Guwahati

“The Light of the East” is the gateway to Assam and to the entire North East region. Straddling the banks of the Brahmaputra, this former capital of the Kamrup kings (when it was ancient Pragjyotishpur) is a crowded, busy river-town and a major commercial hub for the region. Surrounded by paddy fields and ancient rain-forests, Guwahati is home to many temples that date back to Vedic and Puranic times.

The Kamakhya Temple dominates the life of Guwahati, as much as does the great Brahmaputra River. One of the most revered shrines of the Hindu faith, the temple is located on Neelachal Hill. The temple offers grandstand views of the Brahmaputra and its surroundings. The reigning deity here is Goddess Parvati (Sati). Legend has it that the body of Sati was dismembered and it is believed that of the pieces of her body which were scattered across the land, her yoni fell on Neelachal Hill. The temple here is also called Yoni Pith and is said to be a tantric centre. The shrine finds mention in the inscription of King samudragupta’s pillar at Allahabad. A rush of devotees throngs the temple during the Ambubachi Puja.

Amongst some of the other holy places in Guwahati is the Bashishta Ashram dating back to the time when the great sage Vashishta visited this spot on the confluence of the Sandhya, Lalita and Kanta streams, and set up his ashram here. The Nabagraha Temple on Chitranchal Hill, is an important centre for the study of astronomy and astrology. Located in Jorpukhuri, the Grater Temple is dedicated to an incarnation of Goddess Kali. The Dirgheshwari Temple is dedicated to an avatar of Goddess Durga. The Ashvaklanta Temple offers superb views of the city against the Brahmaputra River.

A River Cruise on the mighty Brahmaputra is a wonderful opportunity to get a feel of this legendary river. Catch the ferry travelling between Sukheshwar Ghat and North Guwahati or travel a little more stylishly in one of the state tourism-run vessels. Top it off with a trip to Sualkuchi (an hour’s drive away) to explore the dazzling world of Assam silk.

Tourist Attractions

Kamakhya temple, Bhubaneshwari, The Shiva temple, Navagraha temple-the "temple of the nine planets, Vashistha Ashram, Guwahati Zoo.

Getting There

By Air : Nearest airport Guwahati’s Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport (25 km from downtown). The facilities at the airport have been lately improved, and include a restaurant, snack bar, gift and bookshops, telecommunication counter, and tourist information offices of the Govt. of India and Govt. of Assam. Guwahati is serviced by flights of Indian Airlines/Alliance Air, Jet Airways and Air Sahara. Indian Airlines links the city to Kolkata, Delhi, Agartala and Imphal, Jet Airways operates between Guwahati and Kolkata, Delhi, Bagdogra and Imphal. Air Sahara connects it with Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, Lucknow and Dibrugarh through direct flights/connections.

By Rail : Nearest Railhead Guwahati (located close to downtown). Guwahati is the headquarters of North-East Frontier Railway and is linked to all parts of the country through express trains. Within the North-East, broad and meter-gauge train services link the city with Dimapu (9 hrs), Tinsukhia (16 hrs), Dibrugarh (18 hrs) and Murkong-Selek (15 hrs). Some important broad-gauge trains to Guwahati are Rajdhani Express from Delhi (28 hrs), Saraighat express from Kolkata (18 hrs), Dadar Express from Mumbai (54 hrs), and Bangalore Express (60 hrs).

By Road : Guwahati : The bus stand is across the over-bridge at the railway station. The Assam State Transport Corporation has offices and reservation/booking facilities here. Guwahati is the junction of National Highway Nos. 31, 37, 40, 52. It is the nodal point for road transport in the region. Beyond Guwahati, rail services are limited, making the road network important. Assam state Transport Corporation has bus services linked Guwahati with towns in nearby states. Other state transport corporations and private operators add to the region’s network. Bus travel is not expensive. Tourist buses are better than ordinary ones and have overnight services to many towns.