Jorhat is a town in Jorhat district in the Indian state of Assam. It was the head quarters of trade in undivided Sibsagar district. “JORHAT” or “JOREHAUT” means two hats or mandis- “Macharhat” and “Chowkihat” which existed on the two different banks of the river Bhogdoi during the 18th Century and has today grown into a thriving cosmopolitan town with a strong sense of character and identity. It is the best laid out town in Upper Assam with broad roads, cutting each other at right angles. The people of Jorhat are very rich in arts and culture. Jorhat has the honour to have the largest number of educated people living among all other districts of Assam. It is also celebrated for its Vaishnavite cultural center in the world's biggest riverine island- 'Majuli'. Jorhat was the last capital of the Ahom Kingdom. This town was a flourishing and commercial metropolis but was completely destroyed after a series of the Burmese invasions since 1817 till the arrival of the British force in the year 1824. It is also a transit point for reaching Majuli Island. Rich in Tea and Timber, it is a nature lovers' paradise. Best For:
The district has a number of small scale and cottage industries in the field of cane and bamboo work, silver jewelry, furniture making, umbrella making, soap manufacturing for which it is best known for.
Tea continues to occupy a major place too. There are quite a large number of gardens in the district occupying a considerable amount of area. The items of export are tea, jute, forest produce and oil.
The best season to visit Jorhat is from October to March. Parts of Assam are amongst the wettest in the world so avoid monsoons. Light Cottons for Summer & Woolens for winters are suitable clothing
There is no requirement of any kind of permit to travel in Assam for Indian tourists. However foreign nationals are required to obtain a valid Indian Visa while traveling.
All foreign visitors are required to carry a passport valid at least for 6 months. Visa exemptions include Bhutanese and Nepalese who are staying for less than 3 months and Special restrictions apply to Pakistani and Afghan nationals.
Jorhat does have an Ajrbase and a Railway line too making it accessible by Rail, Road and Air with rest of the country. The connectivity is good enough for the tourists to reach the nearby bigger cities like Kolkatta and Guwahati from where Rail or Air services to any part of the country can be availed. It is a good link between lower Assam and upper Assam and also North Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. It is the best base for tourists exploring upper Assam. By Air: Jorhat is well connected by air, with daily flights from Guwahati, and four flights a week from Kolkata which, in turn is connected to other Indian cities as well as many destinations abroad. Kolkata happens to be the most convenient and cheapest airport to fly to for tourists from Southeast Asian countries.The airport is situated 5-km out of town. By Rail: Jorhat railway station is on the Farkating-Mariani branch railway station. There are also bus services to Mariani, the nearest mainline railway station. These stations have regular lines to Kolkata which in turn is well connected to the rest of the country.
The places to see in Jorhat: Jorhat is famous for its sprawling tea gardens. It is the nerve centre of the tea industry. It has the world renowned Toklai Experimental Centre. Research is carried out to find new varieties of tea and therapeutic effects of green tea. Bangalpukhari: On the southern side of Jorhat near Na-ali, is a tank popularly known as Bangalpukhari. During the month of Sravana, 1739, Badan Barphukan was murdered by Rupsinghh Bangal when the former was going to take a bath. For this act, he was rewarded with some money which he spent in excavating this tank. People do not use the water of this tank as it was excavated with the money received for killing a man. Thengal Bhawan: Build in 1880 by Raibahadur Shiva Prasad Barooah, the first Assamese Daily Dainik Batari was started from this complex. Raja Maidam: The existing maidam (vault) which lies on the south bank of Toklai River on the northern side of Jorhat town is of King Purandar Sinha who expired on 1st Oct 1894. The present maidam was constructed to preserve the ashes of the late king. Nearby Places:
60 kms aways from Jorhat lies Nambar Forest reserve which is famous for being a rejuvenating hot spring. Further 90 kms down, one comes across Dimapur (in Nagaland), once the seat of the Cachar kingdom. The places Sibsagar, KohimaDimapur & Touphema are nearby places.
Where To Eat
:Assamese cuisine is a mixture of different indigenous as well as external influences with a lot of regional variations. It is characterized by the use of simple ingredients which is at times full of flavor and at times very pungent. Fermented food is very widely used, giving it a very distinct flavor. Rice is the staple diet in Assam and is eaten in various forms throughout the day. At Jorhat one may not find too many eateries. There are a few good hotels where accommodation is also available. It is best to rely on these hotels to eat traditional Assamese fare.
Where to stay:
Hotel Janata Paradise, Hotel Heritage & Hotel GK Palace are decent places to stay while in Jorhat
Jorhat can be covered as a destination in the tour of the North-East Assam. It is not recommended as a stand alone destination.
