Majuli Island

India is a land of beautiful gems all along its boundary line. The entire north eastern part of the country deserves special mention. Surrounded by Blue Mountains all around, the lush green farmlands and tea estates present a beautiful picture here. The state of Assam, in particular, has more than one attractive spot for the tourists. One of them is the Majuli River Island, the longest in the world. This island is situated on the shores of the sacred and famous Brahmaputra River in the district of Jorhat in Assam.

This island is made up of a group of tiny villages. As per recent studies, close to 144 villages are found in this island. With this number, it is only natural that one will find  presence of many languages and cultures. Assamese, Mising and Deori are the most common languages spoken in this island. Close to 1.5lakh people stay in this island currently. The island covers an area of 1250sq.km. The tallest point in this island stands at 277.2feet high.  Namghar is an important public venue of the island. It is the point where the local villagers meet frequently and decide on pressing issues.  This is also the venue for most of the festivals and for conducting prayers and other religious ceremonies.

Ferry

The government operates ferries to Majuli Island from Nimatighat during the mornings and afternoons on all days. Tourists can check with the travel operators or locals for the timings of these ferries. If you can afford to spend more, you can also take up the private motor boat services that are available in larger numbers than the government ferry services.

Accommodation

The Tourism Ministry of Assam helps tourists coming to Majuli Island with some great resorts and hotels to stay at affordable rates. This place is currently lesser explored by tourists; therefore its beauty is still intact. Some of the great places to stay here are given below: Hotel Jora Palace in Jorhat district

Circuit House organized by Assam Tourism Other budget hotels nearby that do not need prior booking

Events / Festivals in Majuli Island

One of the most important festivals in Majuli Island is the Ali aye ligang. This is a festival where people offer their gratitude to the Sun God & Moon God (Donyi Polo). Tribal people dress up in colorful costumes and prepare a feast during this festival. The festivities go on for five days and start on the second Wednesday that falls in the month of February every year. Many people take part in the festivities with great joy and happiness. Special dishes like pork, rice, chicken and other sweet delicacies are prepared and enjoyed by the families in Majuli Island during this time.

Christianity is a common religion in north east India. Therefore, apart from the local festivals and fairs, Christmas is one of the biggest festivals in this part of the world. Majuli Island is no exception to this rule.

Places to Visit in Majuli Island

While at the Majuli Island, there are lots of things that tourists can do like nature trails, bird-watching, watching pottery and mask artisans at work, watching the golden rays of the sunrise and sunset and getting a first-hand feel of the cultural lifestyle of the tribes.

Climate of Majuli Island

Majuli River Island experiences summer season from March to July. Here, summer season is really hot and sometimes temperatures rise up to 40 degrees Celsius too.  The island witnesses rainfall during the months of July and August. Being the longest river island in the world, the entire place gets covered with water during this time. Winter season arrives at the island during November and goes on till February.

Best Time to Visit Majuli Island

Winter season is the best to visit Majuli Island. This is the time when the climate is pleasant and when tourists love to walk around the island to view the migratory birds that come here to breed during these seasons.

How to Reach Majuli Island

Air – Jorhat airport is the nearest to get to Majuli Island. Lots of domestic flights from all the important cities in India are well-connected with Jorhat.

Rail – Jorhat railway junction is the nearest rail head to reach the river island.

Road – Many government and private sector buses connect the state capital of Guwahati with Jorhat on a regular basis. From here, there are local buses and auto rickshaws to travel to Nimatighat, which is just about 14km away.