Assam - The Gateway to Seven Sister States

One of the seven sister states, Assam is gateway to the north-easter region of India. Assam is bestowed with a number of natural gifts, including the mighty river Brahmaputra having its origin in Tibet. With vast alluvial plains and thick forests, tracts of paddy and tea and oil from the deep depths of the earth, Assam offers almost everything to please the tourists. Besides, colourful fairs and festivals, rich art and culture, delicious cuisine make Assam a must visit place. Guwahati, Dispur and Tezpur are important destinations of Assam, known for their natural and man-made wonders.

Guwahati – Locally referred as the ‘Light of the East’, Guwahati is gateway to Assam and the entire north-east region of India. Once the capital of the Kamrup kings, Guwahati is now the biggest city in the Northeast and a major commercial hub of the region. Set on the banks of Brahmaputra river, Guwahati is surrounded by green paddy field and ancient rain-forests. Guwahat is home to several magnificent temples namely Kamakhya Temple, Umananda Temple, Bhuneshwari Temple, Nabagraha Temple, Ugratara Temple, Dirgheshwari Temple and Ashvaklanta Temple. Assam State Museum, Bashishta Ashram, Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra and State Zoo are other attractions of the city. Guwahati is also famous for Brahmaputra Beach Festival and thrilling river cruises.

Dispur – Dispur the capital city of Assam, is located at a distance of 10 kms from Guwahati. A small city with a population of one thousand, Dispur has a lot to offer in sightseeing for tourists and nature enthusiasts as well. A well-planned city, Dispur boasts of natural wonders like lofty hills, grassy countryside, bushy forests, shimmering rivers and clean environment. Popularly known as ‘Auction Market of Classic Tea’, Dispur is a major producer of tea, including the varieties like CTC or Crush, Curl Tea and Tear tea. Dispur is also renowned for its rich culture and traditions. Local people celebrate a number of festivals, popular among them are Bihus Festival and Magh Bihu Festival. Dance and music of Dispur is also very famous.

Tezpur – An important city of Assam, Tezpur lies 191 kms from Guwahati. Tezpur an important commercial and educational centre and also home to a major base of the Indian Army and Air force. Referred as the 'City of Blood', Tezpur is famous for its archaeological ruins and natural beauty. Popular attractions of Tezpur include Agnigarh, Cole Park, Mahabhaira Temple. Bhomoraguri and Hazar Pukhari.

People and Culture – People of Assam are generally referred as Assamese or Assami, known for their warm friendly nature. Assam is an ancient place witnessed several old races. Since time immemorial Assam has been the home of rich art and culture, which portrays the true spirit, tradition and lifestyle of the state people. Assamese love music, dance and many other arts forms. People of Assam have also been master craftsmen since past, especially known for silk fabri and bamboo and cane products. Besides, you will find several other exquisite creations of craftsmen of the state including metal crafts, woodcraft, handlooms, toys, pottery, jewellery, terracotta and traditional paintings.

Assamese like traditional local dishes and Indian as well as continental cuisines. Local cuisine of Assam is characterized by the use of simple ingredients. Rice, Fish and Meat are the favourite food of the Assamese. People also like vegetable dishes, popular amongst the vegetable dishes is ‘Aloo Pitika’. Fairs and Festivals are essential part of Assamese culture, and the state celebrate a number of festivals. Bihu, Baishagu, Rongker, Ali-ai-liang, Rongali Utsav, Brahamaputra Beach Festival, Bohaggiyo Bishu and Tea Festival are some of the famous fairs and festivals of Assam.

Wildlife - Assam is known world over for its rich flora and fauna, especially the one-horned Rhinoceros and other rare faunal species. You can see one-horned Rhinoceros in Kaziranga and Manas National Parks, both of these parks are UNESCO World Heritage Sites as well. Apart from Rhinos, you can spot wildlife species such as Tigers, Clouded Leopard, Hoolock Gibbon, Golden Langur, Swamp Deer etc. Wildlife areas of Assam also provide shelter to a variety of avian species like White-Winged Wood-duck. Other important wildlife sanctuaries of Assam include Nameri National Park, Orang (Rajiv Gandhi) National Park and Pabitora Sanctuary.

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