Assam State: Overview
Assam is a land of scenic beauty, which yet has unexplored mountain ranges, evergreen forests, rare wildlife mesh of rivers dominated by the Brahmaputra and Barak, expansive tea gardens, oilfields, varied fairs and festivals and pilgrims’ trails. Located in North East India, between the latitude of 24° and 28°N and longitude of 90° and 96°E and at the south of the eastern Himalayas, Assam or Axom has an area of 78,440 sq. km. Squeezed amidst the young mountains in upper and south Assam and old mountains in lower Assam are the valleys of Brahmaputra and Barak rivers. Geographically, Assam is connected to the rest of India via a 22-km land strip in West Bengal, popularly known as ‘Chicken’s Neck’, near Siliguri. Assam shares an international border with Bhutan and Bangladesh.
Assam is mainly an agricultural state, where generally two varieties of paddy, namely winter paddy and autumn paddy, are grown. Jute is also cultivated in the low-lying areas. The major industries in the state are petroleum and natural gas, coal,limestone,granite,tea,andtourism.Someotherindustries are fertilisers, sugar, paper, rice mills, food-processing and sericulture. Some traditional industries are bell-metal works, bamboo and cane works, spinning of endi, muga and paat silk, wood-carving, carpentry, metal work, pottery, weaving, etc.
Assam has a rich tradition of crafts. Cane and bamboo craft, bell-metal and brass craft, toy and mask- making, ivory work, pottery and terracotta work, wood craft, jewellery making, and musical instrument making have remained as major traditions. To know more about Assam state check out:
• Important Symbols • Important National Parks • Important Festivals and Fairs • Rivers and Lakes • Important Hills and Mountains • Geography GK • History GK • Polity GK • Frequently Asked Questions in APPSC exams
History of Assam
The earliest name of Assam was ‘Pragjyotisha’ and its capital ‘Pragjyotishpur’ means ‘Eastern Light.’ The region came to be known as ‘Kamrup’ later during the Puranic times after the name of Kamdeva, the God of Love. Some attribute the origin of the word Assam to the Ahoms, who ruled the state for 600 years, while some believe that its ‘uneven’ (asam) topography, comprising hills and plains, gave it the name Assam.
From the fourth century A.D., we have a much clearer picture of the history of Assam with the help of available sources. Yuan Chwang’s (Hiuen Tsang) travel accounts reveal that Pusyavarman of the Varman Dynasty ruled Kamrup during that period. He was followed by other kings till the seventh century, when Bhaskaravarman (the contemporary of Harshavardhan) came to rule as the last king. After the Varmans, three other dynasties ruled Kamrup, beginning with Salastambha, followed by the Palas and then, the Khens. It is during the rule of the Khens that the Mughals first invaded Assam.
Assam’s contribution to India’s Freedom Struggle:
Assam’s contribution to the freedom struggle was evident from the days of Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Maniram Dewan, the first Assamese tea planter was interested in establishing private tea plantations in Assam. Due to the opposition faced from the British in establishing private tea plantations, he became hostile to the British and revolted by opposing their policies. When the Indian sepoys started an uprising against the British, he could see an opportunity, and together with other activists like Piyali Baruah, he conspired against the British. Unfortunately, their conspiracy came to light and he along with other leaders was arrested. Maniram Dewan and Piyali Baruah were publicly hanged by the British for conspiring against them during the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny. Their death was widely mourned in Assam and resulted in an open uprising, which was suppressed brutally.At the turn of the century (1920), Assam joined the freedom movement led by Mahatma Gandhi. Assamese patriots like Tarun Ram Phukan, Nabin Chandra Bordoloi, Hem Baruah and others joined the National struggle for Independence. Even in the 1942 Quit India Movement, a number of martyrs laid down their lives, of which special mention may be made of Kanaklata, a teenaged girl who died in police firing while trying to hoist the National Flag at the police station of Gohpur. Kushal Konwar, another young freedom fighter, was falsely implicated in a train derailment case by the Britishers and was executed. Besides these, other incidents like destruction of a military air strip at Sorbhog by local villagers took place. In this way, people of different ethnic groups residing in Assam jointly participated in the freedom struggle. After Independence, Gopinath Bordoloi was elected the first Chief Minister of Assam.
| Description | Answer |
|---|---|
| Founded on/Statehood | 15 August 1947 |
| Capital Formation | 26 January 1950 |
| Capital | Dispur |
| District | 33 (check recent update, if any) |
| Largest city | Guwahati |
| Ruled By | Danava dynasty, Naraka Dynasty |
Assam: Administrative Structure
Assam is the seventeenth state of north-east India and gateway to the North-Eastern States and situated in the south of the eastern Himalayas along with Brahmputra and Barak River valleys. The State is close to India's international borders of Bangladesh and Bhutan. Assam has had a legislature since 1937. Assam is one of the original provinces of British India.
| Description | Summary |
|---|---|
| Capital | Dispur |
| Administrative HQ | Guwahati |
| Chief Ministers | Himanta Biswa Sharma (Check recent update) |
| State Animal | One-horned rhinoceros |
| State Bird | White-Winged Wood Duck |
| State Flower | Rhynchostylis retusa |
| State Tree | Dipterocarpus Macrocarpus |
| No. of District | 33 Districts |
| Lok Sabha Seats | 14 seats |
| Rajya Sabha Seats | 7 |
| Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) Seats | 126 seats (Res for SC-8 & ST-16) |
| Official Language | Assamese, Bengali (in Barak Valley), Bodo (In Bodoland) |
| Time Zone | 1ST (UTC +5:30) |
| Judiciary | Gauhati High Court |
Assam Job Updates
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Assam Current Affairs MCQ's
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Assam General Information
Assam covers an area of 78,438 square kilometres. Assam contains three physiographic division of India Deccan Plateau (Karbi Anglong), The Northern Himalayas (Eastern Hills) and The Northern Plains (Brahmaputra Plains). The climate of Assam is Cold and it rains in most of the month.Important facts:
| Fact | Description |
|---|---|
| Largest Tea Producer | Assam is the largest tea producer in India. |
| AFSPA in Assam | Assam is India's first state where AFSPA (Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act) was commanded. |
| World's Largest Riverine Island | Majuli, located on the Brahmaputra River, is the world's largest riverine island and is in Assam. |
| Nicknames | Assam is known as the land of Red River and Blue hills and "Pragjyotishpur". |
| UNESCO World Heritage Sites | Kaziranga National Park and Manas Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. |
| Guwahati Meaning | The name Guwahati means "market of areca-nuts". |
| Border Sharing | Assam shares its border with Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland, West Bengal, Mizoram, and Meghalaya. |
| Longest River Bridge | India's longest river bridge, Bhupen Hazarika bridge, is in Assam and is built on the Lohit river. |
| Asia's Oldest Refinery | Asia's oldest refinery, Digboi, is located in Assam. |
| The Brahmaputra River | The Brahmaputra is India's only male river and flows through Assam. |
Assam Wildlife Sanctuary:
| Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary |
| Bornadi Wildlife Sanctuary |
| Barail Wildlife Sanctuary |
| Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary |
| Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary |
| Debing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary |
| East Karbi Anglong Wildlife Sanctuary |
| Nambor Doigrung Wildlife Sanctuary |
| Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary |
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