NORTH LAKHIMPUR, Nov 24 - The Maghnowa Doul, a 17th-century place of worship enlisted in the Protected Archaeological Sites and Monuments of Assam, is one of the few heritage sites in Lakhimpur district with an immense tourism potential. Even as the Heritage Week celebrations in the State conclude tomorrow, Maghnowa Doul awaits visits by tourists from in and outside the State. Located on the bank of the river Pichala at Padmapur under Rongoti GP of Dhalpur mouza of Narayanpur development block, the place of worship requires promotion by the State tourism department following the ease of the COVID-19 lockdown.
Built during the reign of Swargadeo Pratap Singha (1603-41), Maghnowa Doul was also known as Phulbari Devalaya. According to Nabin Buragohain, historian and winner of this year�s Heritage Mitra Award of the Directorate of Archaeology, Govt of Assam, it was built during the reign of Swargadeo Siva Singha in 1643 saka. However, Buragohain also refers to the District Gazette of Darrang in which it was recorded that Phulbari Devalaya was constructed by Swargadeo Rudra Singha in 1705. Quoting from history books, Buragohain says the Devalaya was built with 10,55,020 bricks along with other materials such as stone, jaggery, lime, pulses and fishes. Classified as a Devi Doul, Maghnowa Doul presently houses some stones of serpentine and phallic shape, which are worshipped by locals. Desecrated by the Burmese forces (Maan) in the early 19th century, the octagonal temple has 60 sculptural works of exquisite beauty on its outer walls fixed on rectangular outlets which have been extracted and stolen by local cattle herders earlier as there was no keeper, priest or state protection until very recently.
In 2006, a committee was set up for the renovation and conservation of Maghnowa Doul with a budget of Rs 10 lakh approved by then DRDA Lakhimpur to develop the monument as a tourist attraction. The Narayanpur Rural Development Block started earth-filling at the site and constructed boundary walls, tourist sheds on the monument premises from July 2006. However, the committee decided to use red powder of crushed bricks to paint the dome of Maghnowa Doul, without the approval of the Archaeological Society of India (ASI), alleged local public at that time. The delay by the ASI in approving proposals for renovation works was also blamed for this.
Since then, various developmental works for the preservation and facelift of Maghnowa Doul have been carried out, including the setting up of solar lamps and construction of entrance ways with paver blocks, although an overhead high-voltage power cable, passing through the premise of the monument, has been a worry for the locals and visitors.
