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ASSAM

CAPITAL-DISPUR

LIST OF CHEIF MINISTERS OF ASSAM

#	NAME	TOOK OFFICE	LEFT OFFICE	PARTY
01	Gopinath Bordoloi	11 February 1946	06 August 1950	Indian National Congress
02	Bishnu Ram Medhi	09 August 1950	27 December 1957	Indian National Congress
03	Bimala Prasad Chaliha	28 December 1957	06 November 1970	Indian National Congress
04	Mohendra Mohan Choughury	11 November 1970	30 January 1972	Indian National Congress
05	Sarat Chandra Sinha	31 January 1972	12 March 1978	Indian National Congress
06	Golap Borbora	12 March 1978	04 September 1979	Janata Party
07	Jogendra Nath Hazarika	09 September 1979	11 December 1979	Janata Dal
	President's Rule	12 December 1979	05 December 1980
08	Anowara Taimur	06 December 1980	30 June 1981	Indian National Congress
	President's Rule	30 June 1981	13 January 1982
09	Kesab Chandra Gogoi	13 January 1982	19 March 1982	Indian National Congress
	President's Rule	19 March 1982	27 February 1983
10	Hiteswar Saikia	27 February 1983	23 December 1985	Indian National Congress
11	Prafulla Kumar Mahanta	24 December 1985	28 November 1990	Asom Gana Parishad
	President's Rule	28 November 1990	30 June 1991
12	Hiteswar Saikia [2]	30 June 1991	22 April 1996	Indian National Congress
13	Bhumidhar Barman	22 April 1996	14 May 1996	Indian National Congress
14	Prafulla Kumar Mahanta[2]	15 May 1996	17 May 2001	Asom Gana Parishad
15	Tarun Kumar Gogoi	17 May 2001	Present	Indian National Congress

ELECTED POLITICAL OFFICIALS OF ASSAM

Lok Sabha members of Assam

#	CONSTITUENCY	NAME OF MEMBERS	PARTY
01	Autonomous District (ST) (Assam)	Engti, Shri Biren Singh	Indian National Congress
02	Barpeta (Assam)	Khan, Shri Ismail Hussain	Indian National Congress
03	Dhubri (Assam)	Ajmal, Shri Badruddin	Assam United Democratic Front
04	Dibrugarh (Assam)	Ghatowar, Shri Paban Singh	Indian National Congress
05	Gauhati (Assam)	Chakravarty, Smt. Bijoya	Bharatiya Janata Party
06	Jorhat (Assam)	Handique, Shri Bijoya Krishna	Indian National Congress
07	Kaliabor (Assam)	Gogoi, Shri Dip	Indian National Congress
08	Karimganj (SC)(Assam)	Suklabaidya, Shri Lalit Mohan	Indian National Congress
09	Kokrajhar (ST)(Assam)	Bwiswmuthiary, Shri Sansumakhunggur	Bodoland Peoples Fornt
10	Lakhimpur (Assam)	Narah, Smt. Ranee	Indian National Congress
11	Mangaldoi (Assam)	Deka, Shri Ramen	Bharatiya Janata Party
12	Nawgong (Assam)	Gohain, Shri Rajen	Bharatiya Janata Party
13	Silchar (Assam)	Purkayastha, Shri Kabindra	Bharatiya Janata Party
14	Tezpur (Assam)	Toppo, Shri Joseph	Asom Gana Parishad

Rajya Sabha members of Assam

#	NAME OF MEMBERS	PARTY
01	Baishya Shri Birendra Prasad	AGP
02	Condpan Shri Silvius	INC
03	Daimary Shri Biswajit	BPF
04	Das Shri Kumar Deepak	AGP
05	Kalita Shri Bhubaneswar	INC
06	Singh Dr. Manmahan	INC
07	Taimur Smt. Syeda Anwara	INC

OCCUPATION

Assam is a northeastern state of India with its capital at Dispur. Located just below the eastern Himalayan foothills, it is surrounded by the other northeastern states: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya. Assam and its commercial capital Guwahati form the gateway to the northeastern states, together called the 'seven sisters'. These states are connected to the rest of India via Assam's border with West Bengal and a narrow strip called the "Chicken's Neck." Assam also shares international borders with Bhutan and Bangladesh. Situated between 90-96 degree East Longitute and 24-28 degree North Latitude, Assam is very rich in vegetation, forests and wildlife. The region also has a number of reserved forests, and one of them, Kaziranga, is the home of the rare Indian Rhinoceros. High rainfall, deforestation, and other factors have resulted in annual floods that cause widespread loss of life, livelihood and property. An earthquake prone region, Assam has experienced two large earthquakes in 1897 and 1950.

FOOD

DRESS

IMPORTANT PLACE

Guwahati-

Guwahati is also known as the commercial capital of Assam and trade center of the North-East. The best thing about the city is that any part of North-East is accessible from here. Umananda temple, Kamakhya Temple, Assam Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Assam State Museum are the major tourist attractions to see when one is at Guwahati. Located on the banks of Brahmaputra, the feel of the rural riverside is a contrast to the hustle and bustle of the Central Market area.

Main Attractions of Guwahati

Assam Zoo and Botanical Gardens-

These are open from September till March and its visiting time starts from seven in the morning upto four in the evening.

Assam State Museum-

It is open on weekdays except Mondays from ten till four thirty in the evening and on Sundays, the visiting timings are eight in the morning till noon.

Kamakhya Temple-

8 kms away from Guwahati and on the Nilachal hill, is the important temple of the goddess Kali. It represents the distinctive Assamese style in architecture and marks the place where one of the pieces of goddess Kali fell to Earth. The magnificent Brahmaputra and the city can be seen from a bird's view by walking a little further up the hill.

Majuli-

Situated 20 kms towards the north of Jorhat, this is the largest fresh water island in the world. This Island, that has a population of 1.6 lakhs, is also a natural habitat for the rare breeds of flora and fauna and serves as a migratory path for ducks, geese and other birds. For visiting Majuli one has to travel till Nimati Ghat(12 kms) and take a ferry ride to get there.

Sibsagar-

Sibsagar which is 60 kms away from Jorhat and 369 kms from Guwahati is the seat of Assamese culture from time immemorial. The Ahoms who ruled Assam for six centuries had Sibsagar as its capital and the number of historical monuments of the Ahoms are found in the region. It is also famous for Shivadol which is the tallest Shiva temple and the two smaller temples on either side of it for the Lord Vishnu and the Goddess Durga.

Excursions from Sibsagar

Situated at a distance of 369 kms from Guwahati, the place is one of the oldest towns in Assam and with a number of historical monuments which allow the tourist a glimpse into the past Assamese culture and grandeur. Jorhat (55 kms): The scenic beauty with vast and lush green tea gardens can be really worth visiting.

Dibrugarh (76 kms)-

This small but progressing town is located in Upper Assam and from here the best view of the majestic river Brahmaputra can be seen.
Apart from these excursions, some of the excursions that can be taken from Guwahati are Chandubi Lake(64 km), Orang (150 km), Tezpur (181 kms) and Basistha Ashram(12 kms).

Aziranga National Park-

Kaziranga National Park lies on the south bank of the Brahamaputra and its boundary for the most part follows the Mora Diphlu river and runs parallel to National Highway No. 37. It covers an area of 688 sq. kilometres. The Park was first established in 1908, as a reserve forest with only abouta dozen rhinos and was declared a National Park in 1974. Kaziranga is famous for the great One-Horned Rhinos. Click here for more.

Manas National Park-

Manas is situated in Assam spread over an area of 391 sq km, earlier it was known as North Kamrup, declared as a sanctuary on December 01, 1928. It was accorded the status of World Heritage Site in 1985. Manas houses 19 of India's most endangered animal populations. It has the largest population of tigers among Indian reserves. It is a home to the rare golden langur . The prominent fauna here are the rhino, wild buffalos, elephants, gaur, swamp deer, capped langur and clouded leopard. Click here for more.

Kamakhya Temple-

Guwahati's best known temple is Kamakhya Temple on Nilachal Hill, eight km west of the city. These temples honour the Mother Goddess Kamakhya, the essence of female energy . Kamakhya is one of the 51 Hindu 'Pithas' where as per the mythology the genital organ of the Sati (Parvati) - the eternal wife of Lord Shiva - had fallen down after death in one of her incarnations. It is considered as one of the most important centres of Shakti worship and Tantric Hinduism. The Temple was rebuilt in 1665 after being destroyed by Muslim invaders, but its origins are much older than that. It was probably an ancient Khasi sacrificial site, sacrifices are still very much part of worshipping here. Group of devotees arrive each morning with goats to offer to Shakti. It attracts pilgrims from all over India , especially during the Ambuchi Festivals which usually falls around July. This is a celebration of the end of the earth's menstrual cycle.

Da-Parbatia-

The ruins of the door frame of Da-Parbatia Temple is a few kms. from Tezpur town, is perhaps the finest and oldest specimen of sculptural or iconoclastic art in Assam. Its carving has the characteristics of the style of early Gupta School of sculpture. The door-jambs having two goddesses, Ganga and Yamuna, standing below with garlands in hands in artistic pose and elegance are decorated with beautiful ornamental foliage.

Mahabhairab Temple-

Mahabhairab Temple An ancient temple where King Bana worshipped Mahabhairab, another incarnation of Lord Shiva. A holy place for the religious minded.

Assam State Museum-

This archaeological, ethnographic and natural history museum has recently been enlarged and is well worth a visit. There are also good displays of weavings, musical instruments and large sculpture gallery. The museum is open daily except Monday, from 10 am to 4.15 pm (5 pm in summer). It's also closed on Sunday afternoon and on the second and fourth Saturday of each month. Click here for more.

Hajo-

This is the holy place where the three religions meet, Hindusim, Islam and Buddhism. It is positioned at a distance of 32 km away from Guwahati on the North bank of Brahmaputra. It has several temples, the chief among them being the temple of Hayagrib Madhab. There is a faith that this temple houses the relics of Lord Buddha. Whit a section of the Buddhist holds that Lord Buddha attained nirvana here. Large numbers of Bhutias pay a visit to this temple yearly during the winter season. There is also a mosque built by Pir Giasuddin Aulia and it is also said that it has one-fourth sanctity of Mecca and so is known as Poa Mecca.

Sualkuchi-

Situated at a distance of 24 kms. from Guwahati, Sualkuchi is a renowned centre of silk production and is particularly known for Muga - the golden silk of Assam which is not produced anywhere else in the world.

Chandubi Lake-

A natural lagoon and fine picnic spot which is 64 kms. from Guwahati. The lake and its surroundings, broken by cliffs and forests, is an ideal holiday resort and has the added attraction of fishing and rowing opportunities in the lake itself. The place is easily accessible by bus from Adabari, Guwahati. The best season to visit is from November to Apri.

Cole Park-

It is one of the most beautiful places in the Tezpur town. The park which was first established by a British Deputy Commissioner, Mr Cole, is the place for peace loving people. One can see here the two massive ornamented stone pillars and the sculptural remains of the famous Bamuni Hill.

Bhalukpung-

Surrounded by mystic blue hills and evergreen forest, Bhalukpung is situated on the bank of the river Jiabharali. It is famous for its unique natural beauty, angling and rafting. Far from the madding crowd Bhalukpung is a place of peace and tranquility. Other attractions of Bhalukpung are a hot spring and a big orchid garden at Tipi. It is only 56 kms. from Tezpur town.

Agnigarh-

Preserving the sweet memory of young lovers, Agnigarh or the rampart, surrounded by fire, is perhaps the most beautiful tourist spot of Tezpur. According to legend, Princess Usha, the only daughter of King Bana, was kept inside the palace which was surrounded by rampart of fire. The present Agnigarh, now only a hillock facing Brahmaputra, provides the tourist a soul touching panoramic view of both Brahmaputra and Tezpur.

Jatinga-

Jatinga, 9 kms. from Haflong is famous for the unexplained phenomenon of migratory birds 'committing mass suicide'. The migratory birds come during the month of August to November and it becomes the Orinthologists' attraction. From the elevated watch tower one can see them yielding to their death wish and their little plumage dropping down.

Maibong-

47 kms away from Haflong, on the banks of river Mahur lies the ruins of the once flourishing capital of the Dimasa Kachari Kingdom. A stone house and temple of Kachari kings can be seen at Maibong.

Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary-

Situated in the Morigaon district Pobitora is one of the major wildlife sanctuaries of Assam. It is about 50 km. from Guwahati City. Covering an area of 15.9 Sq. km., Pobitora is mainly famous for its Great Indian One-horned Rhinoceros. Other animals such as the Asiatic Buffalo, Leopard, Wild Bear, Civet Cat etc. have also found this sanctuary to be their ideal habitat. More than 200 birds and various reptiles are found in this sanctuary.

Orang Wildlife Sanctuary-

A miniature Kaziranga - covering an area of 72 sq. kms. The animals to be seen in this sanctuary are one - horned rhinoceros, elephants, leopard, sambar, barking deer, tiger, varieties of water birds, green pigeon, florican, teal, geese etc.

LANGUAGE

Assamese

Bodo

FESTIVALS

Bihu Festival-

This festival consists of three Bihu festivals; namely Rangali,celebrated in mid April; Bhogali Bihu, celebrated in mid January and Kati Bihu, celebrated in mid October. These festivals are full of enjoyment and feasts.

Elephant Festival

Celebrated in an attempt to conserve and protect the Asiatic elephants, Elephant festival is marked by various cultural activities. It is celebrated in February.

Majuli Festival

Celebrated in November, Majuli festival is full of cultural activities like dance, music and seminars. It has so much to offer – scenic beauty, tribal food, festival, rich wildlife, and beautiful flora. To let tourists make the best use of the visit to the Majuli festival, everyday sightseeing is organized in the morning during the festival.

Tea Festival

The combination of tea, music and fun, such is the Tea festival of Assam. It is held in November.

Brahmaputra Festival

Offering great opportunities of adventure sports, the Brahmaputra festival is celebrated at Brahmaputra beach. Elephant races, kite flying, wind surfing, rafting, canoing, para-dropping, hot air ballooning, kayaking, beach cricket and beach volley ball are the attractions of the festival.

Rongali Utsav-

Rongali Utsav is an enchanting festival of Assam celebrated with great fervour. It is related to season and agriculture. The advent of Spring marks the celebration of this festival which is also known as 'Bohag Bihu'.The most important Bihu of all the three, is celebrated in the month of Bohaag (middle of April), the first month of the Assamese calendar and thus marks the advent of the Assamese New Year. This Bihu is also known as Rongaali (‘Rong’ denoting joy in Assamese) Bihu due to the merriment that predominates the celebrations. This festival also coincides with the advent of the spring season in the state. Bihu Dance and Bihu Songs are the main features of this Bihu. Bohaag Bihu is celebrated over a period of several days. The first day of the Bihu is known as ‘Goru Bihu’ on which day the cows and bulls are given a ritual bath with ‘halodhi’, ‘maah’ with the accompanying song "Lao Kha, Bengena Kha, Bochore Bochore Badhi Ja".

Majuli Festival-

Packed with several cultural activities, Majuli Festival reflects the culture of Assam in the best possible way. Artists from across the country flock to Assam to participate in the cultural events of the festival.