Watch: Will Majuli in Assam, the world’s largest river island, disappear in the Brahmaputra one day?
It is not just the land but also the traditional cultures of the people there that are threatened.
Will the Brahmaputra take away one of India’s largest river islands? Constant flooding and erosion has reduced the Majuli river island in Assam, the world’s largest such island, to less than half its original size. And as the video above points out, even the 400 square kilometres that remain could be submerged in another 20 or 30 years.
This beautiful river island, dotted with green fields and lush forests, is Assam’s prize possession. It boasts of a remarkable blend of communities and a range of diverse cultures, including the traditions of neo-Vaishnavism and of mask-making.
In the video (above), made by 101 India, residents talk of their past, and wonder how long their home will survive. The central government has assured steps for protection of the island, but nature is a difficult force to resist.