Guwahati

Guwahati
Situated on the banks of the mighty river Brahmaputra, Guwahati is Assam's sleepy capital. It was once known as "Pragiyotishpura" or Light of the East. The name Guwahati is a combination of two words: Guwa meaning areca nut and Hat meaning market. Guwahati or Gurahati is the gateway to one of the most exotic and fascinating regions of India - the north east. Today, Guwahati is the business hub of the region and also Assam's largest city. It is the service centre for the oil industry and tea plantations; the world's largest tea auctions are held here. There are many ancient Hindu temples in and around Guwahati. Notable among them is the Umananda temple on Peacock Island dedicated to Lord Shiva. 

How to reach 

By Air

Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, situated 18-km east of the centre, is well connected by air with New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai. Indian Air Lines, Sahara And Jet Airways operate regular flights to Guwahati. Air India operates direct flight between Guwahati and Bangkok on Mondays and Thursdays.

The railway station is in the centre of town with the state bus stand right behind and operates a very useful left luggage service. There are direct train services from New Delhi and Kolkata with connectivity to Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram etc. The back of the railway station leads into the Paltan Bazaar area, from which most of the private bus companies operate. By Road A network of National Highways and other roads connect Guwahati with all the important places of Assam. It is the connector city of NH - 31, 37 and 40 with the other cities of India by road. Buses ply from Guwahati around the cities of Northeast India by National Highways. State Transport Express and Super Express buses of Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal, Nagaland, and North Bengal ply from Guwahati. Transport Guwahati has an efficient and extensive system of minibuses too. Cycle rickshaws are easy to find around the centre of the town. The main terminal for river ferries is available at Sukreswar Ghat.

Guwahati at a glance Area 27.5sq.km Population 5,80,000 Altitude 55m Temperature Summer Max. 35°C - 22°C Winter Max. 26°C - 10°C Rainfall 182 cms. (May - September) STD Code 0361

Places of Interest at Guwahati Temples Kamakhya Temple Navagraha Temple Umananda Temple Janardhan Temple Basista Ashram Museums Assam State Museum Assam Forest Museum Commerial Museum Assam Government Cottage Industries Museum Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra Veterinary College Museum Assam State Zoo and Botanical Gardens Kamakhya Temple Kamakhya Temple Kamakhya Temple on Nilachal Hill, eight km west of the city is believed to be an ancient 'Khasi' sacrificial site. It has been a part and parcel of Assamese life and culture from ancient times. The temple dedicated to the Goddess Kamakshya is one of the oldest and most sacred centre for Shakti worship and Tantric Hinduism. The original 10th century temple was destroyed by Muslim converts but was rebuilt in 1665 by King Naranarayana of Koch Bihar. The sikhara or spire is in the shape of a beehive and it has the nymph motifs and the long turtle back hall. The stone images and other relics found around the temple have been dated by archaeologists to the eighth century onwards. It attracts pilgrims from all over India, especially during the Ambubachi Festival which usually falls around July. The ponds here are home to some giant turtles. There is a majestic view of the city and the Brahmaputra river from the hill top. Non-Hindus are not allowed to enter the sanctum. Nabagraha Temple Navagraha Temple Navagraha temple or temple of nine planets is situated on Chitrachal Hill to the east of the town. It was the ancient seat of study of astronomy and astrology. The nine planets are represented by the nine linga's inside the main temple. This temple just 3 km from the railway station is still a center of Astrological and Astronomical research. It was for this temple Guwahati was named Pragjyotishpur ( the city of Astrology). Umananda Temple The Shiva temple stands on Peacock island in the midst of river Brahmaputra. The temple built by an Ahom king in 1594, can be reached by crossing the river via country boats plying from Kachari Ghat in Guwahati. Ferries make regular crossings from 7am to 5pm. The site is especially busy during the annual Shivaratri festival, when devotees from all over the state come to worship the god. Janardhan Temple  The temple is situated on the hillock Suklesvar in the heart of the city. The temple consecrated in the 10th century was rebuilt in the 17th century. Located near Suklesvar Ghat of the Brahmaputra river, the temple has an image of the Lord Buddha, which is a unique blend of Hinduism and Buddhism. Basista Ashram  Situated in the southern-most rim of Guwahati city on the Sandhyachal hill is a well known holy cum picnic spot, called Basisthashram, after the great vedic Sage Bashistha, who is said to have lived here. Three rivulets named Sandhya, Lalita and Kanta meet here and flow perenially adding scenic grandeur to the place. It is 12 Kms. from the Guwahati Railway Station. City buses ply regularly to the Ashram. Madan Kamdev  Barely 40 kms. away from the sprawling metropolis Guwahati, on N.H. 52 Madan Kamdev is an enigma, a mystery, a marvel and in the words of Omar Khayam, "a veil past which I could not see". Very little is known about the origin of this magnificient archaeological ruins. Written history is almost silent on it, leaving wide room for conjectures and hypothesis. Very little is known about this archaeological ruins, making it a mystery. Kamrupa - the ancient name of Assam, is believed to have derived its name from the legend that love God Kama or Madan, after being turned into ashes by an angry Shiva, was reborn here. One school believes that Madan was reborn and united to Rati on this tiny hillock. The season to visit is from October to May. Museums Assam State Museum The Assam State Museum has collections of archaeology, sculpture, paintings, metal, ivory and woodwork, costumes and ethnology. There are exhibits of reconstructed huts of Assamese tribes. You can walk right through these village huts. There are also displays of weavings and musical instruments. It is open from 1000 to 1630 from Tuesday to Saturday and 0800 -1200 on Sundays. Closed on Mondays and second Saturdays. Assam Forest Museum  This museum is situated at South Kamrup Division, Guwahati. It has collections of timber, cane and ivory work, tusks and horns and models of buildings and bridges. Visit : 10am - 4pm weekdays. Saturdays 10am -1.30pm Commerial Museum  Guwahati University has a commercial Museum with a collection of art and crafts, commercial products, minerals and rocks, coins etc. The museum is open daily, from 12.30am to 6.30pm. Closed on Sundays and University holidays. Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra The Srimanta Sankardeva kalakshetra has been set up as a grand exposition of the life and culture of the people of Assam. Named after the greatest Vaishnava saint and the greatest integrator of the Assamese society Srimanta Sankardeva, the Kalakshetra is a multi-Arts complex. It houses a Central Museum where cultural objects and day-to-day articles used by different ethnic groups will be preserved and exhibited, an Open Air Theatre with 2000 capacity to hold folk festivals and to present traditional dance and drama of the State, an Artists' Village which offers the visitors and the residents an atmosphere of the village of Assam, the Sahitya Bhavan which is a library of rare books and manuscripts, the Lalit-Kala Bhavan which has sufficient space for exhibition, art and sculpture workshops, and a Heritage Park. The Kalakshetra has been chosen as the venue for many cultural activities. The other Museums are Assam Government Cottage Industries Museum, Open 10am to 4.00pm on weekdays, 10am to 1.00pm on Saturdays. Veterinary College Museum, Open 10am to 4pm Assam State Zoo and Botanical Gardens The Zoo and the landscaped Botanical gardens are located about 5km east of the railway station. The zoo mostly has open enclosures with swamp tapirs, tigers, leopards, Assam's famous one horned rhinos and a rich bird life among other species. Open daily except Fridays. Dighalipukhuri, a water body in the heart of the city with boating facilities, cruises on the river Brahmaputra in the 'Jolporee', the famous Balaji Temple of Tirupati,Planetarium, the Saraighat Bridge over the Brahmaputra, the Guwahati Oil Refinery, Lachit Barphukan Park and the Guwahati University are places worth visiting.