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Rolling plains with greenery as far as the eye can see, varied wildlife, bountiful natural resources wherever you look and cities and towns caught between the throes of modernizaton and tradition - welcome to Assam. Featuring two world heritage sites, diverse culture due to presence of many tribes and kingdoms throughout its long history, Assam has a lot to offer to the connoisseur of culture and tourism. Tourism in Assam is not as developed as compared to the rest of tourism hubs of the country and perhaps this adds to the charm as it provides as raw and as authentic a getaway as possible. Here we bring you ten things which Assam is most famous for and we are sure you didn't know about some of the things listed here. Have you heard about the indigenous eri and muga silk of Assam? Did you know that the longest ruling dynasty in India comes from Assam? Read on.
Bihu
Bihu marks the season of change and it is the state festival of Assam. Bihu is celebrated three times a year and has three different names namely Bhogali Bihu or Magh Bihu (in January) , Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu in April and Konglai bihu or Kati Bihu in December.
Pic credit: Wiki Commons
Kamakhya
A visit to Guwahati is incomplete without visiting the Kamakhya temple, one of the oldest among the 51 shakti peeths in the country and a temple dedicated to Goddess Kamakhya ( another form of Goddess Kali). Ambubachi Mela, in June, every year, is one of the festivals here that attracts devotees from across the country.
Pic credit: Wiki Commons
One Horned Rhinoceros
The famous one-horned rhino of Assam which is an endangered animal is unique to Assam and attracts tourists from across the world. Visit the world famous Kaziranga wildlife sanctuary to get a glimpse of these animals. Here is how to reach Kaziranga.
Pic Credit: Wiki Commons
Tea Gardens
For the average Assamese, life is unimaginable without a piping hot cup of tea. A cup of tea is welcome anytime during the day. The tea gardens of Assam have been detailed and praised in countless books and movies.Found in upper Assam, definitely try staying on or near a tea estate when you visit Assam.
Pic Credit: Wiki Commons
Majuli
The heart of Neo-Vaishnavite culture in Northeast, one of the largest river islands in Asia, Majuli is home to vaishnavite institutions known as Satras which propagate the teachings of the 15th century Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardeva.
Brahmaputra
The only male river of India, the Brahmaputra originates in Tibet and enters India from Arunachal Pradesh before entering Assam.
Bhoot Jolokia
One of the hottest chillis in the world, the Bhoot Jolokia literally translating to Ghost Chilli is also known as red naga chilli. It is cultivated in Assam, Nagaland and Manipur. In 2007, Guinness Book of World Records certified it as the world's hottest chilli, aposiion which has since then gone to the Carolina Reaper.
Assam Silk
Assam is also famous for its varieties of indigenous silk known as eri and muga. The dresses woven out of these silks known as mekhela sador are part of the traditional attire of the state.
Ahom Kings
The longest continously ruling dynasty of India which ruled for nearly 600 years, the Ahoms dynasty was established by Sukaphaa, a Shan prince from present day Mynmar and China. The rule of this dynasty ended in 1826 with the Burmese invasion of Assam which forced the Ahom king to seek British help. Subsequently it led to the British annnexation of Assam. The capital of the mighty Ahom kings, Sivasagar, has relics strewn around it. It could do well to be developed as a proper tourism destination.
Kaziranga
Besides being home to two-thirds of the world's one horned rhinoceros, it is also a world heritage site and also boasts the highest density of tigers among protected areas across the world. It is a vast expanse of comprising of forests, marshland and is criscrossed by the Brahmaputra and its tributaries.
Pic Credit: Wiki Commons