Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday performed ‘bhumi pujan’ for a beautification project of the historical ‘Rang Ghar,’ one of the oldest amphitheatres of Asia, in the state’s Sivasagar district. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the project's foundation on April 14, 2023.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Sarma said that Rang Ghar is Asia’s oldest surviving amphitheatre which lies at the heart of Assam’s culture and civilisation. The Chief Minister said that the 600-year-old Ahom Rule was a glorious era of Assam, Chief Minister’s Public Relations cell stated in a press release.
“Rangpur occupies an important place of the Ahom era. Ahom king Swargadeo Rudra Singha established the capital at Rangpur and since then the architecture of Assam took a new form. The ‘Doul Pukhuri’ dug under the stewardship of Swargadeo Rudra Singha added a new dimension to the glory of Rangpur. By constructing Rang Ghar, Swargadeo Rudra Singha added a new chapter not only to architecture but also the art, culture and sports of Assam. Therefore, giving a new look to this architectural beauty was the need of the hour as the government took suggestions from public representatives and senior citizens in beautifying this glorious architecture,” Chief Minister Sarma said.
Chief Minister Sarma said that the project is being implemented involving a financial outlay of Rs 140 crore and will be completed and dedicated to the people before 2026, the release added.
The Chief Minister reiterating his government’s commitment to the development of Sivasagar, which houses several historical monuments of the Ahom era, said, “A series of steps have been undertaken for the socio-cultural and academic development of the district. The Sivasagar jail will be shifted to a different place and the whole area will be transformed into a beautiful garden and a historic place."
"The government has already taken a decision to transform the Sivasagar circuit house into a centre of tourist attraction. Once the ‘Charaideo Maidam,’ a burial ground of Ahom kings and queens, gets the status of UNESCO’s World Heritage Site, the undivided Sivasagar will get a new fillip in its look and importance,” he added.
The Rang Ghar, meaning a house of entertainment in the Assamese dialect, is a two-storied building situated in Assam’s Sivasagar district. It served as a royal pavilion for the Ahom kings from where they witnessed the buffalo fights and other sports. The Rang Ghar is one of the oldest amphitheatres of Asia and is often referred to as the ‘Colosseum of the East.’