Jorhat is one of the major cities of Assam and a doorway to both Assam and Nagaland. The city is famous for its culture, mosques, tombs, gardens and tea plantations. Also called the Tea capital of Assam, Jorhat is a culturally and commercially important city in the state. The Dhekiakhowa Bornamghar is the oldest and the most famous place of worship in Assam, which attracts a lot of tourists every year.
Jorhat” got ts name from “Jorehaut” that means two hats or mandis-namely “Macharhat” and “Chowkihat” which existed on the two opposite banks of the river Bhugdoi during the 18th century, located 306 kms away from Guwahati, Jorhat was the last capital of the Ahom Kingdom. One of the major cities of Assam Jorhat a the doorway to Nagaland. The city is also home to the renowned historical monuments of Assamese culture. Tea plantations are major #tourist attraction.
The river island of Majuli is just 20 km away from the city. Jorhat is the hub of premier educational institutions in Assam. Since independence, a number of shopping malls, multiplexes, eateries, residential apartments, hotels and resorts have cropped up in and around the city. Well connected by air, rail and roads, Jorhat is vibrant city that combines tradition and modernity. In 1896, Jorhat Theatre was established to perform cultural activities and dramas by some renowned people of the town.
The Chandrakanta Handique Bhawan, headquarters of Asam Sahitya Sabha was established in 1926. The city echoes with the bravery of the last Ahom warriors who liberated the people from the shackles of Mughal rulers. The town is home to the exclusive Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary. About 25 km from Jorhat, Shyamgaon village near Jorhat is be one of the earliest Buddhist settlements in Assam. The popular tourist attraction near Jorhat has a peaceful environment making it ideal place for meditation and spiritualty.
An old ‘Balijan Buddhist Vihara’, set amidst luxuriant greenery, serves six Buddhist villages in the vicinity. The Balijan shrine is a major pilgrimage centre for Buddhists people in the north-east. The village has a white statue of Shakyamuni Buddha that along with a gilded manuscript and silken gown was gifted in 1826 by a Burmese King to Buddhists who migrated here from Myanmar’s Shan province. This village is mainly populated by the Khamyang people of Assam.
Another major tourist attraction is Mulai Kathoni or Mulai Forest, a 550 acre man-made forest located at Kokilamukh, a village of Jorhat. Jadav Mulai Payeng,””the forest man of India”, who is behind this exceptional work, upgraded a ‘chapori’ of the river Brahmaputra to forest over several years. He built this forest after witnessing a sad incident of a dying snake due to lack of vegetation in the area. He single-handedly transformed the entire region which led to the reoccurrence of wildlife here.
He was awarded the Padmashri for the achievement. Jorhat is the gateway to Digboi the oil city of Assam. Jorhat is the gateway to nearby tourist attractions of Dehing Patkai Wildife Sanctuary, Dibru SaiKhowa National Park, Sally Lake, and Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary, Kamalabari Satra, Auniati Satra, Dakhinpat Satra and Jorhat Gymkhana Club. Kamalabari Satra houses significant articles related to art, culture, literature and classical studies. Jorhat is famous for its unique local cuisine such as Bamboo Shoot Curry, Dal (Lentil) and eggs, Fish stew, Koat Pitha (Banana pitha), and Panch Phoron Tarkaari.
Jorhat is also well known for its local handicrafts and jewelry manufacturing that are a must buy item for any tourist visiting the city. among other things that are a must but for tourist from Jorhat are bamboo and cane products pottery, smoking pipes, textiles, and weapons. Among other places worth visiting in and around Jorhat are Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary,,Lachit Borphukan’s Maidam, Dhekiakhowa Bornamghar,Sukapha Samannay Kshetra,and Cinnamora Tea Estate.
