Majuli Island

Majuli Island Latest News

In a village of Majuli Island local residents have discovered a remarkable way to combat riverbank erosion by planting Kanchan trees along the Brahmaputra River.

About Majuli Island

• It is the world’s largest river island located in Assam.
• The island is formed by the Brahmaputra River in the south and the Kherkutia Xuti, a  branch of the Brahmaputra, joined by the Subansiri River in the north.
• The island’s landscape is characterised by lush greenery, water bodies, and paddy fields.
• 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.
• Most of the islanders belong to three tribes-Mishing, Deori, and Sonowal Kachari, with the non-tribal Assamese comprising the rest.
• 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. 
• Apart from Satras or Vaishnavite monasteries, Majuli is famous for mask-making and has a tradition of pottery making.

Source: ET

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