Geography of Assam

Assam can be subdivided into three different Geographical regions:
(i)The Brahmaputra Valley or The Assam Valley.
(ii)The Barak Valley or The Cachar Plain.
(iii) Central Hill Region or Karbi Hills and North Cachar Hill Region.

(i) The Brahmaputra Valley:

With the Himalayan Range in the North, the Garo and Khasi-Jayantia Hills, the Karbi Hills and the Naga Hills, the Brahmaputra Valley resembling a rift valley, nestles within. Though the valley resembles a rift valley, it actually is a Ramp'e. The valley looks like a long corridor. It is the remnant of the Tethys sea of the bygone days and has a gradient from the east to the west. Through this flows the mighty Brahmaputra. A number of small rivulets flow into the Brahmaputra from both the northern and southern direction.

Among the main rivers flowing in the northern direction are the Krishnai and Dudhnai in Goalpara district; Kulsi, Bharalu and Digaru in Kamrup district; Kapili in Nagaon district; Dhansiri and Kakodonga in Golaghat district; Bhogdoi, Jan ji, Dikhow and Disang in Jorhat and Sivasagar districts; and the Buridihing in Dibrugarh district.

Among the rivers flowing in the southern direction are Sankosh, Gadadhar, Saralbhanga,and Champawati in Kokrajhar district; Manas and Ai in Bongaigaon and Borpeta district;Puthimari, and Pagladia, inNalbari and Kamrup district andBornadi and Jia Dhansiri inDarrang district; Panch Nai, JiaBharali Dikorai„ Borgang are inSonitpur and Darrang district. In Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts Dikrong, Ranga Nadi, Subansiri and Jia Dhol are the rivulets, which flow through the two districts.

Subansiri, meaning the river of gold, is so called because there was once a time when people used to wash its sand and extract small pieces of gold from it. During the summer season, torrential downpour often causes the rivers in the north to swell in spate. The steep incline of the Himalayas makes the river rush into the valley flooding it and in the process these rivers frequently change their course. Due to these frequent changes and erratic flow of the river the local people have named these rivers as`pagla' meaning 'mad',e.g.,Pagladia, Jia Dhansiri, Jia Bhoroli, Bolia Dikrong etc.

Of the rivers named above, most form a boundary demarcating the different districts. Tourists visiting Assam who know about this demarcation can immediate!)identify which district they have entered. For example, the Son kosh river demarcates the State of West Bengal and Kokrajhar district of Assam; the Manas river demarcates Borpeta and Kokrajhar district; Puthimari river demarcates Nalbari and Kamrup district; Bor Nadi demarcates Kamrup and Darrang district; Panch Nal demarcates Darrang and Sonitpur district; Subansiri demarcates Lakhimpur and Dhemaji district; Buridihingdemarcates Dibrugarh andSivasagar district; Janji riverdemarcates Sivasagar and Jorhatdtstrict; Kakodonga demarcatesJorhat and Golaghat district;Kopili demarcates Karbi Anglongand North Cachar Hill districts.

Brahmaputra River

This river when flowing through Tibet is known by the name Tsang-Po. Its source is in the Tibetan Himalayas in Chemayung-Dungat Tamchuk Khambab Chorten.This is situated (approx) between 32 degrees 30 minutes and 82 degrees between Mansarovar and Mt. Kailash, about 92 miles (147 Km) from Parkha, which is a business center. This is also the source of the rivers Karnali and Satlej. From this place the river flows in an easterly direction through the barren plain land of southern Tibet and reaches Namcha Barwa (25,445 ft). From here the river takes a southwards turn and splits forming numerous waterfalls of various sizes and enters Assam through the deep mountain forests. The river while flowing through the Himalayas was known as Siang. As it enters the plains the two main rivers Dibang and Lohit join together to form the Brahmaputra.

The length of the river Tsang-Po in Tibet is approximately 1000miles (1600 Km ) till it takes the southward turn. This turn is just to the east of the 94 degrees east longitude. Near Pemako Chung the river forms a 30 ft (9m) high waterfall. Near Gayala a tributary joins the river and a 150 ft (45m) high waterfall, Shingchu-Chogye is formed. Taking the name Siang the river penetrates the Himalayas and drops from 7500ft (225m) taking a southward turn. In Sadiya (Assam) the incline to the sea is a mere 442ft (132.6m). The total length of the Brahmaputra is1800 miles (2900 Km), of which450 miles (720 Km) flows through Assam.

The Barak Valley

The Barak valley is also known as the Surma Valley or the Cachar Plain. This valley has two districts,the Cachar district and the Karimganj district. The Barai I Range acts as a divider between the Brahmaputra and the Barak Valley. Communication between the two districts though is a trifle tedious is quite entertaining. The rail journey is worth experiencing at least once. The Barak river traverses through the Barak valley and joins the Ganga Brahmaputra and takes a new name-the Meghna river. The river Meghna then falls into the Bay of Bengal.The source of the Barak river is near the Japbho Peak of Nagaland. In Manipur the river is known by the name of Barak. It traverses through Manipur in a South —westerly direction, before flowing in a northern direction along the border of Assam and Manipur. Turning in a westward direction near Silchar of the Cachar district, it takes the names of Surma and Kusiara rivers. The length of the river is 896 Km. (560 miles). The official language of the Barak valley is Bengali and the total land area of the valley is8476 Sq. Km.

The Central Highland

The Karbi Anglong district and the North Cachar Hill together form the Central highland.district. The Barail Range present in the districtis like a saddle. The two districts have their own autonomous Government. The Head quarter of Karbi Anglong is Diphu and that of the North Cachar Hills is Halflong. Halflong is Assam's only hill station.

The Barail Range, Halflong valley, Jatinga, are some of the scenic sights of Halflong which make it a tourist spot worth visiting. It is almost as if the Barail Range is cradling the two townships of Halflong and Jatinga.

According to the 1991 Census Karbi Anglong spreads over an area of 10434 Sq. Km and that of the North Cachar Hills is 1,49,346 Sq. Km.
The different tourist spots of Assam can be divided under different headings: viz, religious sights, historic sights and sights of natural beauty.

Laokhowa and Game Sanctuary

This sanctuary is on the banks of the river Brahmaputra and falls within the jurisdiction of the Nagaon district. The famous one-horned rhinoceros is found here.

Pabitara Wild life Sanctuary

This sanctuary falls in the Morigaon district . The one-horned rhinoceros is also found here.

Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary

This sanctuary is on the western part of the Sonitpur district near the Himalayan foothills. It is the home of the royal bengal tiger and the horn-bill.

Garampani Wildlife Sanctuary

This sanctuary falls on the:order of the Golaghat district and
Karbi Anglong district. Different species of birds are found here. It is also the home of the endangered Golden Langur. A small waterfall, named Phatasil can be found in this sanctuary.

Pani Dihing Bird Sanctuary

This bird sanctuary is found in the north — eastern direction of the Sivasagar district on the banks of the river Brahmaputra This sanctuary is famous for many rare birds. During winter the cacophony of the migratory birds fill the air as they start arriving in batch.

ASSAM

                                  Geography

 

Date of formation                               26 Jan. 1950
Area                                                 78,438 sqkm.
Capital                                              Dispur
Population                                         2,66,38,407;
Males                                               13,787,799;
Females                                            12,850,608
Urban Population                                 12.72%;
(a)Population Density                           340
(b)Sex Ratio                                       932.
Literacy                                             64.28%,
Males                                                71.93;
Females                                             56.03
No. of District                                     23

 

Location:
Situated within the latitudes 90-96 degrees East and 20-30 degrees West, Assam is bounded by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh in the North;Nagaland and Manipur in the East;Mizoram, Tripura, Bangladesh and Meghalaya in the South and South-west; and West Bengal in the West.

Climate
Assam enjoys primarily a Monsoon type of climate. The weather may be categorized into six different seasons. They are: the summer, rainy, autumn, winter and the spring season. The India Meteorological Department, on the other hand has sub-divided the climate of Assam into four different seasons: the pre-monsoon season,doe monsoon season, the retreated monsoon and the winter season.

Here the pre-monsoon season is the spring season, the monsoon season can be sub- divided into two parts-the summer and the rainy season and the retreated monsoon and the autumn season; and the winter season. However, the common people take into consideration only two seasons - the summer season and the winter season. In these two seasons two different types of crops are cultivated — the Kharif crop and the Rabi crop.

During the rainy season, due to excessive rainfall floods often inundate Assam. This season is thus not very conducive for tourists.The ideal time for tourists is from October to April.

What is Assam?

The word Assam means unique or peerless. Assam, as a destination corresponds to a world of contrasts and stimulation with each place of the state having something incredible to offer. Some people call it a magic land while others call it a green paradise. There is hardly any other state which has such great variety and color in its natural panorama and in the enlightening treasures of the people that inhabit it. The mighty Brahmaputra River that has its source in Tibet winds its majestic course through this state. This unfathomable land of blue hills and the red river is renowned for its vast stretches of lush green teagardens, rich, varied flora and fauna, not forgetting the world famous one horned rhinoceros. The human landscape too is as vibrant as her physiography. This land has been the gathering ground of diverse ethnic groups and cultural streams since time immemorial.

CHAU-LUNG SIU-KA-PHA -- The First Ahom King

Sukapha

The advent of Chau-Lung Siu-Ka-Pha into the North-East Region of India is undeniably a turning point in the annals of history.

History says that on 1228 A.D., Chau-Lung Siu-Ka-Pha led an expedition of group of farmers from a small place called Mungmoulung situated between Unan in South China and the north of North Myanmar, in search of agricultural land at `Daikau Rang' (Patkai Parbat). At the sight of the fields laden with rich crops and harvests the team named the land Mung-Dun-Sun-Kham i.e. or the country full of golden gardens. This was indeed the very first link between South China and North-East India.

Kam-peeth, Ratna-peeth, Swarna-peeth and Soumar-peeth are the 4 zonal districts which comprised Kamrup in those days. Every zone was governed by one or more tribal king and was considered as seperate independent states. Sukapha established a powerful united feudalastic state within Kamrup through his board scheme "establishing one state by uniting all the states". Since then Kamrup was renamed as ASSAM. The presence of the Tais Ahoms had done the atypical of social amalgamation emphatic in between the migrant races of Austrics, Caucasians, Drabirs and Mongoloids.

Though at the beginning, Sukapha resorted to brutal means to subjugate the hostile Nagas of Patkai yet he later realized that war and bloodshed are not effective means to earn the love of the people. Hence, competent and capable, Chu-Lung-Siu-Ka-Pha established his regin by bringing about the harmony of the diverse tribes and communities inhabiting the land. Despite the various odds that affected them, the team led by Chau-Lung-Siu-Ka-Pha, the fact that they established their rule bears testimony to his bravery, valour, his strong personality and leadership qualities.

Being a shrewd political leader, he did not take the path of warfare and bloodshed and instead resorted to winning the hearts of the indigenous people of the land and he succeeded in his mission too.The way he succeeded in acquiring Charaideo, as a dowry gift from the Moran-Barahi Kings prove his competence in making friends with the people of the land.

During those days, Assam was imbued with petty fights and quarrels among the various independent states. Sukapha, being an efficient administrator with a sound knowledge of warfare, integrated the indigenous tribes and present-day Assam is the result of this amalgamation. The Ahom rulers after him were able rulers too, apart from giving Assam a good and strong government and keeping the country in peace and prosperity, also steered in an era of civil contractions. Most of the surviving relics of the Ahom period are found mainly in Sibsagar and Jorhat districts. They are not of gigantic size but are unpretentious and pragmatic in their construction techniques.

Chau-Lung-Siu-Ka-Pha was aware of the fact that in order to run a country smoothly, there is the need to have inherent unity and discipline among the people. Only then, can the country hope to defend itself from external aggression.

Apart from ushering in the rich legacies of the Moung Mao kingdom like their affluent religious traditions, their worship of gods and goddesses, their administrative skills, a festival like Me-Dam-Me-Phe offering tribute to their ancestors, the Maidam culture, the rearing of Eri and Muga cocoons, the promotion of Bihu, the Pepa, the Jura Naams, their agricultural system, their building of dams, and the prevalence of the Paik system, Sukapha and his predecessors also encouraged learning and scholars were abound in his court. It was indeed Chau-Lung-Siu-Ka-Pha who initiated the writing of History in a chronological manner for the first time in Assam.

Chau-Lung-Siu-Ka-Pha was credited to another important breakthrough in the history of Assam; he was the first Ahom king who discovered the sources of iron deposits in Assam. In the course of his war with the Morans, Chutiyas and Barahis, he drank water from various rivers. He discovered that the water of the Dikhow was heavier than the other rivers.

In order to discover the cause of the heaviness of the water, he ascended upstream. He established his capital at Charaideo Hill as he found it appealing. Charaideo is the regional capital of the Ahoms, which is even today famous for its maidams, or burial vaults of kings and other royal family members. Siu-Ka-Pha initiated the smelting of iron ores and manufactured iron implements. The hill was called TiruHill.

In Tai language the meaning of tiruis the place where iron was smelted (ti means smelting of iron, while ru is caves). There was a small hill stream flowing through this area and this stream was also called Tiru. This stream ultimately drains into the Dikhow. Siu-Ka-Pha established villages of iron smelters, including iron-smelting workshops, in this area. After that a long tradition of material iron culture began.

The demise of Siu-Ka-Pha in 1268 was in fact a heavy loss to the people of Assam, yet it also marked the beginning of the Ahom reign, which encompassed almost 600 years.

About Assam

Assam is one of the prominent States of the North-East India.The geographical region of the North-East India includes Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram. In 2002, Sikkim was declared as the 22nd Indian State on 16th May, 1975. These eight states are called the North-East India also known as Seven Sisters. Taking Shillong as its capital up to the Sixty's decade the whole North-East was considered as one country. The English people called Shillong "The Scotland of the East". Manipur, Tripura and Mizoram were under central governed territory and Arunachal Pradesh was called North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) and all the state were collectively known as Assam. In 1961 the Nagapahar district was declared a state, Nagaland and on the 1st December 1963 it was declared centrally. Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram on 20th February in 1987. Manipur and Tripura got the full fledged state on the 21st January in 1972 and formed their own government. Since then the map Bor Asom' has been changed.


The word Assam means unique or peerless. Assam, as a destination corresponds to a world of contrasts and stimulation with each place of the state having something incredible to offer. Some people call it a magic land while others call it a green paradise. There is hardly any other state which has such great variety and colour in its natural panorama and in the enlightening treasures of the people that inhabit it. The mighty Brahmaputra River that originates from China-Tibet threads majestic course through this state. This unfathomable land of blue hills and the red river is famous for its vast extends lush green tea gardens, rich, varied flora and fauna, worth mentioning the world famous one horned rhinoceros. The human landscape is too as vibrant as her physiography. This land has been the gathering ground of diverse ethnic groups and cultural streams since time immemorial.