Majuli is a lush green pristine, pollution free fresh water island in the river Brahmaputra, just 20 km from Jorhat city. Majuli is the world’s largest river island, and is a very prominent tourist attraction. Since Majuli is unique in its culture it has been named as the cultural capital of Assam. The main festival in the town of Majuli is called Raas – a wonderful spectacle to witnessand a feast to the eyes. One can reach this heavenly abode in two ways. One is by Neematighat (Jorhat, Assam) and then by ferry service from there to Majuli which takes about an hour. The other is via Lakhimpur (Assam), which is a longer route and more tiring. Majuli is where the 15th century saint and fountainhead of Assamese culture, Sankardeva, first established a neo-Vaishnavite monastery.The best time to visit Majuli is during the Raas festival in November. Majuli produces about a hundred different varieties of rice devoid of pesticides or artificial fertilizers. Among the fascinating varieties grown is Komal Saul, a unique kind of rice that becomes edible after just 15 minutes of soaking in warm water. It is usually eaten as a breakfast cereal. Majuli is the epicenter of the Sattriya dance.
The Raas Lila is an annual festival being performed on the full moon day (Purnima) in the months of October-November (Kati- Aghun) during the autumn season. The Raas Lila is the story of the life of Lord Krishna presented in the performing art form. It begins with the birth of Krishna, his upbringing at the house of king Nanda, his tending the cows at Gokula along with his fellow cowherds, his childhood activities, his killing of the demons like Bakasur, Putana, Kaliya, and of Kamsa- his maternal uncle. Light is also thrown his youth and his amorous play with the Gopis. This festival has a great impact on the life and culture of the people of Majuli. Though it is a part of the culture of the Sattras as a festival, it is performed by many of the villages.