POPULAR THINGS TO DO & SEE IN AND AROUND GUWAHATI

Bhuvaneshwari Temple Guwahati

This sacred temple in Guwahati is ancient and is built in dedication to Goddess Bhuvaneswari. This temple is located at the top of the Nilachal Hills, a bit higher than the famous Kamakhya Temple in the city. The surrounding of the temple being picturesque attracts a large number of tourists from different parts of the country. From the top of the hill, the city of Guwahati looks beautiful and this amazing view is never to be missed out.

Being a very prominent Hindu pilgrimage site, the temple attracts a large number of devotees who come from great distances to seek the blessings of the deity. As per the Hindu mythology, Goddess Bhuvaneswari is considered as the feminine ruler of the universe. The spiritual ambience of the place blended with the beauty of nature makes it a very important attraction of Guwahati. One can spend hours here admiring the beauty of the place and spending some time in peace.

Kamakhya Devi Temple Guwahati

One of the most famous religious sites in Guwahati is the Kamakhya Temple, which is dedicated to Goddess Kamakhya. It is said to be one of the oldest Shakti Pithas and is located on the western part of the city. The temple encompasses ten Mahavidyas and carries high importance. The shrine has undergone a lot of renovations and is maintained nicely by the authorities. It has four Garbagrihas and three mandapas, and its walls are adorned with several sculptures. There is no idol of the Goddess inside the temple rather an image of the yoni of the deity is being worshipped here. The pilgrims who visit the temple have to queue up at the entrance gate and then they enter the dark sanctum to offer their prayers to the Goddess. Kamakhya Devi is well known as the bleeding Goddess as it is said that womb of the deity had been installed in this temple. An amazing view of the Nilachal hills and the surrounding spiritual atmosphere of the temple imparts peace to one’s soul and mind. The temple appears very beautiful during the evening aarti.

Assam State Museum Guwahati

Located at the heart of the city Guwahati, the Assam State Museum is one of the important tourist attractions of the place. This museum was established in the year 1940 by the Kamarupa Anusandhan Samiti. It is said to be one of the biggest multipurpose museums in the country. The museum exhibits different sections like epigraphy, sculptures, crafts, natural history and folk art forms. The most rare and antique collections are being displayed here which makes this museum quite a unique one. The sculptures showcased here are generally made of stone, metal, wood and terracotta. The collections of ivory paintings, royal garments, coins, bamboo items and musical instruments are the eye-catching items of the museum. There is also a library in the museum where one can find a rich collection of books, journals and periodicals related to culture, art, biography, mythology and other fields. The book lovers would definitely be excited about this section as it offers the option of sitting and reading several new books.

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Digholi Pukhuri Guwahati

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The city of Guwahati has a beautiful man-made pond which is rectangular in shape and is named as the Digholi Pukhuri. The history attached to this pond says that is was created by Bhagadatta who constructed it by digging a canal from River Brahmaputra. This canal was used by the Ahoms as the naval yard during the ancient times. Today it is one of the prominent tourist spots of the city where you can enjoy boat rides and other recreational activities. There is also a children park within the lake complex. The couples have a gala time here sitting beside the lake and spending some time with their loved ones.

This place is also an ideal one for organizing a family get together where you get to rejoice with everyone amidst a beautiful ambience. It is also a place where activities like rowing championships are held. The lake offers a breathtaking view during the evenings when the place is lit up with several lights. There is a café near this lake where you can relax and enjoy coffee after relishing the boat ride. Capture some really good moments spent here with your family.

Jor Pukhuri Guwahati

Built centuries ago, Jorpukhuri is believed by many to be deserving of the status of being one of heritage sites of Assam. Jor Pukhuri or thw twin ponds were built by Swargadeo Siva Singha to fulfill the requirements of water of the Ugratara Temple. It is also additionally built to connect with the great Brahmaputra River via the Naojan Channel which is operable for the naval ships and boats used by Ahom royalties who visited the Ugratara Temple. Hence, Jorpukhuri has a lot of historical importance attached to it. But with the passage of time, British rulers built a road which separated the original waterbody and transformed it into two ponds. This incident made it earn its name, Jor Pukhuri which when literally translated stands for Twin Ponds. Jorpukhuri is an excellent nesting ground for several species like Cranes, Herons and Egrets, who build their nests in the nearby trees.

Nehru Park Guwahati Assam

Exactly opposite to the famous Cotton College, you’ll find the beautiful public garden, Nehru Park. It is located right in the heart of the commercial capital of Assam, Guwahati and is one of the major tourist attractions of the city. It was built during the 2000s and is named after the first Prime Minister of India. With several reputed educational institutions in the vicinity of the Nehru Park, it buzzes with young energy and vitality. The land was known to have been belonged to a church which was later reconstructed to build this park by the Government. Nehru Park houses countless species of trees that are complemented with concrete statues of dancing locals performing different varieties of folk dance of Assam. It also has a rock garden and an open air theatre. It is a gorgeous park which has managed to uphold its pristine ecological environment with well-maintained lawns and flowers which bloom with great colour and vigour.

Ugratara Temple Guwahati

Dedicated to Sati Devi, the 1st partner of Lord Shiva, Ugratara Temple is an important Shakti Temple which is flocked by several religious tourists and local inhabitants annually. It is located towards the eastern part of the city of Guwahati and was built by old Ahom ruler, Siva Singh during the year 1725. Beside the temple, lies the famous Jol Pukhuri. There is no actual idol which is worshipped but a small ditch of water which is considered to be the great form of Goddess Ugratara. Goddess Ugratara is venerated like the Kamakhya Goddess with lots of offerings and sacrifices. Legend says that Goddess Ugratara likes consuming meat, coconut, liquor and much more. Several devotees shower such offerings to the Goddess for earning her blessings and showing their love and devotion for her.

Cotton College Guwahati

Established in the year 1901, Cotton College is one of the oldest and most reputed higher education institutes of Assam. It is named after its founder, Sir Henry Stedman Cotton who introduced this institute after appraising the grave need for higher education institutes in India. The college played a central role during the freedom movement of India. Initially, the college was affiliated to Calcutta University but is now affiliated to Guwahati University. This was the 1st ever college to introduce Persian Language and Literature Full-time course. Recently, Cotton College was awarded the status of “Special Heritage College” and “College with potential for excellence”. It has more than 25 departments who teach and excel in several fields of formal education.

ISKCON Temple Guwahati

This pristine white place of worship is approximately 2 kms away from the city of Guwahati. The temple houses two very beautiful figures of Lord Krishna and his wife, Rukmini. The ISKCON Temple has become one of the celebrated tourist spots of Guwahati because all people irrespective of caste, creed and colour are welcomed here. On Sundays, the temple is thronged with several devotees who come from near and far to attend the aarti and offer their prayers. Even though this makes the place crowded, it is actually the best day to visit the temple. The people who have visited the temple claim that it is one of the most peaceful places they have been to. The ISKCON Temple is rated as one of the top visited places in Assam.

Umananda Temple Guwahati

In the River Brahmaputra, the Peacock Island is located just in the middle; here stands the revered Umananda Temple, where the presiding deity is of Lord Shiva. The island is the world’s smallest riverine island, which is inhabited by people. The Shiva temple was built in the island by the well known Shaivaite king of the Ahoms, Gadadhar Singha. The temple is situated on top of a mountain called Bhasmachala. According to the local myth, Lord Shiva used to reside in this place as Bhayananda. Kalika Puran, a mythical Hindu text suggests that at the beginning of creation, Shiva was busy in meditation, when Kamdeva, the God of love and desire, came and interrupted his ritual. Shiva became angry, and with a glance burned him into ashes. He then sprinkled the ashes at this spot. Since Kamadeva was burned down at this place, the hill is called bhasmachala or bhasmakuta. The temple has a presiding deity called Umananda, another appearance of Shiva. On the day of Shiva Chaturdashi, a fair is held in the area, which is an attraction for devotees. The temple was known to be created by Bar Phukan Gharhganya Handique in 1694 A.D under the direction of the Ahom king, Gadadhar Singha. The temple houses a number of rock cut structures which shows the exquisite craftsmanship of the sculptures of the region. The temple therefore has archaeological significances other than the religious one.

Navagraha Temple Guwahati Assam

The Navagraha Temple, or the temple of the nine celestial bodies, is situated on a hill named Chitrachal in the south eastern part of the city of Guwahati. It is also known as the abode of one of the most important celestial bodies, the sun. In the temple there are 9 phallic emblems of Lord Shiva, each clad in a different coloured cloth representing Surya, Chandra, Mangala, Budha, Brihaspati, Shukra, Shani, Rahu and Ketu. At the same time, the temple is also a research center of both astrology and astronomy. The tower of the temple and a bigger part of it was earlier destroyed by an earthquake, but, later it was resurrected. The temple which is in existence at present was built by the King Rajesvar Singha in 1752 A.D. The garbhagriha or the inner quarter of the temple survived the earthquake, while the upper portion was rebuilt with corrugated iron sheets. Also, there is a tank close by, called Silpukhuri Tank, excavated under Rajesvara Singha.

Guwahati Tea Auction Centre Guwahati

Assam is well known for its tea production and there is also an auction center of tea, which is famous around the world. The tea auction center situated at Guwahati, and named Guwahati Tea Auction Centre or GTAC, is well known for being one of the most busy auction centers for tea. The center was established on the 25th of September, 1970 and one important point about this center is that the largest portion of CTC tea has been auctioned from here. It has a well spread out office and recreational space for the members . The auction space is quite big in size and sprawled around 20,000 square feet.

Purva Tirupati Shri Balaji Temple Guwahati

The Tirupati Balaji Temple is a magnificent temple of the city, Guwahati. This shrine is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara and is considered to be a very holy place for the Hindu pilgrims. The temple has a very unique architectural design and is built over a large area of land. At the entrance of the temple one can find a temple of Lord Ganesha. The main temple dedicated to Lord Balaji has an idol weighing about 4 tonnes. In the adjoining portions to the main temple there are several other temples that are built in dedication of other deities like Goddess Padmavathi and Garuda who is the vahana of Lord Balaji. One can also see the South Indian style used in the construction of this temple. The pure white structure of the complex allures the visitors the most. The temple organizes regular pujas and other religious ceremonies. There is a beautiful park attached to the temple where you can sit and relax for sometime after completing the puja in the mandir. The serenity and pleasant ambience of the place makes one forget all the worries and tensions of life.

Basistha Temple Guwahati

The Basistha Temple in Guwahati is located in the south eastern corner of the city. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and was constructed by Rajeswar Singha in the year 1764. This temple is built inside an ashram which is known as the Basistha scenic beauty. It is said that a saint named Vasistha lived in this ashram, and thus, it has been named as the Basitha Ashram. One can see here many sculptures made of stones and terracotta. The biggest attraction of the ashram however is the place where the body of sage Vasistha lays in peace. This religious site having a vital connection with our mythological beliefs is a must visit for all.

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