15 Reasons Why to Get Bitten by the Travel Bug in the City of Knowledge: Jorhat10 min read

Jorhat, the former capital of the Ahom Kingdom, has now emerged as one of the urban centers in the state of Assam. With its rich culture and heritage, the second largest city in Assam has even catapulted the minds of the rest of the state as well as the country in a frenzy. Once you are in Jorhat, you can feel the enigma surrounding the places to visit and the curiosity ascends to an extent that you get eventually bitten by the travel bug. Right from the enchanting beauties of the Educational institutes to the serenity of the riverine or the pious feeling of the ancient places of God, you will admire it all and would love the visit to repeat and make it frequent. Here are 15 reasons why to get bitten by the travel bug in the city of knowledge ‘Jorhat’:

1.Kaziranga National Orchid and Bio-Diversity Park:

If you are an anthophile, you are sure to be in love with this place. Located near the Central Range, Kaziranga, the park boasts of having more than 500 species of orchids all over the country. It consists of a greenhouse, photo gallery, medicinal herbal plant garden, product outlet corner, fruit garden, flower garden, rock garden, rice museum, fish pond and a center for folk cultural practices which is for entertainment purpose. Not to miss is a walk in the forest adjacent to the park which makes the visit more memorable. The magnificent blossom of the greenhouse will be stuck in your mind for long.

2. Thengal Manor

The place was constructed in1929. The residence of two Barooah brothers and their families. After being hit twice by natural calamities, it was reconstructed by Padma Shri Late Hemendra Prasad Barooah. The beautiful mansion is now turned into a heritage hotel with all the modern amenities. The stay in this heritage place leaves you with the royal feeling and the antique pieces on display are the must watch in the list.

3. The Hoollangapar Gibbon Sanctuary

Formerly known as the Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary, it’s named after the only ape Hoolock Gibbon found in India. If you are in Kaziranga, yet you want to delve into some more wilderness, Gibbon is the place for you. The two hours drive from Kaziranga National Park is made worthy of as you encounter the Stump-tailed Macaque, thePig-tailed Macaque and also Leopard, Leopard cat, Wild Boar, Python, and Cobra.

4. Kaziranga National Park

The world heritage site is the most mesmerising place you will find in Upper Assam.Kaziranga is home to the highest density of tigers among the protected areas of the world along with  a wide range of flora and fauna.Places like the  Borgos Tea Resort and IORA-The Retreat are sure to make your trip an exotic one.You can avail either the Jeep Safari or the Elephant Ride whichever gives you the ultimate wild feeling,

5. The Su Ka Pha Samannay Kshetra

This is a memorial built in the memory of Sukapha, the first Ahom kingdom of Assam. Located in Mohbandha, Jorhat, the history of Ahom Kingdom, the stories of the brave warriors are well depicted in the museum and the sprawling green fields are too inviting to spend a lazy Sunday.

6. The Assam Agriculture University

This was established in the year 1969 in Jorhat for the field of agriculture and allied sciences. The most interesting thing about the university is that its the only one in the world to offer a comprehensive four-year degree program in Agriculture with four specializations in Tea Husbandry and Technology, which covers the entire gamut of tea cultivation, production, and marketing. And why to be bitten by the travel bug for this one? Because of the beautiful and huge campus that cannot be completed in one day.

7. Chameli Memsaab Bungalow

The exhilarating experience of staying in heritage bungalows was started by the British Colonial Rulers amidst the evergreen tea gardens. This particular heritage bungalow is located in Cinnamara area of Jorhat and is surrounded by the lush tea gardens which were set by the first Indian commercial tea planter Maniram Dewan. The famous national award-winning film ‘Chameli Memsaab’ was shot here and hence it got the name. It recently got a renovation and is now a plush stay for the tourists.

8. Nimati Ghat

If you are looking forward to spend a quite time with nature then this place is a must visit.It is around 5-10 km from Jorhat and the local conveyance is  charged at Rs 20 per person.Nimati Ghat connects Jorhat to Majuli,the largest river island , by boat.The bank of the Brahmaputra river can be minutely observed if visited during the early morning.

9. The Neghereting Shiva Doul

The Neghereting Shiva Doul is a Shiva Temple in Dergaon, Assam. It is situated in a hillock. The main temple is surrounded by four other temples namely the Bishnu, Ganesh, Surjya and Durga temple. The temple is named after a peculiar bird Negheri, which was once the habitat of this place. One of the attractions of this temple is the monkeys that reside there. The temple is the house of thousands of the Rhesus monkey.

10. Kaziranga Golf Resort

It’s the first of its kind of ‘Tea and Golf Resort’.The bungalow of Burra Sahib is located in the Sangsua Tea Estate in Jorhat. The scenic beauty of the lush green lawns, a sparkling swimming pool under the sun, veranda with sloping roofs and the rooms with high ceilings are sure to take you to the British Era. The resort is equipped with one of the largest Golf Academy whose purpose is to enhance and promote the game of Golf in the state of Assam.

11. Athkheliya Namghar

It is one of the prominent pilgrimage places of Assam. Located at Bosa Gaon, Golaghat, a one and half hour’s journey from Jorhat town, the name comes from the eight clans situated nearby. Athkheliya Naamghar holds a special place in the hearts of all Assamese religious people. Not to miss the Bhaona (drama)that is performed every year.

12. DhekiyaKhowa Bor Naam Ghar

This is a Naamghar(prayer house) in Jorhat district. It was established by saint-reformer Madhavdeva. The most significant thing to see in this divine place is an earthen lamp that was kindled by Madhabdeva in 1528 and is being religiously refueled since then. It is located at Dhekiakhowa village 15 km towards the east of Jorhat city 3.5 km away from National Highway 37.

13. Jorhat Gymkhana Club :

This 143-year-old club was built by D.Simmon.The club has been a venue for horse races, lawn tennis, grass courts, swimming pool, billiards, polo, golf, cricket, etc ever since its inauguration. The golf course is listed in the World Heritage list as the oldest golf course in Asia and the third oldest in the world. It has been witnessing to various tournaments, one of them was the C.K. Naidu Under 19 Indian Cricket Tournament. Reasons enough for a sports lover to visit this one.

14. Shanti Ashram :

The Shanti  Ashram was founded by Swami Nigamananda aiming to propagate religion, spreading true education and serve anyone who is in need. This sacred place is located at Kokilamuk, 11 km from Jorhat. Also known as Saraswat Math, the location is in the lap of a meadow which is a majestic view in itself. It is believed that the divine forces of Guru for which the Ashram is a center of spiritual activities and is now counted among a pilgrimage of India.

15. Kaziranga University :

This private university is the recent addition to the city of knowledge, and one must be amazed by the growth of the institution in the last eight years of its establishment. Keeping the natural environment intact, the sprawling  50-acre campus gives a spectacular sight. With six different schools, it has now emerged as one of the top private universities of North East India and the campus life is the testimony to many success stories.