| EAST INDIA
>> ASSAM |
Assam |
| Assam is a north eastern state of India with its
capital at Dispur, a suburb of the city Guwahati.
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 km² Assam currently 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—important elements in India's Look East
Policy. |
Assam
Tea |
| 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 increasingly becoming a popular
destination for wild-life tourism and notably Kaziranga
and Manas are both World Heritage Sites.[2] Assam
was also known for its Sal tree forests and forest
products, much depleted now. A land of high rainfall,
Assam is endowed with lush greenery and the mighty
river Brahmaputra, whose tributaries and oxbow lakes
provide the region with a unique hydro-geomorphic
and aesthetic |
Guwahati |
Guwahati,
the capital of Assam, straddles both banks of the
Brahmaputra river. The town is said to be the legendary
Pragjyotishpur or City of Eastern Light. It is a
bustling, busy and crowded city taking its name
from two words: Guwa meaning areca nut and Hat,
meaning market, and thus becoming a market for areca
nuts. But the town goes beyond areca nuts, for it
is the most important commercial hub of the region
Guwahati has several places of historical interest.
Perhaps the biggest attraction is the Kamakhya Temple
atop Nilachal hill, where the Goddess Kamakhya is
worshipped. The hill commands a majestic view of
the city and the river. The ponds here are home
to giant turtles which are quite used to being fed
by visitors.
Another temple which draws people is the Shiva temple
on the island of Umananda. This site is especially
busy during the Shiva Ratri festival when pilgrims
ply to the island. There are other centres of religious
and archaeological interest such as the temples
of Nabagraha and Basista as well as of Janardhana.
Those who are interested in cruises have a choice
of either the regular ferries between Sulkheshwar
Ghat and North Guwahati, or the more comfortable
vessels of the State Government's Tourism Department.
The State Museum is a must for visitors, with exhibits
which date to the 7th Century A.D. including stone
sculptures and bronzes. |
Day
Trips |
Sualkuchi
is an hour's drive from Guwahati and produces the
golden silken thread for which Assam is famous.
One can see the silk begin its journey from the
cocoon stage, to its unravelling and then to the
loom to finally emerge as a saree or the traditional
Mekhala Chador, the two piece saree, which women
wear on festive occasions.
Hajo, 25 kms West of Guwahati, is the site of the
Pua-Mecca mosque, set up by an Iraqi prince who
turned preacher and travelled all the way to Assam
in the 12th century to spread the Prophet's teachings.
Hajo is revered by Muslims and Hindus, for in the
town is the Hayagriba Madhava Temple, reached by
way of a long stone stairway. At the base of the
stairway is a large pond where resides one of Hajo's
most famous residents: a giant turtle. The town
is also well-known for its bell metal work in plates
and serving bowls.
Madan Kamdev, about 35 kms away, is an archaeological
site where erotic sculptures and other stone carvings
abound. |
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