Located in the state of Assam, Goalpara is an administrative district with headquarters at Goalpara town. Sprawling over an area of 1,911 sq km, the destination is located on the banks of the River Brahmaputra. Goalpara was originally created in 1876 by the British. At present, Goalpara is divided into Goalpara, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Dhubri.
According to the chronicles of history, it is said that the destination was a princely state, which was under the rule of Rajbongsi kings. However, after the rule of Rajbongsi kings, the destination went under the reign of undivided kingdom. At present, the royal family resides within the destination.
Goalpara is mostly inhabited by Koch Rajbongsi and the widely spoken language is Goalpariya language, a dialect of Assamese. Located at distance of around 12 km to south-east of the Goalpara town, Sri Surya Pahar is one of the most prominent attractions of the destination.
Sri Surya Pahar holds immense religious importance as it is evident from plenty of sculptures and relics belonging to Jainism, Buddhism and Hinduism. Another popular place located in the destination is Dadan Hill. The hill houses a temple at its peak that was constructed by the King of Sonipur, called Bana. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is visited by tourists in large numbers.
Tourists travelling to Goalpara can avail flights, buses and trains. Those travelling by air can board flights to Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport located in Guwahati, which is the nearest airport serving the destination. This airport is located at a distance of 124 km from the destination.
Goalpara does not have its own train station and is served by the New Bongaigaon Railway Station, which is the nearest railhead. Buses can also be boarded from different parts of India, which terminate at Goalpara Bus Stand. It is located at a distance of 1.3 km from Goalpara.
The best time to visit Goalpara is the winter season, which stretches from the month of October to February. The maximum temperature recorded during this season is around 23° Celsius, while the minimum temperature is 12° Celsius.
One of the most notable sights is the Sri Surya Pahar, located 12 km. to the south-east of the Goalpara town. Sri Surya Pahar is of great religious significance, which is evident from the relics and sculptures belonging to Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Another notable place in Goalpara is Dadan Hill. There is a temple at the top of the hill, built under the benefaction of the King of Sonipur called Bana. The temple is devoted to Lord Shiva and frequented by pilgrims. A visit to the Majar Shariff of Pir Saheb is also worth visiting. This Majar Sharif located at Jaleswar-Katarihara is dedicated to the Sufi Saint Sayed Nasiruddin Kaderi, popularly known as ‘Bagdadi.’ Many tourists also visit the Pir Majhar of Hazarat Sayed Abul Kasem Kharasani, nestled at the heart of the Goalpara town. This place is frequented by both Muslim and Hindu tourists.
Some other notable religious destinations of Goalpara is Sri Sri Shyamrai Satra, Sri Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math, Buraburi Than and more. Sri Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math was established at Goalpara in the year 1969, with the motto of expanding Sri Krishna Chaitanya culture. Many tourists also attend the Puja Sangkirtan held regularly in the Math. A visit to the age-old shrine of Nandeswar Devalaya is also a popular activity of the tourists. This temple was set up on the top of Nandeswar hill that stands by the side of the River Dudhnoi. The temple of Nandeswar that dates back to 10th or 11th century is devoted to Lord Shiva. Another religious site of Goalpara is the Sri Sri Joybhum Kamakhya Temple, which is a prominent ‘Sakti Sthal’ of Hinduism. The Tukreswari Temple, located by the side of National Highways 37 at Tukra also offers an easy access to the tourists.