Destination News

A heritage property away from the bustle of Jorhat, makes a perfect base for exploring wildlife in Assam.

If an ancestral mansion has survived two earthquakes, family feuds and nearly a hundred years of use, you can be sure that it has no intention of disappearing anytime soon. Thengal Manor in Jorhat stands with the same majestic pride today as it did all those years ago when it would host banquets for hundreds of guests. This family property is today run as a heritage hotel and is Assam's best kept secret, which is why you'll probably be the only guest walking in its ancient corridors that are dotted with black and white family photographs.

Jorhat is hardly on top of any tourist itinerary but it does make for a great base if you want to explore Assam's wildlife parks. The famous Kaziranga National Park is a two-hour drive away and the lesser known but intensely charming Hollangapar Gibbon Sanctuary with tea gardens, just 20 kms away. But even the most rugged nature lover with a passion for sighting Hoolock Gibbons, will find it difficult not to surrender to the luxury of this colonial house with its vintage fireplaces and four poster beds. The massive rooms, each featuring a dressing room and bath, are a throwback to the pre-Independence era and you almost expect butler to knock on your door, reminding you to not be late for dinner. Warning: for those who've come in fresh from a wilderness sojourn and are used to taking your meals on a mat, Thengal Manor is serious about meal times and insists on a formal dining experience so bring that evening coat.
Staying at the Thengal Manor is an experience in itself. Your weekend here will be about eating vast quantities of hearty Indian food, with a typical North Eastern twist, fawning over the architectural detail and fascinating history of your abode, or maybe taking a walk to the nearby Assamese village of Jalukonibari, where master weavers and metal artisans will happily show you their work.