Jorhat, the nerve centre of the Indian tea industry, is surrounded by splendid tea gardens. Jorhat has various institutions. The world renowned Teklai Experimental Centre where research is carried out to find new varieties of tea and to determine the therapeutic effects of green tea is situated here. The Regional Research Laboratory, which is also in Jorhat, conducts investigations on plants, herbs and soil. The Assam Agricultural University, the Technical School, etc. also attract a number of students and researchers from all over the country. Jorhat can serve as a base to visit a large number of places of tourist interest, such as the famous Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary which harbours the one-horned Indian rhinoceros and Majuli, the largest island on the Brahmaputra which houses numerous satras or monasteries. The Nambar Forest reserve, famous for its rejuvenating hot spring, is just 60 km from Jorhat.
Jorhat was the capital of Ahom Kings, with its renowned cultural heritage. It is the city of tea with its favourite climatic condition. A Tea-Research Centre is established at 5 km away at Chinnamara. Annual Tea Festival in Jorhat is an other attraction, along with Temple of Buri Gohani, British Imperial mementos. The chief attraction of Jorhat is the 776 sq km Majhali or sandy land rising out of the bed of Brahmaputra. Majuli island, the largest in the world, is inhabited by Deori tribals.
Getting There
By Air
Jorhat is well connected by air, with daily flights from Guwahati, and four flights a week from Calcutta . The airport is situated 5-km out of town and can be reached by rickshaw, auto-rickshaw or Indian Airlines buses.
By Rail
Jorhat railway station is on the Farketing-Mariyani branch railway station. There are also bus services to Mariyani, the nearest mainline railway station, where two express trains run to Tinsukia, Dimapur, and Lumding.
By Road
ASTC buses run to Guwahati, Tezpur, Sibsagar, Tinsukia, Dimapur and Itanagar, Kaziranga is served by buses to Guwahati and Tezpur. Private buses are also available. Alternatively, one can take bus or taxi to reach Niyamati Ghat and cross the river by ferryboat or launch over to Majuli. |
