Talatal Ghar

The ''Talatal Ghar'' ) is an 18th century palace and military base located in Rangpur, from present-day Sivasagar, Assam, India. It is the largest of the monuments built by the Ahom dynasty.

The visitors are only allowed to scout through the ground floor, the first floor, and what remains of the 2nd and 3rd floors of the monument.

History

Swargadeo Rudra Singha shifted the capital of the Ahom kingdom from
Garhgaon to Rangpur in 1702-03 and it remained so for almost a century. It is located in the western part of Sivasagar. The earliest constructions were commissioned by Swargadeo Rudra Singha in 1698. Rangpur was the last capital of the Ahom kingdom and served as its military-station.

Architecture

;Talatal Ghar

The ''Talatal Ghar'' was initially built as an army base. It houses two secret tunnels, and three floors below ground level which were used as exit routes during the Ahom conflicts with other kingdoms (and which give the structure its name).
The ''Rangpur'' Palace is a seven-storied structure (1751-1769 CE).

* ('' Swargadeo'' ''Rajeswar Singha'') added the three floors below ground, which make up the ''Talatal Ghar''. This is made of brick and an indigenous type of cement (a mixture of Bora Chaul—a sticky variety of rice grain—eggs of swan, etc.). The ''Talatal Ghar'' had two secret tunnels. One, about in length, connected the ''Talatal Ghar'' to the Dikhow River, while the other, long, led to the ''Garhgaon'' Palace, and was used as an escape route in case of an enemy attack.
* From east to west, several rooms run along a long corridor; and from north to south are numerous smaller wings. The ground floor served as stables, store rooms, and servants' quarters. The ''Kareng Ghar'' was built mainly of wood, which deteriorated over time. The Royal apartments were on the upper story, of which only a few rooms now remain, close to an octagonal room on the northern wing which once served as the ''Puja Ghar'' (prayer house). There are stairs leading up to the terrace. An isolated room stands in the south which is believed to have been used by the queen during her confinement.

However, the first Ground Penetrating Survey (GPR) in the northeast, undertaken at two Ahom monuments in the Sivasagar district in early April 2015, did not reveal the existence of any secret tunnel. The survey was carried out by IIT Kanpur, in collaboration with the ''Guwahati'' circle of the Archaeological Survey of India, over a period of five days at ''Talatal Ghar'' and ''Ahom'' Royal Palace (''Kareng Ghar''), both in ''Sivasagar'' district.

The ''Rangpur'' Palace was once surrounded by a brick fortification and an earthen fort ''(Garh'') with dikes filled with water. There is a '' Gola Ghar'' (gunpowder and ammunition store) near the palace.

Photo gallery

File:Talatal Ghar Cannons guarding the palace.jpg, View of the ''Talatal Ghar''
File:Talatal Ghar view from the top floor.jpg, View from the top floor of the ''Talatal Ghar''
File:Staircase in the Talatal Ghar Palace.jpg, View of a staircase inside the ''Talatal Ghar'' palace
File:Talatol ghar terrace.jpg, Terrace of the ''Talatal Ghar''
File:TALATAL GHAR2.jpg, ''Talatal ghar'' corridor
File:TALATAL GHAR.jpg, Inside wall of ''Talatal Ghar''

See also

* '' Rang Ghar, Sivasagar''
* ''Sivasagar''
* ''Charaideo''

Notes and references

; Citations

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{{Forts in India

Capitals of Ahom kingdom
Buildings and structures in Assam
Tourist attractions in Assam
Forts in Assam
Royal residences in India
Palaces in Assam
Sivasagar district
Buildings and structures completed in 1769
Ahom kingdom