What is in news : A British-era bungalow on a hillock that used to be the 17th century military office of the Ahom rulers has been converted into a heritage centre depicting life along the Brahmaputra. It has been named Mahabahu Brahmaputra River Heritage Centre

Details :

• Located on Guwahati’s Barphukanar Tila, meaning Barphukan’s Hillock
• It is a Scottish-type wooden bungalow standing since 1850
• Renovated and converted into the heritage centre
• Barpukhan was a post equivalent to Governor General created by Ahom king Pratap Simha or Susengpha (1603-1641)
• The hillock by the Brahmaputra, mentioned in ancient scriptures as Mandrachal, was from where Ahom General Lachit Barpukhan launched the Battle of Saraighat in March 1671 to inflict the most crushing defeat on the Mughals.
• Saraighat is regarded as the “greatest naval battle ever fought in a river”.
• Captain Archibald Bogle, posted as the Assistant Commissioner and Collector of Kamrup district in the 1850s, had the bungalow built. Post-Independence, it continued to be the Deputy Commissioner’s Bungalow until 2011.

Significance :

• The centre has on display the history of the Battle of Saraighat, the heritage of Assamese war boats, an amphitheatre, an exhibition space, a cafeteria and two viewing decks.
• The other attractions include a collection of traditional fishing equipment, photographs and artefacts related to the history of Guwahati and river transport, installations depicting the textile designs, ethnic motifs and indigenous musical instruments of communities inhabiting the banks of the Brahmaputra.