Assam
So long hidden behind red tape, Assam's beauty is a fact that defies
imagination. The rarest of flora and fauna, blue hills and green tea, a
bustling capital and black oil, it is a beauty that soothes even as it
disturbs. Assam is bounded by Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan in the north,
Nagaland to the east, and Manipur and Mizoram to the south. In the south-west,
Assam touches the borders of West Bengal and Bangladesh.

In Guwahati, the commercial capital of Assam, the tour starts from Kamakhya
temple, Basistha Ashram, Zoo, Gita mandir, Nabagraha temple, Assam State
Museum. Assam is very rich in wildlife. There are three national parks and 12
wildlife sanctuaries of which Kaziranga and Manas are most well-known.


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Gateway To The Northeast: Guwahati, the industrial and commercial hub of Assam
is revered for its ancient Hindu temples. It spreads at the edge of the vast
moving, river-sea of the Brahmaputra. It's the service center for the oil
industry and tea plantations. The world's largest tea auctions are held in the
nearby city Dispur, the offcial state capital.

The People: The Assamese are a mixture of Mongolian-Tibetan, Aryan, and Burman
ethnic origins. Their language is akin to Bengali, spoken in West Bengal and in
Bangladesh. Since the late 19th century a vast number of immigrants from
Bangladesh have entered the valley, where they have settled to cultivate the
almost empty lands, particularly the low floodplains. The hilly margins of the
plain are inhabited by the hill tribes of the Garo, Khasi, and Hajong. The Bodo
are the largest minority group in Assam and are concentrated in the northern
areas of the Brahmaputra River valley.


Occupation: Agriculture is basic to Assam's economy. Rice is grown on about
two-thirds of the cultivated area; tea and jute are also important crops, and
their sale accounts for a major portion of Assam's income. Other significant
crops include oilseeds, peas, beans, canola (rapeseed), sugarcane, and fruits.
Oil and coal are found in upper Assam, and the state produces about one-sixth
of India's petroleum and natural gas.

Handicrafts: Artist and sculptors, masons and architects, and others practicing
minor crafts such as weavers, spinners, potters, goldsmiths, artisanns of
ivory, wood, bamboo, cane and hide flourished in Assam from ancient times.
Every household possesses a handloom used to produce silk and (or) cotton
clothes of exquisite designs. The Eri, Muga and Pat are the important silk
products of Assam.

CLIMATE: Assam has mild winters and warm summers. Summer is March to June and
monsoon from July to August. November to February is winter. Average
temperature is moderate, about 29 degress C in the hottest month of August. The
average valley temperature in January is 16 degrees C. The real force of the
monsoon winds is felt from June onward. Rainfall in Assam ranks among the
highest in the world; annual rainfall varies from 70 inches in the west to 120
inches in the east. Best season: February to May. TRAVEL KIT

Population: 25 million

Festivals: Assam observes Bhogali Bihu , Rongali Bihu, Kati Bihu, Janmashthami
and Durga Puja festivals. Rangali Bihu, the main Bihu festival, is in April.
This festival is essentially in celebration of a good harvest and is
accompanied with lively dances, music and feasting. Guwahati also celebrates
the Ambuchi Festival in July.


TOURISM OFFICES:
Tourist Information Officer, Directorate of Tourism, Station Road, Guwahati,
Assam-781001.

Tourist Information Officer, Assam House, 8, Russel Street, Calcutta, West
Bengal-71.

Tourist Information Officer, B-1, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, New Delhi-110001.

Kaziranga- Joint Director of Tourism, P.O Kaziranga National park, Dist.
Golaghat.