SIVASAGAR, ASSAM.

A HISTORICAL VENTURE OF THE AHOM KINGDOM:


                  "Sivasagar", formerly known as "Rangpur", was the capital of the "Ahom Kingdom" from 1699 - 1788. The "Ahoms" ruled Assam for six centuries, until their kingdom fell to the "Burmese" in 1819.

         The province was liberated by the British in 1826. For administrative purposes it was divided into three sub-divisions. It is said that the original name of Sivasagar was - 'Kalansupar' after the name of 'Kalansu Gohain' who resided in a village originally existed in the place where currently the Sivasagar tank is located. This town's main feature is the water body from which it takes its name. This is a 257 acre tank known as the Borpukhuri, which is at a higher elevation than the rest of the town, with three temples on its banks. Of these temples, the most prominent is the "Sivadol", standing tall at 104 feet, drawing large crowds especially on the auspicious occasion of  "Maha Shiv Ratri". The other temples are the "Vishnudol" & "Devidol". 


SIVA DOL -

            Siva Dol is one of the holiest places in Sivasagar. This temple is dedicated to the Hindu god "Shiva" which is the most sacred of the three main temples. Rising to a height of 104 feet, it encircles an area of 195 feet which was built in 1734 by "Kuwori Ambika", wife of the "Swargadeo Siba Singha". 







The Siva Dol is highlighted with eight “8 feet high golden dome”. According to the Assamese language, "Dol" means temple, Sivadol means Lord Shiva Temple.This is the tallest Shiva temple in India.




The walls of the temples were carved with many beautiful sculptures. The temple is very famous for its architecture and for its divinity which is always filled with devotees. As the temples are fond of their beauty & divinity, this also shows a great diversity of people visiting the place. Festivals like Mahashivratri, Durga pooja…etc are widely celebrated here. The Siva Dol temple is thronged by devotees specially during the festival season which in turn worth watching.






DEVI DOL - 

              

                This temple is dedicated to the Hindu "Goddess of Power" - Durga. It is a centuries old temple flanked by Siva Dol on one side & Vishnu Dol on the other. The temple is 60 feet high & the base has a diameter of 120 feet. The "Boli - sthol" is the most reserved & sacred part of the temple where Goddess Kali & Durga are worshiped. A small "Shani Dev" temple is also situated nearby the Devi Dol temple. 

               

               

"Durga Puja" is the best time to visit Devi Dol, though it is really crowded during this time. The festival is celebrated with a lot of zeal. Apart from this, the winter season is undoubtedly the best time to visit the place & experience the cultural heritage of all the temples.





VISHNU DOL - 

                Popular as the "Jai Dol" temple or "Kesavanarayan", "Vishnu Dol" is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It was buitl during the reign of Ahom King "Rudra Singha" (CE 1696 - 14). The temple is situated in the eastern end of the northern bank of the "Joy Sagar" tank. Devotees from every part of the country visit this place especially in the month of Bhadra (August - September). 





OTHER PLACES TO VISIT IN SIVSAGAR:


  RANG GHAR - 

                        The "Rang Ghar" is a double storied oval shaped amphitheater with a roof shaped like an inverted boat. It is built with baked bricks & an indigenous form of cement made of rice paste & eggs.This place is one of the most famous historical places of Assam. It is located near "Rangpur Palace" at a distance of 3 km from Sivasagar town. It contains highly unidentified details of the Ahom Kingdom & also the culture of their rulers & their subjects. Often referred to as the 'Colosseum of the East', Rang Ghar is one of the oldest surviving amphitheaters in Asia. 
                    This monument is an important edifice reflecting the architectural precision and grandeur of that time. Originally, the two-storied building was built by Ahom ruler "Swargadeo Pramatta Singha" to be used by Ahom kings and nobles for witnessing sports like buffalo fights and other sports held at the adjoining "Rupahi Pathar". It served as a royal sports pavilion, particularly during the "Rongali Bihu" festival. But at present the condition of this monument is quite fragile due to frequent earthquakes & seismic surveys have reported many cracks in the infrastructure of this magnifying beauty.  
                            


TALATAL GHAR -

                    The "Talatal Ghar" or the "Rangpur Palace" is situated in the northern region of Assam and is one of the most impressive of Tai Ahom architecture.  This magnificent palace was originally built as an army base by the great Ahom ruler "Swargadeo Rajeswar Singha" between 1751 AD and 1769 AD. Not only does it stand as a worthy testament to the vibrant Assamese culture & its rich history, but it is also the largest of all Ahom monuments in the entire World. The Talatal Ghar is a typical Mughal architecture style infrastructure. The upper ground floor of this place is popularly known as "Kareng Ghar" & was used as a live-in space by the royalty of Assam. "Swargdeo Rudra Singha", the successor of "Swargadeo Rajeswar Singha", added the top floors during his regime making the Talatal Ghar an elegant and truly spectacular seven-story royal palace. In fact, this elegant structure has two tunnels and three underground floors that were built to facilitate emergency evacuation for the King and his army in times of crisis. The alleys are built like a maze, such that even if the enemy entered the premises, they would be completely lost.




How To Reach:


Flights from Guwahati Airport (online bookings)
Trains from Guwahati Railway Station (online & offline bookings)
By Road (buses, travelers online booked cars & personal vehicles)



                                                                           
By: Dipanjana Deb (deb28.dipanjana@gmail.com)

Location: Sivasagar, Assam, India

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