FACTS
& FIGURES
Population : 5,80,000
Languages : Assamese, Hindi, English, Bengali
Best Time to Visit : October to April
STD Codes : 0361
GATEWAY TO THE NORTHEAST
Guwahati, the capital city of the northeastern state
of Assam, was formerly known as Pragjyotishpur (the
City of Eastern Light). Its etymological root is derived
from two Assamese words, "Guwa," meaning areca
nut and "Haat," meaning market. Couched between
the picturesque hills of the eastern flanks of the Himalayan
mountain range, Guwahati houses the political capital
of the state, Dispur. The gateway to the seven other
northeastern states, Guwahati is a vital tourist link
point, besides being an attraction in itself.
LOCATION
Situated on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra,
at an altitude of 55 meters above sea level, Guwahati
is the junction of three important roads, National Highways
31, 37 and 40. It is split into two parts by the river
and North Guwahati is almost a separate town. One can
visit it via the Saraighat Bridge or by the ferries
that ply on the river. The nearest important city is
Calcutta (1182 km), while the capitals of the other
northeastern states are at distances varying from 110
km to 650 km. The city experiences an annual rainfall
of 180 cm (from May to September). While summer temperatures
range from 22 to 38°C, in winters the mercury ranges
from 10 to 25°C. The best time to visit this cosmopolitan
city is from October to April.
THE MYTHICAL PAST
There is magical aura that still lingers over
the ever-expanding city. The demon king Narkasura is
said to have built this ancient city. Another reason
for Guwahati's charm is its being the ancient 'Kamrup',
the birthplace of Kamdeva, the God of Love.
SITES TO VISIT
Guwahati is particularly famous for
its Kamakhya temple situated atop the Nilachal hill,
at a distance of 10 km from the railway station. Noted
to be the most sacred among the tantrik shrines of Shakti
worship in the world, Kamakhya, was built in the 10th
century by the Koch king, Naranarayan. It is a common
practice here to offer animal sacrifice to appease the
Goddess. Above Kamakhya is another small temple, Bhubaneshwari,
from where one can have a bird's eye view of the city.
The Shiva temple of Umananda, reached by motor boats
and public ferries from Umananda Ghat, stands on an
island in the middle of the Brahmaputra.
Atop another hill in east Guwahati is the Navagraha
temple-the "temple of the nine planets,"-an
ancient seat of astrology and astronomy. Housed in a
red beehive-shaped dome, the central lingam is encircled
by further nine representing the planets (graha)-Sun
(Surya, Ravi), Moon (Chandra, Soma), Mercury (Buddh),
Venus (Sukra), Mars (Mangal), Jupiter (Brhaspati) and
Saturn (Sani). Two more were added, Rahu and Ketu, the
dragon's head and the dragon's tail, or the ascending
and descending nodes of the moon.
Nearby, there is the Vashistha Ashram, an interesting
old shrine, with plenty of verdure and three beautiful
streams, Lalita, Kanta and Sandhya. It is at a distance
of 12 km from the railway station and is said to have
been the abode of sage Vashistha. Several other temples
like the Ugratara temple, famous for its golden idol
and buffalo sacrifices, are also strewn across the city.
Besides these religious sites, one must visit the Guwahati
Zoo, which is the largest natural zoo of the country.
The various museums-the State Museum, Anthropological
Museum, Forest Museum, and Cottage Industries Museum-are
treasure houses of Assam's rich cultural past. The Guwahati
planetarium, located on MG Road, is one of the finest
in the country.
To complete one's tour of Guwahati, one must visit
the Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra. Built in the 1990's,
this modern complex at Panjabari provides a one-stop
review of the artistic excellence of the region.
SITES NEARBY
The Manas wildlife sanctuary, 176 km
from the city, is situated on the banks of river Manas.
It is the only tiger project of its kind in Assam.
Pabitora, a small wildlife sanctuary, 60 km from Guwahati
is also worth a visit. Rhino and various species of
deer abound here.
Hajo, 25 km west of Guwahati, is a sacred place for
Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists. The town also boasts
the Hayagriba Madhava Temple, accessible via a long
stone stairway. At the foot of the stairway is a large
pond inhabited by one of Hajo's oldest residents: a
giant turtle. Hajo is also renowned for its bell metal
work.
Chandubi, 64 km from the city, is a natural lagoon and
a fine picnic spot, 64 km from Guwahati. The lake is
a perfect holiday resort, with ample fishing and rowing
opportunities.
Madan Kamdev, about 35 km from Guwahati, is famous for
its impressive archeological ruins and the Durga temple
dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries.
Sualkuchi, 32 km from Guwahati, is a village where
almost all the inhabitants are weavers, involved in
the traditional art of silk weaving.
Tezpur is 181 km east of Guwahati, and is a town of
both historic importance and adventure sports.
Barpeta, 185 km from Guwahati, is notable for the monastery
and shrine dedicated to the Vaishnavite saint, Sankardeva.
FAIRS AND FESTIVALS
The most notable festival here is the
Bohag Bihu, which marks the beginning of the Assamese
New Year and falls sometime in mid-April. Various local
delicacies like pithas, larus, and other sweetmeats
are available then. All these preparations are strictly
vegetarian. The Durga Puja, celebrated in the month
of October, is another major festival. In the months
of June-July, there is the famous Ambubashi Mela at
Kamakhya temple that attracts thousands of pilgrims
from all over the country.
WHERE TO GO SHOPPING
The city has many markets, namely, Pan
Bazar, Paltan Bazar, Fancy Bazar, and Ganeshguri. Local
artifacts, like the sorai, dunori, bota, etc., can be
easily found here and are noted for their exquisite
carving. For every tourist, Assamese silk is a must-buy
item. Considered one of the best in the world, Assam's
pat and muga silks are major attractions for the fashion
conscious. The State Government's departmental store,
Pragjyotika (at Ambari), is a useful stopover for local
handicrafts and silk.
HOW TO REACH
There are regular flight services to
Guwahati from Delhi (2½ hours), Calcutta (1½
hours), Imphal, Agartala, Aizawl, Dibrugarh and Jorhat.
Indian Airlines and most private airlines run early
morning flights to this northeastern city. The Borjhar
airport, 18 km from the main city, is being converted
into an international airport.
The busy and overcrowded Paltan Bazar railway station
is the destination for many trains from every corner
of India. There are four trains from/to Delhi, and many
others to/from places like Calcutta, New Jalpaiguri,
Chennai, Bhubaneshwar, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kochi, and
Thiruvananthapuram. It is also well connected to the
other places of the state.
Behind the station is the bus stand that provides regular
bus services to Shillong, Kaziranga, Dimapur, Siliguri,
Bomdila, Silchar, etc. The Machkhowa bus stand off MG
Road and the Adabari bus stand, 4 km further, are the
take-off points for places like Hajo and Sualkuchi.
Contact us for your air booking, car booking and other
query.
WHERE TO STAY AND EAT
Guwahati offers several private hotels
ranging from high-end to budget-friendly ones. Fish
is a major delicacy in Assam and one can savor mouthwatering
curries in and around Paltan Bazar at cheap rates.
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