ASSAM, INDIA'S TEA GROWING NORTHERN STATE

MĀJULI ISLAND
Mājuli is the biggest river island in the world,
formed by the Brahmaputra River in Assam
and also the 1 st island district of the country.
The island had a total area of 1,250 km 2 at the
beginning of the 20th century, but having lost
significantly to erosion it now has an area of
only 352 km 2 . However it is recognized by Guinness
Book of World Records as World’s Largest
River Island. Majuli is the nerve centre of neo-
Vaishnavite culture and has been included in
the World Heritage Sites of Unesco. Home to an
estimated 160,000 people of different ethnic
groups, the island is an assembly constituency
reserved for scheduled tribes.
Originally, the island was a long, narrow piece
of land called Majoli (land in the middle of
two parallel rivers) that had the Brahmaputra
flowing in the north and the Burhidihing
flowing in the south, till they met at Lakhu.
The dwellers of Mājuli are mostly of the Mising
tribes from Arunachal Pradesh who immigrated
here centuries ago. The island has 144
villages with a population of over 150,000. The
only mode of association to the outside world
is through a ferry service which operates six
times a day. The inhabitants are expert navigators
by boat; their expertise is most visible
during the monsoon season when they navigate
the turbulent waters of the Brahmaputra.
The main industry is agriculture, with paddy
being the chief crop. Mājuli has a rich and
diverse agricultural tradition, with as many as
100 varieties of rice grown, all without pesticides
or artificial fertilizers. Fishing, dairying,
pottery, handloom and boat-making are other
important economic activities. Handloom is a
major occupation among the distaff population
of the villages. Weaving is exquisite and
intricate with the use of a variety of colors and
textures of cotton and silk. The locals speak in
the Mising and Assamese languages.
Mājuli has been the cultural capital of Assamese
civilisation since the 16 th century; based
on written records describing the visit of Srimanta
Sankardeva - a 16 th century social reformer.
Sankardeva, a pioneer of the medieval-age
neo-Vaishnavite movement, preached a monotheist
form of Hinduism called Vaishnavism
and established monasteries and hermitages
known as satra on the islet. The island soon
became the leading center of Vaishavinism
with the establishment of these satras.
The satras set up preserve antiques like
weapons, utensils, jewellery and other items of
cultural significance. Pottery is made in Mājuli
from beaten clay and burnt in driftwood fired
kilns in the same mode carried out by the
peoples of the ancient Harrappan Civilisation.
Sociologists have stressed the preservation
of these unique peoples, whose culture and
dance forms are untouched by modernism.
Kamalabari Satra: The Kamalabari Satra,
founded by Bedulapadma Ata in 1595, is
a centre of art, cultural, literature and classical
studies on the island. Kamala means
orange and bari means garden, hence Kamalabri
means Orange Garden. Its branch the
Uttar Kamalabari Satra has performed cultural
programmes of the Satria Art all around the
country and abroad.
Auniati Satra: Founded by Niranjan Pathakdeva
in 1653, the satra is famous for the “Paalnaam”
and Apsara Dances and also its extensive
assortment of ancient Assamese artfacts,
utensils, jewellery and handicrafts. It also has
a hundred and twenty five disciples and over
seven hundred thousand followers worldwide.
Its name was derived from Auni Paan, a
kind of betel creeper plant found locally in the
town and Ati which means elevated place. The
presiding deity here is Lord Krishna, which is
referred to as Govinda.
Shamaguri Satra: The satra is famous for the
mask making in India.