Tourism in Assam

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Assam, shaped like a soaring bird with wings India Assam location map.svg
Assam, shaped like a soaring bird with wings

Assam is the main and oldest state in the North-East Region of India and as the gateway to the rest of the Seven Sister States. The land of red river and blue hills, Assam comprises three main geographical areas: the Brahmaputra Valley which stretching along the length of the Brahmaputra river, the Barak Valley extending like a tail, and the intervening Karbi Plateau and North Cachar Hills. Assam shares its border with Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram and West Bengal; and there are National Highways leading to their capital cities. It also shares international borders with Bhutan and Bangladesh and is very close to Myanmar. In ancient times Assam was known as Pragjyotisha or Pragjyotishpura, and Kamarupa.

Contents

6th International Tourism Mart 2017 began in Guwahati on 5 December 2017.

Major attractions

A rhino in Kaziranga National Park. The park is home to two-thirds of the world's great one-horned rhinoceroses. Kaziranga Rhino.jpg
A rhino in Kaziranga National Park. The park is home to two-thirds of the world's great one-horned rhinoceroses.
Elephant safari in Kaziranga National Park Elephant safari in Kaziranga.jpg
Elephant safari in Kaziranga National Park
A scenic tea estate of Assam Baduliparassam.JPG
A scenic tea estate of Assam

For the purposes of tourism there are wildlife reserves like the Kaziranga National Park, Manas National Park, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, Nameri National Park, Dibru-Saikhowa National Park etc. It has a rich cultural heritage going back to the Ahom Dynasty which governed the region for many centuries before the British occupation.

Notable tourist destinations are listed below: [1]

Guwahati

Kamakhya Temple Kamakhya Temple, Guwahati.jpg
Kamakhya Temple

One of the key urban centres of Assam and the biggest city in North-East India, Brahmaputra, Shankardev Kalakshetra, Umananda Temple, Assam State Zoo, Shilpagram etc. Chandubi Lake, Sonapur, Madan Kamdev, Chandrapur and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary are other famous spots outskirts the city. While visiting Madan Kamdev, tourists also visit the ancient temple Gopeswar Mandir situated in the village Deuduar.

Majuli

A view of Majuli Majuli Island.jpg
A view of Majuli

The largest freshwater island [2] in South Asia on the Brahmaputra River. Majuli is famous for its Vaishnavite Satras such as Kamalabari Satra, Dakhinpat Satra, Garamurh Satra, Auniati Satra, Bengenaati Satra and Samaguri Satra.

Kaziranga National Park

This protected area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and serves as one of the last remaining habitat of the Great Indian One-horned Rhinoceros. Also check out Manas National Park and Orang National Park. [3] [4]

Dima Hasao

Dima Hasao is a hill district of Assam with full of natural beauties. The headquarters of Dima Hasao Haflong is a beautiful hilly town and the only hill station of Assam. The village of Jatinga is famous for mysterious suicides of birds. Some of the notable tourism places are Umrangso, Panimur Falls, Maibang, Tumjang Trek at Selkal Peak etc.

Sonitpur

View of Nameri National Park of Sonitpur District. Ibisbill3.jpg
View of Nameri National Park of Sonitpur District.

Protected areas to see in the district are Nameri National Park, Bura-Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary, Sonai-Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary and a part of Orang National Park. Bhalukpong is also an important tourist place. Tezpur is a small town steeped in history and culture. Some of these are Agnigarh, Mahabhairav Temple, Chitralekha Udyan, Bamuni Hills, Usha Pahar etc. Biswanath Chariali town is 75 km away from Tezpur, is famous for the Biswanath Ghat, also called popularly as "Gupta Kashi".

Jorhat

A fastly growing urban centre, the last capital of Ahom kingdom and the cultural capital of Assam, Jorhat known for many historical monuments of Ahom era and heritage places built in and around the city during British Raj like Raja Maidam, Lachit Borphukon Maidam, Jorhat Gymkhana Club, Bura Sahib's Bungalow of Kaziranga Golf Resort, Thengal Bhawan etc. Pilgrimage sites like Dhekiakhowa Bornamghar, which was built by saint Madhavdeva and Borbheti are also the places to visit. Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary (home of Hoolock gibbon), man-made Molai forest, Sui-ka-pha Samanway Kshetra, Jorhat Science Centre and Planetarium, Tocklai Tea Research Institute are the other attractions here.

Sivasagar

Rang Ghar Rang Ghar Pavilions, Joysagar, Sibsagar 02.jpg
Rang Ghar

As Sivasagar was the seat of the Ahom Kingdom, it is surrounded by many ancient monuments of Ahom era. Those are Rang Ghar, Talatal Ghar, Sivadol, Gola Ghar, Kareng Ghar of Garhgaon, Joy Dol, Sivasagar Tank (Borpukhuri), Joysagar Lake, Gourisagar Lake, Joymati Maydam, Vishnu Dol, Devi Dol, Gourisagar Dol, Charaideo, Namdang Stone Bridge etc. Tai Museum and Uttaran Museum which exhibits the history of Ahom. Panidihing Bird Sanctuary, the abode of more than 250 species of birds.

Hajo

Hajo is an ancient pilgrimage centre for three religions Hinduism, Islam and Buddhism.

Tinsukia

Many prominent shopping malls are there in Tinsukia. Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, one of the biggest national parks in India are situated in Tinsukia. This national park is considered to be a biological hotspot. The Tilinga Mandir (Bell Temple) is a well-known temple situated in the outskirts of Tinsukia city. Digboi Refinery, Asia's oldest refinery is situated here. A railway park is recent addition to the city. Dehing Patkai Festival are annual festival held at Lekhapani in Tinsukia district. India's only coal museum is situated at Margherita town in Tinsukia district. Tribal communities in Tinsukia district have taken initiatives to promote ecotourism in the region. The Singpho Eco Tourist lodge in Margherita-Pengari road and the Faneng Village at Lekhapani are two such initiatives by the local tribal communities.

Dibrugarh

Dibrugarh is called the tea capital of the world. The town is situated on the edge of the Brahmaputra River. Set amidst extensive tea estates, Dibrugarh offers tourists the opportunity to experience a life in a tea estate. Recently, tea tourism has started becoming popular, with travel companies such as Greener Pastures and Purvi Discovery offering tea tours. Tipam is a famous tourist spot of Dibrugarh. Tipam is an ethnic village which is famous for its historical places. Besides Tipam, Dehing Patkai National Park is the other attraction. Presently the city has the biggest railway station in Assam with 18 Lines opened in 2009. Rajdhani Express Train Originate from Dibrugarh and Dibrugarh Town.

Udalguri

Other than the multitude of culture and tradition of the various ethnic communities, the district has several tourist places. Some of the important ones are Bathou Temple and Research centre, Namghars, Hanuman Temple, Bhairabkunda Picnic Spot, Gethsemane Man-made Forest [5] (Bhairabkunda) and Bogamati.

Morigaon

Tourist destination [6] of middle Assam in Morigaon district near Raha, Assam 4.5 km away near NH-37/AH National Highway 37 is Jungal Balahu named after the legendary Tiwa King .It is 6.5 km away from Chaparmukh Junction railway station ,130 km away from Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport . Near Nagaon town 27 km away.

Practical Information

Weather & Rainfall

Assam has temperate weather with maximum of 35-38 °C in summer and a minimum of 6-8 °C in winter in low-lying areas, particularly the Brahmaputra Valley and Barak Valley. As one ascends towards the hilly areas, however, the mercury falls considerably in winters. Assam experiences high rainfall and humidity – afternoon thunder showers are a common occurrence during monsoons – and early morning fog in winter is also common.

Transportation

Arriving by Air: Guwahati's Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport is well-connected to the major cities in India. Taxi service, including prepaid services, is available at airports for transfers to the city. There are also airports in Silchar, Dibrugarh, Jorhat and Tezpur that run flights to Kolkata and other parts of the northeastern region.

Arriving by Rail: The three major routes of the North East Frontier Railway connected Assam to nodal stations in the rest of the country. Guwahati, Assam's largest railway station, is served by direct trains to New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluruuwahati.


Road: The Assam State Transport Corporation along with several private companies operates buses connecting Guwahati with Tezpur, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Silchar, Dimapur, Kohima, Imphal, Aizawal and Itnagar.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Assam</span> State in northeastern India

Assam is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of 78,438 km2 (30,285 sq mi). The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur to the east; Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram and Bangladesh to the south; and West Bengal to the west via the Siliguri Corridor, a 22-kilometre-wide (14 mi) strip of land that connects the state to the rest of India. Assamese and Boro are the official languages of Assam, while Bengali is an official language in the three districts of Barak Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Majuli</span> River Island in Assam, Northeast India

Mājuli or Majuli is a river island in the Brahmaputra River, Assam state, India. On September 8, 2016 an additional district was announced by Sarbananda Sonowal, it became the first island to be made a district in India. In the 1790s, the island covered an area of 1,300 km2 (500 sq mi). It had an area of 1,255 square kilometres (485 sq mi) at the beginning of the 20th century, but having lost significantly to erosion it covers 352 square kilometres (136 sq mi) as at 2014. Majuli has shrunk as the river surrounding it has grown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dibrugarh district</span> District of Assam in India

Dibrugarh district (Pron:ˌdɪbru:ˈgor:) is an district in the state of Assam in India. The district headquarters are located within the city of Dibrugarh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Namrup</span> Town in Assam, India

Namrup is a small town situated close to the foothills of the Patkai Hills in the extreme southeastern part of Assam, India. The river Dihing or Disang flows through it. Namrup is situated in amidst wet-paddy fields, indigenous Assamese villages, orchards, large tea-gardens and densely forested hills. Administratively Namrup is located within Dibrugarh district and is today an important industrial town of Assam. Namrup is approximately 75 km from Dibrugarh by road towards the south-east and approximately 50 km from Tinsukia towards the south. It is also a small railway station in Dibrugarh-Guwahati broad-gauge railway line. The nearest airport is Dibrugarh located at a distance of approximately 70 km. Other urban areas close to Namrup are Naharkatiya - 18 km, Duliajan - 35 km, Sonari - 20 km, Moran - 55 km, etc. by roadways. Namrup is located around 500 km east of Guwahati, the largest city in the North East Region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dibrugarh</span> City in Assam, India

Dibrugarh is an industrial city in Upper Assam with sprawling tea gardens. It is located 435 kms East from the state capital of Dispur. It serves as the headquarters of Dibrugarh district in the state of Assam in India. Dibrugarh serves as the headquarters of the Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council, which is the governing council of the Sonowal Kachari tribe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jorhat district</span> District of Assam in India

Jorhat is an administrative district of the Indian state of Assam situated in the central part of the Brahmaputra Valley. The district is bounded by Majuli on north, Nagaland state on the south, Sivasagar on the east and Golaghat on the west. On the north of the district, the river Brahmaputra forms the largest riverine island of the world. The administrative seat is at Jorhat city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sivasagar district</span> District in Assam, India

Sivasagar district, formerly known as Sibsagar, is one of the 34 districts of Assam state in Northeast India. Sivasagar city is the administrative headquarters of this district. This historic place is also known for its rich biodiversity. The districts covers an area of 2668 square kilometers. The district comprises two sub-divisions – Sivasagar and Nazira. The district of Sivasagar lies between 26.45°N and 27.15°N latitudes and 94.25°E and 95.25°E longitudes. The district is bounded by the Brahmaputra River to the north, Nagaland to the south, the Charaideo district to the east and the Jhanji River to the west. The Sivasagar district has acquired its distinct identity due to the co-existence of different races, tribes, languages and cultures.

Biswanath Chariali is a town and a municipal board in Biswanath district in the state of Assam, India. This city is the district headquarters of Biswanath district, which was created on 15 August 2015. It derives its name from Biswanath Ghat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bokakhat</span> Town in Assam, India

Bokakhat is a town in Assam and a Municipality Board in Golaghat district in the state of Assam, India. It is about 23 km away from the world heritage site Kaziranga National Park. Bokakhat town is situated almost in the middle of Assam. It is the headquarters of Bokakhat subdivision. The town is base to many nearby tourist places and is well connected to other cities and towns by road. The Kaipho Langso waterfall, an important picnic spot surrounded with magnificent views, lies in Karbi Anglong 13 km away from Bokakhat. Other nearby attractions include the ruins of the ancient Numaligarh and the Deoparbat, the tea gardens of Hatikhuli, Methoni, Diffloo Behora and Borsapori and also the coffee and rubber plantations. The nearest airports are at Jorhat and Guwahati. The nearest railway stations are Badulipar and Furkating.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naharkatiya</span> Town in Dibrugarh district, Assam

Naharkatia is a town and a Municipal board in Dibrugarh district in the Indian state of Assam. It is well known for petroleum and gas reserves. Earlier, Duliajan, the head office town of Oil India Limited was in its circle. However, the towns are close, within a 30-minute journey.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kohora</span> Town in Assam, India

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in Kaziranga National Park</span>

Kaziranga National Park is an Indian national park and an UNESCO World Heritage Site situated in the Golaghat and Nagaon district of Assam, India. It is a tourist destination and conservation area particularly notable as a refuge for the endangered Indian one-horned rhinoceros, hosting the largest population of wild Indian one-horned Rhinoceros in the world. The park contains significant stock of three other large herbivores — the Asian Elephant, the Asiatic Water Buffalo and the eastern subspecies of the Swamp Deer. Kaziranga also has the highest density of tiger in the world and is declared a Tiger Reserve in 2006. Kaziranga is recognized as an Important Bird Area by Birdlife International for conservation of avifaunal species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upper Assam division</span> Division in Assam, India

Upper Assam is an administrative division of the state of Assam comprising the undivided Lakhimpur and Sivasagar districts, of the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra valley. The other divisions are: Lower Assam, North Assam and Hills and Barak Valley. The division is under the jurisdiction of a Commissioner, stationed at Jorhat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in Northeast India</span> Overview of tourism in Northeast India

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Assam – 16th largest, 15th most populous and 26th most literate state of the 28 states of the democratic Republic of India. Assam is at 14th position in life expectancy and 8th in female-to-male sex ratio. Assam is the 21st most media exposed states in India. The Economy of Assam is largely agriculture based with 69% of the population engaged in it. Growth rate of Assam's income has not kept pace with that of India's during the Post-British Era; differences increased rapidly since the 1970s. While the Indian economy grew at 6 percent per annum over the period of 1981 to 2000, the same of Assam's grew only by 3.3 percent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Assam Tourism Development Corporation</span>

Assam Tourism Development Corporation or ATDC is a state owned corporation of Assam, India. It deals with tourism services and development as a part of the Assam Tourism Department along with the Directorate of Tourism. The State Govt. of Assam set up the corporation on 9 June 1988. The ATDC is headquartered at Guwahati and has district offices across Assam. Its official slogan is "Awesome Assam."

The Brahmaputra floods refers to a catastrophic flood event that occurred in 2012 along the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries, as well as in subsequent years.

The Brittial Bania/Bania is an ethnic community in Assam, India. The group traces its roots to a merchant community who reached Assam in ancient times. Some historians claim that after the Austric group migrated to ancient Assam, the next group of people who arrived was the Dravidian group, who are represented by the Bania and Kaibbartas today. Unlike the mainland Baniya community, this community of Assam is recognized as Schedule Caste by the government of India.

References

[7]

  1. "Welcome to Assam Tourism Official website of Deptt. of Tourism, Assam, India". assamtourism.gov.in. 3 April 1987. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  2. Majuli, River Island. "Largest river island". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  3. Karmakar, Rahul (26 July 2019). "Assam floods: Why we need to act fast to save Kaziranga and its wildlife". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  4. "Kaziranga National Park". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  5. "Afforestation changes life and landscape: How a district in Assam lost a forest, gained a future". The Indian Express. 25 December 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  6. Webdesk, Time8 (20 March 2022). "Jongal Balahu Rampart in Raha will be converted into a tourist destination". TIME8. Retrieved 31 October 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. "Home | Department of Tourism | Government Of Assam, India". tourism.assam.gov.in. Retrieved 13 July 2021.