Field Exploration in Dhenukhonda Pahar

The students of 3rd Semester, M.A. in the Department of Cultural Studies, Tezpur University went to Dhenukhonda Pahar on 11 November 2023 accompanied by the District Museum Officer, Mr Abhilash Rajkhowa. Faculty Coordinator Dr Juri Gogoi Konwar, Department of Cultural Studies, Tezpur University.

In the mountain (pahar) there was a temple of the Lord Red Ganesha. The significance of the name of the mountain is not known to the priest as well as the locals. During the British period, the mountain was covered with dense forest. During the time of the Ahoms, they used the land for rearing the cattle in the mountains. Because of the flood, people from the nearby village reared their cattle in a highland and thus they move to this mountain for the purpose. Because of the dense forest they cut the bushes. At that time there were huge stones in the mountains, covered with climbers and creepers. To clear the forest, they burnt the creepers from the hills. They found out that there was a stone crafted the Lord Red Ganesha. After that the nightmare has been constantly encountered by the villagers about the installation of temple with the Lord Red Ganesha, the people of the area requested the colonial rulers to build a temple. And a small temple was constructed. The right hand of the sculpture holding a shell and the left hand with a bud of lotus. Near the sculpture there was a pillar with floral motifs. The rocks found were mostly of Granite. In Assam, the amount of moisture is very high as compared to other historical states of India. Hence mostly the granite structures were found.

The team of student cleared the forest to make the trail to reach another age-old architectural structure. Where the pillars were named as DKP (Dhenukhonda Pahad). The students took the measurement of the pillars which are given below.