-272237 (O) 273303 (R) Laokhowa 70.13 Elephant, Tiger, Asiatic Wild Buffalo, Bengal Florican Nagaon DFO,  Nagaon Wildlife Division 03672-225632 (O) 223122 (R) Bornadi 26.22 Hispid Hare, Pygmy Hog, Dhole, Elephants, Tiger, Great Pied Hornbill, Peafowl Mangaldoi DFO Mangaldoi Wildlife Division 03713-230022 (O) Chakrasila 45.50 Golden Langur, Gaur, Sambar, Barking deer Kokrajhar DFO,  Kokrajhar Wildlife Division 03661-270635 (O) 270241 (R) Burachapori 44.06 Elephants, Tiger, Wild buffalo, Aquatic Birds, Bengal Florican Tezpur DFO,  Nagaon Wildlife Division 03672-225632 (O) 223122 Pani-Dihing 33.93 Stray Elephants; Birds Paradise Sibsagar DFO,  Sibsagar Division 03772-220989 (O) 223465 Hollongapar Gibbon 20.98 7 Primates (Hoolock Gibbon, Stump-tailed Macaque, Capped Langur, Pig –tailed Macaque, Assamese Macaque, Slow Loris and Rhesus Macaque ), Elephant, Leopard Mariani DFO,  Jorhat Division 0376-232008 (O) 230456 (R) Pobitora 38.80 Rhino, Leopards, Barking Deer, Migratory Birds Guwahati DFO,  Guwahati Wildlife Division 0361-2656771 (O) 98350-31789 Sonai -Rupai 220.00 Elephant, Tiger, Gaur, Dhole, Sambar, White Winged Wood duck Tezpur DFO,  Western Assam Wildlife Division 03712-268054 (O) 268003 (R) Bherjan, Borajan- Padumoni 7.22 Hoolock Gibbon, Capped Langur, Pig-tailed Macaque, Slow Loris and Rhesus Macaque, Leopard Tinsukia DFO,  Tinsukia Wildlife Division 0374-2331472 (O) 2333082 (R) East Karbi Anglong 222 Gaur, Elephants, Tiger, Sambar, Barking Deer, Lesser Cats, Hoolock, Gibbon, Capped Langur, Wreathed Hornbill, Diphu DFO,  Karbi Anglong  East Division 03671-272237 (O) 273303 (R) Nambor 37.00 Gaur, Elephants, Tiger, Sambar, Barking Deer, Lesser Cats, Hoolock Gibbon, Capped Langur, Wreathed Hornbill Diphu DFO,  Karbi Anglong  East Division 03671-272237 (O) 273303 (R) Marat Longri 451.00 Tigers, Leopards, Gaur, Elephants, Hoolock Gibbon Diphu DFO,  Karbi Anglong  West Division 0371-272247(O) 272221 (R) Nambor- Doigurung 97.15 Gaur, Elephants, Tiger, Sambar, Barking Deer, Lesser Cats, Hoolock Gibbon, Capped Langur, Wreathed Hornbill Golaghat DFO,  Golaghat Division 03774-284798 2284997(R) Amchang 78.64 Elephant, Gaur, Leopard, Lesser Cats, Slow Loris, Hoolock Gibbon, Capped Langur Guwahati DFO,  Guwahati Wildlife Division 0361-2656771 (O) 94350-31789 Dehing Patkai 111.19 Elephants, Tiger, Hoolock Gibbon, White winged Wood Duck, Hornbills, Rain forests Digboi DFO,  Digboi Division 0375-264433(O) 284839 (R) Borail 326.25 Serow, Himalayan Black Bear, Hoolock Gibbon, Langur, Spectacled Monkey Silchar DFO,  Cachar Division, DFO, Karimganj Division 03842245648 (O) 03843273455 (O)

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Manas National Park in Assam

Manas National Park or Manas Wildlife Sanctuary is a Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Himalayan foothill in the western part of Assam and it is contiguous with the Royal Manas National park in Bhutan. This Sanctuary is well known for its rare and endangered endemic wildlife such as the Assam Roofed Turtle, Hispid Hare, Golden Langur and Pygmy Hog.

History of Manas National Park:
The Manas National Park was declared a sanctuary on October 1, 1928 with an area of 360 km². Manas Tiger reserve was created in 1973. Prior to the declaration of the sanctuary it was a Reserved Forest called Manas R.F. and North Kamrup R.F. It was used by the Cooch Behar royal family and Raja of Gauripur as a hunting reserve. In 1951 and 1955 the area was increased to 391 km². It was declared a World Heritage site in December 1985 by UNESCO. Kahitama R.F. the Kokilabari R.F. and the Panbari R.F. were added in the year 1990 to form the Manas National Park. In 1992, UNESCO declared it as a world heritage site in danger due to heavy poaching and terrorist activities. In 25 February 2008 the area was increased to 950 km².

How to reach: Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Borjhar, Guwahati is 145 kms. and Barpeta Road Railway Station is 20 Kms. away.
Nearest Highway: NH 31 (22 km away)
Nearest town: The town of Barpeta Road.
Nearest city: The city of Guwahati is 176 km away from the park.
Climate: Heavy rainfall occurs between May and September and the annual average rainfall is around 333 cm.
Best season for visit : November to April.

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Adventure Sports In The Land of Assam

If you are motivated by the zest of thrill, then commit yourself for a tour to Assam, the Northeastern state of India. You have ample time to the state. The topography of the land and varied terrains attracts fans of the adventure.

Rafting: The majestic Brahmaputra engulfs many opportunities for rafting. You can enjoy river rafting in this titanic river and its various tributaries.

Angling: Home to many species of fish like game fish, the Golden Mahseer, or tiger of the Himalayan rivers, rivers like Jia Bhoroli, Kapili and Manas give the fun of angling.

River Cruise: Thinking of challenging the stalwart Brahmaputra, even if it is hazardous ! Hmm! That's the spirit. The torrential river, the wild environs, the mighty hills all come in your way of river cruise. Enjoy the thrill down your nerves.

Boat Racing: Cities like Hajo, Saulkuchi, Barpeta, Guwahati hold boat racing events during festive occasions.

Golf: Many tea gardens of Assam India have golf courses tucked with them. A visit to the tea gardens, playing golf will be an unmatched experience of paramount happiness.

Mountaineering and Trekking: The North Cachar Hills and Karbi Hills are on hit list of the trekkers and mountaineers. These provide extreme friskiness to the tourists. The 'Elephant Rocks' in Morigaon District attract many trekkers.

Mountain Biking and Cycling: Hey! bikers over there... enthused by the frolic biking spirit. Welcome to Assam India and curb those savage and unexplored terrains. You can even take part in bicycle and motorbike rallies.

Para Sailing: Indian and Foreign tourists are attracted to this novel sport in Assam introduced by The Assam Tourism Development Corporation. The best place for para sailing in Assam is the spot is North Guwahati.

Hang Gliding: Who does not like to fly high? So if you wish to enjoy hang gliding come to the Kamakhya Hills and hills around Kaziranga and soar up high.

Bird Watching: The north east India is a shelter for many rare flora and fauna. In the Himalayan foothills you will encounter some of the prettiest birds in their natural habitat.

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Kamakhya Temple

Kamakhya Temple is one amongst the holiest shrines throughout India. Perched on Nilanchal Hill in Kamrup district of Assam, Kamakhya Mandir is easily accessible at a stretch of 8 kms from Guwahati. The temple commemorates Hindu Goddess Sati in her aspect of Kamakhya Devi. Goddess Kamakhya is also known as Sodashi in the local region.

Kamakhya Temple is regarded as one of the 51 Shakti Peethas. As per the legends, during the time of self-sacrifice, the genital organ (yoni) of Sati fell at this spot. Kamakhya Mandir is a natural cave with a spring. In order to reach the temple, one has to take a flight of steps that goes down into a dark and strange shrine. There is no concrete form of goddess inside the temple.

In the shrine, Kamakhya Devi, in the form of genital organ (yoni), presides as a big crevice in the bedrock. The Goddess is covered naturally by a rivulet of water gushing upward from an underground spring. The crevice is usually covered with sari, flowers and vermilion powder (Sindoor). The temple had been an ancient sacrificial site and till date, sacrifices are offered here. Every morning, group of devotees come to sacrifice goats.

The temple is very much ancient in its origin, yet it was restructured in 1665, when it was attacked by the Muslim invaders. The effort of this reconstruction was made by King Nar Narayan of Cooch, Bihar. The spire of this temple is shaped like a beehive. Besides Kamakhya Devi, there are images of Ganesha, Chamundeswari and various dancing sculptures. In the temple, an image of the King and related inscriptions are visible.

Essentially, the Goddess 'Kamakhya' is believed to be the granter of desires. In traditional terms, Assam is known as 'Kamarupa Desa', a place that is associated with Tantric practices and worship of Shakti. In Kalika Purana (an ancient scripture), Kamakhya is referred as the goddess who fulfills all desires, the bride of Lord Shiva and the benefactor of salvation.

During the occasion of Navratri (Sep-Oct), a three day festival attracts thousands of pilgrims. This festival is known as Ambuvaci (Ameti), which is unique with its own significance. For the duration of this fertility festival, the Goddess is said to undergo her menstrual period. At this point of time, the temple is closed for three days and before closing, white sheets are draped inside the temple.

When the temple is opened after three days, the sheets are found red in color. On the fourth day, great festivity is observed. Devotees from far and near, come to visit this temple at this juncture of the festival. The red sheets are torn into pieces and distributed amongst the devotees. Kamakhya Temple is a prominent pilgrimage site that attracts thousands of visitors throughout the year.

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Deepor Beel

Dipor bil, also spelled Deepor Beel (bil or Beel means "lake" in the local Assamese language), is located southwest of the city of Guwahati Kamrup district of Assam in India. This is a permanent freshwater lake, into a river Brahmaputra old channel, south of the main River. It is also known as a wetland under the Ramsar Convention, which entered the lake in November 2002 as a Ramsar site for conservation measures on the basis of society's biological and ecological significance.

Its natural resources for subsistence of fourteen indigenous villages (1,200 families) located in its premises. Freshwater fish are a vital protein and income for these communities, the health of these individuals reported being directly dependent on the health of this wetland ecosystem. It lies 13 km south-west of Guwahati on National Highway (NH 31) on the ring-Jalukbari Khanapara in addition to its northwest border. PWD road at the northern edge of Garbhanga Rani and forest reserves in the south. The Interstate 37 near Beel east and north-east and Engineering College Road to the north. Small roads and writings found in the vicinity of Beel. The Beel is about 5 km from Guwahati Airport (GNB International Airport, Borjar). Broad gauge railway line runs along the lake.

Ava fauna

The Beel is a natural habitat for many varieties of birds. 219 species of birds, including more than 70 migratory species have been reported in the region of Beel. The largest congregations of waterfowl can be seen, especially in winter, with a reported number of 19,000 registered waterfowl in one day. Some endangered species such as Spot Image Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis), Lesser Adjutant Stork (Leptoptilos javanicus), Baer Pochard (Aythya baeri), Pallas Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster), Greater Adjutant Stork (Leptoptilos dubius). Spot-billed pelican in Beel and lakes in India

Among the large number of migratory water fowl, the Siberian crane (Grus leucogeranus) regularly migrates to this habitat during its annual journey. This is in addition to the large congregation of residential water birds seen in the lake.

Considering the richness of the bird varieties found in the beel, the Birdlife International has declared Deepor Beel as an Important Bird Area (IBA) with high priority for conservation

Aqua Fauna

Surveys have revealed 20 amphibian, 12 lizards, 18 snakes and 6 turtle and tortoise species in the beel. Over 50 commercially viable species of fish, belonging to 19 families have been identified, which supplies stock to other nearby wetlands and rivers.

Fauna

Wild Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus), Leopard, Jungle Cat and the protected Barking Deer, Chinese Porcupine and Sambar are found in the beel. Herds of elephants are reported in the beel.

Other world heritage site kaziranga National Park, Assam

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Rangia

Rangia (also spelt Rangiya) (Assamese:ৰিঙয়া) is a town and a municipal board in Kamrup district (rural) in the Indian state of Assam. It is the regional divisional headquarters of the North East Frontier Railway. It's situated just 52 kilometers away from the state headquarter Guwahati.

The word Rangia come from two Assamese word ran and dia, which together means 'to give fight'. Rangia (Rangiya) is part of Mangaldoi (Lok Sabha constituency)

Place around Rangia:

• Loch (9.5km)
• Bāihāta (18.3km)
• Dhamdhama (27.4km)
• Nalbāri (28.4km)
• Nāokāta (28.8km)
• Chāngsāri (29.4km)
• Maroa (29.4km)
• Tāmulpur (31.7km)
• Pathārughāt (32km)
• Dumnichauki (32.7km)
• Hājo (35.8km)
• Khoirābāri (37.3km)
• Barjhar (37.9km)
• Nalbāri (44.3km)
• Kurua (44.9km)

Streams near Rangia:

• Nona Nadī (17.1km)
• Puthimari Nadī (25.8km)
• Pāglādiya Nad (27.3km) Cross into Bhutan
• Nanai Nadī (30.2km)
• Bar Nadī (30.2km)

Rail/Road station:

• Ghagra (13.7km)
• Tangla (47.5km)
• Pānikhāiti (51.8km)

Airport close to Rangia
Guwahati International Airport, Gauhati, India (55.4km)

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The Assam State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden

The Assam Sate Zoo is located at around 5 kilometers from Guwahati Railway Station in the city of Guwahati in the land of rich culture, Assam. It is also called The Assam State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden. Spread over an area of 130 hectares, while the botanical garden covers an area of around 82 hectares.

Among the chief attraction of the city of Guwahati, State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden of Assam is one of them and it attracts huge number of visitors from both national and international. The Assam State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden had approximated an average of 5 lakh visitors in a year. It is evident that the zoo is one of the most frequented tourists destinations in Guwahati in the state of Assam.

Established in the year 1982, this botanical garden has gathered a various varieties of rare species of Orchids from the northeastern state of India and were place in the Orchid house of this beautiful botanical garden of Assam State Zoo. The garden is beautifully decorated with trees of various types that abound in plenty. The garden has planted palm, conifers, broad-leafed plants,fox-tailed Orchids, variety of herbs and shrubs.

A FLORAL TREASURE
* Native species : 345
* Exotic species : 280
* Orchid species : 40
* Bamboo species : 10
* Palm species : 12

The zoo is supervised by the office of the divisional forest officer. The zoo has a huge collection of reptiles, mammals and aves.

THE HIGHLIGHTS
* Animal Exhibits
* Museum
* Reptile House
* Botanical Garden
* Herbarium Collection
* Natural Forest


ANIMAL EXHIBITS : A SUMMARY
* About 600 animals, birds and reptiles
* Around 84 species
* Many rare and endangered species
* Several indigenous species endemic to North-East India

OTHER ATTRACTIONS
* Animal adoption
* Animal tales
* Energy high
* Jogger’s trail
* Jumbo Ride
* Towering Heights

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IT Park in Guwahati

The government of Assam proposes to develop IT Park in Guwahati - the abode of Goddess Kamakhya, measuring in a area about 100 acres located near Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode for infrastructure development, marketing, setting up of mechanism for operations and maintenance of the IT Park project.

It will be the commercial bridge between Southeast Asian countries and the rest of India. The city has graduated to a business hub and a center of higher education.

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Guwahati: Comercial city of North Eastern part of India

Guwahati (Assamese: গুৱাহাটী, previously spelled Gauhati) is a major city in the north eastern part of India, often considered as the gateway to the North-East Region(NER) of the country and is the largest city within the region. Dispur, the capital City of Assam,is located within the city.

Guwahati is one of the most rapidly growing cities in India. According to a survey done by a UK media outlet, Guwahati is among the 100 fastest growing cities of the world, and is the 5th fastest growing among Indian cities.

The city sits between the southern bank of the Brahmaputra river and the foothills of the Shillong plateau. The city is gradually being expanded to the northern bank of the Brahmaputra (North Guwahati). It is a major commercial and educational center of eastern India and is home to world class institutions such as the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati. The city is also a major center for cultural activities and sports in the North Eastern Region and for the administrative and political activities of Assam. The city is also an important hub for transportation in the North East Region.

As a river port, Guwahati has traditionally been an important administrative and trading center. The name Guwahati is derived from two Assamese words: 'guwa' (areca nut) and 'haat'(market place). The name used to be spelled as Gowhatty (pre-colonial and colonial),standardized to Gauhati (colonial-British), which was then changed to the present form in the late 1980s to conform to the local pronunciation.

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Barpeta District of Assam

In the year 1983 July, Barpeta district was carved out of erstwhile Kamrup district of Assam. The district gets its name from the head-quarter town Of Barpeta. A lower district Of Assam and is bounded by Bhutan in the North, Nalbari district in the East, In the south, it is bounded by beautiful districts called  Kamrup and Goalpara and Bongaigaon in the West.

Attractions 

Barpeta Satra, Barpeta

Pari Hareswar Devalaya, Dubi

Chinpara Vithi, Barpeta

Dargah Of Syed Shahnur Dewan, Bhella

Sundaridiya Satra, Barpeta

Gorokhia Gosair Than, Niz Sariha(Sorbhog)

Patbaushi Satra, Patbaushi

Manas National Park, North Barpeta

Ganakkuchi Satra, Barpeta

Brass-Metal Industry Of Sarthebari

Baradi Satra, Baradi

Facts & Figures

Year of formation:  1985

Area:  3245 Sq. Km

Latitude: 26°5'- 26°49' North

Longitude:  90°39'- 91°17' East

Population (2001): 1642420

Male: 846106

Female: 796314

Population density: 506 Per Sq. Km

Sex Ratio: 941

Literacy Rate: 61.65%

No. Of Sub-Division: 2

No. Of Tehsil:           9

No. Of Blocks:          12

No. Of Villages: 1086

Postal Code: 781301

STD Code: 03665

How to reach Barpeta Town

Barpeta Is Well connected by road. There are regular bus services available between Barpeta and Guwahati. 

Distance From Barpeta: Guwahati 140 Km

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Umamand Temple in Guahati, Assam

The temple of Umananda is located on the Pea cock Island (as named by some poetic British Administrator) in the middle of the river Brahmaputra at Guwahati. Country boats that are available at this place take the visitors to the island. The mountain on which the temple has been built is known as Bhasmacala.

The Legend Says, Siva is said to have resided here in the form of Bhayananda. According to the Kalika Purana, in the beginning of the creation Siva sprinkled ashes (bhasma) at this place and imparted knowledge to Parvati (his consort). It is said that, when Siva was in meditation on this hillock, Kamadeva interrupted his yoga and was therefore burnt to ashes by the fire of Siva’s anger and hence the hillock got the name Bhasmacala.

This mountain is also called Bhasmakuta. The Kalika Purana states that Urvasikunda is situated here and here resides the goddess Urvasi who brings Amrit (nectar) for the enjoyment of Kamakhya and hence the island got the name Urvasi Island.

History of the Temple The temple of Umananda was built in 1694 A.D. by the Bar Phukan Garhganya Handique by the order of King Gadadhar Singh (1681- 1696), one of the ablest and strongest rulers of the Ahom dynasty. The original temple was however immensely damaged by a devastating earthquake of 1897. Later, it was reconstructed by a rich local merchant who chose to inscribe the interior part of a Siva temple with Vaisnavite slogans.

The Strcuture of the Umananda Temple The temple has inherited some rock-cut figures, which speak passionately of the masterly skill of the Assamese craftsmen. The sculptures here show that the worshippers there followed all the principal Hindu gods. We find representations of Surya, Ganesha, Shiva and Devi (with a scorpion as emblem) in addition to those of Visnu and his ten incarnations (avatar).
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Rich Tribes of Assam

Assam Magical Land with Rich Tribes

Assam became the settling ground for many civilizations who came here through different routes as it was connected by land to many states and country. Negritos, Dravidians, Alpines, Tibeto Burmese and Aryans were the major races that made a settlement in Assam. They made Assam there home and came to be known as Asamese. The largest population in Assam is of the Tibeto Burmese origin like the Bodo tribe and Mishing tribe. Major tribes of Assam earn their livelihood through agriculture and by selling their handicrafts. Different types of tribes are famous for variety of handicrafts. Some are famous for handloom and some have mastered in metal of pottery works. Their languages too differ according to their place of origin.

Bodo Tribe
Bodo People were one of the earliest tribes to move to Assam. Today they constitute a large part of Assam population accounting to around 5.3%. They are not restricted to any specific area and are found in almost all parts of Assam. The speak Bodo language that is derived Tibeto Burmese family of language. Most of them are engaged in rice cultivation, tea plantation and poultry farming. Bodo Women engage themselves in weaving which has become a known culture of Bodo Tribe. Bodos were earlier known to worship their forefathers, however in recent times they have started practicing Hinduism and Bathouism.

Karbi People
Karbi tribe generally reside in hilly areas of Assam and form the major portion of population of Karbi Anglong district. They also inhabit places in North Cachar Hills, Nagaon and Sonitpur districts of Assam. They are mentioned as Mikir in the constitution of India.





Mishing Tribe
The Mishing Tribe belonging to Tibeto Burmese group have agriculture as their occupation. They inhabit districts of Tinsukia, Sibsagar, Sonitpur, Jorhat and Golaghat. Mishing people found the most fertile land on the banks of River Brahmaputra and settled on sides of the river. Though their production was great, frequent floods prevented them from climbing the economic ladder. The main festival of Mishing tribe is Ali-Lye-Ligangin the month of February which is the harvest festival. They speak language known as Mishing language.

Phake Tribe
Residing in Dirugarh and Tinsukia district of Assam, along Dihing river. They are said to have come here from Thailand in the late 18th century. They speak Assamese language as well as Phake language. These group is also known as Phakial and are a follower of Theravada Buddhism.

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Festival of Assam: Bihu

The Important festival of Assam is Bihu, which is celebrated in three forms, viz.Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu in the month of January, Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu in the month of April and Kati Bihu or Kongali Bihu in the month of October/ November.

Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu (which means eating or enjoyment,derived from the word 'Bhoga') is celebrated when the harvesting is over and is also called harvest festival. On the eve of Bihu day, called "Uruka", women prepare cakes made of rice and other refreshments. The most significant part of this day is the building of 'Meji' and feasting at night. The whole night is spent in feasting, merry - making dancing and singing.

The folk songs associated with the Bohaag Bihu are called Bihugeets or Bihu songs. The Bohaag Bihu lasts for several days during which "the young people in the vilalge may be seen moving about in groups gaily dressed or forming circles in the midst of which the prettiest girls dance" (The History of Human Marriage by Edward Western-March) singing songs of love and romance. Such gatherings are called Mukoli Bihus (Open Bihus). The songs are very popular among all sections of the people.

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Saraighat Bridge over the mighty Brahmaputra

History of saraighat Bridge and Famous battle of Saraighat
Saraighat is a place near Guwahati in Assam, on the north bank of the river Brahmaputra. Sarai was a small village where the old abandoned N.F. Railway station of Amingaon was located.

Saraighat Bridge is constructed over the mighty Brahmaputra, also called the Red River. It is the first rail-cum-road bridge on this sacred river. It was opened to traffic in 1962 by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. This is a double decker bridge with a national highway on top and railway tracks below.

Saraighat Bridge is at Jalukbari in the District of Kamrup, Assam connecting north and south bank. The Chilarai Park or Lachit Udyan is situated at the end of the bridge. There is a road-cum-rail bridge over the river Brahmaputra joining the north & the south banks at Saraighat. This bridge is the first bridge on river Brahmaputra in Assam.

Battle of Saraighat
The famous Battle of Saraighat was fought near this place on the river.
The Battle of Saraighat was fought in 1671 between the Mughal empire (led by the Kachwaha king, Raja Ramsingh I), and the Ahom Kingdom (led by Lachit Borphukan) on the Brahmaputra river at Saraighat, now in Guwahati. Although much weaker, the Ahom army defeated the Mughal army by brilliant uses of the terrain, clever diplomatic negotiations to buy time, guerrilla tactics, psychological warfare, military intelligence and by exploiting the sole weakness of the Mughal forces—its navy.

The Battle of Saraighat was the last battle in the last major attempt by the Mughals to extend their empire in to Assam. Though the Mughals managed to regain Guwahati briefly after a later Borphukan deserted it, the Ahoms wrested control in 1682 and maintained it till the end of their rule.

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Kamakhya Temple near Guwahati in Assam

The Kamakhya Temple in Assam is one of the most venerated Shakti shrines in India, and is regarded as one of the Shakti Peethams associated with the legend of Shiva and Daksha Yagna.

Kamakhya is located on a hill - Neelachala Parvat or Kamagiri near the city of Guwahati in Assam. Shakti, residing on the Kamagiri hill is known as Kamakhya, the granter of desires. Assam traditionally has been known as the Kamarupa Desa and has been associated with Tantric practices and Shakti worship.

This temple was destroyed in early 16th century, and then rebuilt in the 17th century by King Nara Narayana, of Cooch Bihar. Images of the builder and related inscriptions are seen in the temple.

The Kalika Purana, an ancient work in Sanskrit describes Kamakhya as the yielder of all desires, the young bride of Shiva, and the giver of salvation.

Legend has it that following the destruction of Daksha's sacrifice and the Rudra Tandava of Shiva, parts of Sati's body fell at several places throughout India, and these places are revered as Shakti peethas. The reproductive organ of Sati, (the Yoni) is said to have fallen here. Legend also has it that the supreme creative power of Bhrahma was challenged by Shakti, the mother Goddess, and that Bhrahma could thereafter create, only with the blessings of the Yoni, as the sole creative principle. After much penance, Bhrahma brought down a luminous body of light from space and placed it within the Yoni circle, which was created by the Goddess and placed at Kamarupa.

Legend Says
Another legend says that the demon Narakasura fell in love with Goddess Kamakhya once and he wanted to marry her. But as a goddess cannot marry a demon or asura, Goddess Kamakhya played a trick to save herself. She laid a condition that she would marry him only if he builds a temple for her within one night. Narakasura agreed to it and almost finished building the temple overnight. This scared Goddess Kamakhya and before the final steps of the temple were completed, a cock was sent to cry cock-a-doodle-do to announce the arrival of the morning, before it was actually dawn. This made Narakasura very angry and he killed the cock on that spot. But according to the condition Narakasura couldn't marry Goddess Kamakhya after that. It is said that the present Kamakhya temple is the same that Narakasura had made for the Goddess.

The Temple Structure
The Kamakhya Temple has a beehive like shikhara. Some of the sculptured panels seen here are of interest. There are images of Ganesha, Chamundeswari, dancing features etc. The temple is a natural cave with a spring. Down a flight of steps to the bowel of earth, is located a dark, mysterious chamber. Here, draped with a silk sari and covered with flowers, is kept the "matra yoni".

There is no image of Shakti here. Within a corner of a cave in the temple, there is a sculptured image of the Yoni of the Goddess, which is the object of reverence. A natural spring keeps the stone moist. Other temples on the Neelachala hill include those of Tara, Bhairavi, Bhuvaneswari and Ghantakarna.

Story about rebuilding of the kamakhya Temple
King Naranarayana and his younger brother Sukladhvaja, alias Cilarai, after defeating the enemies in all three sides, decided to pay a visit to goddess Kamakhya. On seeing the dilapidated condition of the temple, King Naranarayana took a vow to rebuilt it. But proud about his recent victories, Naranarayana decided in favour of postponing the work and set out against the Nawab of Gaud. In the bettle that followed, the soldiers of Naranarayana suffered a thrashing defeat and Chilarai was taken to prison. In the prison Chilarai offered sincere prayer to goddess Kamakhya and begged her pardon for not starting the renovation of her temple first.. At last the goddess took pity on him and assured him to arrange his release soon.

According to her wish, the mother of Nawab suffered a snake bite which could not be cured by doctors brought from far and wide. Ultimately it was Chilarai who could cure the old woman and earned her affection. The Nawab was moved by the gesture of chilarai and ordered his release soon. On their return, both the brothers, Naranarayana and Chilarai rebuilt the temple of Kamakhya.

Other temples on the Neelachala hill include those of Tara, Bhairavi, Bhuvaneswari and Ghantakarna.

Festivals: Durga Puja is celebrated annually during Navaratri in the month of September- October. It is a three day festival attracting several visitors. A unique festival observed here is the Ambuvaci (Ameti) fertility festival wherein it is believed that the Goddess (mother Earth) undergoes her menstrual period. During this period the temple is closed for three days and opened with great festivity on the fourth day. It is believed to be inauspicious to till the ground or to plant seeds, during this three day period.

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Tourist spots in Assam

Assam is a land of huge numbers of tourist spots, which includes Kamakhya Temple, Umananda (Peacock Island), Navagraha (Temple of nine planets), Assam State Zoo, Assam State Museum, Sukreswar Temple, Geeta Mandir, Madan-Kamdev Temple and Saraighat Bridge.

A part from these, many National Parks & Wildlife Sanctuaries are there like – Kaziranga National Park (known for one horned rhinos), Siva Sagar (Shiv Temple), Majuli (largest river island in the world), Chandubi lake, Batadrava (Birth place of great Vaishnav Saint Sankardev), Saulkuchi (renowned for its world famous silk industry) and many more…

Other Wildlife Sanctuaries:

• Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary
• Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary
• Bura-Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary
• Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary
• Pobha Or Milroy Sanctuary
• Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary
• Bornadi Wildlife Sanctuary
• Gorampani Wildlife Sanctuary, Golaghat
• Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary
• Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary
• East Karbi Anglong Wildlife Sanctuary
• Karbi Anglong Wildlife Sanctuary
• Panidihing Bird Sanctuary, Sibsagar
• Deeporbeel Bird Sanctuary, Guwahati(Proposed)
• Bordoibam Bilmukh Bird Sanctuary, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji(Proposed)
  

Some tourist spots by place:

• Guwahati
• Golaghat
• Sivasagar
• Lakhimpur, Dhemaji

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