A stunning, fresh water island located in the upper reaches of an Indian river has been put forward to be listed as a Unesco's World Heritage Site.

The government has nominated Majuli Island in Jorhat district to be named in the Cultural Landscape category for this year.

Backing the listing of the island is the Archaeological Survey of India, who recently researched the threat which it currently faces from erosion and pollution.

Majuli, which lies on the Brahmaputra river, has long been a cultural hub and is a place of both historic and religious significance.

Much of the island has remained untouched by modern influences and its people are proud of their unique heritage.

Experts in sociology have, in the past, highlighted the importance of protecting the island and its people's traditions which have been preserved for hundreds of years.

But it is not only the cultural provision of the island that makes it a traveller's paradise – its wildlife too is a joy to behold with flora and fauna bursting from every corner.

The birdlife is abundant, with visitors able to spot beauties such as the Greater Adjutant Stork, the Pelican, the Siberian Crane and the Whistling Teal.

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