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One of the major towns in Western Assam, located around 98 kilometres northwest of Guwahati, Barpeta is the administrative headquarter of Barpeta district which is known as the 'Land of Satras'. The town is referred in the local tongue as 'Satra Nagari' or 'the town of temples' due it being home to many Vaishnavite Satras. The name Barpeta is derived from 'Bar' meaning big and 'Peta' meaning pond. Hence, as the name suggests, Barpeta translates to a land of big ponds. In the olden days, before much of the urbanisation, there were many ponds in the town giving birth to its name.
The many Satras in Barpeta stand testimony to the teachings and work of the Assamese scholar Srimanta Sankardeva and his disciple Shri Madhavdeva. These Satras have stood as educational and cultural hubs influencing the lifestyle of the people who live around them. On the Hindu festival of Holi, many devotees flock to the district, particularly to the town of Barpeta itself, to observe Doul Mahotsav and celebrate the teachings of Srimanta Sankardeva.
Barpeta is also the gateway to the rich natural reserve of Manas National Park. One of the major national parks in Assam and within India, it gets its name due to the Manas river, a tributary passing through it. This park is primarily regarded as a tiger reserve but is also home to animals such as the Hispid Hare, Asiatic Elephants among others.
Surbhi Parashar
6 years ago