Assam's Village of Magic is a Tourist Hotspot

Guwahati: With a history that is bound to scare the daylights out of believers and make others gape in wonder, the peaceful ambience somehow looks like a cloak of mystery.

Situated near the Pobitora wildlife sanctuary, about 40 km from Guwahati, Mayong has often been called India's magic capital. Astounding tales of a man disappears into thin air, or being turned into an animal, or a fierce tiger being tamed and serious illnesses being cured lie in the treasure trove of almost every family.

Today Mayong's fascinating stories are attracting tourists, prompting the government to develop this place as a tourist hotspot.

Naba Deka, who works in a resort in the wildlife sanctuary and hails from Mayong, says lots of curious visitors come to the village to enquire if people still practise magic.

"It's (magic, sorcery) not practised as much as before. These are modern times. People don't believe in magic or spells as much as they used to. Children go to school and shun these things as superstitions," Deka said.

"I, for instance, have not learnt magic. But my ancestors have. Magic spells were taught to children by the kobiraj (teacher) as soon as they attained a particular age. Only some of these spells were written, most of them passed by word of mouth," he said.