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Did you know? World's largest and smallest inhabited river islands are in same river

Published on: April 25, 2025 20:38 IST
Majuli in Assam is the largest inhabited river island in the world. It spans over 350 square kilometers. It's a haven for bird watchers — home to a variety of migratory and resident birds, especially during the winter.
1/8 Image Source : Social media
Majuli in Assam is the largest inhabited river island in the world. It spans over 350 square kilometers. It's a haven for bird watchers — home to a variety of migratory and resident birds, especially during the winter.
2/8 Image Source : Social media
Majuli is bordered by the Brahmaputra River to the South and East, the Subansiri River to the West, and an anabranch of the Brahmaputra River.
3/8 Image Source : Social media
The island is inhabited by members of the Mising, Deori, and Sonowal Kachari tribes and serves as a hub of Assamese neo-Vaishnavite culture. It is accessible by ferry or boat from Jorhat, which is located about 250 kilometers northeast of Guwahati.
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Bhaona is a traditional masked theatrical art form from Majuli, Assam, blending music, dance, and storytelling to depict religious tales from the Bhagawat Purana and Ramayana, rooted in Srimanta Sankardeva’s Neo-Vaishnavite tradition.
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Umananda Island, the world's smallest inhabited river islet, sits in the Brahmaputra River in Guwahati, Assam, and is named after the goddess Uma (Parvati) and the word 'ananda' meaning joy.
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It is mostly visited for its Shiva temple, the Umananda Temple, and was also home to a large population of golden langurs, an endangered species of primate
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Umananda Island, also called Peacock Island for its shape and Bhasmachal due to a legend where Kamdev was incinerated by Shiva's wrath, blends mythological lore with colonial history.
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The Guwahati Ropeway, India's longest river ropeway, offers stunning aerial views of the Brahmaputra and Umananda Island, home to the historic Umananda Temple.