Majuli Island Assam, Area, River

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Majuli Island Latest News

A recent six-day survey conducted on the escalating human-wildlife conflict (HWC) in the Majuli River Island district of Assam sparks concern.

Often called the soul of Assam, Majuli is the world’s largest river island.
It lies at the heart of Assam, spreading over an area of 421 sq. km.
The island is formed by the Brahmaputra River in the south and the Kherkutia Xuti, an anabranch of the Brahmaputra, joined by the Subansiri River in the north.
In 2016 it became the first island to be made a district in India.
The island’s landscape is characterised by lush greenery, water bodies, and paddy fields.
The island has also been the hub of Assamese neo-Vaishnavite culture, initiated around the 16th century by the great Assamese saint-reformer Srimanta Sankerdeva and his disciple Madhavdeva.
- They initiated the tradition of Satras (monastic institutions), and these Satras have preserved Sattriya dance, literature, bhaona (theatre), dance forms, mask making, and boat-making.
Most of the islanders belong to three tribes-Mishing, Deori, and Sonowal Kachari, with the non-tribal Assamese comprising the rest.
Apart from Satras or Vaishnavite monasteries, Majuli is famous for mask-making and has a tradition of pottery making.
Rice cultivation is the primary livelihood for the residents of Majuli, with several unique varieties of rice, such as Komal Saul and Bao Dhan, grown in the region.