TEZPUR--- A HIDDEN JEWEL OF ASSAM

Tezpur is a beautiful city located on the northern banks of river

Brahmaputra. It is the district headquarters of the Sonitpur district. Tezpur
is widely known for its cultural superiority. It is not only a cultural hub but
also an educational destination apart from having a rich history. The word
Tezpur is derived from the Sanskrit words "tez" meaning "blood" and "pura"
meaning "town".

 Multifaceted Tezpur
Geographically, Tezpur has been blessed with the plains, the
mountain views and a mighty river. Nature has been abundant here. While
the Brahmaputra never fails to impress one and all, the Kolia Bhomora
Bridge, which is a 3015-metre-long bridge connecting the Sonitpur district
to the Nagaon district, is impressive in its own way. Tezpur tourism is
further enhanced by Agnigarh, the most famous attraction of the city. From
the top of Agnigarh, one can see the entire city.
 Tourist Places If Interest In Tezpur
Bhairabi Temple, Cole Park, Kolia Bhomora Setu, Padum Pukhuri,
and kaziranga National Park . serve as interesting attractions for tourists;
there are a few temples dedicated to Lord Shiva which are worth seeing,
like the Ketakeshwar Dewal, Mahabhairav Temple, Rudrapada, Nag
Shankar Temple, etc.

 Tezpur In Mythology And History

According to mythology, this place saw the romance between Prince
Aniruddha, grandson of Krishna, and Usha, the daughter of Banasura.
However, when Banasura, the demon king, came to know about their love,
he imprisoned the young prince. Enraged, Lord Krishna attacked the area
and fought a fierce battle. It is believed that there was so much bloodshed
in the area that the place came to be known as the City of Blood – Tezpur.
Modern Tezpur, however, came to prominence in 1835 when the British
made the town the headquarters of the Darrang district. Because of its
strategic location and its proximity to Arunachal Pradesh, Tezpur has a
large army and Air Force presence. The Air Force Base in Tezpur also has
a Sukhoi base (India has only two such bases, the other one being at
Pune).

 Tezpur, The Cultural Capital Of Assam

Culturally, there are several names that are linked with Tezpur.Jyoti
Prasad Agarwala, the first Assamese film-maker, Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad
Rabha, the revolutionary singer and Phani Sharma, a renowned film-maker
and actor were all born here. The city is also known as the Cultural Capital
of Assam.
 Mahabhairav Temple
Mahabhairav Temple is one of the most visited temples in Tezpur.
Situated on the northern fringes of the city, the Mahabhairav Temple is
dedicated to Lord Shiva. Legend has it that originally Banasura, the demon
king had built the temple.

Earlier it was a stone temple which was destroyed in the 1897

earthquake. The temple that stands today is made of concrete. The current
structure was constructed by a famous monk popularly called Naga Baba.
The Shiva Lingam in the temple is very huge. Standing on top of a small
hillock, the Mahabhairav Temple has the idols of Lord Ganesha and Lord
Hanuman on both sides of the entrance.

The gateway is elaborate with intricately carved out embellishments.

Shivaratri, the popular Hindu festival held during February-March is
celebrated with gusto in the Mahabhairav Temple. There is a large space
all around the temple where devotees often sit and spend their time.
 Agnigarh,Tezpur

A visit to Tezpur is incomplete without visiting Agnigarh. The site

illustrates the romance between Prince Aniruddha and Princess Usha and
the fierce battle that was fought later by Lord Krishna and Banasura.

Interestingly, this entire story has been retold by using life-like

statues. These statues are spread across the vast fort-like area of
Agnigarh. The place is a towering mass of land – a hillock – that can be
climbed by a circular stairway that goes round Agnigarh.

There is another interesting story associated with the place. It is

believed that Usha’s companion Chitralekha, a talented painter, painted a
man’s picture she saw in her dreams. When she brought the picture to
Usha, the latter said that it was the picture of her love, Prince Aniruddha.
Most of the town can be seen from the top of Agnigarh. It is a famous picnic
spot for locals and tourists alike.
 Nag Shankar Temple, Tezpur
Close to the town of Tezpur at Jamuguri lies the Nag Shankar Temple. It
is believed that the temple was built in the 4th Century AD by King
Narasankar of Nagakha. In the 15th century (around 1480), the Ahom King
Su-sen-pha repaired this old place of worship. There is a large pond
adjoining the temple structure.

In the pond, several varieties of soft-shell turtles can be found. Fishes

are also commonly found in this pond. The temple and its adjoining areas
are also home to several kinds of animals such as peacocks, deer and
pythons. Peacocks are one of the main attractions in the Nag Shankar
Temple.

Jamuguri is located about 47 km from the Tezpur city centre and tourist
vehicles can be booked to reach the small town within the Sonitpur District.
Tourists should travel on the National Highway 52 to reach Jamugurihat
(where the temple is located)
 Kaziranga National Park,
Kaziranga National Park is one of the prides of Assam. It is noteworthy
to mention that it is home to the endangered Indian one-horned rhinoceros
and also declared as a tiger reserve in 2006, hosting the highest density of
tigers in the world.

The national park is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a large

park covering an approximate area of 429.93 sq km. It falls under two
districts of Assam – Golaghat and Noagaon districts. Kaziranga tourism is
not just about spotting one of the many one-horned rhinoceros or tigers that
gracefully trudge the large grounds, but also to see the three large
herbivores that live in the park, namely, the Asiatic Elephant, the Asiatic
Water Buffalo and the Swamp Deer.

The Kaziranga National Park has also been demarcated as an important

bird-area by the Birdlife International for its effort to conserve avifaunal
species. One of the many attractions in the Kaziranga National Park is
travelling inside the park on elephants that are steered by trained mahouts.

It is a special treat to move in the open grounds on these majestic

animals. The other alternative of seeing the national park is on booked
jeeps or 4WD vehicles. These have to be booked in advance from the Park
Administrative Centre
 Cole Park, Tezpur

Cole Park is also known as the Chitralekha Park (it was recently
rechristened with the latter name). The park is named after the
mythological character Chitralekha, the companion of Princess Usha who
was also an excellent painter. There is a large, horseshoe-shaped lake in
the middle of the park. The large grounds spreading across the lake is
picturesque to say the leaset.

Greenery is abundant all over, and it is quite a relaxing experience to

spend time sitting on the cool grass during the evening. Cole Park is also
famous for having the popular Bhomoraguri inscriptions, the ancient plans
of the bridge to be built across the river Brahmaputra.

Alongside the old Bhomoraguri plan, the complete information about the
current Kolia Bhomora Bridge is also displayed for the public. Cole Park
also has two stone ornamental pillars brought from the ruins of the Bamuni
Hills.