Colonial Origins: Commissioner Cole & The 1906 Botanical Sanctuary
Located in the serene heart of Tezpur just a short stroll from the municipal center, Cole Park (officially renamed Chitralekha Udyan in honor of the talented artist friend of Princess Usha) is one of the most enchanting historic public parks in Northeast India. Established in 1906 by Mr. C.A. Cole, the British Deputy Commissioner of Darrang district, the park was conceived as a refined Victorian botanical retreat and an open-air archaeological sanctuary designed to preserve the astonishing medieval stone sculptures that lay abandoned across the ruins of ancient Tezpur.
During the late 19th century, expansion of roads and colonial administrative buildings in Tezpur frequently unearthed colossal chiseled stone blocks, intricately carved temple doorframes, and massive stone pillars dating back over a thousand years. Recognizing their immense archaeological and artistic value, Commissioner Cole arranged for teams of bullock carts and elephants to carefully transport these scattered relics to this central municipal park. Here, the ancient stone antiquities were integrated into landscaped grassy terraces, winding gravel pathways, and shaded groves of mahogany and weeping fig trees.
Renovated extensively in modern times under the guidance of district authorities, the park seamlessly merges classical antiquity with vibrant civic recreation, featuring ornamental water lily ponds, pedal boating facilities, illuminated musical fountains, and expansive children's play zones.
The Historic 9th-Century Bamuni Hill Sculptural Pillars
The pride of Cole Park is its open-air gallery of ornate medieval stone pillars, cross-beams, and door lintels salvaged from the 9th–10th century Bamuni Hills archaeological site. These weathered granitic relics display masterfully carved friezes of celestial nymphs (Apsaras), diamond-patterned floral garlands, and guardian lions, reflecting the height of the classical Salastambha dynasty.
The Bamuni Hills Relics: Masterpieces of the Salastambha Dynasty
The primary cultural attraction of Chitralekha Udyan is its outdoor museum collection of medieval stone architecture salvaged primarily from the Bamuni Hills site on the eastern edge of Tezpur. Dating between the 9th and 10th centuries CE, these relics were created during the reign of the Salastambha dynasty of Kamarupa, contemporary with the grand Rashtrakuta and Pratihara empires of central and western India.
Foremost among these antiquities are two colossal carved sandstone pillars that stand upright on the lawn. These pillars feature an octagonal shaft adorned with delicate horizontal pearl strings, floral festoons, and deeply undercut bell capitals. Nearby rests a massive stone lintel carved with a high-relief frieze of the Dashavatara (the ten incarnations of Vishnu), where the figures of Varaha lifting the Earth and Narasimha slaying Hiranyakashipu display remarkable emotional dynamism and anatomical realism.
Scattered across the lawns are ornamental stone door jambs depicting the sacred river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna, decorated with trailing foliage and celestial cherubs (ganas). These sculptures reveal that the ancient temples of Tezpur were colossal architectural edifices that rivaled the finest classical Hindu temple complexes of North India before they were toppled by medieval earthquakes.
Dedication to Chitralekha: The Divine Mythological Artist
In the late 20th century, the park was renamed Chitralekha Udyan to honor the mythological heroine Chitralekha, Princess Usha's devoted artist companion from the Agnigarh legend. In classical folklore, Chitralekha is celebrated as India's first portrait painter and female artist, whose extraordinary talent allowed her to reproduce the likeness of any person she had seen or who was described to her.
A graceful central statue of Chitralekha stands within a water fountain pool, depicting the young artist holding her scroll and brushes, looking wistfully toward the distant Brahmaputra. The dedication pays tribute to Tezpur’s enduring identity as the artistic and cultural soul of Assam, a city that has nurtured celebrated poets, painters, filmmakers, and dramatists including Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha, Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, and Natasurya Phani Sarma.
Local art schools frequently organize outdoor sketching sessions and watercolor painting camps within the park, allowing young students to practice their craft surrounded by ancient sculptures and blooming frangipani blossoms.
Preservation of Ancient Stone Relics
The medieval stone sculptures displayed on the lawns are precious archaeological treasures. Visitors are strictly prohibited from sitting on, climbing over, or leaning against the historic carved pillars. Children must be supervised to avoid damaging fragile weathered stone reliefs.
Ornamental Lake, Pedal Boating & Colonial Antiques
At the lower end of the park lies a picturesque horseshoe-shaped ornamental lake bordered by weeping willows and flowering bougainvillea hedges. Visitors can hire colorful pedal boats to cruise leisurely around the small island at the center of the lake, which is populated by domestic geese and wild cormorants. The water reflects the emerald green foliage and the open skies, offering a soothing respite from urban noise.
The park also preserves fascinating relics from the British colonial era. Positioned near the northern entrance is a historic British fighter aircraft model and a vintage steam roller used during the construction of Assam's early tea-estate roads in the late 19th century, alongside historic brass cannons used during colonial frontier patrols.
Paved walking circuits winding throughout the park are popular with morning fitness walkers and evening strollers. In the winter months, extensive flower beds bloom with vibrant petunias, marigolds, chrysanthemums, and dahlias, transforming the grounds into a colorful floral display.
Travel Logistics, Photography & Tezpur Exploration
Cole Park (Chitralekha Udyan) is located in the civil lines area of Tezpur, within easy walking distance (less than 1 km) from the Tezpur ASTC bus stand and main market area. The park is open daily to the public from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, with an inexpensive entry ticket collected at the modern turnstile gate. Boating tickets for the lake can be purchased separately at the boathouse counter.
Visitors should allocate approximately one to two hours to explore the grounds leisurely. Photography is permitted across the park; the contrast between the dark, weathered 9th-century stone carvings and the bright green manicured lawns provides excellent compositions for architectural and cultural photography.
After visiting Cole Park, travelers can walk to nearby Agnigarh Hill (1 km away) or explore the historic Tezpur District Library, making for a relaxed and culturally enriching afternoon in one of Assam's most historic and pleasant towns.
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