Did You Know The Smallest Inhabited River Island In The World

From lush river islands to stunning landscapes, and the majestic Brahmaputra, Assam has a lot to offer to the discerning traveller. Among the things to see are the river islands in the state - including the well-known Majuli. which once held the Guinness Record for being the world's largest river island. That is on one side of the scale. On the other is Umananda, which is said to be the smallest inhabited island in the world. Due to its shape, the&nbspBritish had named it Peacock Island.

Accessed by a 10-minute ferry ride from Guwahati, the island is known for the ancient temple by the same name, perched on top of the Bhasmacala hill.

The temple used to be known as the Umananda Devaloi and was built by Ahom King Gadadhar Singha in 1694. The shrine to Shiva here attracts thousands every year, especially during&nbspMaha Shivaratri.

It is believed that Shiva created the island for Uma (or Parvati). He lived in the island as Bhayananda much to the 'ananda' or joy of Uma. Hence the name. In Kalika Purana, Hindu mythology outlines a story when Kamadeva had interrupted Shiva's meditation, and the infuriated god had burnt him with his third eye. Hence the island is also known as Bhasmachal.

There was a time when you could spot golden langurs (Trachypithecus Geei) here. But the last of them died in 2020.&nbspGolden langurs - who are listed among the top 25 most enfangered primate spices - are endemic to a small region in Assam and the foothills of Himalayas in Bhutan.

People generally visit Kamakhya temple in the morning, and head to the island to offer prayers at the Shiva temple here.

Just a handful of people stay on the island - the shopkeepers who run stalls for tourists leave every evening. Among the inhabitants are two priests and a couple of fishermen.

When the Brahmaputra is in spate and floods happen, Umananda remains cut-off from the world. However, people here say that foodwaters have not been able to enter the temple. Yet.