Golaghat

Golaghat one of the largest subdivisions of Assam

Golaghat (/ˌɡoʊlɑːɡhɑːt/ Golāghāt, Assamese pronunciation: [ˌgəʊləˈgɑ:t]; Assamese: গোলাঘাট) one of the largest subdivisions of Assam, later elevated to the position of a full-fledged district on 15 August 1987, is a city,[4] and a municipality, and the headquarters of Golaghat district, and a sister city to Jorhat which is about 55 km away. It is one of the oldest urban centres[5][6] of Assam that recently made its way to the Smart Cities nominations' list, along with Guwahati and four other prominent urban centres of the state,[7][8][9][10]although losing out to Guwahati at the final stage. The Dhansiri, one of the tributaries of the Brahmaputra passes through Golaghat and is the primary water source for its citizens.

It is one of the oldest tea urban centres of Assam that has been the headquarters of the oldest subdivision for over 170 years since 1839,[11][12] and was declared a District in 1987. The Golaghat Municipal Board (GMB) established in 1920, is one of the oldest civic bodies of the state of Assam formed before Indian Independence of 1947, and is responsible for the civic infrastructure and administration of the city of Golaghat. GMB is a historical one in terms of its age (since 1920).

Golaghat has the earliest post/mail service and telegraphic communication systems in Assam dating back to 1876.[13] It has the oldest social – literature/rhetorical congresses of Assam – the Golaghat Sahitya Sabha, of Asam Sahitya Sabha, started in 1918. The Golaghat Amateur Theatre Society (GATS), established in 1895,[14] is one of the oldest theatre societies to uplift the dramatic and cultural activities in the state of Assam, particularly in Golaghat.

The Golaghat Bar Association (GBA), established in 1891, is the one of the oldest legal societies of Assam, especially in the Upper – Assam division.

Golaghat has a number of heritage buildings and sites[15] – the Golaghat British Cemetery, established in 1876,[16] the Bezbaruah Higher Secondary School, set up in the late 19th century in the year 1886[17] by the educationalist Dinanath Bezbarua, the Baptist Church set up by American missionaries in 1898, the Mission School setup by British missionaries in 1919 to name a few.[18]

It is the only place in Assam to have Sport Authority of India – Sports Training Centre (STC) after Guwahati. The place is also the headquarters of The North Eastern Tea Association (NETA),[19] one of the tea growers' groups in the state of Assam, a constituent member of Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations (CCPA), Assam Valley branch.[20] Golaghat has played a significant role in the tea industry of Assam and there is a saying that one can’t make bad tea in the Golaghat belt. The small tea growers’ movement was also started from Golaghat. As per the latest statistics, Golaghat has the third highest number of small tea growers (STGs) and third highest number of bought leaf factories (BLFs) in Assam.