Manas National Park

Manas National Park is in the foothills of the Himalayas, in the Indian state Assam in India. This national park is not only a Wildlife Sanctuary, but also UNESCO natural World Heritage Site, apart from that it is a Project  Tiger Reserve, an Elephant Reserve and even a Biosphere Reserve. This national park is adjoining with the Royal Manas National Park. Here in this park, one will get to see some rare , endangered and endemic species such as, Assam Roofed Turtle, Pygmy Hog, Golden langur and Hispid Hare. Manas is mainly famous for its huge population of wild water buffalo.

Manas National Park

The name of this national park was derived from the Manas River, which was named after Manas, the serpent Goddess. The river Manas is one of the main tributary of the Bramhaputra, which flows through the heart of this national park.

In the core of the National Park is the only forest village known as Agrang, apart from that there are more 56 villages around this park, where some way or the other, they are depend on this park.

Geography of the Park

Five districts falls under this park, there are Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, Udalgiri, Darrang in Assam, India.

This park is mainly divided into three ranges, Panbari, is the western range, then Bansbari is the central range, which is near Barpeta road, and Bhuiyapara is the eastern range which is near Pathsala.

Located in the Eastern Himalayan foothills, Manas, has got a very dense forest. The major tributary of the Bramhaputra is the Manas river, which flows through this park, this river flows through the western park of the park, further it splits into two river namely Beki, Bholkaduba.

Climate

Here, the minimum temperature is around 15 degree Celsius and the maximum temperature is around 37 degree Celsius. This place receives the maximum rainfall between the months of May and September, the annual rainfall this place receives around is 333 cm.

 

Biomes

Mans has two major Biomes:

•  The grassland Biomes, which consists of wild Asian Buffalo, bengal florican, pygmy Hog and Indian rhinoceros.
  

•  The forest Biomes consists of capped langur, wild pig, sambar, wild pig, Malayan and black giant squirrel.
  

   

Flora

Vegetation

Between he borders of the Indo Gangetic and Indo Malayan biogeographical realms lies the Burma Monsoon Forest of Manas, which is also the part of the Bramhaputra Valley Biogeographic Province.

Arundo Donax

 

 

The main vegetation here are 

• In the northern part is the Sub-Himalayan Light Alluvial Semi-Evergreen Forests.
  
• the most common type is the East Himalayan mixed Moist and Dry Deciduous Forest.
  
• Low Alluvial Savanna Woodland, and
  
• Assam Valley Semi- Evergreen Alluvial Grasslands, which almost covers 50% of the park 
  

In the core zone of Manas, almost 543 plant species are recorded in which there are 374 species of dicotyledon which includes 89 trees, 139 species of monocotyledons and 30 species of Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms.

Bombax Ceiba

Some of  common trees in the park included Syzgium cumini, Bombax ceiba, Trewia polycarpa, Arundo Donax, Oroxylum indicum, Bauhinia purpurea and many more.

 

Fauna

Manas has about 55 species of mammals, birds of 380 species, reptiles of 50 specie, 3 species of amphibians. Among them 31 mammals are threatened.

Jungle Fowls

This sanctuary has Barking Deer, Indian Rhinoceros, Gaur, Asian Elephants, Asian Water Buffalo, Indian Tigers, Leopards, Slow Loris, Hollock Gibbon, Assamese Macaques and many more.

This park is also famous for as it has some rare species which are not found in any part of the world, such as, Hispid Hare, Assam Roofed Turtle, Pygmy Hog, Golden Langur.

Assam Roofed Turtle

This national park is the home of 450 species of birds and interestingly  it has the large number of  Bengal Florician. Some of the birds includes are Bulbuls, Jungle fowls, Fishing Eagles, Falcons, Ospreys, Brahminey Duck, Egrets, Pelicans.

 

Tourist Interest

Tourist here will be able to enjoy, the Elephant Rides, the Jeep Jungle Safari, river rafting, Bird Watching, Manas nature Trails and Treks.

 

Kamkhya Temple

The Kamakhya Temple is situated on the Nilachal Hill in the western part of the city Guwahati in Assam, India is known as one of the ancient Shakti Peeth. The Kamkhya temple is the main temple, in the complex, where there are also individual temples dedicated to different forms of Mother goddess as Dasa Mahavidya and which also includes Bhuvanesvari, Bagalamukhi, Chinnamasta, Tara and Tripura Sundari. This place is very much important not only for Hindu pilgrims but especially for the Tantrik worshippers.

The Kamakhya Temple

The Kamakhya temple was erected during the first millennium at the time of Kamrupa, it is mentioned in the Allahabad rock inscription of Samudragupta. This temple was destroyed in the second millennium ,the modified temple structure was built by Chilari of the Kochi dynasty, the temple was built in the form of medieval style temples. This new structure has a beehive like shikhara , where there are lovely sculptured panels and  images of Ganesh and other Goddess outside.

Goddess Kamakhya

It is said that this temple is an ancient Khasi sacrificial place, here still sacrifices are offered as a part of worshipping. Here still devotees offer goats to Shakti every morning.

An ancient work in Sanskrit called Kalika Purana decribes Kamkhya the younger wife of Shiva as an out turn of all desires and also She is the giver of salvation. Kamakhya is also known as Shakti

Here the modes of worship to the Goddess is both Vamachara (left hand path) and also Dakshinachara (right hand path). Here the offerings are usually flowers but also animals sacrifices are also included. It is said that female animals are accepted.