Sibsagar was the capital of the mighty Ahoms, who ruled Assam for more than six hundred years, before the advent of the British. The town, which literally means 'the ocean of Lord Shiva', is strewn with the tell-tale ruins of a powerful empire. The most remarkable landmark of the town is the 200 year old Sibsagar tank. On its banks are three significant temples - Shivadol, Vishnudol and Devidol. Modern Sibsagar is a fast developing urban settlement. It is the headquarters of the district Sibsagar, a leading tea and oil producing centre.

Talatal Ghar
About 6 km from Sibsagar is an immense seven storeyed palace, three of which are below the ground level - known as Talatal Ghar - and the rest of the storeys above. There are two secret tunnels here.

Joysagar, believed to be the largest man-made lake in India, sprawls over 318 acres on the edge of Sibsagar town. Another highlight is the Ahom Museum on the bank of the Sibsagar, which houses artifacts of the Ahom rulers, which include clothes, swords, manuscripts, goblets and platters.

Rang Ghar
The Rang Ghar is a two storeyed oval - shaped pavilion, from which Ahom royalties used to watch elephant fights and other sporting events. It was built by king Pramatta Singha ( 1744 - 1751 ).

Gargaon Palace
Gargaon, the erstwhile capital of the Ahoms, lies 13 km east of Sibsagar. The old palace built in 1540 was destroyed, and the present seven-storeyed palace, known as Kareng Ghar, was rebuilt around 1762, by king Rajeshwar Singha.

Jaysagar Tank and Temples
The Jaysagar tank was built by king Rudra Singha in 1967. On its bank are three highly revered temples - Joydol, Shivdol and Devidol.

Gaurisagar Tank and Temples
The Gaurisagar tank was built by queen Phuleshwari Devi. Standing on its bank are three temples - Vishnudol, Shivdol and Devidol.

Rudrasagar Tank and Temples
The Rudrasagar tank was built by king Lakshmi Singha in 1773. It is 8 km from Sibsagar.

Namdang Stone Bridge
The Namdang bridge, cut out from a single solid rock over the Namdang river, was constructed by king Rudra Singha in 1703. Today, the National Highway 37, passes over this bridge.

Charaideo
Another old capital of the Ahom kings, Charaideo, built by the founder of the Ahom dynasty, Sukapha lies 28 km east of Sibsagar. It is famous for the 'maidans' or burial vaults of the members of the royalty.

Ajan Pir Dargah Sarif
At Saraguri Chapori ( 22 km from Sibsagar ) stands Ajan Pir Dargah Sarif. Ajan Pir was the first Muslim saint to compose 'Zikir' in Assamese language. On the day of the 'Urs', thousands of devotees gather here, to pay homage to this great Muslim reformer.

A day trip from Sibsagar takes one to Dibrugarh and Jorhat. Dibrugarh happens to be one of the major tea producing centres in the Indian sub-continent. Jorhat, another major tea producing area, located on the edge of the Brahmaputra, southwest of Sibsagar, is a fine cultural centre. Majuli, the world's largest inhabited riverine island, revered for its satras or Vaishnavite monasteries lies near Jorhat. These satras are historically significant for Assam, as they were established by Sankardeva, the pioneer of Vaishnavite revivalism, in the 16th century. Majuli is populated primarily by the Mishing tribe, among the only tribal riverine community in the Assam valley, which descended from the hills of Arunachal Pradesh years ago. Their exquisite handlooms are renowned all over, especially the brilliant Mirizen shawls and blankets.

How to get there

The nearest airport, Jorhat, is only 55 km away. The nearest railhead, Simaluguri, is 16 km away. Bus services are available from Guwahati and other important towns.

Accomodation

Tourist Lodge, Assam Tourism ; Circuit House and Dak Bungalow on the bank of Sibsagar tank.