The Rang Ghar (), (''rong ghor'' meaning "House of Entertainment") is a two-storeyed building which once served as the royal sports-pavilion where Ahom kings and nobles were spectators at games like buffalo fights and other sports at Rupahi Pathar (''pathar'' meaning "field" in Assamese) - particularly during the Rongali Bihu festival in the Ahom capital of Rangpur. It is away from the center of

Sivasagar {{Infobox settlement , name = Sivasagar , settlement_type = Metropolis , image_skyline = Sivasagar.jpg , image_alt = {{multiple image , border = infobox , total_width = 270 , image_style ...

Town. Situated by the side of the Assam Trunk Road, it lies to the northeast of the Rangpur Palace, a almost seven-storied royal complex comprising the

Talatal Ghar The ''Talatal Ghar'' ) is an 18th-century palace and military base located in Rangpur (Ahom capital), Rangpur, from present-day Sivasagar, Assam, India. It is the largest of the monument built during the Ahom dynasty, Ahom era. King Rudra Sin ...

and the

Kareng Ghar Kareng (Pron:/ˌkɑ:ɹɛŋ ˈgɑ:/, "royal palace"), also known as The Garhgaon Palace, is located in Garhgaon from Sivasagar, Assam, India. The palace structures were made of wood and stone. In 1751 Sunenphaa, son of Sukhrungphaa, const ...

History

Ranghar is said to be one of the oldest surviving amphitheaters in

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

, the building was first constructed during the reign of Swargadeo

Rudra Singha Swargadeo Rudra Singha (– 27 August 1714), with Tai name Sukhrungphaa, was the 30th Ahom king, reigning from 1696 to 1714 A.D . His father Gadadhar Singha freed Assam from the Mughal disturbances and internal conspiracies, thereby Rudra Sin ...

with bamboo and wood. It was later rebuilt with brick by Swargadeo Pramatta Singha in 1744 - 1751 A.D.

Architecture

The roof of the Rang Ghar is shaped like an inverted royal Ahom long boat. The base of the monument has a series of arched entrances, while atop the roof sits a decorative pair of carved stone crocodiles. Many of the arched entrances have retained little more than their brick framework, with mere vestiges of sculptural adornments here and there. The Ahoms, who used special, thin, baked bricks, did not use cement but a paste of rice and eggs as mortar for their construction, a pulse called Maati Maah and a fish named Borali Mach in Assamese. They also made use of powdered mixed lime and bricks to cover the surface of the inner walls. It is said that this layer of powder used to keep the inside of the Rang Ghar cool. The adjoining field, known as Rupohi Pothar, wore a festive look when games like bull-fight, cock-fight, elephant fight, wrestling, etc., were held on different occasions during the Ahom rule. Rang Ghar, besides standing as the royal pavilion, also contributed in spreading the games to different parts of the kingdom and its neighbouring States. About a kilometer to the northeast of the Rang Ghar is the Joysagar Pukhuri. This is a man-made tank, encompassing an area of about 120 bighas of land. It was dug in memory of Joymoti Konwari, mother of

(1665 – 1714) - the most illustrious of the Ahom kings.

Architectural Influence of the Rang Ghar

* The entrance to the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra at Guwahati echoes the Rang Ghar. * The Rang Ghar was the logo of the 33rd National Games held in

Guwahati Guwahati () the largest city of the Indian state of Assam, and also the largest metropolis in northeastern India. Dispur, the capital of Assam, is in the circuit city region located within Guwahati and is the seat of the Government of Assam. Th ...

, in February 2007.

Present condition

Frequent earthquakes and seismic surveys being undertaken by the

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) is an Indian central public sector undertaking which is the largest government-owned oil and gas explorer and producer in the country. It accounts for around 70 percent of India's domestic pro ...

are posing a threat to Assam's 18th century amphitheatre Rang Ghar. At least 35 cracks have been noticed at various places on the walls of the historic Rang Ghar.

Future

On 14 April 2023, on the occasion of Bohag Bihu, Prime Minister

Narendra Modi Narendra Damodardas Modi (born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician who has served as the Prime Minister of India, prime minister of India since 2014. Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Par ...

laid the foundation of beautification project of the monument. The project is expected to provide facilities like a fountain show, a boat house with a jetty, an artisan village and food stalls.

Gallery

File:Rang Ghar view from the entrance.jpg, Rang Ghar view from the entrance File:Rang Ghar Signage by ASI.jpg, Rang Ghar signage by ASI File:Rang Ghar view from pavilion.jpg, View of the gardens from the Rang Ghar pavilion's upper floors

References

A comprehensive History Of Assam by S.L. Baruah. Page 293

External links

{{commons category
National Games logoRangghar: the oldest amphitheatre in Asia
Buildings and structures in Assam Tourist attractions in Assam Monuments and memorials in India Ahom kingdom Sports venues completed in 1746 Sivasagar district Cultural history of Assam