TOP 10 PLACES TO VISIT IN GUWAHATI

Guwahati is the capital city of Assam, India, and is a busy city with tall buildings and a huge population. It is like the gate to northeast India as it has good transportation to all the other northeastern states. The visitors to the Northeast prefer to stay here because of good accommodations. And also, this is itself a place of attraction with a number of Hindu temples and many other magnificent sites. Here, I am presenting you with the top ten places to visit in Guwahati.

1. KAMAKHYA TEMPLE

Kamakhya temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Kamakhya, an Austroasiatic tribal Goddess of Khasi and Garu tribes. This is a unique pilgrimage site of the country. The temple celebrates the biological cycle of every woman called menstruation. While Indian women face many problems both physically and emotionally during their menstruation period, this temple is an exception. Goddess Kamakhya is known as ' Bleeding Goddess'. The folk tales of Hindu religion tell that the 'Garbhagriha' or the sanctum of the Kamakhya temple comprises of the mythical womb and vagina of Goddess Shakti. It is also known as Kamrup-Kamakhya temple or Kamakhya Dewalaya. It is situated on Nilachal hill, on the west of Guwahati, Assam, India. It has one main temple and several other individual temples dedicated to ten Mahavidyas of Shaktism- Kali, Tara, Sodashi, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi, Chinnamasta, Dhumavati, Bagalamukhi, Kamalatmika and Matangi ( source: Wikipedia). 

There is a folk tale behind the origin of the temple. It is believed that once, Goddess Sati, wife of God Shiva had an argument with him to be a part of 'Yajna' organized by her father to appease Gods. But both Sati and Shiva were not invited. Sati forcefully went to the 'Yajna' but got insulted very badly by her father, even he insulted her husband God Shiva too. Unable to bear the insults, Sati jumped into the fire of the 'Yajna'. When Shiva got to know about this, he got very angry and started dancing 'Tandav', the dance of destruction by carrying her corpse. Everyone panicked looking at his rage and then Vishnu sent his 'Chakra' and it cut the body of Sati in several pieces. The different parts fell in 108 locations which are now known as 'Shakti Peeths'. The womb and her vagina fell in the place where the Kamakhya temple is situated now.

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The temple was built by the Mlechcha dynasty. The temple is of  Nagara type. It was destroyed by Hussain Shah in 1498. The reconstruction was done by Koch king Narayan in 1565. Later, it was again rebuilt by Ahom kings. The present temple has a semispherical dome-like Nilachal type architecture.

Every year during June, the Brahmaputra river near the temple turns red. It is believed that during that period, the Goddess menstruates. During this time, Ambubachi Mela is celebrated every year in this temple where many saints and devotees join from different parts of India, and some times people from foreign countries also get a chance to enjoy it.

The temple is opened from 8 am to 1 pm and 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm. A huge number of devotees come here every year from all over the country. You can reach there by car or auto or if you want to have the natural beauty around the place, you can go on foot. The fresh air amidst the busy and polluted city will give you peace and happiness. There are many vendors selling different things like jewelry, flowers, coconut, etc. You have to remove your shoes or chappals before entering the temple. It is a ritual of all Hindu temples. But it is obvious that you will enjoy the tall hills and the magnificent view of the mighty Brahmaputra.

2. ASSAM STATE MUSEUM 

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Assam State Museum is situated in Digholipukhuri of Guwahati. It will give you a vast idea of the ancient and modern culture of northeast India. It was established by Kamarupa Anushandhan Samiti in 1940. The first president and founder of the museum were Kanklal Baruah. The museum is divided into various sections- Arts and Crafts, Sculptures of wood, stone, etc, natural history, folk art & arms, epigraphy, anthropology, etc. In 1985, a library was founded in the museum where a collection of books, magazines, and journals are found now.

You can go there via bus or cab from the airport and the train station. Transportation is very easy there. During summer, it remains open from 10 am to 5 pm and during winter, from 10 am to 4:30 pm except for mondays, 2nd and 4th Saturday and government holidays. The entry fee is only five rupees. You can access easy accommodation in nearby areas. The Digholipukhuri pond and the park is in front of it where you can have a beautiful time by enjoying the busy schedule of the city and the serenity of the park together.

3. SRIMANTA SHANKARDEV KALASHETRA:  

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Srimanta Shankardev Kalashetra is a cultural institute situated in Punjabari of Guwahati. It was named after one great person of Assam Srimanta Shankardev. It was established on 9 November 1988. It is governed by a group of executives directed by a director of the Assam Civil Service or Indian Administrative Service cadre. It is a place to showcase the rich culture of Assam and the other Northeastern state consisting of a library and a museum. In the museum, you will find cultural dresses, weapons, ancient valuable things, traditional jewelry, etc. And in the library called 'Sahitya Bhawan', you will find different kinds of modern and ancient books and manuscripts. There is an open-air theatre with a seating capacity of around 2000 people where many cultural functions like traditional dance, drama, etc are being organized. The amphitheater has a view of beautiful Khasi Hills. There is a complex called 'Lalit Kala Bhavan' where different cultural exhibitions and workshops are held. The architecture of the building is also mesmerizing comprising of the Assamese traditional designs. There are murals encrypted on the walls filming memories of wars, Assamese Bihu dance, etc. There is an artistic village that depicts the ethnic village lifestyle of Assam and I swear it will just give you the most amazing experience. There is a small hut inside it which was once a part of Assamese culture.

The whole place is surrounded by beautiful flowers and some water bodies in which various beautiful fishes are found. The waters are clean so the fishes are visible clearly on the surface. These flowers and the water bodies give the place a peaceful and serene environment making it a perfect place for relaxation. Now, a cable car facility is also provided to attract tourists.

The distance of this place from the Guwahati railway station is 11 km. From there, you can take a cab or an auto or you can go via citybus service at a very cheap price. The place remains open from 10 am to 7 pm. There is no specific time period to visit, you can go there at any time you want. Avoid monsoon seasons as during this time Assam is mostly gets flooded. The entry fees for adults is 30 rupees, for children, it is 10 rupees and for foreigners, it is 100 rupees. Additionally, for the still camera, you have to pay 10 rupees and for a video camera, you have to pay 100 rupees. You won't have to worry about accommodations. There are numerous hotels in the nearby area.

4. GUWAHATI PLANETARIUM : 

It is situated in Latashil, Uzan Bazar of Guwahati. If you have children, then it is the best place to visit in Guwahati. It is an astronomical education and research area of Guwahati providing you a beautiful experience of space and our solar system. It was inaugurated on 17 August 1994. The planetarium uses Chronos starfield projector, digital HD video projector, Dolby sky theatre's house projector for a hardware system, which are Japanese Goto instruments. The planetarium has a unique hybrid projection system. Regular sky watching sessions are available there. During lunar eclipses, outdoor viewing facilities are also provided. Many workshops, seminars are being organized to motivate the youths towards astronomy. 

The show timings for the Assamese language are 11 am, 1:30 pm & 3 pm, and that for the English language is 12 pm and 4 pm. It remains closed on the 1st and 15th days of every month. The maximum seat capacity of the planetarium is 141 persons. The ticket costs 30 rupees for adults and 15 rupees for students. You don't need to worry about accommodations as there are numerous options in the nearby areas.

5. ASSAM STATE ZOO CUM BOTANICAL GARDEN-

Assam State Zoo Cum Botanical Garden is one of the places of attraction in Guwahati. Here, you will find different kinds of birds and animals in one place. It is situated in the zoo road covering an area of Hengrabari Reserved Forest. The total area is about 432 acres (175 hectares). The major attractions of the zoo are one-horned rhinoceros, golden langur, leopard, jungle cat, different kinds of beautiful birds, deers, monkeys, etc. It was home to a number of species before. But now, animals died because of improper care, shortage of food, and loneliness. 

The zoo was established in 1957 with an area of 130 hectares by the Indian National Congress. At that time total number of animals and birds was 42 and 236 respectively. There were zebras, giraffes from Africa but now you can see their cages only. In 1982, a museum was formed renaming it as Assam Zoo cum Botanical Garden. The 45-hectare area was added in 2002.

The distance from the Guwahati railway station is 6 km and from that, you can take cabs, city buses, etc.  The timings are 7 am to 4.30 om in summer and 8 am to 4 pm in winter and it remains closed every Friday. The entry fees are 30 rupees and you have to pay extra for still and video camera.

6. BASISTHA ASHRAM:

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It is a Shiva Mandir situated in the southeast of Guwahati. It is believed that Ashram was founded by Saint Basistha during the Vedic age. The present temple was constructed by Rajeswar Singha. It is considered as one of the seven Shaktipeeths. The temple is located on the bank of mountain streams originated from hills of Meghalaya which split into two rivers Basistha and Bharalu and are flowing through the city. The area is surrounded by the Garbhanga reserve forest, a proposed butterfly reserved forest, and home of elephants. There is a beautiful waterfall enhancing the beauty and the serenity of the place. The cold water of the stream is so soothing for refreshments.

The timing for the temple is 6 am to 9 pm. The distance from the Guwahati railway station is 14 km from where you can easily get a cab. The cab is also available from Guwahati airport.

7. DIPOR BIL: 

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Dipor Bil is a permanent freshwater lake located to the southwest of Guwahati in Jalukbari near 37 no national highway comprising an area of 40.14 sq km. It was originally a channel of the Brahmaputra river. The name Dipor Bil comes from Sanskrit word 'Dipa' which means elephants and the Assamese word 'bil' means wetland. It is the only Ramsar site of Assam. In 1989, 4.14 sq km of the place was declared as Bird sanctuary. It was also declared as Important Bird Area (IBA) by Birdlife International. The bil has become an important resource for the villagers of nearby areas for the fishes found here. During monsoon season, it is about 4 m deep and during winter it is about 1 m deep.

The bil has a diverse population of flora and fauna. It is a home of a number of residential bird species and a shelter of migratory waterfowls. The maximum number of birds recorded in a single day is 19,000. Some of the endangered species seen here are lesser adjutant stork, greater adjutant stork, Baer's Pochard, white Brllied Eagle, etc. During the winter season, Siberian cranes are also seen. Except, many other beautiful bird species are also recorded like- Cotton Teal, Common Teal, Bar Headed Goose, Grey Leg Goose, Ferruginous Pochard, etc. So, it is a bird's paradise. The aquatic species like water lizards, turtles, amphibians are also seen. There are many indigenous fish species in the water. Different species of aquatic and non-aquatic species of vegetation is covering the whole area. Some of them are - Water Hyacinth, Tape Grass, Hydrilla, etc.

This place is very close to Guwahati airport, but far from the rail station. But the cab service is available from anywhere. The best time to visit is from October to March as at that time the migratory birds are also seen along with the residential ones. The accommodation is available in Guwahati city which is not so far. From my point of view, it is the best place to visit in Guwahati because nothing can be compared with the magnificent beauty of nature.

8. REGIONAL SCIENCE CENTRE, GUWAHATI: 

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It is situated in Beltala Jayanagar road, Khanapara of Guwahati. It is an informal science education center for all enthusiastic people. It was inaugurated on 15 March 1994. It is popularly known as the science museum of Guwahati administered by the National Council of Science museum, the government of India. There is an interactive exhibition of science education and prehistoric life and the most attractive parts are magic taps, cliff lift, coal mine, etc. The museum comprises of the prehistoric park, vibrant science park, 3 D science movies, and science shows. There is a butterfly park inside it. There is an aircraft displaying a center called MIG 21.

It remains open from 10 am to 5 pm. The timings for 3 D shows are 11:30 am 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 3:30 pm, and 4:30 pm. The distance from the airport is 32 km and from the railway station, it is 11 km. The accommodation facilities are available in nearby areas.

9. NAVAGRAHA TEMPLE: 

It is a Hindu temple located in Silpukhuri, Navagraha Hills of Guwahati. It is known as the temple of nine celestial bodies. The temple comprises of nine phallic emblems of Lord Shiva, each clad with different colored clothes representing Surya, Chandra, Mangala, Budha, Brihaspati, Shukra, Shani, Rahu, and Ketu. The original temple was destroyed by an earthquake but Rajeswar Singha reconstructed it in 1753 A.D. The temple has become a research area of both astrology and astronomy. The dome is of red color with an imprint of the solar system inside the temple. The other attraction of the temple is the monkey found in a large number.

The distance from the Guwahati railway station is 3 km and from there you can hire a cab or an auto. The accommodation is easily available.

10. UMANANDA ISLAND: 

It is the smallest river island of the world comprising of forests and a temple called Umananda temple. Umananda is the smallest river island of the world situated near Guwahati, Assam, northeast of India. It is in the middle of the mighty Brahmaputra and exactly between north and south Guwahati. It is known as Peacock Island. This name was given by the British for its peacock feather-like structure. This is the smallest inhabited river island of the world glowing with natural beauty and the magnificent view of the Brahmaputra. The tamarind trees and the green grasses make another glimpse of the island.

We have already covered the topic in an earlier post. You can have full details of Umananda Island here.