Information on Kareng Ghar (Sivasagar, Assam) - History & Architecture

Kareng Ghar is a particular monument that is situated in the Rangpur region of Indian state of Assam. It is at a distance of 4km from the present day Sivasagar. It is also known as the royal house of the Tai Ahom kings. The palace is the third capital of Tai Ahom Kings.

Kareng Ghar Architecture

With regard to architecture the Ahom kings are always known for their efficient and effective work in the past and it is no different in the case of Kareng Ghar. The interior of monument has been largely designed on the basis of local architectural style. The monuments has a four storey structure arranged gradually. The completion of the monument was seen under the reign of Swargadeo Rajesh and his successor during 1751- 1769 AD. The top floor was designed in the form of a chamber. There were four watch towers within the palace but in the present day only two can be seen by the people. In the ground floor of the palace there are three west facing halls along with a front and rear chamber. Furthermore, there were four main gates within the palace which was named as Singhduar 'lion's gate'. The palace has a secret tunnel from Kareng ghar to 'Talatal Ghar' in Rangpur. It was used as an escape route in case of an enemy attack during battle. Notably, the ground floor of the palace served as store room and servant quarters. The entire palace was built with the use of wood. The Talatal Ghar was made with bricks and an indigenous cement which includes a mixture of bora-chaul and eggs of hens. There was a large number of rooms which were used by the royal family member personal use. The southern side of the palace was served as a puja Ghar of the palace. A room on the southern side was used by queen in her imprisonment.

Kareng Ghar History

The Kareng Ghar has its own historical importance as it itself is located in the historical town of Sivasagar. The place was once used as the capital by the powerful rulers of the Ahom dynasty. Rulers like Swargadeo Rudra Sangha ruled the kingdom more than a span of six hundred years. However, post the advent of British in India, their rule came to an end in this particular region. The capital of Ahom kingdom was shifted by Swargadeo Rudra Sangha from Ghargaon to Rangpur in the year 1702-03 AD. Later the place continued i.e. Rangpur continued to be the capital of Ahom kingdom. The construction of the palace was commenced by Swargadeo Rudra Singha in the year 1698 AD. Rangpur was also used by the Ahom kingdom as a military station during battle.

Kareng Ghar Tourism Importance

The kareng ghar is one of the most tourist visited destination in Assam. It attracts a large number of tourists owing to its historical and architectural beauty. In the present day, visitors can witness the ground floor, 1st floor and the 3rd floor of the palace as they are the only preserved sections. The Talatal Ghar which was on the underground of the monument have been sealed off, and most of the wooden part of the palace have been disappeared .This place provide an ambience for the tourist owing to the calm surroundings atmosphere. Overall, it can easily prove to be a never before seen experience for the tourist. So be here and explore the unseen before.