Majuli - Majuli Homes Are Made From Bamboo

MAJULI

Majuli is the world’s largest deltaic island. Every monsoon, the roaring Brahmaputra takes great bites out of the island, swallowing many homes. Despite being ravaged by nature, Majuli, India’s first island district, flaunts a vibrant culture and unparalleled scenic beauty. Here are some mesmerising images of this idyllic locale.

Majuli homes are made from bamboo and placed on concrete pillars at a height of about two feet from the ground in order to prevent water from seeping in during the monsoon floods.

The island is home to a mix of communities – the Mishing tribe, the Deoris, the Sonowal Kacharis and the Ahoms. The inhabitants lead simple lives and are always happy to welcome travellers. Mishing tribals, in particular, like to invite visitors into their homes for a bowl of freshly prepared apong or rice beer.

Majuli is carpeted in verdant mats of rice fields interspersed with tiny ponds bursting with hyacinth blossoms. Quiet roads, shaded by bamboo trees, wind their way through the flat terrain. Locals can be seen cycling on these narrow paths, groceries hanging from their handlebars, while fishermen can be seen lugging nets, bulging with fish, from the ponds.

To reach Majuli, you will first have to reach Jorhat. From Jorhat, which is just 20 km from Majuli, you will have to travel on a ferry. The ride itself is a fun experience. Jorhat has its own airport with daily flights from Kolkata and Shillong. Jorhat also has a railway station which is connected to the capital town of Guwahati which is well linked to the major cities of India.

Jorhat is well connected by air, with daily flights from Guwahati, and four flights a week from Calcutta. From Guwahati, Jorhat is a seven-hour bus ride. Buses leave early mornings and at nights.

From Jorhat it is only fourteen kilometers to Neemati Ghat. There are at least two ferry rides to Majuli every day, one around 10 a.m., the other around 3 p.m. Exact times can be ascertained from the private bus stand at Jorhat, from where buses leave for Neemati.

The first ferry ride lasts about an hour - after that transfer to a bus for a ten minute bus ride across Major Sapori, another island en route Majuli. Then a short ferry ride, and yet another bus ride to Kamalabari, the main town on the island. You can also hire a taxi, either from Jorhat or in Majuli. The taxi can cross over on the ferry.

Hajo - It Is An Ancient Pilgrimage Centre For Hindus, Buddhists And Muslims

Hajo - It Is An Ancient Pilgrimage Centre For Hindus, Buddhists And Muslims

The religious village of Hajo is situated on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra River. About 30 kilometres away from Guwahati, Hajo is an ancient pilgrimage centre for Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims. There are quite a few temples in Hajo and all enjoy the reverence of their devotees. 

Most famous is the Hayagriva Madhava Temple atop the Monikut hill. Hindu as well as Buddhist pilgrims seek solace at this scared stone temple. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Hayagriva Madhava Temple is also known for its exemplary architecture. Other historically and religiously important temples in Hajo include the Madan Kamdev Temple on Dewangiri hill and the Kedareswara Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Hajo can rightly be called the pilgrimage city of Assam. Dotted with a number of Hindu temples, Hajo invites all to taste the flavour of utmost spirituality. Among the famous Hindu shrines in Hajo are Hayagriva Madhab Temple on Manikuta Hill, Kedareshwar Temple and Ganesha Temple. On the other hand Muslims also rever Hajo as a holy place and come here to pay homage at Powa Mecca. 

Buddhists see Hajo as a pious place where Lord Buddha attained Parinirvana. Hajo or precisely Sarthebari is famous for its bell metal items and when you are there, make sure you buy at least a souvenir. Whether you believe in religion or not, you will love to see this holy destination in Assam, which defnitely has the capability to change your perspective towards spirituality.

Hayagriva temple has an idol of Lord Vishnu that is similar to the idol of Lord Jagannath in Puri. Also, it is believed that Lord Buddha is believed to have attained Nirvana at this religious site and hence this site is visited by numerous Buddhists, Bhutiyas and Hindus.

Powa Mecca and the word 'Powa' means 1/4th and hence, Powa Mecca figuratively refers to having some of the sanctity of Mecca. The tomb of Pir Giasuddin Auliya, a pioneer of Islam is located here.

The Kamesware Temple is an ancient temple, built in the 18th century by the Ahom king Pramatta Singha. Quite later after its construction, it was turned into a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The shivlinga here resembles that in Kedarnath.

Kameswara Temple Located atop the Madanachala Hill in Hajo, this Shiva temple is regarded as one of the oldest temples in the Indian subcontinent. This temple enshrines a huge Shivalinga, made of stone, which is popularly known as the Svayambhu Linga.

Reaching Hajo is quite easy, as there is a good connectivity to this place from the nearby cities, like Guwahati, Tezpur etc. The town is located at a distance of about 25 km to the west of Guwahati and is frequently visited by travelers and tourists from all over the globe.

Manas National Park – It Has The India’s Second-Largest Tiger Population.

MANAS NATIONAL PARK

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ASSAM

Manas National Park is a beautiful place, located in the six districts Kokrajhar, Chirang,Baksa, Udalguri, and Darrang in the state of Assam. Manas is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tiger Reserve, Elephant Reserve, Biosphere Reserve, National Park and also a Wildlife Sanctuary.

The park is situated near the Manas River which is one of the major tributaries of the Brahmaputra River and divides the park in two halves. Located in the Himalayan foothills, it is contiguous with the Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan.

Manas was proposed a Reserve Forest in 1905, and declared a Reserve Forest in 1907. In 1928, it was declared a Game Sanctuary.

Manas Game Sanctuary was declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1950. Manas was declared as Biosphere Reserve under Man & Biosphere Programme of UNESCO (total area – about 2837 Km²) in 1989.

Manas was declared as a National Park in 1990. Total area of the park is about 500 Km². The name ‘Manas’ is derived from the Hindu deity, the snake goddess ‘Manasa’ and is also shared with the Manas river that transverses through the park.

The park is known for its rare and endangered endemic wildlife. Manas is famous for its population of the Wild water buffalo, rare golden langur and the red panda. The park is also home to some of the rare wildlife species including one horned rhinos, leopards, clouded leopards and the amazing black panthers. Apart from the wild beasts, the place is haven for local and migratory bird- A paradise for watchers.

Manas is recognized not only for its rich biodiversity but also for its spectacular scenery and natural landscape which includes a range of forested hills, alluvial grasslands and tropical evergreen forests. Its home to India’s second-largest tiger population.

Twenty-one animal species listed in Schedule 1 of India’s national Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 live in the grassland ecosystem of the park, including tigers, Asian elephants, one-horned rhinos, golden langurs and golden cats, hispid hares, swamp deer, gaur and clouded leopards.

Manas was declared as a National Park in 1990. Total area of the park is about 500 Km². In 2003, Manas was declared as Chirang – Ripu Elephant Reserve under Project Elephant. It was removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger, following the advice of IUCN, UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee in 2011.

Trips Timings

Morning – 9 AM to 12 PM

Evening – 2 PM to 5 PM

Entry Fee

Indian – Rs. 20/- Per Person

Foreigners – Rs. 250/- Per Person

Jeep entry fee – Rs. 300/-

Still camera – Rs. 50/-

Video camera – Rs. 100/- (Indians)

Video camera – Rs. 500/- (Foreigners)

Safari charge

Indian – Rs. 120/- Per Person

Foreigners – Rs. 750/- Per Person

An eight-seater boat ride costs Rs. 8,000 which can be shared by tourists.

By Air 

Nearest airport is Guwahati airport, about 170 Km from the Manas National Park. Guwahati airport is well connected by road to Manas National Park.

By Rail 

Nearest railway station is Barpeta railway station, about 50 Km from the Manas National Park. Barpeta railway station is well connected by road to Manas National Park.

By Road 

Manas National Park is well connected to Major Cities and Places by road network. There are a number of government and privately operated vehicles that go to Manas National Park at frequent intervals.

 

Kaziranga National Park Will Open On October First,Instead Of November First

Kaziranga National Park to open on Oct 1, a month earlier than the usual date

This bit of news is sure to make every wildlife enthusiast really happy.

According to a report by The Shillong Times, the government of Assam has decided to throw open the gates of the Kaziranga National Park for tourists from October 1 this year, exactly a month before it usually opens for the year-ending season.

Home to the one-horned rhinos, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is popular among both domestic and international travellers, and it is the same reason why the national park will see an early opening this time, thanks to a directive by the Chief Minister of Assam,Sarbananda Sonowal.

Reportedly, the park authorities and the Assam Forest Department are working hard to make sure that the roads, bridges, and other infrastructure inside the park, which were damaged during the devastating floods earlier this year, are repaired before the tourist season starts.

Apart from the one-horned rhinos, the Kaziranga National Park is known worldwide for its population of elephants, tigers, buffaloes, spotted deer, hog deer, bear, varieties of reptiles, and plenty of winged species. The park received the world attention earlier this year when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton visited it earlier this year.  

Umananda Temple – It Resides An Island Amidst The Brahamapurtra River

UMANANDA TEMPLE

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KAMRUP

This temple located in between the mighty river Brahmaputra in a Peacock island, Umananda temple is just opposite side of the famous Kachari ghat in Guwahati, Assam.

This shiv temple was built by the famous Ahom King Gadadhar Singha who was the husband of Sati Joymati a great devout of Shaivite. The original temple was however immensely damaged by a devasting earthquake of 1897.

Later,it was reconstructed by a rich local merchant who chose to inscribe the interior part of a siva temple with Vaisnavite slogans.

According to Hindu mythology, Lord Siva created this place his wife Uma's happiness and pleasure.Siva is said to have resided here in the form of Bhayananda. Thats why this place is called Uma-Nanda.

Uma means Siva's wife and Ananda means happiness. According to another myth in Kalika Purana, Lord Siva burnt Kamdeva with his Third eye in this place when he tried to interrupt Siva's deep meditation. So it is also known as 'Bhasmachal'. 'Bhasma' means ash and 'chal' means home in assamese.

This place a small island, probably one of the smallest among the river islands, situated in the majestic Brahmaputra river

In 1694, the Ahom King Gadadhar Singha ordered his minister Gargaya Handique Phukan to build a temple. The deity of the temple is also called Umananda, Lord Sambhu- ruma- nandakarah. In 1897, a great earth quake damaged the temple heavily. but later it was repaired by a local merchant.

 The temple displays mixture of both Hindu Vaishnavism and Shaivism. There are beautiful assamese crafting of Lord Ganesha, Shiva, Pavati, Vishnu, and other Hindu Gods.

During the repairing work of the temple some new Vaishnavi scripts were written to the walls. Apart from the temple walls sculptures on the rocks of the Umananda Island presents talents of ancient assamese craftsmen. 

Maha Shivaratri is the most celebrated hindu festival celebrated in Umananda. Monday is considered to be the holiest day in the temple and new moon brings bliss to the pilgrims. 

Umananda island is home to few golden langur also. This one of the rarest species of monkeys found in Assam. A visit to Umananda will give you glimpse of this langur too.

By Air

The nearest airport to Umananda Temple is lokpriya gopinath bordoloi international airport , guwahati which is 18 km away from Umananda Temple.

By Train

The nearest railway station to umananda temple is Guwahati Train Station which is 1 km away from Umananda Temple.

By Road

Guwahati is linked to all the major cities of Assam and nearby states.one can easily reach Guwahati by road from any part of the state. 

Devotees can take a ferry to reach the temple. The ferries are arranged to take the visitors to the island by the state tourism department for the tourists from all the parts of India and around the world.

Halflong Lake - It Is To Be Found In The Hub Of The Halflong Hill Station

HALFLONG LAKE

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DIMA HASAO

Haflong, located in the hub of the Dima Hasao district of Assam, is the only hill station located in Assam. It is also home to the Haflong Lake, is said to be one of the best tourist attraction in Assam.

Haflong Lake is one of the most charming and the only tourist hill destination in this northeastern Indian State of Assam. An extremely scenic spot, Haflong Lake offers various leisure water sporting activities and boating facilities. It is under protection of Dima Hasao Tourist/forest Department and Dima Hasao Autonomous Council. It is also a viewpoint spot for fishing lovers. 

Haflong Lake is one of the largest natural water bodies in Assam and is situated in the heart of the town.  It is also Haflong’s most popular tourist spot. Jatinga is another famous tourist spot located located on a spur of the Haflong ridge which is famous for the phenomenon of bird suicides. It is popular with the tourists are the ruins of Mailbong, the erstwhile capital of the Dimasa Kachari kingdom.

Haflong Lake is located at the centre of Haflong hill town, which is in a very well-known way called the ‘Switzerland of the East‘. 

The beautiful (wide view of a nature scene/wide area of beautiful land) with blue hills, large and beautiful lakes, fascinating streams, waterfalls and (oversupply/largeamount) of pineapple trees and orangetrees earns the title for Haflong town. Haflong Lake is one among the two lakes of the town.

It is located at a height of 1683 feet above MSL and no wonder you will findclouds and mists touching your arms as they gently move away. The beauty not only thrills you but also offers different water sports and hence both your body and mind are made young again.

Haflong Lake is one of the normal lakes on the main slope station of Assam. Sailing and Garampani, a high temp water spring, are significant vacation spots on this lake.

This expansive and lovely lake adds a heavenly stunner to the slope station which is viewed as the ‘Scotland of Assam’.The surroundings of the lake offer a sanctuary for several transient flying creatures in winter.

By Air

The nearest airport to Haflong is the airport of Barapani, Shillong (Meghalaya), which is located at a distance of 252 km. You can also reach the place via Guwahati Airport, which is at a distance of 345 km from Haflong.

By Rail

Lower Haflong has a railway station, which is at a very close distance of 3 km from the main town. There are many trains going to and from Haflong, which provide slow moving scenic ride through the hill station. Lunding Juction Railway station is another railhead close to Haflong.

By Road

Haflong is well connected by road to the commercial city of Assam, Guwahati. There are both government and private buses operating at regular intervals, connecting the hill station to the main parts of Assam.

KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK CLOSED FOR VISITORS FROM 1st MAY, 2016

KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK CLOSED FOR VISITORS FROM 1st MAY, 2016

It is hereby informed for public information of all concerned that the Kaziranga National Park shall remain closed for visitors from 1st May, 2016 until further orders. Accordingly Elephant Safari and Jeep Safari shall remain suspended in all the Ranges from the 1st May, 2016. 

Any inconvenience caused to the public and tourists is regretted. The Park Administration shall not be responsible for any loss or damage to any one due to this closure. For information on opening of the Park, please keep visiting the Portal.

Click here to know more details

Kaziranga National Park - Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam, India

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27 DISTRICTS OF ASSAM

ASSAM

Assam is also known as the 'mystic land of tea'. The word Assam is derived from the Sanskrit word "Asom" meaning 'peerless'. The overwhelming tourist attraction of Assam lies in her enormous green stillness, strong waterways, attractive songs and dances, the lush green forest, wooded hills, boundless rolling plains, wide spread tea gardens, rich flora and fauna and the mystifying variety of wildlife. Assam is state of pleasant contrasts and exhilaration. Each and every part of the state has something celestial and astonishing diversity to offer. Assam is famous for its exquisite silks and products made out of bamboo and cane. It is a land of fairs and festivals. The main festivals are Majuli Festival, Elephant Festival etc. The capital, Guwahati, of north-eastern India's largest state, lies on the banks of Brahmaputra. It is a magnificent place and also known as the green paradise'.

DISTRICTS OF ASSAM

• Karimganj
• Darrang
• Dibrugarh
• Morigaon
• Tinsukia
• Bongaigaon
• Nalbari
• Kokrajhar
• Kamrup
• Karbi-Anglong
• Nagaon
• N.C.Hills
• Dhemaji
• Hailakandi
• Lakhimpur
• Sonitpur
• Dhubri
• Goalpara
• Barpeta
• Golaghat
• Jorhat
• Sivasagar
• Cachar
• Baksa
• Udalguri
• Chirang
• Dima Hasao