Majuli

Majuli is a large river island on the Brahmaputra River in Assam, India, long recognised as a major centre of Assamese culture and religion. It is one of the world’s largest riverine islands and hosts multiple Vaishnavite monasteries known as satras.

The island is noted for its living satra institutions such as Auniati, Kamalabari and Dakhinpat, where devotees maintain ritual, dance, music and manuscript traditions; cultural festivals and mask dances are major attractions. Tourists come for cultural visits, village homestays, handicrafts and birdwatching in surrounding wetlands.

Majuli developed as a religious and cultural centre in the 16th century under the reformer Srimanta Sankardeva and his disciples, who established many of the island’s satras. Since that time the island has remained a focus for Assamese neo-Vaishnavite practice and regional cultural continuity.

The island sits in the Brahmaputra River within Jorhat district in upper Assam and is reached by regular ferries from the riverbank at Jorhat and nearby towns. Majuli’s landscape is low-lying riverine plain with numerous waterways and seasonal changes in extent due to river flow.

• Access and transport: Accessible primarily by ferry from the riverside town of Jorhat; motorbike and bicycle are common ways to explore the island.
• River erosion: Subject to seasonal flooding and river erosion; the island's area has shrunk in recent decades due to Brahmaputra dynamics, making local waterways and embankments important.

What to See #

• Auniati Satra: Auniati Satra - one of the largest and most visited Vaishnavite monasteries on the island, known for religious ceremonies and manuscript collections.
• Kamalabari Satra: Kamalabari Satra - an important cultural and religious institution founded in the 17th century, active in traditional arts and festivals.
• Dakhinpat Satra: Dakhinpat Satra - historically important satra on the island associated with regional religious leadership and cultural performance.