Home / Environment / 225-Year-Old Royal Pond Kicks Off Jorhat Clean Water Drive
225-Year-Old Royal Pond Kicks Off Jorhat Clean Water Drive
18 Jun
Summary
- A 225-year-old royal pond, Mitha Pukhuri, initiated a districtwide restoration.
- The pond played a vital role in religious rituals and community well-being.
- Encroachment and pollution threatened this significant Ahom heritage site.
A 225-year-old royal pond, Mitha Pukhuri, dug in 1801 by Ahom King Swargadeo Kamaleswar Singha, has become the starting point for a new districtwide initiative in Jorhat. Launched on Thursday, this drive aims to restore the region's public ponds and natural waterbodies. The effort is a joint venture by the civil defense department and the Jorhat municipal board.
Mitha Pukhuri, historically known for its sweet-tasting water used in religious rituals, has long been crucial for the Burhi Gosani Devalaya, supplying water for the deity's sacred bathing. This tradition continues today, with the pond playing a central role during Durga Puja ceremonies.
Recent years have seen Mitha Pukhuri and other Jorhat waterbodies suffer from encroachment, pollution, and neglect. This dire situation has underscored the urgency of the restoration project, attended by local officials including MLA Hitendra Nath Goswami.
Local leaders emphasized the pond as a vital piece of Assam's Ahom heritage and a spiritual lifeline. They urged collective responsibility in preserving waterbodies for future generations and highlighted the importance of clean water for ecology, public health, and community well-being. The initiative plans to systematically address all public ponds and waterbodies in Jorhat in subsequent phases.
