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Sightseeing Highlights
Visit the
ancient remnants of the Ahom dynasty
in the surrounding areas. The Temple
of Buri Gohani and the
two burial vaults (maidam) of the great kings, Lachit Borphukan and Purandar
Sinha, are worth visiting.
Take the
ferry to Majuli Island
on the Brahmaputra
River - the largest
riverine island of the world. This has been the chief pilgrimage of Vaishnavites
since the medieval times. Here you can visit the Satras (monasteries) which
preserve the religion and culture of the ancient times. Majuli is also home to
several tribes, whose lifestyle and culture are extremely unique.
Visit the hot springs at the Nambar Forest reserve, 60 km from Jorhat. To get a
really international wildlife experience, drive down to the World Heritage
Natural Site of Kaziranga (90 km
away), where you can see the one-horned rhino, elephants, buffaloes and several
other animals. Another small but interesting wildlife spot is the Hoolock Gibbon Sanctuary, where you can
see this extremely rare ape swinging high in the tree-tops
Jorhat,
the gateway to northern Assam,
is the centre of the tea industry and is surrounded for miles by picturesque
tea plantations. It is home to the world renowned Teklai Experimental Centre
where research on new varieties of tea and its therapeutic qualities, is
conducted. The Assam
Agricultural University
and the Regional Research Laboratory are also in Jorhat, where advanced
research is carried out on plants, herbs and soil. Once the capital of the Ahom
Kings, this city has an ancient heritage. Side-by-side, you can see remnants of
the British Raj, which developed the tea industry here.
Each
November the Assam Tea Festival is
held in Jorhat, attracting professionals and tourists in large numbers. The
different facets of the tea industry are show-cased, combined with a wide
choice of other activities like wildlife safaris, tea plantation tours, golf,
ethnic cuisine, handicrafts, angling and river rafting on the Brahmaputra.
Jorhat is the gateway to the unique river island of Majuli,
where tribal and Vaishnav culture can be experienced first hand. |
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