Assam GK

The capital of Assam is Dispur

The capital of Assam, Dispur lies in Guwahati. In 1973 when Meghalaya was carved out from Assam, Shillong was moved and made the capital of the newly formed state. Therefore, Dispur was made the capital of Assam. The city is popular for tea auctions. Crush, Tear and Curl (CTC) tea is auctioned on every Tuesday and Wednesday. The city experiences warm summers and cold winters just like Guwahati.

Dispur is a well-planned city. As the capital of Assam, Dispur houses the Secretariat of Assam Government, the Assam Assembly House, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Regional Office and the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC). 

Dispur is a city with historical and mythological importance. It is culturally rich and known for its natural hubs and cultural places. Dispur showcases a cultural assimilation of its inhabitants who have come from different ethnicities and history. The city also has its unusual culture. An example of it is the two unique dance forms: Bihunas and Husari that are so popular among the masses that people from far-flung areas come to the city to watch these folk dances. The traditional folk music is also an integral part of the city that has been popularised by some of the renowned musicians of Assam like Bhupen Hazarika.

Places to Visit

The Brahmaputra River flows through Assam.
It is one of the major rivers in Asia and plays a significant role in the geography, culture, and economy of the region.

Assamese is the official language of Assam.
It is widely spoken by the people of Assam and holds cultural and historical significance in the state.

Manas National Park, Kaziranga National Park, and Dibru-Saikhowa National Park in Assam are recognized as World Heritage Sites.
These parks are known for their rich biodiversity and conservation efforts.

Assam is often referred to as the "Land of Blue Hills" due to the presence of the Eastern Himalayan ranges and its scenic landscapes.

Assam is known for being home to the one-horned Indian rhinoceros.
It is found in the national parks of Assam, particularly Kaziranga National Park.

Assam is famous for its tea, silk, and oil industries.
Assam tea is known worldwide for its unique flavor.
Assam silk is highly valued for its quality, and the state has significant oil reserves.

Dispur is the capital city of Assam.
It is located within the Guwahati metropolitan area and serves as the seat of the state government.

Assam became a state of India on January 26, 1950.
It was one of the original provincial divisions of British India.

Dibru-Saikhowa National Park in Assam is famous for its feral horses.
It is the largest salix swamp forest in northeast India and home to various species of flora and fauna.

The literacy rate of Assam, as of 2011, is approximately 72%.
The state has been making efforts to improve its education system and literacy levels over the years.

The late text Kalika Purana (c.
9th-10th century CE) mentions Mahiranga Danav as the earliest ruler of Assam.
According to the text, he belonged to the Danava dynasty.

The region east of the Karatoya river, which is largely congruent to present-day Assam, was known as Kamarupa.
Kamrup continued to be used as a name for a western portion of Assam even after the emergence of the Ahom kingdom.

The region, which is now Assam, was referred to as Kirrhadia in Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, an ancient Greek text from the 1st century CE.

In ancient times, the region of Assam was also known as Pragjyotisha.
This name finds mention in various historical texts and epics.

According to the Kalika Purana, Naraka of Mithila removed the Danava dynasty and established the Bhauma dynasty in Assam.
The last ruler of this dynasty was also named Naraka and was slain by Krishna.

The availability of exposed dolomite basalt, which was useful for tool-making, suggests human settlement in Assam from the beginning of the Stone Age.

The Ambari site in Guwahati has revealed artefacts from the Shunga-Kushana era, including a flight of stairs and a water tank that may date back to the 1st century BCE.

Bhagadatta, mentioned in the Mahabharata, fought for the Kauravas in the battle of Kurukshetra.
He commanded an army consisting of kiratas, chinas, and dwellers of the eastern coast.

While the Bhauma dynasty ruled in Assam, the Asura Kingdom was another line of kings that ruled in central Assam during the same period.

The ancient Greek text Periplus of the Erythraean Sea mentions the region, which came to be called Assam, as Asham.
The Mughals also used the term Asham to refer to the region.

The Kamarupa kingdom, ruled by three dynasties (Varmanas, Mlechchha dynasty, and Kamarupa-Palas), reached its height and expanded to cover the entire Brahmaputra valley, North Bengal, parts of Bangladesh, and occasionally Purnea and parts of West Bengal.

The Varman dynasty ruled the ancient kingdom of Kamarupa, one of the prominent dynasties in Assam's history.
The Varmanas traced their lineage from Kirata Naraka.

Xuanzang, a Chinese Buddhist monk and traveler, visited the region of Assam during the reign of Bhaskaravarman, a Varman king.
He recorded his travels and observations during his visit.

The Ahom kingdom ruled over Assam for around 600 years, from the early 13th century until 1826.
The Ahoms were an important dynasty in Assam's medieval history.

The Chutia dynasty, which belonged to the Bodo-Kachari group, held regions on both banks of the Brahmaputra.
However, they were eventually annexed by the Ahoms in 1524.

The Dimasa dynasty, another Bodo-Kachari dynasty, ruled from the Dikhow River to central and southern Assam.
Their capital was located at Dimapur.

After the expansion of the Ahom kingdom, the Chutia dynasty remained as an ally to the Ahoms rather than a competing force.
The Chutias held areas in Cachar and North Cachar.

The Burmese invasions in the early 19th century led to the annexation of Assam.
These invasions shattered Assam's military glory, as it failed to resist the Burmese forces.

The Allahabad pillar inscription, dating back to the 4th century CE and attributed to Emperor Samudragupta, mentions Kamarupa and Davaka as frontier kingdoms of the Gupta Empire.

The kingdom of Kamarupa, at its height, expanded from the Karatoya river to near present Sadiya.
It covered a significant portion of present-day Assam and beyond.

Sukapha, accompanied by 9,000 men from Mong-Mao, a Tai state in China, came to the Brahmaputra Valley and established the Ahom kingdom in Upper Assam.
He founded the capital city of Charaideo.

During Sukapha's reign, the Chutia kingdom bordered the Ahom kingdom to the north and northeast, while the Kachari kingdom bordered it to the south.
The Morans and Barahis inhabited the area to the north.

Sukapha established the capital city of the Ahom kingdom in a hillock and named it Charaideo.
It served as the capital during the early period of the Ahom kingdom.

Suhungmung, an Ahom king, led the first massive expansion of the Ahom kingdom.
He fought battles with various kingdoms and tribes, including the Bhuyans, Chutias, Kacharis, Turko-Afghans, and Nagas.

Suhungmung annexed the Chutia kingdom during his reign.
The captured territory was placed under the administration of Sadiya-Khowa-Gohain.

The Ahoms defeated the Kachari dynasty and sacked their capital Dimapur.
The Kachari king was placed as a tributary, and later, a new king named Nirbhaynarayan was placed on the Kachari throne by the Ahom rulers.

Suhungmung, during his reign, defeated the Muslim invaders and chased them up to the Karatoya River.
The Sultan of Bengal made peace by offering his two daughters and five paraganas as dowry to secure peace with the Ahoms.

Sukhaamphaa, an Ahom king, lost to the Koch army led by Chilarai.
As a result, the Ahoms had to accept Koch supremacy and give up the tracts of the north of Brahmaputra.
However, they later recovered the lost territory through subsequent actions.

The Ahoms engaged in wars with various groups and kingdoms during the early and expansion periods, including the Nagas, Bhuyans, and Turko-Afghans.
However, there is no mention of wars with the Naras in the provided information.

Ton-Kham, an Ahom general, gave all the territories received as dowry from the Sultan of Bengal to the rising Koch king Biswa Singha on the condition of annual tribute.

After the Mughals attacked Koch Hajo in 1612, Parikshit, the king of Koch Hajo, sought assistance from the Ahoms.
However, he was captured and died while being transported to his kingdom.

Pratap Singha, an Ahom king, appointed Balinarayan, the brother of Parikshit, as the king of Darrang in 1615.
Balinarayan had sought refuge under the Ahoms after the capture of Parikshit.

The first Battle of Samdhara was fought between the Ahoms and the Mughals in 1616.
This was one of the many battles fought between the two sides during this period.

The Treaty of Ghilajharighat, concluded in 1639, fixed the boundary between the Ahom kingdom and the Mughals.
According to the treaty, the Asurar ali on the south bank and the Barnadi on the north bank of the Brahmaputra were established as the boundary.

Mir Jumla II, appointed by Aurangzeb, invaded the Ahom kingdom in 1661 with a large army and fleet.
This invasion led to significant conflicts between the Ahoms and the Mughals.

Gadadhar Singha, an Ahom king, successfully defended against the Mughal invasion during the Battle of Saraighat.
The Mughals were forced to retreat after this decisive battle.

In 1679, Laluksola Borphukan surrendered Guwahati to the Mughals without any battle.
He did so in the hope of becoming king with the assistance of the Mughals.

Gadadhar Singha, an Ahom king, fought the final Battle of Itakhuli, where the Mughals were badly defeated.
This battle marked a significant victory for the Ahoms against the Mughal forces.

After the Battle of Itakhuli, the border between the Ahom kingdom and the Mughals was fixed at Manah on the north bank and the Nagarbera hill on the south bank of the Brahmaputra.

The Ahom kingdom was annexed by the East India Company in 1826.
This marked the end of the Ahom rule in Assam.

Siva Singha succeeded Gadadhar Singha as the ruler of the Ahom kingdom.
His reign was characterized by peace and prosperity, with significant developments and constructive activities taking place in the kingdom.

Rudra Singha, during his reign, subjugated the Kachari and Jaintia kingdoms.
He captured their kings and forced them to accept Ahom suzerainty, along with the agreement to pay annual tribute.

During the period from Siva Singha to Rajeswar Singha, Ekasarana Dharma, a religious movement, spread all over the Ahom kingdom.
It started to influence various aspects of people's lives.

Vaisnavite monastery leaders gained significant influence in the Ahom court during this period.
With royal patronage, they established numerous Satras, and many people became their disciples.

The Moamoria rebellion, which took place from 1769 to 1805, greatly weakened the Ahom kingdom.
It resulted in significant depopulation and disorganization of the country.

The Burmese invaded the Ahom kingdom and took advantage of the political rivalry between the nobles.
This invasion further weakened the kingdom and eventually led to its annexation.

Rudra Singha, the ruler of the Ahom kingdom, made extensive preparations for an invasion of Bengal.
However, his plans remained unfulfilled as he died suddenly in 1714.

The religious policies concluded by Phuleshwari and the persecutions of unfavored Satras, along with the pressure of the Paik system, embroiled the situation in the 18th century Ahom kingdom.

Rajeswar Singha was the ruler of the Ahom kingdom during the Moamoria rebellion.
The rebellion greatly weakened the kingdom and posed significant challenges to its stability.

The Burmese invasion, combined with internal unrest and political instability caused by the Moamoria rebellion, ultimately led to the annexation of the Ahom kingdom.

The discovery of Camellia sinensis in Assam in 1834 led to the growth of the tea industry.
The suitable soil and climate conditions in Eastern Assam made it an ideal region for tea plantations.

Han Chinese laborers were initially imported from China for the tea plantations in Assam.
However, they faced problems and hostility from both the native Assamese people and the British planters.

After initial trials with different varieties, the tea planters eventually accepted Camellia assamica as the most suitable variety for Assam.
It proved to be well-adapted to the local conditions.

In 1861, investors were allowed to own land in Assam, which resulted in substantial progress in the tea industry.
This decision facilitated further growth and development.

The tea growers formed the Indian Tea Association in 1888 to lobby for the retention of the status quo and to prevent greater government interference in the tea industry.

The Moamoria rebellion, which took place from 1769 to 1805, severely weakened the Ahom kingdom and resulted in tremendous casualties in terms of lives and property.

Badan Chandra Borphukan, the Ahom Viceroy of Western Assam, invited the Burmese to invade Assam.
This invitation led to three successive Burmese invasions of the region.

The First Anglo-Burmese War ensued in 1824 as a result of the Burmese invasion of Assam.
The war concluded in 1826 with the Treaty of Yandabo.

Under British control, Bengali replaced Assamese as the court language and medium of instruction in educational institutions.
This imposition had a negative impact on Assamese literature and created unemployment.

The imposition of a foreign tongue, Bengali, in Assam created a language barrier that resulted in greater unemployment among the people.
Assamese literature also suffered during this period.

Assam was initially separated from Bengal and made a part of the 'North-East Frontier' non-regulation province in 1874.
This administrative change marked the beginning of Assam's separate identity.

Assam was incorporated into the province of Eastern Bengal and Assam in 1905 after the partition of Bengal.
This partition was a significant political event during the colonial era.

Assam was reestablished as Assam Province in 1912 after being a part of Eastern Bengal and Assam.
This administrative change restored Assam's separate status.

Gopinath Bordoloi emerged as the preeminent nationalist leader in the Assam Congress during the early 20th century.
He played a crucial role in the anti-colonial movement in Assam.

Sir Saidullah, representing the Muslim League, was a political rival of Gopinath Bordoloi in Assam.
They belonged to different political parties and had contrasting ideologies.

The Assam Postage Circle was established in 1873 under the headship of the Deputy Post Master General.
This marked an important development in postal services in Assam.

At the turn of the 20th century, British India consisted of eight provinces that were administered either by a governor or a lieutenant-governor.
Assam Province was one of these major eight provinces.

With the partition of India in 1947, the Sylhet District of Assam (excluding the Karimganj subdivision) became a part of East Pakistan, which later became part of present-day Bangladesh.

Assam had the administrative status of a Chief Commissionership during the colonial era.
This meant that it was governed by a Chief Commissioner.

The Assam Legislative Assembly was formed in Shillong in 1937.
Shillong served as the capital of the region during that time.

In the 1960s-70s, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Mizoram were formed as separate states from within the borders of what was then Assam.
These new states were created to address the demands and aspirations of different ethnic groups in the region.

Arunachal Pradesh (formerly known as the North East Frontier Agency) separated from Assam and became a union territory in 1972.
It later gained statehood in 1986.

The Assam Agitation in the 1980s was triggered by the discovery of a sudden rise in registered voters on electoral rolls.
It was a movement that demanded the identification and deportation of illegal migrants from Bangladesh and safeguards for the indigenous Assamese population.

The Assam Accord was signed in 1985 between the leaders of the Assam Agitation and the Union Government.
It aimed to address the demands of the agitation, but many of its provisions remained unimplemented, leading to discontent.

The post-1970s witnessed the growth of armed separatist groups such as the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB).
These groups have been involved in low-intensity conflicts and political violence in the region.

In November 1990, the Indian army was deployed in Assam in response to the growing separatist movements and escalating violence.
This marked a significant development in the security situation in the region.

The Panchayati Raj Act has been applied in Assam to address the concerns and grievances of indigenous Assamese communities.
This act aims to empower local self-government institutions and promote grassroots democracy.

Assam has been severely affected by deadly floods in recent years, particularly in 2020 and 2022.
These floods cause extensive damage to infrastructure, agriculture, and displacement of people, posing significant challenges for the state.

The capital of Assam was shifted from Shillong to Dispur, which is now a part of Guwahati.
Dispur serves as the capital city of Assam.

Part of Tuensang district was added to Nagaland when it became the 16th state of India.
This addition aimed to incorporate the territories inhabited by Naga tribes into the newly formed state.

Assam contains three of the six physiographic divisions of India, namely The Northern Himalayas (Eastern Hills), The Northern Plains (Brahmaputra plain), and Deccan Plateau (Karbi Anglong).
The Southern Coastal Plain is not found in Assam.

The Brahmaputra River is considered the life-line of Assam.
It is an antecedent river that predates the Himalayas and has entrenched itself since the Himalayan formation.
The river, along with its tributaries, creates a floodplain in the Brahmaputra Valley.

Guwahati is known as the "Gateway to the North-East India." It is one of the largest cities in Assam and serves as a major urban center and transportation hub for the region.

Assam has a tropical monsoon climate characterized by heavy rainfall, high humidity, and distinct wet and dry seasons.
Summers are temperate, while winters are mild with foggy nights and mornings.

Spring (March–April) and autumn (September–October) are usually pleasant seasons in Assam with moderate rainfall and temperatures.
These seasons are favored by tourists for visiting the region.

Assam frequently experiences floods due to the overflow of rivers, including the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers.
These floods cause significant damage to infrastructure, houses, and livelihoods, leading to communication breakdowns and loss of life.

The Barak River originates in the Barail Range (Assam-Nagaland border), flows through the Cachar district in Assam, and enters Bangladesh as the Surma River.
It contributes to the hydrology of the region.

Dibrugarh is known for its oil and natural gas industry.
It is an important center for oil exploration and production in Assam.

The flooding in Assam is primarily caused by excessive rainfall in the region, leading to the overflowing of rivers like the Brahmaputra and Barak.
The heavy monsoon rains contribute to the flooding.

Flooding in Assam causes significant damage to infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and railway tracks.
It also results in the loss of human lives, displacement of people, and disruption of communication and daily life activities.

Kaziranga National Park, located on the bank of the Brahmaputra River, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a refuge for the fast-disappearing Indian one-horned rhinoceros.
It is known for its rich biodiversity and conservation efforts.

Assam is known for its diverse wildlife and is home to endangered species such as the Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, and red-headed vulture.
However, the Nile crocodile is not found in Assam.

The state flower of Assam is the Foxtail orchid.
Assam is known for its remarkable richness in orchid species, and the Foxtail orchid holds significance as the state flower.

Orang National Park in Assam is known for having the largest population of the wild water buffalo in the world.
It is one of the national parks in Assam, along with Kaziranga, Manas, Dibru Saikhowa, and Nameri.

The major petroleum and natural gas reserves in Assam are found in the Upper Assam Geologic Province.
These reserves were discovered in 1889 and contribute to the state's economy.

Assam is prone to annual floods due to its location and the overflowing of rivers like the Brahmaputra and Barak.
These floods cause damage to infrastructure, displacement of people, and loss of life.

Assam has a high diversity of bird species, with approximately 500 species found in the state.
Including subspecies, the number can reach up to 946 species.

Assam has significant mineral resources, including petroleum, natural gas, and coal.
However, bauxite, which is an ore of aluminum, is not found in Assam.

Dibru Saikhowa National Park in Assam is known for its population of pygmy hogs.
Pygmy hogs are the world's smallest and rarest wild pigs.

Lower Assam is known for its Sal tree forests.
Sal trees are an important part of the region's flora and provide valuable forest products, although their abundance has depleted over time.

The population of Assam was projected to reach approximately 34.18 million by 2021.
This indicates an increasing population trend in the state.

Districts like Dhubri and Goalpara, which are known for their religious minority population, recorded a population growth rate ranging from 20% to 24% during the last decade.

The literacy rate in Assam in 2011 was recorded at 73.18%.
The male literacy rate was higher at 78.81%, while the female literacy rate was slightly lower at 67.27%.

The population of Assam increased by 16.93% from 2001 to 2011.
This indicates a significant population growth rate in the state during that period.

Assam is home to various linguistic communities, including those belonging to Austroasiatic, Sino-Tibetan, and Indo-European language families.
However, Afro-Asiatic languages are not spoken in Assam.

Assam has spoken languages from three major language families: Austroasiatic, Sino-Tibetan, and Indo-European.
There are a total of 45 languages spoken by different communities in the state.

Among the spoken languages in Assam, the Sino-Tibetan language family has the highest representation with 24 languages.
This language family includes languages like Assamese, Bodo, and Karbi.

The population growth in Assam was significant during the period from 1941 to 1971, primarily due to the influx of people from East Pakistan, which is now Bangladesh.

The People of India project has studied a total of 115 ethnic groups in Assam.
These groups represent diverse regional, local, and transnational identities.

Districts like Sivasagar and Jorhat in Eastern Assam recorded a population growth rate of around 9% during the last decade, indicating a comparatively lower growth rate compared to other districts.

According to the 2011 census, Assamese is spoken by more than 22 million total speakers in Assam.
This includes over 15 million people who speak it as their mother tongue and around 7 million as second language (L2) speakers.

The 2011 census reveals that 48.38% of the population in Assam speaks Assamese as their mother tongue, indicating a significant portion of the population.

Assamese serves as the lingua franca of the region, being spoken by over 71% of the population, including those who list Assamese as their second language.

The census indicates that around 35% of Assam's population speaks Bengali dialects and closely related languages, which amounts to approximately 9 million people.

It is estimated that around 10 million people in Assam speak different dialects of Bengali as their native language, including both Bengali-speaking Muslims and Bengali Hindus.

Bodo is the third most-spoken language in Assam, after Assamese and Bengali.
It has a significant number of speakers in the state.

The 2011 census reports that 7.5 million Bengali Hindus live in Assam, constituting approximately 25% of the state's population.

The census indicates that the number of Bengali speakers in Assam has been growing, including both Bengali-speaking Muslims and Bengali Hindus.

It is reported that approximately 30% of the Muslim population in Assam speaks different dialects of Bengali as their native language.

Hindi ranks fourth in terms of the most-spoken languages in Assam, following Assamese, Bengali, and Bodo.

Assamese is the most widely spoken language in the Brahmaputra Valley, with approximately 15 million speakers, comprising 55.65% of the valley's population.

Bengali is spoken by approximately 6.09 million people in the Brahmaputra Valley, representing 22.1% of the valley's population.

Hindi is spoken by approximately 2.1 million people in the Brahmaputra Valley, comprising 7.61% of the region's population.

Bodo is spoken by approximately 1.41 million people in the Brahmaputra Valley, representing 5.13% of the valley's population.

Approximately 2.98 million people in the Brahmaputra Valley speak various indigenous tribal languages of Assam, such as Santali, Karbi, Tiwa (Lalung), Hmar, Deori, Rabha, Mishing, Koch, Rajbangshi, Sadri, Garo, Dimasa, Gondi, Savara, Gorkha, Halam, Ao, and Motak.

Assamese is considered the traditional language of the common folk in the ancient Kamarupa kingdom and medieval kingdoms such as Dimasa Kachari, Chutiya Kachari, Borahi Kachari, Ahom, and Kamata.

Assamese is unique among other similar Indo-Aryan languages due to the presence of Voiceless velar fricative, which sets it apart in terms of pronunciation and sound characteristics.

Bodo is spoken largely in Western Assam and serves as the official language of the Bodoland territorial region.
It is also one of the languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India.

According to the 2011 census, there are approximately 590,000 Nepali speakers in Assam, representing about 1.98% of the state's total population.

There are currently six Tai languages spoken in Assam.
They include Tai Phake, Tai Aiton, Khamti, Khamyang (critically endangereD), Ahom (extinct), and Turung (extinct).

Assam has 31 administrative districts that are delineated based on geographic features such as rivers, hills, and forests.

On 27 June 2016, an island in the Brahmaputra River was removed from the Jorhat district and declared the Majuli district, which became India's first district that is a river island.

The Karbi Anglong district was divided into East and West districts.

Part of Sonitpur became the Biswanath district.

Part of Sivasagar became the Charaideo district.

Part of Nagaon became the Hojai district.

Part of Dhubri became the South Salmara-Mankachar district.

Bajali, which was carved out from Barpeta district, was officially declared as the 34th district of Assam on 12 January 2021.

On 31 December 2022, the districts Bajali (with BarpetA), Tamulpur (with Udalguri), Biswanath (with Sonitpur), and Hojai (with Nagaon) were merged, resulting in the number of districts coming down to 31.

On 15 August 2015, three districts were formed: Biswanath, Charaideo, and Hojai.

Assam is divided into 54 subdivisions or Mahakuma, which further contribute to the administrative structure of the districts.

The district in Assam is administered from a district headquarters by the Deputy Commissioner, who is responsible for the governance and management of the district.

Assam has a total of 2,489 village panchayats, which cover 26,247 villages across the state.