Location :
Assam
Tourist Attractions : Kamakhya Temple, Navgraha Temple
Local Tongue : Assamese, Hindi, English
STD Code : (91) - 361
Best time to Visit : October to April
About Guwahati
The capital of Assam, Guwahati is situated in the eastern part of India on
the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra river, which besides being an important
source of life support often becomes a major peril during the times of
monsoon when it regularly overflows and floods the entire city. The gateway
to north east India and its commercial centre, Guwahati comes from the words
Guwa and Hat which means a market for the betel nut. The Brahmaputra
dissevers the city into two halves, the southern part being an unplanned and
chaotic sprawl while the northern half developing into a well planned and
idyllic society. Like most of the other cities in the region, Guwahati has
also somewhat remained separate from the rest of the country, lending it a
secluded charm and a tinge of exciting flavour.
Climate & Best time to Visit
Climate is a significant factor for the residents of Guwahati as also for
tourists visiting the region. Summers in Guwahati witness high temperature
and extremely high humidity with the deluge of rain making normal life come
to a standstill. Summers, therefore, is a time best avoided for a visit.
Winters, which is also the time of celebration, are cool and pleasant. The
best time to visit the region is from October to April.
Tourist Attractions in Guwahati
Kamakhya Temple
The Kamakhya Devi temple is situated at a distance of 10 km from Guwahati
on top of the beautiful Nilanchal hills. Dedicated to Sati, the consort of
Lord Shiva, the temple is an important Hindu pilgrimage, being visited by
tourists throughout the year, especially at the time of the sacred Ambumachi
fair, which is held every year during the month of June. The Bhubaneshwari
temple lies at a short distance from here, at a place which offers
breathtaking views of the surroundings.
Navgraha Temple
Navgraha temple is based on the working of nine planets and the ancient
principles of astronomy. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple is built in the
shape of a beehive with the central dome encircled by nine objects
representing the nine planets.
Vashistha Ashram
The holy shrine of Vashishtha muni is visited by a large number of devotees
and followers of Hindu religion. The Ugatara temple famous for the buffalo
sacrifice is located nearby.
Getaways
Kaziranga National Park
Situated just 200 km from Guwahati, the wildlife park is a safe heaven for
a number of endangered species of birds and animals including the most
ferocious bovine of all, the one horned Indian Rhino. Spread over an area of
430 sq. km, the park houses about 15 other rare species of animals and birds
such as the Bengal florican, whistling teal, bar headed goose and storks.
Accommodation is available at the Wild Grass Lodge.
Manas Tiger Reserve
Lying 176 km from Guwahati, this is the only tiger reserve in Assam. If the
king of the jungle is what you are after, then look nowhere else than Manas.
Situated on the banks of river Manas, the 360 sq. km lush forest besides
being home to the magnificent striped predator, the Tiger, also houses other
species of animals such as the pygmy hog, hispid hare and golden langur.
Winter season witnesses the arrival of a number migratory birds from such
far away lands as Siberia.
Things to Do
Shopping
Shopping in Guwahati mainly consists of handicrafts and handloom products
including silk clothing of Sualkushi, showpieces made of bamboo, woolen
clothing, hand crafted bags, decorative wooden curios etc. The major
shopping areas in the city are Paltan Bazaar, Maligaon, Fancy Bazaar and
Ganeshguri.
Stay At
The capital of Assam, Guwahati receives a regular influx of tourists
throughout the year. The hotels here boast of quality as well as luxury.
Some of the best hotels in Guwahati include Hotel Dynasty (4 star, situated
on S. S. Road just 17 km from airport, 1.5 km from railway station & 2
km from bus stand), Hotel Kuber International (3 star, situated on Hem
Baruah Road just 20 km from airport, 1 km from railway station and 0.5 km
from bus stand and city centre), Hotel Nandan (3 star, situated on G. S.
Road just 21 km from airport, 0.5 km from railway station & bus stand),
Hotel Rituraj (3 star, situated on Kedar Road just 22 km from airport, 3 km
from railway station & 1 km from bus stand), Hotel Rajmahal (4 star,
situated on A. T. Road just 22 km from airport, 1 km from railway station &
0.5 km from bus stand) and Hotel Brahmaputra Ashok (3 star, situated on M.
G. Road just 18 km from airport, 1 km from railway station & 1 km from
bus stand).
Getting There
By Air : The Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport is
situated just 25 km from the main city. The airport is well maintained and
provides various tourist facilities such as a coffee shop, restaurant, gift
shop and tourist information bureaus of the Govt. of India and Govt. of
Assam. Indian Airlines and private flight operators like Alliance Air, Jet
Airways and Air Sahara connect the city with other cities in India including
Calcutta, Agartala, Delhi, Bagdogra and Imphal. Helicopter services are
available between Shillong and Guwahati which take about 30 min and cost Rs.
625. Taxis to Guwahati from the airport cost Rs. 300.
By Rail : The Guwahati railway station is located close
to the city centre and being the headquarters of the north east railway
connects it to all the major cities in India through a number of express and
passenger trains. Daily trains between Delhi and Guwahati are the North East
Exp., Brahmaputra Mail and Avadh Assam Exp.
By Road : The main bus stand is located near the railway
station across the over bridge. Road travel is an important way of moving
inside the area as train tracks are limited beyond this point. Assam
transport corporation operates regular buses between Guwahati and other
neighbouring cities, besides taxis are also available for hire to access the
nearby places. Night bus services are available to Dibrugarh, Tinsukhia,
Kohima, Aizwal, Itanagar, Dimapur and Silchar.
Distance from Major Cities
- Agartala : 201 Km
- Bagdogra : 523 Km
- Gangtok : 624 Km
- Jorhat : 309 Km
- Shillong : 100 Km
- Silchar : 513 Km
- Itanagar : 420 Km
