ASSAM
So long hidden behind red tape, Assam's beauty is a fact that defies imagination. The rarest of flora and fauna, blue hills and green tea, a bustling capital and black oil, it is a beauty that soothes even as it disturbs. Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan bound Assam in the north, Nagaland to the east, and Manipur and Mizoram to the south. In the southwest, Assam touches the borders of West Bengal and Bangladesh.

In Guwahati: the commercial capital of Assam, the tour starts fromkamakhya Temple, Basistha Ashram, Zoo, Gita mandir, nabagraha Temple, Assam State museum. Assam is very rich in Wildlife. There are three national parks and 12 wildlife sanctuaries of which Kaziranga and Manas are most well known.

Gateway To The Northeast: Guwahati, the industrial and commercial hub of Assam is revered for its ancient Hindu temples. It spreads at the edge of the vast moving, river-sea of the Brahmaputra. It's the service center for the oil industry and tea plantations. The world's largest tea auctions are held in the nearby city Dispur, the official state capital.

The People: The Assamese are a mixture of Mongolian-Tibetan, Aryan, and Burman ethnic origins. Their language is akin to Bengali, spoken in West Bengal and in Bangladesh. Since the late 19th century a vast number of immigrants from Bangladesh has entered the valley, where they have settled to cultivate the almost empty lands, particularly the low floodplains. The hill tribes of the Garo, Khasi, and Hajong inhabit the hilly margins of the plain. The Bodo are the largest minority group in Assam and are concentrated in the northern areas of the Brahmaputra River valley.

Occupation: Agriculture is basic to Assam's economy. Rice is grown on about two-thirds of the cultivated area; tea and jute are also important crops, and their sale accounts for a major portion of Assam's income. Other significant crops include oilseeds, peas, beans, canola (rapeseed), sugarcane, and fruits. Oil and coal are found in upper Assam, and the state produces about one-sixth of India's petroleum and natural gas.

Handicrafts: Artist and sculptors, masons and architects, and others practicing minor crafts such as weavers, spinners, potters, goldsmiths, artisans of ivory, wood, bamboo, cane and hide flourished in Assam from ancient times. Every household possesses a handloom used to produce silk and (or) cotton clothes of exquisite designs. The Eri, Muga and Pat are the important silk products of Assam.

CLIMATE: Assam has mild winters and warm summers. Summer is March to June and monsoon from July to August. November to February is winter. Average temperature is moderate, about 29 degrees C in the hottest month of August. The average valley temperature in January is 16 degrees C. The real force of the monsoon winds is felt from June onward. Rainfall in Assam ranks among the highest in the world; annual rainfall varies from 70 inches in the west to 120 inches in the east. Best season: February to May.

Population: 25 million

Festivals: Assam observes Bhogali Bihu, Rongali Bihu, Kati Bihu, Janmashthami and Durga Puja festivals.