Protecting the vanishing geo-cultural heritage of India: Case study of Majuli Island in Assam

Abstract

Historically, the River Brahmaputra has been regarded as the lifeline of Assam, as it transverses through the valley of Assam and the alluvial deposits by the river has formed one of the most productive regions of the country. However, this life giving river is often associated with plethora of disasters. Every year, during the monsoon months, the soaring flow of the river and its tributaries result in massive floods and river bank erosion in the valley. Although, flooding has been an integral part of the riparian communities of the region since ages, but the escalating frequency and intensity of the phenomena along with acute riverbank erosion has divested the socio-economic backbone of the riparian communities in Assam.Majuli, the nerve centre of Neo-Vaishnavite culture, is a cultural heritage site of Assam, which is often inscribed as the ‘Cultural Capital’ of the state. It is the largest river island of the country and one of the largest inhabited riverine islands in the world. However, the existence of this cultural heritage is under serious threat due to the recurring floods and incessant bankline erosion by the Brahmaputra and its tributaries. Hence, the present study aims to assess the changing geographies of Majuli of the last four decades and seeks to explain the effective measures to protect the island from further erosion by the Brahmaputra and its tributaries.