GUWAHATI, Feb 25 - The Nagpota or Nagkota Pukhuri and the Durga Sarovar Pukhuri are very old tanks of Guwahati, erstwhile Gauhati. Nagpota is located on the Motilal Nehru Road, erstwhile Shillong Road, at Panbazar and the Durga Sarovar Pukhuri is located between Bhutnath and Kamakhyagate on the southern side of the rail line, said noted writer Kumudeswar Hazarika.
Hazarika, while talking to this correspondent, said Swargadeo Pramatta Singha had built the Sukreswar Temple in 1744-1751 AD (1666 Saka). On the very date of its inauguration, it is said that a snake of immense size was sacrificed and following this, snake worship was performed at the site of the Nagpota or Nagkota Pukhuri. Finally, the sacrificed snake was buried at the site. Thus the tank became popular as Nagpota or Nagkota. It is believed that the Sukreswar Temple and Nagpota Pukhuri are interlinked.
Latasil Pukhuri: Today it simply sounds unbelievable that there was a tank at the site of the present Latasil playground. Around this tank, one of the three oldest markets of Gauhati during the British era was located. It was known as Chawk Bazar, the first market in the Uzanbazar area of Gauhati. The other two markets were Sadar Bazar, which is now known as the Phansi Bazar, and Dalangghat Bazar near the Bharalu Bridge where the West Guwahati Puja Mandap is now located. The Latasil Pukhuri was filled up between 1898 AD and 1900 AD to develop the Latasil playground at the initiative of the late Manik Chandra Borooah.
Sakuntala Pukhuri: Kanwachal Pahar is virtually the eastern part of the Navagraha Pahar. The original name of Navagraha Pahar was Chitrachal Pahar.
According to popular belief, the ashram (hermitage) of Kanwa Muni (sage) was located at Kanwachal Pahar. His daughter Sakuntala, after being abandoned by her husband king Dushyanata, used to stay there. A tank is located there and it is named Sakuntala Pukhuri. However, many people today believe that the tank has no links with Sakuntala or Kanwa Muni and it was dug in the early 20th century AD. This tank acquired the name Sakuntala Pukhuri only a few years back.
Majinder or Padum Pukhuri: This tank was dug during the Ahom era to supply water to the residence of the Majinder Barua, which is now popularly known as the Guwahati SP�s Bungalow. Its original name was Majinder Barua Pukhuri. Later on, between the early 1920s and the 1980s, it became a lotus tank and came to be known as the Padum Pukhuri.
Other tanks: There was also another Padum Pukhuri at Uzanbazar Uriya Basti, which is now on the verge of extinction. The Paltan Pukhuri and the Kamarpatty Pukhuri are also extinct now.
The Kamarpatty Pukhuri was located between the Rupayan and Urvasi cinemas. Details of the digging and obliteration of this Pukhuri are not available. Its size is also not known.
There is a controversy over the actual location of the Paltan Pukhuri. Many people believe that it was located between the Bengali Boys� Higher Secondary School and the Assam State Transport Corporation headquarters.
Some others believe that the Paltan Pukhuri was located at the present site of the Fire Brigade office. Its water was initially used for ceremonial purposes of the cemetery of the European Christians, which was located at the present site of the Assam chapter office of the Institution of Engineers (India), to the eastern side of the Paltanbazar-Panbazar connecting railway overbridge, said Hazarika.
