In Pictures: Assam’s Majuli, India’s Only Island District

The Quint brings you pictures from the Majuli island which is soon going to become India’s first island district.

Wooden houses built on concrete pillars to make sure the water level doesn’t cross the height of the pillars. (Photo: Tridip K Mandal)

Majuli island is all set to become the country’s only island district on Thursday. The island, which is the constituency of Assam’s chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is Assam’s cultural capital and the world’s largest inhabited river island.

In the following pictures, we take you through one of India’s culturally rich yet backward river islands:

Majuli in Assam’s Jorhat District is the world’s largest inhabited river island on the Brahmaputra. (Photo: Tridip K Mandal)

The only way to reach Majuli is on a ferry service from Neamati Ghat on the southern bank of Brahmaputra. Each trip costs Rs 15 per person and almost Rs 800 for a car. (Photo: Tridip K Mandal)

From elephant to a goat almost everything is allowed on the ferry. While the ticket for an elephant is Rs 900, the goat can come onboard for only Rs 10. (Photo: Tridip K Mandal)

The ferry is always packed to capacity but there are hardly enough life jackets for all the passengers. (Photo: Tridip K Mandal)

The makeshift café on the ferry to Majuli. Mineral water, snacks, betel nut, chocolates and red tea is readily available. (Photo: Tridip K Mandal)

Even the biggest political parties have to depend on the ferry for their election campaigns. (Photo: Tridip K Mandal)

The ferry service is the only option for people traveling to Majuli, Lakhimpur and further north to Arunachal Pradesh. (Photo: Tridip K Mandal)

Playing cards seems to be the best way to pass this one-hour long journey on the Brahmaputra. (Photo: Tridip K Mandal)

Annual floods and erosion pose a serious threat to Majuli. Erosion has reduced the size of Majuli to just 400 sq km. In the late 19th century the area of Majuli was almost 1250 sq km. (Photo: Tridip K Mandal)

The only way to protect from annual floods is to build houses on wooden or concrete pillars and hope that the water level doesn’t cross the height of the pillars. (Photo: Tridip K Mandal)

Locals plant trees during the dry season with the hope that they will act as barriers to protect Majuli from erosion. (Photo: Tridip K Mandal)