Masks
Spices
Food
Industrial Goods
Arts

Assam's traditional Masks

Su-mukha or Bor mukha

“Su mukha is largest among all the masks. It can range from 8-10fts of heights. The face and the body of the mask are made separately, and are attached to the wearer, during the bhaona. Characters such as Ravana, Narasimha, are typically adorned with this type of masks".

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Lutukai-mukha or Suti mukha

"Lutukai mukha looks similar to Su mukha, however differs in structure. Lutukai mukha is designed in a way to allow more movement of the hands and head of the mask".

Mukh mukha

“Mukh mukha is the face mask. This mask is designed only for the face. Along with the mask, the performer also wears colourful dresses and jewellery for his act".

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Assam’s Tradional Spices

Panch Phoran

Panch Phoran is a traditional Assamese spice mix consisting of five seeds: fenugreek (methi), nigella (kalonji), cumin (jeera), black mustard (rai), and fennel (saunf). This blend is used for tempering dishes and imparts a complex, aromatic flavor. It is especially popular in vegetable dishes, pickles, and lentil soups (dals).

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Black Sesame Seeds (Til)

Black sesame seeds are widely used in Assamese cuisine, particularly in dishes like til pitha, a traditional sweet snack, and various fish preparations. The seeds add a nutty flavor and are often ground into a paste for use in gravies and curries.

Mustard Seeds

Mustard seeds are a staple in Assamese cooking, used for tempering and flavoring. They are often used in fish curries and pickles, and mustard oil, which has a pungent flavor, is a common cooking medium in the region.

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Ginger (Ada)

Ginger is an essential ingredient in Assamese cuisine, providing a fresh, spicy, and slightly sweet flavor. It is used in a variety of dishes, including meat, fish, and vegetarian preparations. Ginger is also a key component of traditional Assamese spice pastes.

Garlic (Naharu)

Garlic is widely used in Assamese cooking for its pungent and savory flavor. It is often used alongside ginger in spice pastes, marinades, and tempering, enhancing the overall taste of dishes.

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Bay Leaf (Tejpatta)

Bay leaves are used in Assamese cuisine to add a subtle, aromatic flavor to soups, stews, and curries. They are typically added during the cooking process and removed before serving.

Bhoot Jolokia (Ghost Pepper)

Also known as Naga Jolokia or Bhut Jolokia, this chili pepper is one of the hottest in the world. It is used sparingly in Assamese cuisine due to its intense heat. It is used in pickles, chutneys, and occasionally in curries, adding a fiery kick to dishes.

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Cumin Seeds (Jeera)

Cumin seeds are used in Assamese cuisine for their warm, earthy flavor. They are often dry-roasted and ground to enhance the flavor of various dishes, including meat curries, vegetable preparations, and spice blends.

Turmeric (Haldi)

Turmeric is a widely used spice in Assamese cooking, valued for its earthy flavor and vibrant yellow color. It is used in almost all types of dishes, including curries, lentils, and pickles, and is also known for its medicinal properties.

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Cardamom (Elachi)

Cardamom is occasionally used in Assamese cuisine, especially in sweet dishes and some special meat preparations. It imparts a sweet, aromatic flavor that enhances the taste of the dishes.

Assam’s Foods And Drinks

Khar

One of the most unique Assamese dishes that the locals love to devour on a regular basis is Khar. It is basically a dark liquid with an astringent aroma that is made from sundried Bhim Kol or feather-back banana peels. This famous food of Assam is best enjoyed with raw papaya, lentils, different types of gourds, and spices. Every tribal family has its own version of Khar that is mouth-wateringly delicious. Make sure to try this food item at a traditional street-side joint in Assam on your next vacation!One of the most unique Assamese dishes that the locals love to devour on a regular basis is Khar. It is basically a dark liquid with an astringent aroma that is made from sundried Bhim Kol or feather-back banana peels. This famous food of Assam is best enjoyed with raw papaya, lentils, different types of gourds, and spices. Every tribal family has its own version of Khar that is mouth-wateringly delicious. Make sure to try this food item at a traditional street-side joint in Assam on your next vacation!

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Masor Tenga

Masor Tenga If you are a true blood pescatarian, then trying out some piping hot Masor Tenga should be on your bucket list! The people of Assam love fish, especially rohu and catla. This is one dish that celebrates the taste of these fish in their purest form. A curry made with ridge gourd, rohu/catla, tomatoes, potatoes, and kokum, Masor Tenga will make your palette dance with joy! It is one of the main foods served in an Assamese thali, so order one up as soon as you reach the land of “Blue Hills and Red River”..

Pitika

Literally meaning “mashed”, Pitika is one of the most beloved food items in Assamese cuisine. This is because of the pure comfort it gives you in every bite. Prepared using a variety of vegetables like potatoes, eggplant, pumpkin, etc., it is flavoured with fresh coriander, green chillies, onion, and mustard oil. Some folks may even call it the northeastern equivalent to Chokha eaten in Bihar and Jharkhand! It is among the most famous dishes of Assam, so you will get to try it even in the remotest locations.

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Paror Mangxo

Paroro Mangxo is a curry made with pigeon meat. It might sound too exotic for your liking but if you are a true foodie, then eating unique dishes is in your blood! Ideally, this pigeon meat is cooked with banana flowers and peppercorns. It is believed that the heat in this traditional food item of Assam provides a lot of warmth in the cold winter months. You need to remember that the cuisine of Assam is very distinct, so getting a little adventurous should be your prerogative.

Haah Joha Kumura

In Assamese, Haah or Haa means duck which is highly popular among the local population. Haah Joha Kumura is part of every feast being organized in Assam. Be it a housewarming party or a wedding, this duck-based curry is a staple. Since it is a heavily spiced dish with duck meat, ash gourd, and a variety of other ingredients, you should have it with some Joha rice. All in all, this famously loved food of Assam should be tried out at least once!

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Assam’s Industrial Goods

Muga Silk

Nestled among the blue hills and green valley lies the state of Assam-the gateway to North East India. Situated in the foothills of the Himalayas and on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra, Assam is also renowned for its wild silk production along with the quintessential tea gardens. Silk rearing and weaving dates back to centuries in Assam making it an integral part of its culture. Almost every village in Assam is host to generations of silk producing communities.

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Eri Silk

Eri silk yarn has some unique properties hence why it is known as an all-weather fibre. The Isothermal properties of Eri silk makes it cool in summer and its thermal properties make it warm in winter. The process of producing Eri silk yarns and fibres in the villages has the smallest carbon footprint in the world in the textile industry. Another unique factor is that all activities from rearing of the silkworms to weaving happens within a village ecosystem. Unlike other textile fibres Eri silk production resembles a model of a circular economy. Eri silk is mostly used in weaving in India’s Northeast region, but has great potential in knitting, crochet, and embroidery. Due to its staple (short) fibre makeup requiring it to be spun and not reeled. In addition it has a woolly texture or a cotton-like behaviour and is heavier than other silks.

Handicrafts

Assam has maintained a rich tradition of various traditional crafts for more than two thousand years. Presently, Cane and bamboo craft, bell metal and brass craft, silk and cotton weaving, toy and mask making, pottery and terracotta work, wood craft, jewellery making, musical instruments making, etc. are remained as major traditions. Historically, Assam also excelled in making boats, traditional guns and gunpowder, colours and paints, articles of lac, traditional building materials, utilities from iron, etc.

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Gamosa

The Gamusa of Assam is an article of significance for the indigenous people of Assam, India. It is generally a white rectangular piece of cloth with primarily a red border on three sides and red woven motifs on the fourth (in addition to red, other colors are also used). Although cotton yarn is the most common material for making/weaving gamosas, there are special occasion ones made from Pat silk.

Tea

Assam tea is a black tea named after Assam, India, the region of its production. It is manufactured specifically from the plant Camellia sinensis var. assamica (Masters).[1][2] The Assam tea plant is indigenous to Assam—initial efforts to plant the Chinese varieties in Assam soil did not succeed.[3][4] Assam tea is now mostly grown at or near sea level and is known for its body, briskness, malty flavour, and strong, bright colour. Assam teas, or blends containing Assam tea, are often sold as "breakfast" teas. For instance, Irish breakfast tea, a maltier and stronger breakfast tea, consists of small-sized Assam tea leaves.[

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Assam's Arts and crafts

CANE AND BAMBOO

Cane and bamboo have remained inseparable parts of life in Assam. Grown in abundance here and hence most of the household articles in the homes of Assamese are made of cane and bamboo. They happen to be the two most commonly-used items in daily life, ranging from household implements to construction of dwelling houses to furniture to weaving accessories to musical instruments. The Jappi, the traditional sunshade continues to be the most prestigious of bamboo items of the state, and it has been in use since the days when the great Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang came to Assam that visitors are welcomed with a jaapi.

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METAL CRAFTS

Bell-metal and brass have been the most commonly used metals for the Assamese artisan. Traditional utensils and fancy artiicles designed by these artisans are found in every Assamese household. The Xorai and bota have in use for centuries, to offer betel-nut and paan while welcoming distinguished guests. The entire population of two townships near Guwahati - Hajo and Sarthebari, are engaged in producing traditional bell-metal and brass articles. They have also used their innovative skills to design modern day articles to compete with the changing times. Gold, silver and copper too form a part of traditional metal craft in Assam and the State Museum in Guwahati has a rich collection of items made of these metals. Gold however is now used only for ornaments.

WOOD CRAFT

Assam has always remained one of the most forest-covered states of the country, and the variety of wood and timber available here have formed a part of the people's culture and ecomony. An Assamese can identify the timber by touching it even in darkness, and can produce a series of items from it. While decorative panels in the royal Ahom palaces of the past and the 600-years old satras or Vaishnative monasteries are intricately carved on wood, a special class of people who excelled in wood carving came to be known as Khanikar, a surname proudly passed down from generation to generation. The various articles in a satra and naam-ghar(place of worship) are stiff cut on wood, depicting the guru asana (pedestal of the lords), apart from various kinds of birds and animals figuring in mythology. Modern-day Khanikar have taken to producing articles of commercial values, including figures of one-horned rhino and replicas of the world-famous Kamakhya temple - two items heading the list of demands of a visitor from outside.

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JEWELLERY

Gold-washing and jewellery-making were two important ancient industries in Assam. The earliest references to the golden art are found in the Arthashastra, but jewellery-making on an elaborate scale happened during the Ahom reign. Goldsmiths and gold traders flourished in Kamrup, Goalpara, Barpeta and Sivasagar but Jorhat town and outlying areas became the nerve centre of the gold and silver craft for superior enamelling work known as minakari in Assamese. Dark blue, dark green and white were the preferred enamelling, but red and yellow were used occasionally. Crafting traditional Assamese ornaments is a painstaking process but the end products are a breathtaking range of ornaments. Necklaces carry names like Jonbiri, Dholbiri and Dugdugi while Lokaparo, Thuria and Dighal Keru are popular ear-rings. The rings have names like Patia Angathi and Babari Phulia Angathi while a variety of bracelets include Gam Kharu, Baju and Kangkan

TERRACOTTA

Two categories of people – Kumars and Hiras – made pottery their own. But the ones that carved out a niche are the terra cotta craftsmen of Asarikandi in Dhubri district. The distinctive style has made Asarikandi an ethnic art brand in India. Asarikandi is also known for its sola pith craft, made from the soft core of a special kind of reed. Terracotta as a medium has dominated the handicraft scene of Assam since time immemorial. The tradition itself has been handed down from the generation to generation without break. Today we have the descendent of such families engaged in improvised terracotta versions of various common figures of gods and goddesses to mythological characters, while toys, vases, etc have also found a new life.

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TRADITIONAL PAINTINGS

The tradition of paintings in Assam can be traced back to several centuries in the past. Ahom palaces and satras and naam-ghar etc still abound in brightly-coloured paintings depicting various stories and events from history and mythology. In fact, the motifs and designs contained in Chitra-Bhagavata have come to become a traditional style for Assamese painters of the later period, and are still in practice today.