Tezpur from a tourist’s view

Firstly, let us understand what a tourist spot actually is. A tourist spot is a spot attracting tourists for its built-in or an exhibited natural or cultural value and historical significance. There are many types of tourist spots. The traditional tourist spots include places like mountains, beaches, islands and forests . Cultural tourist spots include monuments, historical places, ancient temples, museums and art galleries, etc. Many tourist spots are also landmarks. INDIA is my Motherland. There are many famous tourist spots in India. But today I want to mention about a tourist spot which is not very popular in the world but has a significant importance in the Indian mythology and among the people of North-East India. The place is Tezpur, my native place.

Geography of Tezpur: Tezpur is a city in Sonitpur district of the state Assam in the North-East India. Tezpur is situated on the banks of the river Brahmaputra. Tezpur has numerous hillocks so that flooding does not occur during the monsoon season. Tezpur is situated in 26.63 North latitude and 92.8 East longitude.

Mythology associated with Tezpur: Sonitpur, as ancient Tezpur was called in the olden age, is a city deeply steeped in mythology, legend and folklore. Tezpur is called ‘THE CITY OF BLOOD’. It is famous for the romantic legend of Usha and Aniruddha and of the fierce battle between “Hari” and “Hara”. Old Darrang is today’s Sonitpur. Tezpur is the headquarters of Sonitpur.

Legend has it that Darrang was the capital of the demon king BANASURA. Banasura was a follower of ‘Bhairavnath’. Bhairavnath is an incarnation of Lord Shiva. Usha was the beautiful daughter of King Bana. Usha happened to see her love on her dream. Usha’s confidante Chitralekha portrayed it in painting following Usha,s description. The lover was none other than Aniruddha, the grandson of Lord Krishna. Aniruddha married Usha in the end.

When it came to the knowledge of King Bana, he captured aniruddha in prison. To rescue Aniruddha, Lord Krishna came from Dwarka. On Bana’s call, Lord Shiva also arrived there. A fight took place between Hari ( Lord Krishna ) and Hara ( Lord Shiva ). It resulted in bloodshed in the entire town.

Banasura was conquered. Usha and Aniruddha were united forever.

Popular tourist places to Visit in Tezpur: Tezpur is a beautiful place to enjoy a quiet and serene holidays. The tourist attractions in Tezpur are as follows:

1. MAHABHAIRAV TEMPLE: The Mahabhairav Temple is situated on the Northern part of Tezpur town, Assam. This temple was built by king Bana. The Mahabhairav temple is now under the Government of Assam. Maha Shivaratri is the main festival of Shaivite branch of Hinduism. It is celebrated in the temple complex. Many devotees visit the temple during the festival.
2. AGNIGARH: Agnigarh is a hillock situated in Tezpur, Assam. It is the site where a fortress was built by Banasura to keep his daughter Usha in isolation. Agnigarh is now developed into a beautiful park adorned by some statues.The place is also known for the view of the beautiful city of Tezpur as well as the flowing river Brahmaputra. The place attracts a large number of tourists for its historical remains and scenic beauty.
3. BAMUNI HILLS: In the Bamuni Hills of the district of Sonitpur, one can find many spectacular ruins, which attract a number of people to the region. The Bamuni Hills is located on the right bank of the river Brahmaputra. The astonishing stone figures and rock sculpture are the prime attraction of this area. The intricate designs on the stone gives an idea of the talent and hard work of the artists. Moreover, the scenic beauty of the place enhances the charm of the area, as it overlooks the river Brahmaputra. The Bamuni Hills are a must visit for all the tourists touring North-East India.
4. DA-PARBATIA: Da-Parbatia is a small village where ruins of two ancient temples have been found. One temple was built during the 6^th century and on the ruins of this temple another temple of Lord Shiva was believed to have existed during the Ahom rule. Two excavations were carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India, the first one in the year 1924 and another one in the year 1989-1990, and at present the area is under jurisdiction of the same. The tourist would find this place really an attractive one.
5. CHITRALEKHA UDYAN: In the beautiful city of Tezpur, a picturesque park is located, called the Cole Park. The park was built by a commissioner of Assam named Mr. Cole in the year 1906. It was later reconstructed by M.G.V.K. Bhanu in 1996. The park has been recently named as Chitralekha Udyan after Chitralekha in the famous Usha-Aniruddha love story. This park is well known for its breathtaking scenic beauty. Inside the park, there is a lake where boating can be done. The park remains open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.The Chitralekha Udyan is one of the attractive tourist spots situated at the central part of the city.

There are many other tourist spots in Tezpur like The Bhairabi Temple ( located on the outskirts of Tezpur ), The Nag-sankar Temple, Kanaklata Memorial Park, Kalia Bhomora Setu, Ketakeshwar Dewal, The Rudrapada Temple, Padum Pukhuri, District Museum and Ouguri Hill. All these places are a great attraction for the tourists visiting North-East India every year.

Best Time to Visit Tezpur: The best to visit Tezpur is around October to April. During this time, many people from far and wide come to Tezpur, thus witnessing its beauty.

Tourism can be a source of great economic contribution to a country’s economy. With so many tourist places and places of scenic beauty in Tezpur, Tezpur has the potential to be among the top tourist destinations of North-East India. Lastly, I would like to mention that if proper management is done, Tezpur, the cultural capital of Assam, will become the leading tourist spot in Assam in near future.

Author: Snehasish Ghosh, Tezpur