Historically associated with the Ahom and Kachari kingdoms, Numaligarh is named after Princess Numali, a Kachari princess. She married Ahom king Swargadeo Suhungmung or Dihingia Raja, who built a fort or ‘garh’ around their palace. Only the garh remains now, but not without the stories of love and longing that are woven around it. Numaligarh is also known for its petroleum refinery, Numaligarh Refinery Limited, often referred to as the ‘Accord Refinery’ as it was a result of the famous Assam Agitation of the ’70s and ’80s that culminated in the signing of the Assam Accord between the Union government and the students of Assam.
A small roadside town along the NH 37, Bokakhat is famous for its pedas (a sweetmeat made from milk solids) and puris. The majestic Kaipholangso waterfall, a popular picnic spot surrounded by hills and gorges, lies 13 km from Bokakhat. Kakochang Waterfall yet is another tourist attraction, and is about a 20-minute drive from Bokakhat. There is also the Kako Goxani Thaan here, a place of worship of Devi Durga. The Thaan, an Oxomiya place of worship of Shakti, was patronized by the powerful Ahom king Gadadhar Singha. Legend has it that his devotion for the Goddess grew after She protected him from royal soldiers while he was in exile.
