Assam Tourism

Assam is poised to become one of the greatest tourism hotspots in the days to come, as it has vast expanses of green natural surroundings and an abundant wildlife and bird-life. The famed tea gardens of Hathkhuli and Behora are among the prominent attractions that are visited by plenty of travelers every year. Many of them are all praise for the traditional "Bihu" folk dance which is performed during festive seasons or cultural events at some of the hotels and resorts. People who wish to shop for souvenirs and gift items can explore the stores that sell local handicrafts. Items such as local lady sarong and local shawl (gamcha) are among the most preferred articles that tourists of Assam purchase from such stores. In recent times, eco-tourism is gaining popularity among the travelers who come from different parts of the world to explore the flora and fauna of rainforests.
Of the various wildlife reserves in India, Kaziranga National Park has achieved tremendous success in conservation of endangered species. It is famous for one-horned rhinoceros, and has a significant population of this species in addition to different kinds of wild animals. Kaziranga is also a tiger reserve and bird sanctuary, having numerous species of resident and migratory birds. The famous Teak trees are found in the forests of this region, and add beauty to the marvelous surroundings that have been instrumental in attracting the attention of tourists worldwide. River cruises and a green eco-friendly environment are enjoyed by most of them, other than the wildlife safaris.
Great potential of Assam tourism is concealed in its rich culture, biodiversity, variety of animal and bird life, ancient temples and last but not the least many wildlife sanctuaries and reserves. Assamese culture is a mix pot of various cultural groups and ethnicities. The state with composite cultural pattern is reflected in its many colorful festivals, some of which are popular as tribal festivals. These tribal festivals make the celebrators forget their routine life varies and immerse in joy of festive celebrations. These tribal festivals are a mark of explicit tribal folk music and folk dances, which mesmerize the tourists with their simplicity and rich cultural background. Bihu, tribal dance, usually performed between January and November is the special entertainment for the tourists.

History
The history of Assam is the history of a confluence of people from the east, west and the north; the confluence of the Tibeto-Burman (Sino-Tibetan), Indo-Aryan and Austroasiatic cultures. Although invaded over the centuries, it was never a vassal or a colony to an external power until the third Burmese invasion in 1821, and, subsequently, the British ingress into Assam in 1824 during the First Anglo-Burmese War.
The Assamese history has been derived from multiple sources. The Ahom kingdom of medieval Assam maintained chronicles, called Buranjis, written in the Ahom and the Assamese languages. History of ancient Assam comes from a corpus of Kamarupa inscriptions on rock, copper plates, clay; royal grants, etc. that the Kamarupa kings issued during their reign. Protohistory has been reconstructed from folklore: epics like Mahabharata, and two medieval texts compiled in the Assam region—the Kalika Purana and the Yogini Tantra.
The history of Assam can be divided into four eras. The ancient era began in the 4th century with the mention of Kamarupa in Samudragupta's inscriptions on the Allahabad pillar and the establishment of the Kamarupa kingdom. The medieval era began with the attacks from the Bengal Sultanate, the first of which took place in 1206 by Bakhtiyar Khilji as mentioned in the Kanai-boroxiboa rock inscription, after the breakup of the ancient kingdom and the sprouting of medieval kingdoms and chieftain-ships in its place. The colonial era began with the establishment of British control after the Treaty of Yandaboo in 1826, and the post-colonial era began in 1947 after the Independence of India.

Fairs & Festivals
Assam is a land of fairs and festivals. Most of the festivals celebrated in Assam have their roots in the diverse faith and belief of her inhabitants, but a spirit of accommodation and togetherness characterizes the celebration of all festivals. The perfect fusion of heritage of her numerous races has made Assam the home of the most colorful festivals which are passionate, compelling and mesmerizing reflecting the true spirit, tradition and lifestlye of the people of Assam.
the people of Assam also celebrate all the national festivals of India. From the lights of Diwali to the patriotic colors of the Independence Day, you can see them all in Assam, India. So the next time you travel to Assam, time your visit in a way that you are able to be a part of some of its most colorful festivals.

Best Time to Visit
October to April are the best months to visit Assam. While Assam sweats in the scorching heat during Summers, the state experiences high rainfall and humidity during Monsoon. October to April, when the weather is pleasant with sunny days and cool nights, rainfall is moderate, and the paddy fields look resplendent, is the best time to visit Assam.

How to Reach :-

BY AIR - The main airport in Assam is the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati, the largest city of Assam. The airport links to major cities in India with daily flights. Other airports in Assam are at Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Tezpur and Silchar. Regular back and forth flights operate from these airports too.

BY RAIL - The North Eastern Railway zone of the Indian Railways connects the largest city of Assam, Guwahati and the rest of the country together. Guwahati is the railway headquarters of the northeast region. Travelers can reach conveniently to Assam via rail as it is well connected to all major cities of India. Some cities within the state are linked up through train services from Guwahati.

BY ROAD - Being the gateway of Northeast India, Assam has a well connected network of national highways and other roads to different cities and towns in and around the state. The National Highway Number 37, 31, 40, 38 and 52 connects Assam with other states in India. The State Transport and other private operators run daily bus services for commuters. Taxis and jeeps can also be hired for commuting within the state.

Tourist Attractions
Assam, the gateway to North East frontiers of India is one of the unexplored states of the country. Snuggled at the base of the Northeast Himalayas and nurtured by the mighty Brahmaputra River, it is one of the most beautiful places in India. The popular stopover for tourists on a North-east Indian sojourn, there are innumerable tourist attractions in Assam.