Sibsagar

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

  ?Sibsagar
Assam • India
Map indicating the location of Sibsagar
Thumbnail map of India with Assam highlighted
Location of Sibsagar
Coordinates: 26°59′N 94°38′E / 26.98, 94.63
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Area
Elevation

• 95 m (312 ft)
District(s) Sibsagar
Population 54,482 (2001)

Coordinates: 26°59′N 94°38′E / 26.98, 94.63 Sibsagar (Assamese: শিৱসাগৰ Xiwôxagôr) is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. The district headquarters are located at Sibsagar. The district occupies an area of 2668 km² and has a population of 1,052,802 (as of 2001).

Contents

[edit] Geography

Sibsagar is located at 26.98° N 94.63° E[1]. It has an average elevation of 95 metres (311 feet).

[edit] Demographics

As of 2001 India census[2], Sibsagar had a population of 54,482. Males constitute 56% of the population and females 44%. Sibsagar has an average literacy rate of 81%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 83%, and female literacy is 79%. In Sibsagar, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.

[edit] History

Sibsagar was once the capital of the Ahom rulers who dominated Assam for more than 600 years. They ruled Assam virtually uninterrupted for 6 centuries until their kingdom fell to the British, in 1826.

[edit] Attractions

Borpukhuri Lake
Borpukhuri Lake
Sibodol temple in Sibsagar
Sibodol temple in Sibsagar
Rang Ghar
Rang Ghar
Joysagar Lake in Sibsagar
Joysagar Lake in Sibsagar
Terrace of the Talatol Ghar
Terrace of the Talatol Ghar
Cannons guarding the Talatol Ghar
Cannons guarding the Talatol Ghar
Carvings on the walls of the Sibodol
Carvings on the walls of the Sibodol
ASI Plaque at the Talatol Ghar
ASI Plaque at the Talatol Ghar

This city's main feature is the water body from which it gets its name. This is a 257 acre tank also called Borpukhuri, at a higher elevation than the rest of the town, with three temples("Dol"s in Assamese) on its banks. Of these temples, the most prominent is the Sivadol, standing tall at 104 feet, drawing large crowds on Shiv Ratri. The other temples are the Vishnudol and Devidol. The temples were built by Queen Ambika, wife of Swargadeo Siba Singha, in the year 1734.

Other attractions include the Rang Ghar, the double-storied, oval shaped amphitheatre with a roof which is shaped like an inverted boat, and the seven-storied, Talatol Ghar. The latter is a palace with two secret tunnels and three floors underground. Joysagar, said to be the biggest man-made lake in the country, is spread over 318 acres of water on the edge of the town in an area called Rangpur. This lake was built by Swargadeo Rudra Singha in honor of his mother Joymoti. A new addition is the Ahom Museum on the bank of the Sibsagar. It stores artefacts of the rulers, including swords, clothes, manuscripts, goblets and platters. The ancient capital of the Ahoms is Gargaon about 13 km east from Sibsagar, where the major draw is the Kareng Ghar, a seven-storied palace built by 18th century architects. Charideo situated nearby, is another old capital which was built by Sukapha, the founder of the Ahom dynasty. There are maidams or vaults for the king and members of royal families here. Travellers cross the Namdang stone bridge, carved out of a single boulder hundreds of years ago, over which a busy highway still runs today.

Take a day trip from Sibsagar to Dibrugarh, one of the major tea-producing centres of the subcontinent. Near Dibrugarh are major oil and gas installations. The road to the city is flanked by tea gardens on either side which stretch like carpets of green bushes. Women and men stand in the shade or sun, plucking the leaves at a surprising pace and tossing them into the conical cane baskets they carry on their backs. And in Dibrugarh there are tea plantations even within the city limits. Assam produces most of India's tea and a visit to a tea factory should be included in any itinerary.

[edit] How to get there

The nearest railway station is Simaluguri, 16 km from Sibsagar town. Buses ply regularly from Simaluguri towards Sibsagar. Taxis are available for hire from the railway station. It is approximately a half-hour bus ride from Simaluguri town. The nearest airports are Jorhat (55 km) and Guwahati (369 km). Buses ply regularly from Jorhat and Guwahati.

[edit] External links

[edit] Notes

Assam State Electricity Board (A.S.E.B), Maibella is located to the east of Sivasagar Town. ASEB, Maibella is recently renamed as Assam Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGCL).

[edit] References

  1. ^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Sibsagar
  2. ^ Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns. (Provisional). Census Commission of India. Retrieved on 2007-09-03.