Buddhism in Assam: Understanding the History, Growth and the Current Trend

Assam is a north eastern state situated in the periphery of India. From time immemorial the state has absorbed multiple and diverse cultures, religions, and linguistic groups into its fold. People from varied regions have migrated into this state across different time periods. These variations provide a rich culture to the society of Assam. The people of the state follow different religions, such as Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism etc. In this paper we will go to discuss about Buddhism—a religion that has added to the multi-cultural fabric of Assam. This paper briefly examines the history of Buddhism in Assam, the quantity of followers in the state. It also looks into the conditions that contributed in the flourishing and blooming of the religion in this land of diversity. Emphasize also is added to understand the recent trends of Buddhism in the state. How a rebel religion incorporated with Hinduism, is also a matter of discussion of the paper. Assam is a north-eastern state located in the periphery of India—a south Asian nation-state. The state is multi-cultural, multireligious, multi-lingual, and multi-ethnic, in the true sense of the term. The society of the state is extensively heterogeneous, mixed and diverse. This diversity has been an unparellel resource for the state for generations. The larger society of the state has incorporated many religions into its fold, such as Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Jainism and Buddhism to mention a few. With this diversity, emanates diverse stories about the state. Both in Indian