Brahmaputra River Erosion And Challenges To Majuli :  Land Loss, Displacement And Cultural Survival

Author(s)	Mr. Prasanta Borah
Country	India
Abstract	Majuli, a river island in the Brahmaputra known for its neo-Vaishnavite monasteries (Satras), its Mising and other communities and its wetland ecology, has lost a large share of its area to bank erosion since the mid-twentieth century. This article synthesises geomorphological, demographic and policy literature to examine the causes and scale of that erosion, its social and cultural consequences, and the adequacy of the responses to it. It argues, first, that erosion at Majuli results from the interaction of a braided, sediment-laden and tectonically active river with a low-lying island; second, that public debate is hampered by irreconcilable estimates of the island's area, which range from roughly 480 to 875 km²; and third, that the most serious losses are cumulative and social: repeated displacement, land scarcity, weakened community networks and the relocation or closure of Satras. Using a human-security framework extended to include cultural security, the article concludes that protection works must be combined with reliable monitoring, resettlement policy, livelihood diversification and participatory governance.
Keywords	Brahmaputra, Majuli, riverbank erosion, displacement, livelihoods, human security, cultural heritage
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 5, September-October 2026
Published On	2026-09-30

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