Majuli Island

Often called the soul of Assam, Majuli, the world’s largest river island lies at the heart of Assam and surrounded by the tumultuous water of Brahmaputra River spreading over an area of 421 sq. km. Majuli has been the cultural capital and the cradle of Assamese culture for the past five hundred years. The island has also been the hub of Assamese neo-Vaishnavite culture, initiated around 16th century by the great Assamese saint-reformer Srimanta Sankerdeva and his disciple Madhavdeva. They initiated the tradition of Satras 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.

The island has through ages have good learning centre for neo-Vaishnavite philosophy as well as dance, music, painting, sculpture and dramatics. Each of the existing 22 Satras is like a self-contained educational institution too, headed by a Satradhikar who is a learned scholar, writer, playwright, actor and performer, apart from being a social reformer.

Majuli welcomes you to a magical journey with beautiful landscapes around, peaceful nature of rural life and rich biodiversity of flora and fauna. It is a mystique place wrapped in its rich history and culture. A visit to Assam will surely be incomplete without travelling to Majuli.