Sivasagar

Sivasagar was the capital of the mighty Ahoms, who ruled Assam for more than six hundred years till the arrival of the British in 1826. Today Sivasagar is both the name of a town in Assam as well as the district surrounding it. The town carries the legacy of its past through monuments of the Ahom kingdom.

There are several “Maidams” or burial vaults of Ahom kings and other members of the royal families. A number of places of historical significance are spread throughout the town such as Kareng Ghar, Talatal Ghar, Rang Ghar, Joysagar Tank etc.

Sivasagar can be reached through the Rowriah Airport in Jorhat Town which is 55 km away. If you are travelling by train, you should be getting down at Simaluguri which is on the outskirts of Sivasagar town.

Sivasagar town shares common boundaries with Dibrugarh District on the east, Jorhat on the west, and river Brahmaputra on the North. The area is called Upper Assam and is not very far from the easternmost tip of the state.

Sibsagar is a city with a rich and ancient cultural heritage. One can find the archaeological remains of palaces and temples of the Ahoms all around the town. Many of these are now preserved as national monuments. Today Sivasagar is a growing commercial, industrial and educational centre, and is an important hub for the tea and petroleum industries. Assamese, Hindi, English, and Bengali are the other languages spoken by the people. Festivals like Holi, Lakhipuja, Kalipuja, Durga Puja, and Dewali are celebrated here.

Things to See

The Kaziranga National Park –is located 160 km from Sivasagar town and can be reached easily through a four-hour drive. more

Kareng Ghar & Talatal Ghar – It is a seven-storied palace located 6 km from Sivasagar Town. Three of the floors that are underground are known as Talatalghar and the four floors above the ground are known as Kareng Ghar. It was built by King Rudra Singha (1696-1714). There are two underground tunnels from the Talatal Ghar connecting the Dikhow River and Gurgaon Palace.

Rang Ghar is an oval-shaped pavilion from which Ahom royalties watched elephant fights and other sporting events. It was built by King Pramatta Singha (1744-1751) and stands close to Kareng Ghar at a distance of about 5 km from the Sivasagar town centre.

Gargaon Palace – is the original capital of the Ahom kings. It was built by the 15th King, Suklengmung in 1540 and is located 13 km east of Sivasagar Town.

Joysagar Tank & Temples – King Rudra Singha built this temple and the tank in memory of his mother ‘Joymoti’. The construction was completed in 1697. The large lake covers an area of 318 acres and on its banks, three temples were built in 1698 by King Rudra Singha.

Gaurisagar is located 12 km away from Sivasagar. The Gaurisagar tank was built by Queen Phuleswari Devi (1722-1791) and was dedicated to Goddess Durga.

Rudrasagar Tank – It is situated 8 km from Sivasagar Town. It was built in 1773 by King Lakshmi Singha in memory of his father King Rudra Singha.

Namdang Stone Bridge – The bridge, 12 km away from Sivasagar town, was constructed by workmen brought from Bengal during the time of King Rudra Singha in 1703. The bridge was constructed over the Namdang River, and the National High Way 37 passes over the bridge.

Charaideo was the original capital of the Ahom Kings, built by Sukapha, the founder of the Ahom dynasty, in 1253 AD. The place is famous for the numerous “Maidams” or burial vaults of Kings and other members of the royal families.