Asia's oldest surviving amphitheater to attract globe trotters from 2018

* Ahom-age Rang Ghar filly gets Delhi attention * Among 27 model monumental Indian sites

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Dec 31: A tourism bonza is awaiting Assam circa 2018 with the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) set to monumentally broaden its horizons, putting the Rang Ghar ruins of Sivasagar in the intertiol monument map.

It sounds music to the ears of everyone in Assam that the Rang Ghar remains of Sivasagar district in the State are among the 27 model monumental sites cherry-picked by the ASI from 100 such sites of the country listed by the Centre. The 27 sites are set to be adorned with infrastructure and embellishments alluring tourists, especially globe-trotters. For Rang Ghar ruins, according to superintending archeologist K Amarth Ramkrish of Guwahati circle, the ASI is already in the process to improvise and upgrade visitor amenities in the tourist spot, dating back to the Ahom era. Ramkrish said that the Centre released Rs 1 crore for the purpose.

Works that have been lined up for immediate attention, according to Ramkrish, include development of the parking area at Rang Ghar Pavilion costing Rs 40,86,200. Its technical approval was accorded on November 3, 2017 and fincial approval on December 22, 2017. The already initiated e-tendering is set to be done on January 4, 2018.  

The other work is a comprehensive conservation and development at Rang Ghar ramparts, costing Rs 24,36,000, including drawing and designing of the work under a three-month project that got technical approval on December 14, 2017 and fincial approval on December 18, 2018. The opening of e-tendering will be done on January 4, 2018.

With time being considered as the essence in such projects, the work that have been lined up for the next three months, according to Ramkrish, are cleaning the monument site and garbage disposal, sige (graphic designs, as symbols, emblems, or words, used especially for identification or as a means of giving directions or warning), proper direction board/information board, dustbin, wheel chair, electrification and illumition, grill and boundary wall painting, making potable water facility available, extension of the boundary wall and providing grill gates at the parking area, among others.

A litany of works that have been lined up for the next six months are: booking counter-cum-cloak room-cum-publication sales counter, a turnstile gate, construction of new pathways, a cafeteria, construction of an intertiol-level toilet block, fixing of stone benches, etc.

“The entire work will be done under the vigil of tiol Monumental Authority (NMA), the nodal agency for giving permission to applicants for construction and related activities in prohibited and regulated areas. Each monument site has a 300-metre radius restricted area – a 100-metre prohibited area and a 200-metre regulated area,” Ramkriah said, and added: “The designs and models have to be faithful portrayal of the monuments in look, size and colours.”

With thrust on tourism in Assam, Rang Ghar being in the global monument map is set to boost the prospects of the other 54 monumental sites in the State since they are also adequately alluring to be eye-catching.  

Rang Ghar Pavilion (Lat. 26°58’ N Long. 94° 41? E) is a double-storeyed royal pavilion of Ahom kings with unique architectural features. The central unit of the ground plan is rectangular and annexed with small structures of trapezoid ends making the entire ground plan like an octagon. The roof of the structure is parabolic which supported by rows of massive columns and semi-circular arches and shows Islamic influence in architectural features. A unique pleasure boat with makara ending marks outer beauty of the structure and a trefoil arch canopy rests at the top of the structure.

The Rang Ghar  meaning ‘House of Entertainment’ is a two-storied building. It 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  or ‘field’ particularly during the Rongali Bihu festival in the Ahom capital of Rangpur.[1]

It is 3 km away from the center of the Sivasagar Town. Situated by the side of the Assam Trunk Road, it lies to the northeast of the Rangpur Palace, a seven-storied royal complex comprising the Talatal Ghar and the Kareng Ghar.

Believed to be one of the oldest surviving amphitheaters in Asia, the building was first constructed during the reign of Swargadeo Rudra Singha with bamboo and wood. It was later rebuilt with brick by Swargadeo Pramatta Singha in AD 1744-1750

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 pulses called Maati Maah Assames and a fish med 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, wears 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 Rudra Singha - the most illustrious of the Ahom kings.