Assam
 |
Area |
78,438 sq km |
 |
State
Government Portal |
 |
Population |
26, 638, 407 |
|
Open Forum Partners
|
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Capital |
Dispur |
|
Important Contact Numbers |
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Principal
Languages |
Assamese |
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Development Initiatives |
History
and Geography
The word ‘Assam' as interpreted by some
scholars is derived from the Sanskrit word Asoma
meaning peerless or unparalleled. But
the widely accepted opinion of the academic
circles today is that the term has come from
the original name of the Ahoms , who
ruled the land for about six hundred years prior
to its annexation by the British. The races
like Austric, Mongolian, Dravidian and Aryan
that came to this land long-long ago have contributed
to its composite culture. Thus, Assam has a
rich legacy of culture and civilization.
Assam was known as Pragjyotisha or the place
of eastern astronomy during the epic period
and later named as Kamrupa. The earliest epigraphic
reference to the kingdom of Kamrupa is found
in the Allahabad pillar inscription of king
Samudragupta. Kamrupa is mentioned as a Pratyanta
or frontier state outside the Gupta empire
but with friendly and subordinate relation to
it Hiuen Sang, the Chinese scholar pilgrim who
visited Kamrupa in about 743 AD on an invitation
of its monarch, Kumar Bhaskar Varman, left a
record of the kingdom he called Kamolupa. Kamrupa
also figured in the writings of the Arabian
historian Alberuni in the eleventh century.
Thus, from the epic period down to the twelfth
century AD, the eastern frontier kingdom was
known as Pragjyotisha and Kamrupa and kings
called themselves ‘Lords of Pragjyotisha'.
The advent of the Ahoms across the eastern
hills in 1228 AD was the turning point in Assam
history. They ruled Assam nearly for six centuries.
The Burmese entered through the eastern borders
and overran the territory at a time when court
intrigues and dissensions were sapping the vitality
of the Ahom royalty. It became a British protectorate
in 1826 when the Burmese ceded Assam to the
British under the provision of the Treaty of
Yandabo.
Assam is the sentinel of north-east India and
gateway to the North-Eastern States. The State
is close to India's international borders with
Bangladesh and Bhutan. Assam is surrounded by
Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh on the north, Manipur,
Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh on the east and
Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram on the south.
Agriculture
Assam is an agricultural State. Agriculture
occupies an important place in the economy of
the State. The principal food crop is rice.
The cash crops are jute, tea, cotton, oilseeds,
sugarcane, potato, etc. Noteworthy horticulture
items are orange, banana, pineapple, arecanut,
coconut, guava, mango, jackfruit and citrus
fruits. The State has an estimated 39.44 lakh
hectares gross cropped area, of which net area
sown is about 27.01 lakh hectares.
Forests
Assam is known for her rich forest wealth
which constituted 22.21 per cent of the total
forest area.
Wildlife
The State has five National Parks and
eleven wildlife sanctuaries. The Kaziranga National
Park and the Manas Tiger Project (National Park)
are internationally famous for one horned Rhino
and Royal Bengal Tiger respectively.
Industry
Of agriculture-based industries, tea
occupies an important place. There are six industrial
growth Centres in the State. A Central Institute
for Plastic Engineering Technology (CIPET) has
been established at Amingaon near Guwahati.
Assam has always enjoyed the highest reputation
for her arts and crafts associated with her
cottage industries. Cottage industries include
handloom, sericulture, cane and bamboo articles,
carpentry, brass and bell-metal crafts. Assam
produces varieties of silk, Endi, Muga,
Tassar, etc. Muga silk is produced
only in Assam in the world.
Irrigation
and Power
The major power stations are Chandrapur
Thermal Project, Namrup Thermal Project and
a few Mobile Gas Turbine Units along with a
mini hydro-electric project. Revitalising the
Thermal Power Station of Bongaigaon and completing
the Karbi-Langpi Project will boost the power
supply in the State. Approval has been received
for Tipaimukh Dam Project.
Transport
Roads: The
total length of roads in the State was 34,000
km which includes 2,038 km of National Highways.
The construction of 160 km of barbed wire fencing
and 27 km of the border road along the Indo-Bangladesh
International have been completed.
Railways:The
length of railway tract in Assam is 2,391.76
km comprising 1,061.29 km under broad-gauge
and 1,330.47 km under meter-gauge lines.
Aviation :The
regular civil air services are operating from
Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport (Guwahati),
Salonibari (Tezpur), Mohanbari (Dibrugarh),
Kumbhirgram (Silchar), Rawriah (Jorhat) and
Silonibari (North Lakhimpur).
FESTIVALS
Assam has an exclusive range of colourful
festivals. Bihu is the chief festival
celebrated on the three occasions. Rongali
Bihu or Bohag Bihu marks the
advent of the cropping season and it also ushers
in the Assamese New Year. Bhogali Bihu or
Magh Bihu is the harvest festival and
Kati Bihu or Kongali Bihu
coming in autumn is a simple affair.
Religion accounts for a large variety of festivals.
Vaishnavites observe birth and death
anniversaries of prominent Vaishnava
saints through day-long singing of hymns and
staging of Bhaonas (theatrical performances
in traditional style). Ambubachi in
Kamakhya shrine, Sivaratri Mela at
Umananda and other places near Siva temples,
Durga Puja , Diwali, Dol-Jatra
, Id, Christmas, Ashokastami Mela,
Rash Mela, Parasuram Mela are other religious
festivals.
TOURISM
Important places of tourism in and
around Guwahati are Kamakhya temple, Umananda
(Peacock Island), Navagraha (temple of nine
planets), Basistha Ashram, Dolgobinda,
Gandhi Mandap, State Zoo, State Museum, Sukreswar
temple, Gita Mandir, Madan Kamdev temple, a
magnificent archaeological place of interest,
and Saraighat bridge.
Other places of tourist interest in the State
are: Kaziranga National Park (famous for one
horned rhino), Manas Tiger Project, Pobi-tora
and Orang (wildlife sanctuaries), Sibsagar (Shiv
Temple-Rangghar-Karengghar), Tezpur (Bhairavi
temple and scenic beauty), Bhalukpung (Angling),
Haflong (health resort with Jatinga hills),
Majuli (largest river island in the world),
Chandubi lake (picnic spot), Hajo (meeting point
of Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam), Batadrava
(birth place of great Vaishnava saint Sankaradeva)
and Sualkuchi (famous for silk industry).
