The tea plantations on either side, as far as the eye could see, were a clear indication that we were nearing Jorhat in Assam, the centre of India’s tea industry. Our guide Subhash told us that at least 150 tea gardens occupied the town which also has its own annual tea festival.

An average day at a tea plantation near Jorhat, Assam in India where the daily wage harvesters weigh the tea leaves they picked © Daniel J. Rao / Shutterstock
Jorhat is one of the larger cities of Assam and is blessed with scenic beauty. It also has historical importance as it was the last capital of the Ahom kings who ruled Assam from 1228 to 1826 AD. Towards the end of the 18th century, these rulers turned Jorhat into a thriving, culturally-rich city. It continued to prosper until it was attacked and destroyed by the Burmese army in 1826. With the arrival of the British, the city managed to regain some of its former glory.

Founded by Swami Nigamananda, the Shanti Ashram in Jorhat, Assam is an important pilgrimage destination and it was established in 1919 © Kumud Chandra Lekhok / Shutterstock
Jorhat gets its name from Jor meaning a couple and Hat meaning markets. Today Jorhat is a bustling city with a large number of educational institutions and the highest literacy rate in the state. In Jorhat, you would be able to buy as many as six daily local newspapers that are published in the city itself. A mix of tradition and modernity, the city, when occupied by the British, saw the building of the Club Road – Jorhat’s a first asphalt road. This road connects the city centre to the Gymkhana clubhouse.

Crossing the Brahmaputra River, a ferry carrying daily commuters from the Nirmati Ghat to the Auniati Ghat, Jorhat, Assam © KSaikia / Shutterstock
Another tourist attraction here is the Dhekiakhowa place of worship established more than 462 years ago by saint and reformer Madhabdev. Baisnav religion devotees pay their respects here at the bor namghar (Assamese for Place of worship). When you visit this place, you would be told of local folklore that mentions the reason why the main pillars are made of a shorea robusta tree. One night, a monk of the bor namghar dreamt that the river nearby with a shorea robusta tree was flowing in the opposite direction. The following day, as the dream came true, the main pillars of the Dhekiakhowa were made from this tree.

Women gather around and partake in the traditional folk dance of Assam, Bihu on the occasion of Manuh Bihu, the first day of the year according to the Hindu calendar, Jorhat Assam © bijitdutta.com / Shutterstock
Nineteen km away is the Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary known for apes, while 60 km away is the Nambor Forest reserve famous for its hot springs. The world-famous Kaziranga National Park is 90 km from Jorhat. From the city, one can also visit Majuli, the Brahmaputra’s biggest riverine island, and the largest in the world.

A traditional Assamese wedding involves numerous traditions and rituals between the bride and the groom as they start a new chapter in their lives, Jorhat Assam© bijitdutta.com / Shutterstock
NAVIGATOR
GETTING TO JORHAT

An annual rally initiates on the 68th Birth Anniversary Celebration of Srimanta Sankaradeva, Vaishnava Saint in the state of Assam, Jorhat © bijitdutta.com / Shutterstock

Little boys and girls wear traditional folk dresses as they prepare for the folk Bihu dance in Jorhat, Assam © bijitdutta.com / Shutterstock

Devotees from all around the country assemble for the Annual Nam-Prasanga (prayer) in Moinapuria, Naamghar near Jorhat, Assam © bijitdutta.com / Shutterstock