Awesome Assam, the question comes into mind after seen the Awesome tag in the new Assam tourism video featured by Priyanka Chopra, an international icon and brand ambassador of Assam tourism. Let’s see is it Assam really Awesome?
About Awesome Assam
Assam is a state in Northeast India, situated
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 the state of 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 kilometers (14 mi) strip of
land that connects the state to the rest of India. Assam has a diversified
background.
The state owes its name to the Ahom Dynasty that has ruled over it
for quite a long time. One can even see the traces of the state in the books
and journals that speak about Aryan, Dravidians, Alpines, Tibetan and Burmese
history.
Even after so many years, cultures of these dynasties season the
culinary aromas on Assam's streets, the often exotic clothing people wear and
the music they listen to. An integral part of Assamese culture is its tribal
population, mainly the Bodo tribe and Mishing tribe.
To get to know the tribes
a little better, one should go for a tribal tour in Assam, and make a point to
get hands made classy bamboo products like mats, baskets, and handheld fans.
Assam is a bespoke shopping destination.
The famous Pat silk, Muga silk, Eri
silk and Endi cloth of Assam has left its indelible mark not only saree lovers but
on the younger generation as well.
Awesome Fact about Assam
1. India’s largest Shaktipeeth Maa Kamakhya Temple
2.World’s Largest River Island Majuli
3.World’s Smallest River Island Umananda
4. Asia’s oldest amphitheater Ranghar, Sibsagar
5.World’s highest one-horned rhino population Kaziranga
6. World’s largest tea-growing region Assam
7. Asia’s oldest refinery and the birthplace of crude oil Digboi
8. India’s longest bridge river Dhola–Sadiya Bridg
9.India longest rail-cum-road bridge Bogibeel
10. India’s first 5-star river cruise M.V. Mahabaahu
11. The Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden is the largest zoo in Northeast region
12. India’s Widest River Brahmaputra
13.World’s biggest weaving village Sualkuchi
14. Bird’s Suicidal Point Jatinga
15. Asia’s Largest Dry Fish Market Jagiroad
16. world hottest chili Ghost pepper or Bhut Jolokia.
1. India’s largest Shaktipeeth Maa Kamakhya Temple
,
One
of the most popular temples of India is Kamakhya Temple. Lakhs of devotees
visit the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Assam, every year to pay their respect
and offer their devotion to the Goddess Kamakhya.
It is one of the oldest
temples and is the main one in the complex of 10 temples that are adjoining.
The shrine is visited by both Hindu as well as tantric devotees.
This widely
famous temple is renowned for its legendary tales and also its architecture. It
is on the Nilachal Hill and is a very large complex with 6 temples and 6
monuments within. It is also famed as the temple of the bleeding Goddess.
2. World’s Largest River Island Majuli
 |
Mājuli or Majoli is a river island in the Brahmaputra River, Assam and in 2016 it became the first island to be made a district in India.
It had an area of 880 square
kilometers (340 sq mi) at the beginning of the 20th century, but having lost
significantly to erosion it covers 352 square kilometers (136 sq mi) as at
2014. Majuli has shrunk as the river
surrounding it has grown. Majuli is
currently listed as the world's largest river island in Guinness book of world's
record.
The island has been the hub of Assamese neo-Vaishnavite culture,
initiated around the 15th century by the revered Assamese saint Srimanta
Sankardeva and his disciple Madhavdeva. Many Satras or monasteries constructed
by the saint still survive and represent the colorful Assamese culture.
The
saint took refuge in Mājuli and spent a couple of months at Beloguri in West
Mājuli, which was a place of grandeur for the historic and auspicious,
'Manikanchan Sanjog' between Shankardeva and Madhavdeva, this was the first Satra in Mājuli.
After the "Manikanchan Sanjog", sixty-five Satras
were set up. However, today only twenty-two of the original sixty-five are
operational. Sixty-five out of the six hundred and sixty-five original Satras
in Assam were situated in Mājuli.
3. World’s Smallest River Island Umananda
PC- PP Yoonus - CC BY-SA 4.0
Umananda
Island is the smallest river island in the midst of river Brahmaputra flowing
through the city of Guwahati in Assam, a state in northeast India.
The British
named the island Peacock Island for its structure. The island can be reached
via a 10 minute ferry, available from Umananda Ghat, located near Guwahati Highcourt.
Umananda Island is the home to the species of golden langur and the island is
dotted with a Tamarind tree
4. Asia’s Oldest Amphitheater Ranghar, Sibsagar
The
Rang Ghar is a two-storeyed building
which once served as the royal sports-pavilion where Ahom kings and nobles were
spectators at games like buffalo fights and other sports at Rupahi Pathar
(pathar meaning "field" in Assamese).
Particularly during the
Rongali Bihu festival in the Ahom capital of Rangpur. Said to be one of the
oldest surviving amphitheaters in Asia.
The building was first constructed
during the reign of Swargadeo Rudra Singha with bamboo and wood. It was later
rebuilt with brick by Swargadeo Pramatta Singha in AD 1744-1750.
5. World’s Highest One-horned Rhino Population Kaziranga
Kaziranga
National Park is a national park in the
Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam, India. The sanctuary,
which hosts two-thirds of the world's great one-horned rhinoceroses, is a World
Heritage Site
6. World’s Largest Tea Growing Region Assam
World’s
largest tea growing state – Assam is considered the largest tea producing state
in the whole world. Assam contributes more than 52 percent of the country’s
total tea production.
7. Asia’s Oldest Refinery and Birthplace of Crude Oil Digboi
Digboi
is known as the Oil City of Assam where the first oil well in Asia was drilled.
The first refinery was started here as early as 1901. Digboi has the oldest oil
well in operation.
With a significant number of British professionals
working for Assam Oil Company until the decade following independence of India,
Digboi had a well-developed infrastructure and a number of bungalows unique to
the town.
It has eighteen holes golf course as part of the Digboi Club. It has
guest houses and tourist residential apartments laid on Italian architectural
plan to promote tourism in upper Assam.
8. India’s Longest Bridge River Dhola–Sadiya Bridg
The
Dhola–Sadiya Bridge, also referred to as the Bhupen Hazarika Setu is a beam bridge in India, connecting the
northeast states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
The bridge spans the Lohit
River, a major tributary of the Brahmaputra River, from the village of Dhola
(Tinsukia District) in the south to Sadiya to the north.
The bridge is the
first permanent road connection between the northern Assam and eastern
Arunachal Pradesh. At
9.15 kilometers (5.69 mi) in length, it is the longest bridge in India.
9. India Longest Rail-cum-road Bridge Bogibeel
Bogibeel
Bridge is a combined road and rail bridge over the Brahmaputra river in the
northeastern Indian state of Assam between Dhemaji district and Dibrugarh
district, which was started in the year 2002 and took a total of 200 months to
complete, heavy rainfall in the region is the main cause for the slow
progress.
Bogibeel River Bridge is the longest rail-cum-road bridge in India measuring
4.94 kilometers over the Brahmaputra River.
10. India’s First 5 Star River Cruise M.V. Mahabaahu
The
Mahabaahu Cruise offers a variety of delights with a captivating blend of
visits each day. While having a magnificent ride on the fast-flowing and
majestic Brahmaputra River.
It was built in Kolkata with state of the art
facilities, which includes Cabins with very Assamese decor of silk panels in
golden Muga, Bathrooms/showers with branded quality furnishings & fittings,
Central AC with individual control and others.
11. The Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden is the largest zoo in Northeast region
The
Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden (popularly known as Guwahati Zoo) is the
largest of its kind in the North East region and it is spread across 432 acre
(175 hectares).
The zoo is located within the Hengrabari Reserved Forest at
Guwahati, India. The zoo is home to about 895 animals, birds and reptiles
representing almost 113 species of animals and birds from around the world.
12. India’s Widest River Brahmaputra
The
Brahmaputra is one of the major rivers
of Asia, a trans-boundary river which flows through China, India and Bangladesh. It is India widest and the ninth-largest
river in the world by discharge, and the 15th longest.
Its origin in the
Manasarovar Lake region, located on the northern side of the Himalayas in
Burang County of Tibet as the Yarlung Tsangpo River, it flows across
southern Tibet to break through the Himalayas in great gorges (including the
Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon) and into Arunachal Pradesh (India).
It flows
southwest through the Assam Valley as Brahmaputra and south through Bangladesh
as the Jamuna (not to be mistaken with Yamuna of India). In the vast Ganges
Delta, it merges with the Padma, the popular name of the river Ganges in
Bangladesh, and finally the Meghna and from here it is known as Meghna before
emptying into the Bay of Bengal.
13.World’s Biggest Weaving Village Sualkuchi
Assam
is famous for its silks like Eri Silk, White Pat Silk, and Golden Muga Silk.
These three types of silk are manufactured using worms that can survive only in
Assam’s climate. Sualkuchi, a place near Guwahati produces these silks in large
quantities.
14. Bird’s Suicidal Point Jatinga
Jatinga
is one of the most popular bird-watching center under the supervision of
district forestry office in Haflong. Tourists visiting Assam or more
specifically, Silchar does not miss this attraction point as it is famous for
its “Bird Suicide” phenomenon.
You would be mesmerized in this small and serene
village of Jatinga, which is located about 9 km south of the town of Haflong.
This beautiful village has earned its popularity due to both its majestic views
and the mysterious phenomenon of birds committing suicide.
15. Asia’s Largest Dry Fish Market Jagiroad
Asia’s largest dry fish market is situated in Jagiroad, a place close to Guwahati. The
market operates for three days a week and exports to countries like Malaysia,
Bhutan, and few other South-Eastern countries.
16. World Hottest Chili Ghost Pepper or Bhut Jolokia
The Bhut
Jolokia is known as ghost pepper, ghost chili and ghost Jolokia is an
interspecific hybrid chili pepper cultivated in Assam.
In 2007, Guinness World Records
certified that the ghost pepper was the world's hottest chili pepper, 400 times
hotter than Tabasco sauce. The ghost chili is rated at more than 1 million
Scoville heat units (SHUs).
I
think these facts answered your question, visit Assam and experience the exotic,
historic and traditional culture and place of Assam. And don’t forget to say “Jai
Aai Axom”.