Assam is a Northeastern state in India and serves as the gateway to Northeast India. It shares international borders with Bhutan and Bangladesh and is surrounded by six other northeast states of India which are Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram.  These seven states, known as the Seven Sister states, are isolated from the rest of India with the only access by land being the Siliguri Corridor (Chicken Neck) in Assam.

Assam is the land of red rivers and blue hills and  comprises three main geographical areas: the Brahmaputra Valley which constitutes the expansive wingspan, the Barak Valley, and the intervening Karbi Plateau and North Cachar Hills.

Assam has a diversified background. The name “Assam” is derived from the term “Asom” which in Sanskrit means unequal or unrivalled. The uneven topography of the land, full of hills, plains and rivers might, therefore, contribute to her name. The Mongolian Ahom Dynasty that had ruled Assam by the name of Kingdom of Assam for more than six hundred years (C13th – 19th) might also be the cause for her name.

In the period of the Epics, Assam was known as “Kamarupa” or “Pragjyotish”. The population of Assam comprises of the migrants from Burma and China. They came into Assam after the mongoloid migration. They came from Punjab through Bihar and North Bengal. Thus, Assam presents a fusion of Mongol-Aryan culture. The early history of Assam is believed to be of the Varman dynasty. The reign of this dynasty extended from AD 400 to the 13th century. The Ahom ventured into Assam in about AD 1228. By the 15th century the kingdoms of Ahom and Koch were established. In the later part of the 18th century the Ahom Kingdom was weakened due to internal strife. The Burmese overran the political authority in Assam though invoking British intervention to subdue the Burmese. After a conflict between the Burmese and the English, peace was restored by the treaty of Yandaboo in 1826. The British then set out to organize the administration, transport and communication. Railways were constructed, tea plantations introduced, and coal and oil discovered.

The British ruled until 1947. With the independence of India, Assam became as a part of the Indian union.

Assam is a destination for history, culture and nature lovers. Various historical sites in Assam are influenced by Ahom dynasty and the Koch kingdom who ruled the region for many years. One of the major cultural change was brought by the Vaishnava movement. The native people of Assam are called Asomiya (Assamese), being a mixture of Mongoloid, Indo-Burmese, Indo-Iranian, and Aryan. Their culture has evolved through a long assimilation process of various races. Going by the facts, the state receives more rainfall than most parts of India. This rain feed the Brahmaputra river and help in the formation of a hydro-geomorphic environment in Assam throughout the year. Assam is gifted with lush green meadows, fertile plains near the enormous Brahmaputra river, the beautiful hills with wonderful tea plantation and rich flora and fauna.

Assam and tea… both are inseparable. Assam is the largest tea producer in the world with a share of more than 20% of the total world produce. It has around 765 big lush tea estates mostly owned by big companies. Its pleasant climate throughout the year makes Assam good for tourism. One-horned Indian rhinoceros are nearly extinct but are well conserved in Assam.

The Siam Society is organising a trip to visit some of the remarkable places is Assam such as Guwahati, the major gateway to the whole region. Majuli, the largest river island in South Asia on the Brahmaputra River; the island is famous for its Vaishnavite Satras.  Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, serves as one of the last remaining habitats of the great Indian one-horned rhinoceros.  Sivasagar, the seat of the Tai Ahom Kingdom, Tai Phake village, Tai Turung village and Dibrugarh, renowned as the tea capital of India.