GUWAHATI CITY GUIDE
A quite little town, where life goes on in a slow rhythm…not touched by the rigors of the nine to five grind…that's Guwahati, the main town in northeast India, situated on the banks of River Brahmaputra. You may visit this place to take a look at the ancient Hindu temples. In this modern world, ruled by hi-tech gizmos, it is hard to comprehend the work that has gone into the architectural marvels of the beautiful Umananda temple on Peacock Island, dedicated to Lord Shiva…by the sweat of the brow and athe skill of the hand
Kamakhya
Temple
Like
every temple in the country, this temple too has a significance. The story says
that Sati killed herself by self-immolation after her father insulted her husband,
Lord Shiva. But Lord Shiva arrived a little too late, after his wife's body
was already burning. He took the body from the fire and started his dance of
cosmic destruction. The other gods wanted to stop his dance and they requested
Lord Vishnu to convince him. Lord Vishnu cut Sati into 51 pieces and made Shiva
to stop the dance. It is said that Sati's yoni ( the creative part) fell in
Guwahati. This temple is dedicated to the symbolic energy of the Goddess.
The temple, situated 7 km west of Guwahati on Nilachal Hill, is an epitome of
Assamese style architecture with a Sikhara (tower) shaped like a bee hive. Goats
are offered as sacrifice to the Goddess.
There are two important festivals celebrated with great religious fervor and
devotion. The Ambuchi Festival in June/July is celebrated at the end of the
earth's menstrual cycle. During the Manasa Festival in September, devotees invoke
the blessings of the Goddess by ritual dressing and dancing.
Navagrah Temple
There is a temple on Chitrachal Hill dedicated to the nine planets, since
there is a great significance attached to the nine planets in the country. The
planets are believed to rule the destiny of people, hence they are regarded
as gods and worshipped.
Umananda Temple
This is a beautiful temple situated in the middle of a river on Peacock
Island. This Temple was built in 1594 and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. To visit
this temple, you have to take a boat, which plies between 7.00 am and 5.30 pm.
Basistha Ashram
This ashram is dedicated to Vasistha Muni, a famous saint and scholar and
the author of the famous epic Ramayana.
Assam Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Say hello to the animals, which you have seen only on television channels
at the Assam Zoo. The Zoo has Indian and African rhinos, a white tiger, leopards
and some rare species of birds, found only in Northeast India.
Hajo
Hajo, 27 km from Guwahati, is a place according to some people, where Lord
Buddha attained Nirvana.
The Pao Mecca Mosque
"Pao" means "one quarter"…and there is a belief that
this mosque has one quarter of the sacredness of the main mosque in Mecca