Majuli Island
Encounter with Puzzles, People & Philosophy
Majuli is an excellent example of the mighty Brahmaputra's continually shifting puzzle. Known as the world's largest river island, Majuli covers a large area of approximately 1,250 square kilometres. Being a place in perpetual threat of losing itself to erosion, it keeps changing its shape and size. Although Majuli boasts a unique landscape, much of its beauty disappears every year during rains. Things that make this island a perfect getaway for thousands of people are its sparkling carpet of radiant rice fields, refreshing serenity all around, exciting birding opportunities and water meadows teeming with wild orchids.
Earlier, this used to be a narrow strip of land widely referred to as Majoli, which means a piece of land amid two parallel rivers. Majuli had the Brahmaputra flowing in the north, and it had the Burhidihing in the south. They ran parallel until bumping into each other at Lakhu. According to the historical texts and folk literature, it survived frequent earthquakes during 1661–1696 that resulted in a calamitous flood in 1750. It is said to have continued for long fifteen days. This introduced significant topographical changes in this area, and one of them is the formation of Majuli Island.
But a trip to Majuli not only delights you with natural amazements. A journey to this island is filled with myths and mysteries. Besides spending time amid serene seclusion, lazing around under the deep blue sky, and observing the calm life of the birds and the people, you can learn a lot about Indian tradition and philosophy. And this is an exclusive feature Majuli Island offers to make your trip more vibrant. There is a legend associated with this place. Maybe its heavenly beauty is one reason for believing that Lord Krishna, a popular deity of the Hindu religion, used a play on the sandbanks with his friends. The legend has beckoned his followers over the period. It became an important centre of Vaishnavism in the medieval age. As per records, Srimanta Sankardeva, a pioneer of the Neo-Vaishnavite Movement in Assam, introduced a new form of Hinduism here in the sixteenth century by establishing monasteries and hermitages famously known as satras on the islet. Majuli was also celebrated as the cultural capital of the Assamese civilization during this period.
