Jorhat is one of Assam’s largest towns and derives its name from two haats or bazaars – Macharhat and Chowkihat – on either bank of river Bhogdoi- a tributary of Brahmaputra. It was the last capital of the Ahom Kingdom and home to many historical monuments of Assamese culture. It was destroyed during the Burmese raids and British rebuilt it in the early 1800s. Jorhat is famously known as the ‘Tea capital of the world’ thanks to the innumerable tea plantations here. Jorhat is situated on the northeastern region of Assam. Tocklai Tea Research Centre is amongst the world’s largest as well as oldest tea research stations. Established in 1911, the centre has helped the world gain more scientific knowledge on tea.
Various researches on the cultivation and processing of tea are conducted here. Cinnamora Tea Estate, which is Assam’s first tea estate, was established in the year 1850. It is situated at a distance of 10 km from Jorhat. Jorhat Gymkhana Club, is the oldest golf course in Asia and the third oldest in the world. Jorhat town has 11 research institutes, including Tocklai Experimental Station, Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife sanctuary, more popularly known as Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary. It covers an area of 20.98 sq kms and is located 20 km from Jorhat town.