Assam Tourism

Guwahati

    The economic and political center of Assam, as well as the entirety of the Seven Sister States region of Eastern India, Guwahati enjoys a standard of living significantly better than most of India.  It is the center of the state's oil and manufacturing industries and is a good embarking point for many nearby sites.  Guwahati is ringed by hundreds of Assamese, Bodo, Tiwa, Khasi, Karbi villages that are often of interest to tourists, and has markets for anyone interested in doing some shopping.  The village of Sualkuchi, just outside the city, has a thousand year old tradition of silk weaving worthy of notice.  The city is bisected by the massive Brahmaputra river.  Trips to the towns of Tawang in Arunchal Pradesh and Shillong in Meghalaya are easily arranged too.

    Kaziranga National Park

    Guwahati is close to Kaziranga National Park, a World Heritage Site and the home to two-thirds of every One-horned Rhinoceros on earth.  It also has many tigers, and has large herds of elephants, water buffalo, and swamp deer.  It is located on the banks of the Brahmaputra river.
    Tourists visiting the park can explore it via Jeep or on the back of an elephant, but hiking is not allowed because of the high density of tigers in the area.  Interpreters are available to facilitate learning in the park, and there are visitor lodges at the park as well.  Kaziranga National Park is a gem of what wildlife once covered the whole of the subcontinent, and its 166 square miles have tons of wildlife to see.  The park is closed, however, during Monsoon season because of very heavy rains.

Manas National Park

Densely forested Manas National Park is also a short trip away from Guhawati.  Located in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas, this park, also on the Brahmaputra river, serves as a tiger reserve as well as a home of elephants, rhinoceroses, water buffalo, leopards, gibbons, bears, as well as endemic and endangered species such as the Pygmy Hog.  The park is divided between its famous forests and its large, wild grasslands.


Sibsagar

    The ancient capital of the 600 year Ahom empire, Sibsagar is covered with ruins.  The town is built around a small lake, called Borpukhuri, whcih is surrounded by temples, first and foremost the towering Sivadol temple, dating to 1734.  Walking around the lake is a great way to see the numerous ruins as well as walk across the Namdang bridge, sculpted from a single giant rock.  Sibsagar is also a great town to visit a tea factory, and since Assam produces the most of the country's tea, this is the place to see it.


Tezpur

    While Guhuwati acts as the political and economic hub of the state, Tezpur has long been the cultural center.  It is an educational locus in the state. It has many parks, shrines, and temples, and is a very relaxing place to rest, as well as being a good embarking point to Nameri and Orang National Parks, renowned for the elephants and rhinoceroses.

Assam History and Culture

    Assam's history is a melting pot of different people's coming together from west, east, and north.  It has been a distinct entity for thousands of years, with the first kingdom, the Kamarupa, arising in the 4th century.  The Kamarupa empire lasted for hundreds of years and withstood dozens of invasions.  Dozens of other kingdoms came and went over the years, giving the area a history of independence culminating in the Assamese kingdom of Ahom's successful victory over the Mughals in the battles of Saraighat and Itakhuli, which ended the powerful Mughal's expansion in the east.  
    Assam's independence ended when Burma successfully invaded it in the 19th century, but Burmese rule would not last long as a mere couple of years later Burma itself was annexed by the emerging British empire in India.  It was part of the Bengal Presidency in British India, governed from Kolkata, before becoming its own province.  After Indian independence, Assam was divided into linguistic boundaries, with Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura, Manipur, and Meghalaya breaking away to make their own states, and one part joining the recently created East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
    Since Indian independence, the region has had its share of difficulties.  Frequent political strife in Bangladesh has led to a large population of expatriates.  Several armed separatist groups exist in the country, like the United Liberation front of Asom and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland, both embodying linguistic nationalism for the major languages in the state, Assamese and Bodo.  Recently, there have been a series of car bomb terrorist attacks in the state, and while tourists are largely left alone, care should be taken when visiting some areas, particularly rural ones far from central authorities.
    The periodic violence does not take away from the beautiful scenery of the state.  Assam is famous for its tea and the enormous emerald tea fields of the state are quite idyllic.  There are many national parks in the state as well, making it a premier tourist destination for anyone interested in Indian wildlife, and the endangered Indian Rhino has seen a comeback lately due to efforts of the Assamese government.
    Culturally, it is one of the most diverse states of India, and this diversity has led to its nickname of "India in miniature".  Many, indeed most, people are bilingual, but the major tongues are Assamese and Bodo, with dozens of smaller tribal languages spoken throughout.  Bengali is also spoken in the southern and western parts of the state because of its proximity to Bangladesh.  
    Assam has one of the highest percentages of Muslims in India at 30% of its population, and also has a sizable Christian community.
    The state is famous for its hospitality, as Assamese culture emphasizes being a good host.  Many people chew betel nuts and leaves, a cultural habit similar to chewing tobacco in its effects.  Beautiful silk garments are worn during the region's many festivals, and these can be purchased in the markets of virtually any city by tourists.  
    The Assamese are very proud of their folk music, crafts (especially silk and bamboo), fine guns, boats, paintings, and dance.  Finding a good show is not hard to come by in the state and there is always some sort of entertainment in its cities' streets.