Golaghat
Golaghat is the name of a town and a district in the Upper Assam area. Golaghat is a peaceful town surrounded by numerous Tea gardens. The proximity to a number of wildlife sanctuaries and game parks is another attraction of Golaghat. The world heritage site of Kaziranga National Park is also nearby.
The nearest airport is Rowriah Airport of Jorhat (55 km). There is a railway station at Golaghat connecting the town to Furkuting Junction 12 km away. The road connectivity is also strong with National Highway 37 and 38 passing through the district. The state capital Guwahati is 274 km away.
The total area of the Golaghat district is 3502 sq km and it lies at an elevation of about 100 m above sea level. The district is surrounded by the Brahmaputra to the north, the state of Nagaland to the south, and other districts of Assam in the east and west.
The main communities of the districts are the Ahoms, Kalita, Assamese Brahmins, Tea-tribes, Misi, Chutiya, and Kachari. There is also a small population of Turung and Aiton people living in the district. The major languages spoken in this district are Assamese, Bengali, Boro & Hindi.
The tea gardens of Golaghat have greatly contributed to the economy of the place. There are 63 large tea gardens producing about 20,000 tonnes of tea per year. Besides this, there is a large oil refinery in the area namely the Numaligarh Refinery Limited.
Golaghat was under the Kacharis, the Nagas, the Tai-Ahom and for a while under Mughal Nabab Mirjumla in A.D. 1662-63. Mughals named this area 'Mughaltop.' The famous early Khanikar-Nagarjhari Inscription is recovered here.
Things to see
Garampani Wildlife Sanctuary – situated 25 km from Golaghat town this wildlife sanctuary is gaining in popularity among tourists. The Sanctuary is located in the Karbi Anglong district. The Garampani Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the oldest Sanctuaries and there are Hot water springs and Waterfalls which tourists can visit.
Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary – This is another Wildlife Sanctuary situated 35 km from Golaghat town. The Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary is adjacent to Garampani Wildlife Sanctuary. The total area of the sanctuary is 37 sq. km and it is famous for the 51 rare varieties of orchids that can be seen in this forest.
Deopahar –27 km from Golaghat town. Deopahar attracts tourists to the hills and the forests. There are several ancient monuments that can also be seen here. Local lore refers to the place as the Kingdom of Jarasanda.
Neghereting Shiva Temple –30 km from Golaghat town, on a hilltop is the location of Neghereting Shiva temple. The temple hill is surrounded by lush green tea gardens and is a popular picnic spot. The ancient temple was built by the Ahom kings.
Uncle Robin’s children museum - Dr Robin Banerjee, an acclaimed naturalist, established a museum in his own residence that is located in Golaghat town. The rich personal collection of Dr Banerjee including some 587 dolls, 194 paintings, 93 pieces of artefacts and 26 documentary films is on display.
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