/ 0
Preserving Majuli’s Rich Heritage
Dwaipayan Dasgupta
Issue about whose future the conscious people in the State of Assam are apprehensive and which much has been written in newspapers and periodically discussed in the print media is no other than that of Majuli, the largest river island in the world. Nestled in the middle of the Brahmaputra River falling under the Jorhat district, the island is essentially the pride of Assam and its people with it having been a rich repository of the State’s socio-cultural and ethno-religious heritage. Easily accessible by nearly two-hour bus ride and ferries from the city of Jorhat, this landmass with a population of around 1,60,000, a majority of whom having been Mising tribals, is also a home to Assamese neo-vaisnavite culture. Interestingly, the riverine island came into limelight sometime in the 15th century when the revered saint and fountainhead of the Assamese culture Srimanta Sandardeva and his disciple Madhavdeva upon propagating a new form of Vaishnavism. The religion of Sankaradeva, what is called “Vaishnavism” was simpler, more accessible and less ritualistic than the Hindu religion. It was rooted in faith and prayer. Unlike Hinduism, there is no provision for idol worship or sacrifice in his religion other than a dance drama form of bhaona and ankiya nat using the Bhagwat Gita written by Sankaradeva.
It is important to note here that at one point of time, there were as many as 65 Vaishnvite satras at Majuli connoting monasteries including “Manikanchan Sanjog” happening to be the first of its kind there. They were all constructed by the saint with each of them representing a colourful facet of Assamese rich cultural heritage. But it is ironic that today a mere 22 of the 65 satras are functional. Why cannot the rest be reactivated?
A wetland, Majuli is a hotspot for flora and fauna, and as such, harbouring many rare and endangered species including migratory birds such as whistling teal, Siberian Crane, pelicans etc.
The largest river island that Majuli is, has also assumed great significance both historically and mythologically. In this connection, what is indeed worthy of note here is that apart from it being the centre of the Vaishnavite culture and religion, it is also a major destination for hand-made pottery which is interestingly of historical Harappan style.
However, the crucial question is: What are the reasons for which the island has over the years evolved into a major destination for tourists’, both domestic and foreign? Well, there are some special reasons which have actually made it a major tourist attraction. One reason is the interesting myth largely circulated in not just Assam but in the Northeast as well that Lord Krishna once used to play with his consorts in the treasure Island. Second, there is an earthen lamp there claimed to be burning there in Garmur Satra for over 300 years now. Yet another reason is its being a hotspot for flora and fauna as alluded to in the earlier paragraph, besides being a multi-faceted rich cultural centre in the State represented by diverse forms of dance, music, song and art.
From the above discussion, it is clear that the island indeed is a place of immense value to us in terms of the vaisnavite culture, mythology and tourism. Which is why preserving this heritage site is a sine qua non. But the one single but crucial question is: Will both the Central and State governments be able to protect Majuli from perennial floods and erosion? Arguably, there many priceless collections of antiquity in the island that should be nourished for future generations and tourists. Now if its areas continue to be eroded by endemic floods in the river Brahmaputra this will soon lose its importance as a treasure island
That Majuli is facing the serious threat of extinction is no new development. The root cause of its soil erosion has been the great earthquake of 1950 in Assam. It was of such a high that it had not only affected the state but also changed the course of the river Brahmaputra at various vulnerable places in the region. This changed course was what had practically put Majuli to nonstop erosion. Initially, its total area was 1256 sq km. But the erosion has over the decades reduced its landmass to a mere 450 sq km. In 2001 it has been further reduced to 421.65 sq km.
What must have left a bad taste in the mouth is that at a time when the people in the State have demanded the UNESCO World Heritage tag for the river island, it is our misfortune that over the decades there has been seldom any fruit- bearing efforts at checking the Brahmaputra’s continuous erosion that has reduced it to almost half its total geographical area.
Studies reveal that if its bank- erosion by the river continues unabated at the current rate, then Majuli could well vanish within next 15-20 years. There is an unconfirmed report that suggests that the Government of India has sanctioned Rs 250 crore, indeed a huge amount of protection of the island. If it is construed to be authentic, then why should there have been the recurring menace of flood and erosion continuing to play Havoc in Majuli every year? What will surely induce a feeling of apprehension, especially among those who always think for good of Assam, is that since 1991 over 35 villages have disappeared in the Brahmaputra rendering hundreds of families homeless.
If the erosion gets unabated, and there is inordinate delay in initiating an effective, long term mechanism to save the island from being further eroded, it will hardly be a big surprise if Majuli faces a serious identity crisis not just as the nerve centre of the State’s vaishnavite culture for centuries together but as a major destination for tourists as well in the near future.
It is primarily because of this reason that a team of Sattradhikars, representatives of various social organisations and senior citizens of Majuli have recently approached the Union Ministry for Water Resources with the demand to adopt long term measures to save the island from chronic flood and erosion. Since several central ministers have assured that funds would not be a constraint for the purpose, it is incumbent upon them to translate it into action at the earliest. Salvaging would not have been a tall order had the island been by now declared as a World Heritage Site because then international aid for its preservation would not have been an uphill job. Records say there have been three attempts, with the first two being made in 2008 and 2010, and the latest being in 2012. But all these efforts have unfortunately ended in smoke, on the ground of submission of what was termed “incomplete documents” to the UNESCO. It is indeed surprising why authorities are failing to submit a detailed information on the island as sought by the UN organ every time. r
