Located: 12 km from Sibsagar
Built By: Queen Phuleswari Devi
Dedicated To: Devi Durga
Gaurisagar Tank is a major tourist destination in Assam, located at a distance of about 12 km from the center of the Sibsagar town. Built about 200 years ago, the tanks as well as the three temples built on its bank are dedicated to the goddess of power - Goddess Durga and her many forms. This eighteenth century tank, along with its three temples, was constructed by the erstwhile queen of the Ahom Kingdom, Rani Phuleswari Devi. The queen was an avid worshipper of the Sakta Hinduism and even attempted to make Saktism the state religion of Assam.
Rani Phuleswari Devi even forbade the worship of the other gods and goddess in the region and tried to force Moamaria and several other gosains in the Rangpur area of Sibsagar to offer prayers to Goddess Durga and smear their forehead with the blood that was sacrificed in the puja. As retaliation for the insult and humiliation of their spiritual leader, Momarias broke out into an open war with the Ahom Kingdom, which later became famous as the legendary Moamoria rebellion. The queen finally died in the year 1731 AD.
Gaurisagar Tank covers a vast area, of about 150 acres and on its bank are enclosed the three temples namely, Durga Temple, Vishnu Temple and Shiva Temple. Every day, thousands of devotees come to offer their prayers in the temples. Besides this, the tank is also a hotspot for the natives and travelers for picnic purposes. On Bihu festival, the whole area gets crowded by people who come to celebrate the day and have fun. It is, in fact, because of this tank and the three temples that the entire place is now known as Gaurisagar.
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