Guwahati City Trip

Area : 216 Sq.Km.
altitude : 55 meters above sea level>
Temperature: Winter : Max. 260C - 100C Summer : Max. 350C - 220C
Best Time to Visit Guwahati : October to April.
STD Code : 0361
State

History Of Guwahati

Guwahati, the largest city in the green state of Assam is situated on the banks of the mighty river Brahmaputra. The name is the combination of two words: Guwa meaning areca nut and Hat meaning market. Guwahati or Gurahati is the gateway to the most exotic and fascinating north-eastern regions of India Once known as 'Pragiyotishpura' or Light of the East, the city was the capital of former Kamrup kings. A service centre for the oil industry and tea plantations, it has  the largest tea auction market in India. There are many ancient Hindu temples in and around Guwahati of which the Kamakhya temple dedicated to the Goddess Kamakshya is a part and parcel of Assamese life and culture.

City Trip

Sightseeing in Guwahati

Kamakhya Temple

Guwahati is particularly famous for its Kamakhya temple located atop the Nilachal hill, at a distance of 10 km from the railway station. Known to be the most revered among the tantrik shrines of Shakti worship in the world, Kamakhya, was built in the 10th century by the Koch king, Naranarayan. Animal sacrifice is a common practice here to appease the Goddess.

Bhubaneshwari Temple

 Above Kamakhya is another small temple, Bhubaneshwari, from where one can have a bird's eye view of the Guwahati.  

 

Shiva Temple

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.

Navagraha Temple

Atop a hill in east Guwahati is the Navagraha temple - the "temple of 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.

Vashistha Ashram

At a distance of 12 km from the railway station is the Vashistha Ashram (the abode of sage Vashistha), an interesting old shrine, with plenty of greenness and three beautiful streams, Lalita, Kanta and Sandhya. Several other temples like the Ugratara temple, famous for its golden idol and buffalo sacrifices, are also spread across the city.

Guwahati Zoo

One must visit the Guwahati Zoo, which is the largest natural zoo of the country.

Some Important Destinations near to Guwahati

Guwahati in Assam is divided into two parts by the river (Brahmaputra). 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 major city is Kolkata (1182 km), while the capitals of the other northeastern states are at distances varying from 110 km to 650 km

How To Reach Guwahati
By Air : Guwahati is an international airport which connects Assam with other cities in India as also with a few international destinations. There is a weekly flight between Guwahati and Bangkok. Other domestic airports in the state are located at Jorhat, Tezpur, Silchar, Dibrugarh and North Lakhimpur.

By Rail : Guwahati is the main railhead of Assam which connects the region with other cities in India including New Delhi, Kolkatta, Mumbai and Bangalore.

By Road : Various cities within and around the state are linked through a network of well built roads. State transport buses operate regular services between the various tourist destinations of the state.