Jorhat is often referred to as the Cultural Capital of Assam. It was originally formed by two markets or hats (Chowkihat and Macharhat), on the eastern and western banks of the river Bhogdoi. The place is one of the fastest growing cosmopolitan towns, having the highest number of educated residents in the state. The city of Jorhat was the last capital of the Ahom Dynasty. Earlier the capital of the dynasty was situated at Sibsagar. However, in the year 1794, the then reigning king of the Ahom Kingdom, Gaurinath, shifted the capital to Jorhat.
Jorhat was severely destroyed by the numerous Burmese invasions that took place in the year 1817. However, the arrival of British rule contributed to the reemergence of this historic town. Apart from the various commercial establishments, institutions and monasteries, Jorhat is also famous for its tea industry. The nerve center of the tea industry in Assam, Tocklai Research Association (TRA) is situated here. Located on the NH 37, Jorhat is well linked with Guwahati, Kaziranga, Sibsagar, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and also with other states like North Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.
The largest river island in the world, Majuli is about 20 km from the city of Jorhat. The place also serves as the most visited pilgrimage place of Upper Assam. Besides this, the other attractions within and outside the city are the Lachit Borphukan Maidam, Dhekiakhowa Bar Namghar, Gymkhana Club, a number of mediaeval Monuments and several places of historical importance, like the Bangalpukhari, Thengal Bhawan, Kunwori pukhari and the Garh Ali. So, on your next trip to Assam, make sure to have Jorhat as a part of the itnerary.
Places to See:
Jorhat is regarded as the nerve center of the tea industry of India. During the 1860s and 1870s, the entire city was gradually dotted with a number of tea gardens. Due to the dull and lonely life at the plantation sites, the planters decided to set up a club in the area. In 1876, the planters, led by the Superintendent of the Jorhat Tea Co. - J. Huttman, constructed a club and racecourse in the state.
Tocklai Tea Research Centre
Tocklai Tea Research Centre is one of the largest and the oldest tea research stations in the world, where research on all kinds of tea cultivation and processing is carried out. The centre was established in the year 1911 and has unfurled technological knowledge in tea from time to time.
Bangalpukhari
Bangalpukhari is a tank located on the southern side of the Jorhat city, near Na-ali. The history of this tank dates back to the year 1739. In the Shravan month of this year, Badan Barphukan, an Ahom Governor known for his cruelty and tyranny, was murdered by Rupsingh Bangal. Barphukan had captured some Burmese soldiers and tortured them to the heights of brutality. For his act, Bangal was rewarded with money, which he utilized in constructing a tank. It was this tank which later became famous as the Bangalpukhari. The local people do not utilize the water from this tank, as it was excavated from the money received for killing a man.
Thengal Bhavan
Thengal Bhawan was constructed in the year 1880, by Raibahadur Shiva Prasad Barooah. He then started a weekly in the local language in 1929 from the Bhavan and later established a printing press and an office therein. He also started a daily newspaper called Dainik Batari with Bagmibar Nilamani Phukan as the editor-in-chief. This was the first daily newspaper in Assamese and also the first daily newspaper in any language published from a village in India.
Burigosain Devalay
Burigosain Devalay is an important Sakta Shrine located in the center of the Jorhat city. The image of Burigosain enshrined in the temple, along with the priest, was brought from Jayantiya and was first established at Rangpur. It was only later shifted to Jorhat, in Burigosain Devalay.
Raja Maidam
Raja Maidam is the vault of King Purandar Sinha, who died in October 1894. The maidam was constructed to preserve the remains (ashes) of the late king and is located on the south bank of Toklai River.
Lachit Borphukan’s Maidam
Lachit Borphukan was the greatest-ever Ahom General, who defeated the Mughals during the famous war at Saraighat (1672). Situated in Jorhat, the vault was built in order to honor this great warrior of 16th century.
Kunwori Pukhuri
Two miles east of the Jorhat city, near the Trunk road, is a big tank known as Kunwori Pukhuri. This tank was built by Parbatia Kunwori, who was the granddaughter of Sataialia Dilabandha Borgohain.
Garh Ali
During the war between the Ahoms and the Moamarias, a huge embarkment was built to defend the former from their opponents. This extended from Seoni Ali to the Naga Hills. Seeing this, the Moamarias got awestruck and bewildered and the place also came to be known as the Bibuddhi Ghar.
Since its establishment in the year 1997, Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary has been playing a major role in the research and conservation of the primate community of the animal kingdom. The sanctuary is situated at an approximate distance of 19 km from the city of Jorhat and covers a total area of about 20.98 sq km.
Kaziranga National Park is situated on the banks of the river Brahmaputra, in the northeast state of Assam. Covering a total area of about 430 sq km, it is one of the most famous tourist attractions of the state. The history of the park can be traced back to the era when Mary Victoria Leiter Curzon, the wife of Viceroy of India Lord Curzon, visited the place, in the year 1904.
No comments:
Post a Comment