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DIBRUGARH
: The upper limit of navigation
on the Brahmaputra, Dibrugarh is an
army town that was the end of the
Stilwell Road built to link India
to China in World War II. From airfields
in this area also operated the great
supply operation over The Hump to
China.
SIVASAGAR
: The old capital of the
Kingdom of Assam, The Kings, of Thai
stock, were converts to Hinduism,
and their substantial remaining places
and temples are an amalgam of Indian
and S.E. Asian styles. The tank besides
which the main temple stands is said
to be the world's largest man-excavared
reservoir.
MAJULI ISLAND
: A vast river island in
the Brahmaputra, on which are a number
of unique Vaishnavite Hindu monasteries,
famous for performances of religious
dance-drama.
JORHAT :
One of the two centres of the Assam
tea industry, surrounded
by tea estates. Close to here, the
Tea Research Institute makes a fascinating
visit.
KAZIRANGA
: A World Heritage site
and right on the river, Kaziranga
National park holds most of India's
One-Horned Rhinoceros as well as elephant,
tiger, wild buffalo, sambar, swamp
deer, hog deer and many other species.
Viewing is both by jeep and on elephant
back.
TEZPUR :
Another tea centre, and the access
point to Nameri National Park in the
foothills. Orang National Park is
on the river banks downstream from
here.
GUWAHATI
: The state capital. Offshore
lies Peacock Island with its temple,
while on a hill above the town, Tantric
rites are practised at the Kamakhya
Temple. There's a good museum and
a poignant War cementery. Guwahati
is the starting point for etensions
to Shillong, the "Scotland of
the East", which can be arrange
before or after cruises, or to bridge
the changeover day gap when two successive
cruises are booked.
SUALKUCHI
: A delightful riverside
village, where silk is produced and
handwoven.
HAJO :
A pilgrimage centre sacred to Hindus,
Muslims and Buddhists, with a sacred
tank full of turtle and carp.
GOALPARA
: Here the Garo Hills rise
close by on the south bank - tribesmen
here were headhunters until the late
19th century, and traditional ways
of life are still preserved in this
area.
MANAS :
Manas National Park, a world Heritage
site, in the foothills on the Bhutan
frontier, is one of India's most beautiful,
and the tiger population is now beginning
to recover from years of civil unrest
in the area.
DHUBRI :
The river port, now a border post,
used to boast a riverside statue of
Queen Victoria that acted as a landmark
for the steamers. Not far from Dhubri,
on the road to Bagdogra, is Cooch
Behar, with the sizeable palace of
one of India's richest and most distinguised
Maharajahs.
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