The Jainta Rajbari and Kingdom extended from the east of the Shillong Plateau of present-day Meghalaya in north-east India, into the plains to the south, and north to the Barak River valley in Assam, India. It was annexed by the British East India Company in 1835.
The capital, Jaintiapur, now ruined, was located on the plains at the foot of the Jaintia Hills; it appears there may have been a summer capital at Nartiang in the Jaintia Hills, but little remains of it now apart from a Durga temple and a nearby site with many megalithic structures. Much of what is today the Sylhet region of Bangladesh was at one time under the jurisdiction of the Jaintia king.
The origin of the Jaintia kingdom is unknown, but the Jaintia people share a megalithic culture with the related Khasi people on the Shillong plateau which is of uncertain age, but their common oral history claims that they settled the region in the distant past. After the 17th century invasion by the Kachari king Satrudaman, the Jaintia kingdom came under increasing Kachari and Ahom political influence.
The British came into contact with the Jaintia kingdom upon receiving the Diwani of Bengal in 1765 (Gurdon 1914:xiv). Jaintiapur, currently in Bangladesh, was the capital. The kingdom extended from the hills into the plains north of the Barak River (Gait 1906:253). The quarries in their possession was the chief supplier of lime to the delta region of Bengal, but with the British, the contact was not very smooth, and they were attacked in 1774. Subsequently, the Jaintias were increasingly isolated from the plains via a system of forts as well as via a regulation of 1799 (Gurdon 1914:xiv-xv).
After the conclusion of the First Anglo-Burmese War, the British allowed the Jaintia king his rule north of the Surma River (Gait 1906:284). The kingdom was finally annexed on March 15, 1835 (Gait 1906:302). The king was handed over his property in Sylhet along with a monthly salary of Rs 500. The British administered the plain areas directly and the hill region indirectly via a system of fifteen dolois and four sardars. The fifteen administrators were free to adjudicate on all but the most heinous crimes.
The capital of Jainta Kingdom was in Jaintapur. It was the palace of Kings of Jainta. It is close to Jainta Bazar. Though the palace is damaged but tourist visit there for witnessing the history of Kings of Jainta. Jaintiapur is only 5 km from Jaflong, a scenic spot amidst tea gardens.
It is located on Jaintapur Upazila of Sylhet Sadar. At about 35 km northwest of Sylhet town, linked by rail, road and river Chhatak. It is 5 km away from Jaflong. You need to go to Jaflong through the Sylhet Tamabil highway. You may use bus or CNG auto rickshaw.
Three type of transportation mode is available towards Sylhet from Dhaka. You can get in there by bus, train or air.
1. Greenline Paribahan
9/2, Outer Circular Road, Rajarbag, Dhaka-1217. (BDT 850 Volvo, BDT 1100 Scania)
2. Shyamoli Paribahan
Arambagh Counter, Dhaka. Phone-7102291, 0193626023
Sayedabad Counter, Dhaka. Phone-0171-8075541, 7511019, 7550071
3. Hanif Paribahan, Dhaka offices
Panthapath: 0173-402670
Arambagh: 01713-402671
Sayedabad: 01713-402673
4. S Al Saudia
Address: Humayun Rashid Chattar, Sylhet
Mobile: 01712920909
5. Shohah Paribahan
Address: Shobhani Ghat, Sylhet
Phone: 0821-722299
Fare: Taka 1100
You will find the above bus operators from Malibag Rail-gate, Razarbag or Sayedabad bus stand. These services are available from 6:30 am to 11:30 pm.
Bangladesh Biman, NovoAir, United Airways and Regent Airways are the four operators who fly from Dhaka to sylhet. The ticket price starts from 3000 taka & it goes up to 8000 taka per pax. There are more than 10 flights every day from morning to evening.
The planes leaving Dhaka for Sylhet are
1. United Airlines
Departure from Dhaka-5:35PM on Friday: 2:20PM
Departure from Sylhet-6:45PM on Friday-3:30PM
(Schedule varies time to time)
Fair-One way BDT 3825- 6325
2. Regent Airways.
Departure from Dhaka-4:40PM
Departure from Sylhet-5:45PM
(Schedule varies time to time)
Fair-One fair ranges from BDT 4800-5700
3. Bangladesh Biman. Price of tickets ranges from BDT 3500-9940 (Single flight per day)
There are four train services from Dhaka to sylhet. They are Joyontika, Parabat and Upoban depart at morning, noon and evening. There is a new train named Kalini depart at afternoon from Dhaka. It takes 7-8 hours to reach sylhet.The ticket price is around 295 for shovon-chair & it gets 679 taka for 1st class AC.
Train Schedules:
1. Kalini Express– departure time from Dhaka-4:00PM, arrival time at Sylhet-10:30PM.Off day: Friday
2. Parabat Express– departure time from Dhaka-6:40AM, arrival time at Sylhet-1:35PM
Departure time from Sylhet-3:00PM, arrival time at Dhaka-10:30PM. Off day: Tuesday
3. Upaban Express– departure time from Dhaka-9:50PM, arrival time at Sylhet-5:30AM
Departure time from Sylhet-10:00PM, arrival time at Dhaka-5:30AM.
Off day: Wednesday in Dhaka, no off days in Sylhet
4. Joyntika Express– departure time from Dhaka-12:00PM, arrival time at Sylhet-7:50PM
Departure time from Sylhet-08:20AM, arrival time at Dhaka-4:00PM.
Off day: None
Fair of all these ranges according to compartments usually BDT 75-1018.
There are a number of good quality hotels in Sylhet town. Most of those are at the Mazar road, Amberkhana, or in Zindabazar. A brief list of hotels is given below:
1. Hotel Eastern Gate & Panahar Restaurant.
2. Hotel Gulshan.
3. Hotel Dargah View.
4. Greenland Hotel & Restaurant.
5. Hotel City Link International.
6. Surma Valley Rest House.
7. Hotel Baharain Residential
8. Hotel Qureishi Residence.
9. Hotel Ajmeer.
10. Hotel Payra.
11. Hotel Supreme,
12. Hotel Palash,
13. Hotel Western,
14. Hotel Anurag,
15. Hotel Al-Amin,
16. Hotel Garden’s Inn,
17. Hotel Ferdous,
18. Hotel Panama,
19. Hotel Green,
20. Hotel Hilltown,
21. Hotel Rose View,
22. Hotel Star Pacific,
23. Hotel Tajmohal.
very few local restaurants are available here. You need to have you lunch from Jaflong or Sylhet town.
Winter is the best season to visit this place to feel the beauty of nature with water falls.
Questions, issues or concerns? I'd love to help you!
