About hundred and fifty parties from different parts of Assam chose Sri Surya Pahar in Goalpara district as a spot to enjoy picnic and celebrate the last Sunday of the year 2018.
Families and young groups from Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Chirang, Nalbari, Guwahati and Dhubri districts, besides local parties from the district, made the picnic spot a big gala for celebration with music and marry-making on Sunday.
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“The arrival of devotees and picnic parties encourage us to serve them better,” remarked a member of Sri Surya Pahar Management Committee.
The picnickers also expressed their happiness at visiting the place and enjoying a day’s outing at the spot.
‘This is a religious-cum-archaeological site with lash green hill where one is sure to become happy,” remarked a visitor from Nalbari district.
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On the other hand, a teacher of an Islamic Madrassa students’ team, which came from Barpeta district, also expressed gladness. ‘This is for the first time that we have come here and we are happy to bring our students here as they have many things to learn,” said a maddrasa team member.
However, several visitors pointed out the ‘Mela’ or fair like environment inside the spot and complained that it has lowered down the dignity of the site.
“The lines of the temporary vendor shops make the historical site look an ordinary one,” commented a visitor from Guwahati.
Sri Surya Pahar is located about 12 km southeast of Goalpara town and about 132 km northwest of Guwahati.
It is a significant archaeological site.
The site is a hilly terrain where several rock-cut Shivalingas, votive stupas and deities of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain pantheon are scattered in an area of about one km.
The site is centered on the hill (Pahar) of Sri Surya.
The popular belief is that 99999 Shiva Lingas were engraved here by Vyasa in order to build up a second Kashi.