Assam is a melting pot of diverse cultures. Assam is a part of seven sisters North East India. The people of this fascinating state are mainly of Aryan, Mongolian, Austrian and Brahmin descent. All

the ethnic groups have come together to form the larger Assamese culture. The indigenous people of Assam are called Assamese and the state language of Assam is Assamese. The ethnic groups living in Assam and each of them has a unique identity in terms of culture, arts, dress and social system.

There are many ethnic groups in Assam, including the Boro, Kachari, Karbi, Miri, Rava and others. Most of the tribes have their own languages but Assamese is the main language spoken in Assam. Most of the Assamese people are Vaishnavism (a sect of Hindus). The first of the two cultural and religious associations that influenced the cultural landscape of Assam is the 400-year-old “Satras” glorified with religious glory and the centre of cultural practice, and the second is the Namghar, a religious institution of remembrance and worship. The villagers are usually involved as members of

the Namghar to sing the praises of God by the local devotees. Villages are often made up of families of different ethnicities.

In Assam, caste discrimination, if any, is not as noticeable or prominent as elsewhere in India. Other religions such as Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, etc. are also prevalent in Assam. Bihu is the state festival of Assam, celebrated three times a year with great joy and enthusiasm irrespective of caste, religion and race. There are many important symbolic elements of Assamese culture used for

the beliefs, feelings, pride, identity, etc. of the Assamese. These well-known symbols are the

Assamese “Gamocha”, “Japi”, “Tamol-pan”, “Sarai” etc. The traditional dress worn by the women of Assam is “Mekhela Chadar” and “Assamese jewelry” is an integral part of Assamese culture.

Traditional Welcome

Xorai”s” Gamusa and Japi are used to provide “Tamul Pan” as a mark of welcome and thanks for the guests. It is also used as a vessel to offer offerings, food and other items before the Lord on an altar or “namghar”. “Xorai”s” are also used as decorative pieces and presented as gifts to a person of honor during reception.

Assamese Traditional food

Tea or “tea” in Assamese is an essential part of Assamese cuisine. It is served in the form of black tea, milk tea, spice tea, green tea, lemon tea etc.

The traditional Assamese breakfast includes “Jalpan” and “Pitha”. Other foods are bora chaul (a type of sticky rice), soft rice, sandah, chira, muri, akhai, chunga chaul etc. which are eaten with hot milk, yogurt, jaggery or ripe seasonal fruits.

Pitha and laru are made especially during Bihu and are made with rice flour, roasted coconut, sugar, jaggery etc. Some of the types of cakes are Til Pitha, Ghila Pitha, Sutuli Pitha, Chunga Pitha, Steamed Pitha, Lakhim Pitha, Tara Pitha, Tekeli Pitha, Deshi Pitha, Muthia Pitha, Khola Chapari Pitha etc. Laru includes a sweet ball-like sweet made from coconut called “laskara” or sesame laru made from sesame seeds.

Bihu

Bihu is the most popular folk dance in Assam. Young boys and girls perform Bihu dance during the Bihu festival which represents youthful passion, reproductive interest and joy. It is characterized by fast dance steps and quick hand movements. The dancers wear traditional colorful Assamese

costumes and the dances are accompanied by instruments like “dhol” (drums), pepa, gogna, banhi (flute). Although the origin of Bihu dance is unknown, the first official approval is mentioned when the Ahom king Rudra Singha invited Bihu dancers to perform at Ranghar Pathar around 1694 on the occasion of Rangali Bihu.

Bagurumba

The Bodo community has many folk dances to boast of. The best and most interesting of them is the Bagurumba dance. This is primarily a formation dance with slow steps and outstretched arms. About a number of colorfully dressed girls perform the dance to the accompaniment of Bodo traditional musical instruments. A tourist from Assam can see this dance in the Bodo settlements of Kokrajhar, Bangagaon, Nalbari, Drang and Chanitpur districts. This is usually practiced on Bisuba Sankranti or during the Bodo festival Beichagu in mid-April. The Bagurumba dance is also called the “butterfly dance” because this fascinating folk dance of the Bodo tribe of Assam resembles the movements of birds and butterflies.

Jhumur Dance

During their more than a hundred years of settlement in Assam, the tea tribes have developed a synthetic form of dance called “Tea Plantation Jumur Dance”. This is a beautiful dance to watch. A visitor to any tea plantation can easily watch this dance. The Tea Tribes have a synthesized form of dance called “Zumur Nach”, performed by girls and boys together, or sometimes by girls alone, with precision of footwork as they tightly hold each other’s waists.

Satriya Nritya

Satriya dance is the classic dance form of Assam that represents the Satriya culture, the basis of the religious and cultural fabric of Assam. This is one of the eight major classical Indian dance traditions. While other traditions have been revived in the recent past, Satriya has been a living tradition since its creation in 15th century Assam by the great saint Srimanta Sankardeva, the founder of

Vaishnavism. The roots of Satriya dance are usually mythological. This was an artistic way of presenting mythological teachings to the public in an accessible, immediate and enjoyable way.