Chandubi Lake.

Chandubi Lake is a major tourist attraction in Assam. It is located 65 km far from the state capital Guwahati. The beauty of the lake is mesmerizing especially on a sunny day. The number of tourists that visit Chandubi is high every year. This is one of the chief tourist attractions in Assam. One can spend a clam day on the lake fishing. The authority also permits tourists to engage in rowing. The lake is easy accessible by road from Guwahati as there are several buses in regular intervals. The best time to visit Chandubi Lake is during the month of November to April. The lake is ideally suitable for recreation or picnic.

The nearest airport and railway station is in Guwahati and there are several hotels and resorts in Guwahati where tourists can stay and enjoy sightseeing.

Haflong

Haflong is a hill town with picturesque landscape of green mountains with blue orchards, misty and cold weather and silent lakes. The Hill town is quite hideout for those who want a break from busy city routines. The pineapple and orange farms adds beauty to this small town. Haflong is one of the most beautiful hill stations in Assam. This dream land is located 680m above the sea level. Dimashi is the main language spoken here. Haflong in the native language means ‘White ant’s hillock’. The Haflong Lake is situated at the heart of the town. Different tribal groups with different religions coexist here in harmony. The greatest attraction in Haflong is the Jatinga Bird Sanctuary. This is a place with lots of mysteries and unexplained phenomena. Like the famous Bermuda Triangle, the Jatinga Bird Sanctuary is also famous for the mystery that surrounds it. During a particular seasons migratory birds comes to this place to ‘commit suicide’. The reason behind this unexplained phenomenon is still unknown. This phenomenon doesn’t happen in all the valley, it only occur in a tiny strip of 1.5 km long and 200ms wide area.

The nearest airport to Haflong is, Barapani near Shillong. Lower Haflong has a railway station for those who prefer train to reach Haflong. There are a couple of hotels and general resorts in Haflong for over night stays.

Crafts of Assam

The state has its own style of traditional handicraft making. Assam handicrafts are of different varieties, some are made of bamboo, while some with bronze, silk, cotton, clay, Terracotta, ivory etc. the handicrafts of Assam are unique and should not be missed. Cane and bamboo crafts are the most common and often found in street shops which include daily household items like furniture, musical instruments, weaving equipments, fishing accessories etc. Hajo and Sarthebari are the most famous centres for traditional bronze crafts like bells. There are different varieties of silks produced in Assam like the Muga- the natural golden silk, Pat- silver coloured silk, Eri- silk used to make warm cloths during winter seasons. The toys and masks made in Assam have its own signature written all over it. Jewellery, pottery, terracotta works are all worth a buy.

There are several options to reach Assam, the best and easiest means is through air. The state has an international airport in Guwahati and other small airports in Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Tezpur, North Lakhimpur and Silchar. The national railway systems also have a good network of railheads connecting the state with other parts of the country. Staying in Assam will not be a matter of concern as there are several hotels and resorts in the state.

Manas National Park

Manas is one of the best National Parks in India; it is a World Heritage site, and one of the National Parks included in Project Tiger. The only natural habitat of one horned India Rhinoceros after Kaziranga. It is also a natural store house for a wide range of wild life. Manas is dotted on the foothills of Himalayas, bordering Assam and Bhutan. It is really a slice of Paradise preserving several endangered species from extinction. Manas National Park is also blessed with some rare species of orchids to add its beauty. The other species of animals found here are Elephants, Golden Langur, Red Pandas, Pygmy Hog, Clouded Panther, Gaur, Wild Buffalo, Swamp Deer, Hog Deer etc. Manas is 179 kms away from Guwahati, the state capital. The Borihar airport is just 5kms from the National Park. A cab or auto rickshaw can take you to this jungle of excitement and adventure. Nearest railway station is in Barpeta and for tourists who wish to stay and enjoy jungle safari can stay in several wildlife resorts near the destination.

Majuli Island- Untouched gift of nature

One of the greatest attractions in Assam is the Majuli river island. Any travelers who wish to visit Assam should never miss an evening in Majuli. It is the largest river island in the world. The entire island is a pollution free fresh water island, probably the one of a kind destination in the entire country.

Majuli is 20 km from Jorhat town, Assam; it is also a heritage site. Jorhat is accessible by air, with daily flights to Guwahati apart from four flights a week from Calcutta.  It is a pleasant 7 hour bus ride from Guwahati to Jorhat. Tourists can avail Bus services either by early morning or night.

Majuli is also home for several migrating as well as local birds. Bird watching is a common activity for tourists who visit Majuli. There are several monasteries and satras which depict the cultural richness of Assam. The only hurdle in visiting Majuli is there are only 2resorts for over night stay except a few Satras which have guest rooms. One can take a boat and cruise in between the beautiful river overlooking the Majuli island, watch beautiful birds, visit houses in the shores of the island, interact with the villagers, watch them cultivate and weaving. This will be a very special experience far better than any luxurious cruise.

Kaziranga National Park- Land of the Rhinos

Assam is at the crossroads of the North East states. This is the gateway where the tourists split to different other North East states- one of the most popular among the ‘Seven sisters’. Assam is not only strategically important but also significant for its unique attractive features. This small state is so blessed with its natural beauty that it is difficult to ignore this place in any North East tour itinerary. Kaziranga National park is one of the most important of all tourist destinations in Assam.

Today Kaziranga and Manas are the only natural habitat for the one horned Indian Rhinoceros in India. It is the home for many other wild animals too. This beautiful grassland is listed as a world heritage site since 1985. Elephant safari through Kaziranga is once in a lifetime experience. Jorhat is the nearest airport to reach Kaziranga and Furkating is the nearest Railway station. These two places are well connected by road to the National Park. There are a couple of wildlife resorts in Kaziranga for those who prefer to spend some time in the wild.

Tea plantations in Assam

Camellia sinensis (a tea plant species) was discovered during 1834. The  Britishers encouraged private companies to rent land for growing tea since 1839. Assam is the land with soil and climate that is most suited to grow tea plantations.

Initially the plantations were observed by growing different hybrid varieties of Assamese & Chinese crops. However, the planters later accepted the local Camellia assamica as the most suitable one for Assam. The tea industry saw substantial progress with invention of new technologies and machinery for preparing processed tea during 1870s.

The Indian Tea Association was formed during 1888 by the tea growers and has succeeded in improving the conditions of the labourers post Indian independence.

Bihu, The festival of agriculture

The national festival of the Assamese is Bihu. This festival is celebrated irrespective of caste, creed or religion, by all people in Assam. The festival is related to agriculture, as paddy is the principal crop of Assamese. The festival is observed when the sun passes from one zodiac sign to another, i.e. during Shankranti day in January.

The Bihu festival is celebrated in three stages of cultivation – Bahag (Baisakh) Bihu, Kati (Kartika) Bihu and Magh (Magha) Bihu. The Bahag  Bihu, a spring festival is called  Rangali Bihu or the cheerful Bihu. Kati Bihu is observed on the last day of Aswin, also called the Kangali or Beggars bihu, for there is nothing much to eat at this time. Magh Bihu is the Bhogali Bihu or the Bihu that one enjoys with food and drink.

Gee’s Golden Langur, An endangered primate species

Gee’s Golden Langur, or simply the Golden Langur, is found in a small region of western Assam, India and in the neighboring foothills of the Black Mountains of Bhutan. It is one of the most endangered primate species of India.

The features of Golden Langur include its rich golden to bright creamish hair, a black face and a very long tail measuring up to 50 cm in length. They are usually confined to high trees. Its long tail serves as a balancer when it leaps across branches.

They are herbivorous and feed on all fruits, leaves, seeds, buds and flowers.

It generally lives in troops of about 8 (but sometimes up to 50) with several females to each adult male.

Tezpur: Place Of Eternal Romance

The word ‘Tez’ means blood and ‘pur’ means town. The name literally means town of blood. The name is derived from the war between Lord Krishna and King Banasura’s army.

Tezpur in Assam is situated on the banks of river Brahmaputra, in Sonitpur district. Tezpur has a significant place in history. Situated on the north bank of the river Brahmaputra, Tezpur in Assam is a town of magnificent scenic beauty and outstanding archaeological ruins. Flourishing green valleys surrounded by hills of Arunachal Pradesh, with snow covered peaks of Himalaya as the northern backdrop, lavish tea gardens and magnificent archeological ruins have all contributed to make Tezpur a tourist’s delight. Tezpur is considered as one of the most beautiful towns of Assam.