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  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

Jorhat
Jorhat (/ˈdʒɔːrhɑːt/ JOR-haht) is a town and a growing urban centre in the state of Assam in India.

Etymology

Jorhat ("jor" means twin and "hat" means market) means two hats or mandis - "Masorhaat" and "Sowkihat" which existed on the opposite banks of the Bhugdoi river.

History

See also: Timeline of Jorhat

Ahom capital

Jorhat was the last capital of the Ahoms which lasted for at least 37 years. This town was settled near the Dichoi river, and a number of market were set near Dichoi, such as Phukanar Hat and Mashar Hat, thus this place came to be known as Jorhat (twin- market).

During the period of Moamoria rebellion, Johat (then known Dichai) attained importance, with Ahom premier Purnananda Burhagohain encampment at Dichai fort. To keep out the Moamoria rebel intrusion he made the Bibudhi Garh (or the perplexing fort as called by the rebels). The Ahom capital was finally shifted in 1794 from Rangpur to here, which it remained till the fall of Ahom kingdom in 1838.

Many tanks were built around the capital city by the Ahom royalty such as Rajmao Pukhuri or Borpukhuri, Buragohain Pukhuri, Bolia Gohain Pukhuri, Kotoki Pukhuri and Mitha Pukhuri. This town was a flourishing and commercial metropolis.

Under British Rule

Main article: Colonial Assam

In 1885, a narrow-gauge railway, Jorehaut Provincial Railway, became operational. In time, this contributed to the rapid growth of the tea industry.

Geography

Jorhat is located at 26°45′N 94°13′E / 26.75°N 94.22°E / 26.75; 94.22. It has an average elevation of 116 metres (381 feet).

The municipality covers an area of 9 square kilometres (3.5 sq mi), has 19 wards with a population of about 1.53 lakhs at present, with 72.8 square kilometres (28.1 sq mi) for master plan area. The district spreads over 2,851 square kilometres (1,101 sq mi) and had a population of 870,000 according to a 1991 census. Population density at that time was 306 persons per square kilometre (793/sq mi). The sex ratio is 913 (913 females per 1000 males).

Demographics

Jorhat Municipal Board (covering the out growth area) had a population of 1,26,736 as of the 2011 census.

The average literacy rate of Jorhat in 2011 was 91.39%. Gender-wise, male and female literacy were 93.63% and 88.99% respectively, which is one of the highest in the state. The total literates in Jorhat were 182,600 of which male and female were 96,806 and 85,794 respectively.

Jorhat's sex ratio stood at 935 females per 1000 males, according to the Census 2011 Directorate.

Hindus were 87.49% of the population, while Muslims were 10.50% and Christians 0.62% of the population respectively.

Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are 6.40% and 1.84% of the population respectively.

Languages

Assamese is the predominant language and is spoken by 70.08% of the population, while Bengali was spoken by 12.27%. Hindi (11.60%) and Bhojpuri (1.01%) are spoken by migrants from the Gangetic plains, such as traders and labourers. Ethinic languages like Mising and Deori are also spoken by the respective ethnicity. Other small languages in the city include Marwari, Sadri, Santali, Sora and Odia which in total are spoken by 5.04% of the population.

Culture

Jorhat is known as the Cultural Capital of Assam. It has rich contributions in the fields of arts, culture and tradition of the contemporary Assamese society. In 1896, Jorhat Theatre was established to perform cultural activities and dramas by some renowned people of the town. The Chandrakanta Handique Bhawan, the headquarters of Asam Sahitya Sabha was established in 1926. Jorhat has produced creative writers, historians and journalists. Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya, the first Assamese to win India's highest literature award, the Jnanpith Award, was from Jorhat.

Media

In 1935, the first Assamese daily newspaper Dainik Batori was published from Jorhat by Raibahadur Siva Prasad Barooah. The daily newspapers which have Jorhat editions include Dainik Janambhumi, Amar Asom, Dainik Agradoot and Asomiya Khabar in Assamese, the Purbanchal Prohori in Hindi and The Telegraph in English. The Eastern Clarion was the first English daily published from the city, but it was ceased. Besides the dailies, a weekly newspaper Saptahik Janambhumi is also published from Jorhat. City Guide of Jorhat was the first yellow pages, published in July 1987. Jorhat has a radio broadcast station of All India Radio (AIR) located on the outskirts of the city at Garmur.

District Court

District & Sessions Judge Court, Jorhat

The District & Sessions Judge Upper Assam District Jorhat was created on 15 November 1948 and has been made permanent w.e.f the 1 April 1953. The first roll of honor of District & Sessions Judge of Assam Valley, Upper Assam Districts, Jorhat District was Mr. S.K Das, MA, BL. Presently, the territorial jurisdiction of the District is extended over 2(two) sub-divisions namely Majuli Sub-Division and Titabar Sub-Division. Altogether, the District & Sessions Judge and the Chief Judicial Magistrate comprise 15 courts staffed by Judicial Officers of various grades. The District & Sessions Judge together with the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court Complex, Jorhat is situated in the heart of the city. The Present District & Sessions Judge as the head of the establishment is Shri Mridul Kumar Kalita. The present Chief Judicial Magistrate, Jorhat, the head of all the Criminal Courts is Sri Vijay Kumar Singh.

Transport

Air

Jorhat Airport commonly known as Rowriah Airport, is located at Rowriah, a suburb of Jorhat, about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from the city centre. The airport has daily flights connectivity to Kolkata, Delhi, Bengaluru and Guwahati operated by IndiGo. It is controlled by the Airports Authority of India.

Rail

The first rail connectivity of Jorhat began during British era in 1885, when Jorehaut Provincial Railway, a narrow-gauge railway services became operational.

Jorhat is served by Jorhat Town railway station which lies on the Furkating-Jorhat-Mariani branch line of Tinsukia railway division. Mariani Junction railway station, the major railway junction of the district is about 18 km (11 mi) from Jorhat. It falls in the Lumding-Dibrugarh section and is well connected to all the large cities of the country by long-distance express trains.

Road

The Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) of Jorhat is at Kotokipukhuri, Tarajan. It provides connectivity to elsewhere in the state and the Northeast with regular buses from ASTC and private operators. Auto-rickshaws, local cabs and rickshaws are the main mode of public transport within the city.

Waterways

The daily ferry services connect the Nimati ghat with Kamalabari and Aphalamukh in Majuli. The Neamati multimodal waterways terminal on Brahmaputra National Waterway 2 in Jorhat district is part of the Bharatmala and Sagarmala projects.

Education and research institutions

Research institutes

Main entrance of Rain Forest Research Institute
  • Central Eri & Muga Research Training Institute, Ladoigarh, under Central Silk Board
  • Indian Grain Storage Management and Research Institute, Jorhat
  • Institute of Biotechnology & Geotectonics Studies (INBIGS), ONGC Complex, Cinnamara, Jorhat - 785008
  • North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat (N.E.I.S.T.) (formerly R.R.L., Jorhat) under CSIR, Dept. of Science & Technology, Govt. of India
  • Rain Forest Research Institute (R.F.R.I.), Jorhat under I.C.F.R.E., Min. of Environment & Forests, Govt.of India
  • Tocklai Tea Research Institute, Tea Research Association (T.R.A.) Tocklai under Tea Research Association, Ministry of Commerce, Govt. of India
  • College of Sericulture, under Assam Agriculture University

Universities

Main entrance of Assam Agricultural University

Technical institutes

Design institute

Medical institutes

Training institute

  • Institute of Advanced Studies in Education, Jorhat

Colleges

Jagannath Barooah College

HS Schools

  • Crescent Academy
  • Excellere Senior Secondary School
  • Luit Valley Academy

Schools

Cinnamara

Sports

Established in 1950, the multi-purpose Jorhat Stadium is the oldest stadium of Assam, which is mainly used for cricket and football. It has hosted few Ranji Trophy matches. The prominent football tournament ATPA Shield held every year in this venue since 1955. Jorhat Town Club used the stadium as home ground for their home matches of Assam State Premier League. Other sporting venues near the stadium include JDSA Field, Kushal Konwar Indoor Stadium, Jorhat Swimming Society and Jorhat Tennis Club. The historic sporting venue Jorhat Gymkhana Club known for the century old annual horse race called Jorhat Races, which began in 1877. It has a golf course and a cricket ground.

Politics

Jorhat is part of Jorhat (Lok Sabha constituency). Bharatiya Janata Party's Topon Kumar Gogoi the current Member of Parliament serving the 17th Lok Sabha from Jorhat, Assam. While Hitendra Nath Goswami of BJP is the incumbent MLA from Jorhat assembly constituency.

Notable people

See also