09/07/22 10:18

PM

ENGLISH PROJECT

Assam is a state in northeastern India known for its wildlife, archeological sites and tea plantations. In
the west, Guwahati, Assam’s largest city, features silk bazaars and the hilltop Kamakhya Temple.
Umananda Temple sits on Peacock Island in the Brahmaputra river. The state capital, Dispur, is a
suburb of Guwahati.

CULTURE:

Assam culture is influenced by the Ahom

dynastyand the Koch kingdom who ruled
the region for many years. One of the
major cultural change was brought by
the Vaishnava movement.

The native people of Assam are

called Asomiya(Assamese), they are a
mixture of Mongoloid, Indo-Burmese,
Indo-Iranian, and Aryan. Their culture has
evolved through a long assimilation
process of various races.

The state has a large number of tribes out

of which Boro is the largest tribe in Assam,
while Chakma, Chutiya, Dimasa, Hajong,
Garo, Khasis, Gangte, and other tribes are
also there. While the majority of the
Assamese is of Vaishnava’s tribe among
which social institutions such
as Namghar(house of prayer)
and Sattra (the site of religious and cultural
practice) became popular.

History

Battle of Saraighat

The roots of Assamese culture go back almost

two thousand years when the first cultural
assimilation took place between Austro-Asiatic
and Tibeto-Burman groups.

There were three waves of cultural

assimilation in Assam. First, it was the Tibeto-
Burman ethnic groups that had arrived from
Tibet, Yunnan, and Sichuan provinces of China
who mixed with the scarcely present
aboriginal Austric people like the Khasi and
Jaintia.

Then there was a wave of Indo-Aryans from

Northern India, which brought the Vedic
culture and Hinduism into Assam.

The last wave of migration was that of the

Ahoms (Tai/Shan) who added another chapter
to the Assamese culture. The Ahoms, later on,
brought some more Indo-Aryans like the
Assamese Brahmins and Ganaks and
Assamese Kayasthas to Assam. The Assam we
know today was founded by Ahom kings.

During the six hundred years of ruling, the

Ahom dynasty managed to keep the kingdom,
independent from Mughal, the muslin
invaders of India before the British, as well as
other invaders though Mughal attacked Assam
seventeen times. During this era, the
Assamese society was exogenous.

The British entered Assam in 1824 as a tea

planter which was the starting point of the
destruction of the Ahom dynasty. Along with
the British, the immigrants entered Assam
from India together with their traditional
beliefs such as the caste system and dowry
system. Some of the immigrants become a
part of the Assamese society, and the other
still practice their traditions.

Best Places to visit in Assam are.

Guwahati, Sualkuchi – Where you can see

muga silk, pat silk, and eri silk, Hajo, Tezpur,
Majuli – Biggest inhabited river island in the
world, Digboi – Oldest oil refinery in Asia.

Kamakhya Temple – The most visited temple

in eastern India is an ancient and historical
temple situated in Guwahati, and Sivasagar –
The home of the Ahom Kingdom, one of the
longest-reigning dynasties in the country.

Historical places like Sivasagar- Rang ghar,

kareng ghar, tolatol ghor, namdang stone
bridge, and more. Tezpur – Agnigarh, koliya
bhumura bridge, etc. ISKCON Guwahati,
Assam State Zoo, Basistha Ashram Temple,
Temples of Hajo, Shrimanta Shankardeva
Kalakshetra, Uma Nanda Temple, Assam
Rajyik State Museum, Bhuvaneswari Temple,
Nehru Park, Vashistha Temple, these are also
the renowned tourist points of this state.

Plantation Crop Development:

i. Cash Crop Development: In
hillock with moderate slope, cash
crops like Rubber, Coffee are
grown for soil conservation and
optimum use of land on a
sustained basis. In Assam, there is
wide scope for developing Coffee
and Rubber plantations. Soil
Conservation Department is
pioneer in introducing Coffee and
Rubber in Assam. However after
formation of Assam Plantation
Crops Development Corporation,
Soil Conservation Department has
scaled down its activity in this field.
Coffee and Rubber plantations
have been established extensively
by Soil Conservation Department
as part of programs for settlement
of Jhummias in hill districts of Karbi
Anglong and N.C. Hills. Tea also
planted under Cash crop
plantation.

ii.Afforestation: Protective
Afforestation:All the riverine non
agricultural land, degraded
wasteland not suitable for raising
agricultural crops are brought
under plantation to provide
permanent cover to the top
soil.Mostly Sal, Teak,
Gamari,Titasepa etc are covered
under afforestation.
Major plantation usually taken
under Soil Conservation
Department is Bamboo Plantation
and at the sandy bank of River
Sissu and Khoira are planted.
iii. Medicinal plant: Generally
medicinal plants like Amlakhi,
Bhomora, Hilikha, Neem, Arjun,
Amara etc. are planted mostly in
the wasteland areas, public places
like Schools, Colleges,
Hospitals ,temples, mosques,
Churches, Burial places from the
Soil Conservation department.
iv. Horticultural plant:
Horticultural plants Mango, Assam
Lemon, Banana, Litchi, Orange,
Coconut, Guava, Papaya, cashew
nut, Black Pepper, Arecanut,
Pineapple, Jackfruits are planted in
the public places like Schools,
Colleges, Hospitals ,temples,
mosques, Churches, Burial places,
at the private land of beneficiaries
by the Soil Conservation
department.
v. Avenue Plantation: To increase
the Aesthatic view ornamental
plants like Silver Oak, Thuja,
Croton, Battle brush, Debdaru,
flowering plants like Roses and
seasonal plants are also are
planted in the park, Schools,
Colleges, Road side and in other
public places.

The state of Assam is known across the country

for its delicious food items that are natural and
highly nutritious. Most of the famous food of
Assam are steamed and boiled containing
natural vegetables and a special mixture called
Khaar. Various cooking techniques are applied
by locals in the state of Assam using aromatic
species, local and natural herbs that are
beneficial to health and also add taste to
Assamese cuisine. Also Read - Physics on a
lighter note Seven Famous Food of the State
Assam are:

1. Khaar: Khaar is the most famous Assamese

traditional dish loved by locals and also people
from other states. Khaar is a dist with a mixture
of many ingredients consisting of meat, fish,
vegetables like raw papaya, taro, and pulses.
The Khaar itself is sometimes used as an
ingredient in other food items the basic
ingredient is made from the water and banana
peel. Also Read - Constructive approach to
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2. Duck Meet Curry: Duck Meet Curry is mostly

cooked in various households of locals at the
time of different festivals and occasions in
Assam. This delicious dish from duck is made by
mixing Ash Groud and adding other items such
as pumpkin, lentil and sesame to make it
tastier.

3. Aloo Pitika: Aloo Pitika is something most

common in every rice plate of Assam as people
love its taste with rice adding with any type of
dish or simply with Aloo pitika. As the name
suggests it is made from boiled Aloo i.e. Potato
and also prepared sometimes with boil
vegetables adding onion, oil, green chili and for
better taste people also add coriander leaves,
chopped ginger, eggplant and red lentils. Also
Read - 'Preserving our culinary heritage for the
next generation is essential'

4. Maasor Tenga: Maasor Tenga is a special

type of fish curry made in Assam which provides
a spicy taste. The dish is mainly served with rice
and prepared using lemon, fish, dried
mangosteen, raw mango, tomato and elephant
apple. It is a very healthy food item that helps in
enhancing digestion.

5. Ou Khatta: Ou Khatta is a type of Assamese

chutney prepared with the use of elephant
apple mixing boiled mustard seeds along with
jaggery. The taste of Ou Khatta chutney is sour
as well as sweet

CLIMATE &WEATHER

The climate of Assam is typically ‘tropical monsoon rainfall’ type, with high levels of humidity and heavy
rainfall. People here enjoy a moderate climate all throughout the year, with warm summers and mild
winters. In the monsoon season, the whole state comes alive with the beauty of nature. Climatic
variations can be seen regionally. While the plains of Assam have a tropical climate with high humidity,
the hills have a sub-alpine type of climate. There are four distinct seasons in Assam - summer, monsoon,
autumn and winter. The best time to visit the place is the winter season i.e. from October to April, which
is also the festive season of Assam. Let us gather some more information on the weather and climate of
Assam.

Dress

Dhoti and Gamosa

The Dhoti and Gamosa are said to be the

native dress of the men of Assam. The Dhoti
is used to cover the lower half of the body
and is a well-known piece of clothing in
other Indian traditions too. Wearing a Dhoti
properly is not so easy and carrying it is also
one tricky job. The Gamosa is a rectangular
piece of cloth that is an important and
significant part of the Assam culture.
Gamosa means 'A cloth to wipe one's body'
and is a white cloth with a beautiful red
border on three sides and woven motifs on
the remaining one. It is a piece of clothing
that has some great significance in this state
hence it is also used to felicitate and honour
people who achieve some great feat. The
Gamosa can be used as a cloth to wipe or
can be transformed into a waistcoat which is
commonly known as the Tongali. It can also
be used as a Loincloth by a Bihu dancer.

Mekhela Chador - The

Traditional Dress of Assam

Source
The Mekhela Chador is the traditional dress
for the women of Assam. It is worn by
women of all ages except children. This two
piece garment has a long piece of cloth that
is draped from the waist downwards and is
then folded into pleats and tucked in. This
piece is called the Mekhela. The upper part
of the dress is the Chador that is also a long
piece of cloth whose one end is tucked into
the Mekhela, and then the rest is wrapped
around the body. This Chador is worn with
triangular folds the art of which can be
mastered only by sheer practice. Wearing
these traditional dresses is not everyone's
cup of tea and can be a magnanimous task
at times. The run for traditional dresses of
Assam does not end here. Assam is a state
that houses different tribes who themselves
have carried the flame of their tradition for
generations. Each of these tribes has their
set of unique culture, tradition, lifestyle and
clothing. Wandering deep into the state, let
us have a look at the artistic dresses of few
of the major tribes that reside in Assam.

Tribal Wear Of Assam

The Dimasa Tribe

The men of the Dimasa tribe are known to wear
a Sgaopha or a Phagri (a turban) which is a sign
of the pride they take in their name. The
Sgaopha is yellow or green in colour, but on
special occasions like marriages, the groom
wears a white turban with a red thread tied
below the chin. The Rigdo is a little muffler that
these people carry with themselves. Risha and
Gainthao are both Dhotis that differ in length.
The Risha comes up to one's knee, and the
Gainthao reaches the ankle.

The Bodo Tribe

The men of the Bodo tribe are simple
dressers and can be seen wearing the
common dress of Assam i.e. the Gamosa.
They use the
Gamosa to cover the body waist down to the
knee and the upper half was meant to kept bare.
But with changing modern times, the men are
widely accepting shirts as a part of their
wardrobe. The footwear though is one
distinguishing feature of the men of the Bodo
tribe. They used to wear footwear made of
wood until lately, and it is commonly known as
Khorom.

The Mishing Tribe

The mishing tribe is one of the tribes that
follows the code of dressing of Assam as a
whole. The men of the tribe wear, what is
called a Gonru Ugon which is a Dhoti that is
a piece of cloth worn from the waist down.
Mibu Galuk is a shirt like a dress that is used
by men to cover their upper body. Like other
groups, these people also have a great place
for the Gamosa Dumer.

The Rabha Tribe

The people of the Rabha Tribe are deeply
attached to their traditions and have a unique
sense of dressing when it comes to the women
of the tribe. The men, however, follow the
common Assamese dressing code of Dhoti and
Gamosa. Though the people are doing some
alterations in the same, they seem to like the
native way of dressing in white ( or colourful)
dhoti and the long Gamosa that is one constant
in almost every tribe in the state.

AIRPORT

The state of Assam serves as the major gateway to the whole of the northeastern zone in India, so the
airports here are of extreme importance. There are a total of six airports in Assam, with one of them
serving international destinations as well. Mainly serving on a domestic basis are Mohanbari Airport,
Lilabari Airport, Salonibari Airport, Rowriah Airport and Kumbhirgram Airport. It is the Lokpriya Gopinath
Bordoloi International Airport of Guwahati that serves international destinations. Let us know more
about each of these six airports in Assam.