Garh Doul archaeological site is an important State Protected Monument in

Assam Assam (, , ) is a state in Northeast India, northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra Valley, Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . It is the second largest state in Northeast India, nor ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

, situated at Tarajan Kumargaon and about away from

Tezpur Tezpur () is a city in Sonitpur district, Assam state, India. Tezpur is located on the banks of the river Brahmaputra, northeast of Guwahati, and is the largest of the north bank cities. History Tezpur was under the rule of the Koch dynasty ...

Sonitpur Sonitpur district ron: ˌsə(ʊ)nɪtˈpʊə or ˌʃə(ʊ)nɪtˈpʊəis an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. The district headquarters is located at Tezpur. Etymology The name of the district is derived from a story found ...

district. The archaeological site is listed as an ASI monument under number S-AS-95. This is fortified in all direction reinforced rampart and covers an area of 250×250 m. The site has two brick mounds, which contains the foundation of brick temple plinths. The remains are datable to 7th and 8th century CE.

History

Excavations and architectural analysis date Garh Doul’s construction to the 7th–8th centuries AD, a period marked by early Brahminical temple building in Assam under local dynasties such as the Varman and Salastambha rulers. According to the legend constructed by the

Brahmin Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...

pandits in the

Kalika Purana The Kalika Purana (), also called the Kali Purana, Sati Purana or Kalika Tantra, is one of the eighteen minor Puranas (''Upapurana'') in the Shaktism tradition of Hinduism. The text was likely composed in Assam or Cooch Behar district, Cooch Behar ...

, the fortress was built by the mythical king

Banasura Bana, also referred to as Banasura (), is an asura king in Hindu mythology, ruling from the city of Śoṇitapura. He is described to be the son of Mahabali. His tale of battling Krishna is described in the Bhagavata Purana. Legend A mighty asur ...

to keep his daughter Usha. Though the Mahabharata and Bhagavata Purana mention Banasura’s capital as Sonitpura, Garh Doul’s association with Usha persists in local folklore and contributes to its popular appeal.

Present

The ruins in this place are still undiscovered and the Archaeological Survey Department of Assam is continuing their works and also constructed a park to make it a tourism site in Tezpur. Intermittent excavations by Assam’s Department of Archaeology (2009–2010) revealed brick drains, terracotta sherds, and fragments of votive plaques, confirming ritual use of the temple precincts. However, a 2010

The Assam Tribune ''The Assam Tribune'' is an Indian English daily newspaper published from Guwahati and Dibrugarh, Assam. With over 700,000 copies of current circulation and a readership of over 3 million, it is the highest circulated English daily in northeaste ...

report highlighted serious neglect, overgrown ramparts, cattle grazing within the enclosure, and vandalism prompting public outcry and renewed calls for

Archaeological Survey of India The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexander ...

intervention.

References

External links

{{Commons category, Garh Doul Buildings and structures in Assam Tourist attractions in Assam Forts in Assam Palaces in Assam Sonitpur district 8th-century establishments in India 8th-century fortifications