Auniati Satra is one of the most important of Majuli's monasteries, founded in 1653 and one of the four raj satras — royal satras that received patronage from the Ahom kings who ruled Assam. It sits on the banks of the Brahmaputra's anabranch, surrounded by a wide, peaceful courtyard. Monks in white and yellow robes go about the daily rhythm of prayer, study, and upkeep, and early morning devotions — the striking of drums, the chant of Borgeets (Vaishnavite devotional songs) — carry across the compound before sunrise.
The satra maintains a small museum attached to the main prayer hall that holds a remarkable collection: silver vessels used in ritual, antique jewellery, ivory objects, and manuscripts that passed through centuries of Ahom royal patronage. The museum is small but worth lingering over. Photography of the prayer hall is not usually permitted during devotions, but the satradhikar will often arrange access for respectful visitors who ask ahead.