Assam
Government
Capital
Dispur
Principal
Language
Assamese
Provisional
Numbers in Census 2011
Assam population as percentage
of India : 2.58%
Population in 2011 : 3 11 69 272
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 A.D.
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
A.D., 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 A.D. 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 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 37,515 km which includes
2,754 kms of National Highways. The
construction of 160 km of barbed wire
fencing and 27 kms of the border road
along the Indo-Bangladesh International
have been completed.
Railways:
The length of railway tract in Assam
is 2,284.28 kms comprising 1,227.16
kms under broad-gauge and 1,057.12
km under meter-gauge lines.
Aviation:
The regular civil air services operate
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).
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