Historical Places
Sri Surya Pahar Ruins
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Just one and a half hour drive from Guwahati is Goalpara district and seven kilometers from Goalpara town lies the Sri Surya Pahar ruins. These ruins signify the religious and artistic history of Assam. It is a place where one will find the amalgamation of three sects- Hindus, Saivism, Vaisnavism and Saktism. Numerous Shiva Lingas made of granite stones lie at the foot of the hill. Local legends say that there are about 99,999 Lingas here.
Tezpur
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Tezpur is situated on the northern bank of river Brahmaputra and is also known as Sonitpur meaning 'City of Blood'. There are many myths and legends associated with Tezpur. It is here where Lord Krishna fought the famous 'Hari Har Yudh' against Lord Shiva (Krishna is addressed as Hari and Shiva as Har).
It was in Tezpur where the Indian National Flag was first hoisted under British rule in 1942.
The Bamuni hill ruins in Cole Park are known for its rich artistic beauty and tranquil environment.
Some other notable historical places in Tezpur are-
Da-Parbatia
It is located just a few kilometers from the town and is known for the ruins of the temple doorframe. The carvings look similar to the ones made by early Gupta School of sculpture.
Agnigarh
This fort of fire, as it is so called, is one of the most beautiful tourist spots of this town. Legends say that the great asura king Bana imprisoned his daughter Princess Usha in this fort to prevent her from running away with Anirudha, the grandson of Lord Krishna.
Bhomoraguri or Kolia Bhomora Bridge
This 3.05 km bridge made over the Brahmaputra was opened to traffic on April 3 1987. It commemorates the wish of Kolia Bhomora Phukan, an Ahom general, made two centuries ago. A mammoth stone inscription made by him at this place bears testimony to this fact.
More About Historical Places
Temples
Assam is a tourist destination and apart from plenty of places of historical interest it has several ancient temples and monuments located in and around the state. Some of the prominent ones are:
Kamakhya temple-
This temple which is dedicated to Goddess Kamakhya is located on the Nilachal Hills at a distance of 8 kms from the city. This temple was built in the 10th century by Naranarayan, the Koch king and is considered as one of the 108 Shakti Peeths of Goddess Durga. The annual Ambubachi Mela is held in the temple premises and pilgrims converge here from all over the country.
Nabagraha (nine planets) temple-
This temple of the nine planets (grahas) is located atop the Chitra Chal hill. The Nabagraha temple is considered as an ancient seat of astrology and astronomy. The structure is a red beehive-shaped dome and the nine planets which are represented by nine stone lingams are housed within it.
Basistha temple-
This temple which is set amidst picturesque surroundings was actually the ashram of sage Basistha in ancient times. The numerous waterfalls and springs have transformed this into an attractive spot. This temple lies at a distance of 12 kms from the heart of the city and apart from abundant greenery is very popular for its three beautiful streams- Lalita, Kanta and Sandhya.
Umananda temple-
In the middle of the majestic Brahmaputra there is an island known as Peacock Island and here one can see the Umananda temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. To visit this temple one has to cross the river. There are numerous country boats plying from Kachari ghat on the north bank of the Brahmaputra. According to legend the great Pandava warrior Arjuna watered his horse at this place.
Poa-Mecca (Hajo)-
Hajo is situated just a short distance from Guwahati and here one will find the Poa-Mecca mosque which was built by Pir Giasuddin Aulia. This mosque is quite popular with devouts as well as tourists because people say that by praying here one can get one-fourth (Poa) sanctity of Mecca, thus the name Poa-Mecca.
The Haigrib Madhav temple-
Another popular temple at Hajo is the Haigrib Madhav temple which was re-built in 1543 by Koch king Raghudev when the original temple was razed to the ground by Muslim invaders. The deity of Lord Krishna inside the temple looks similar to that of Lord Jagannath of Puri. There is a pond here where one can see a giant turtle which people say is a few hundred years old.
Mahabhairab Temple-
This is an ancient temple located at Tezpur town and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The great asura King Bana used to worship the incarnation of Lord Shiva known as Mahabhairab in this temple.
Wildlife Sanctuary
Assam has a variety of flora and fauna and some of these species are indeed very rare. Some of the popular and world famous wildlife sanctuaries of Assam are:
Kaziranga National Park-
Kaziranga national park is spread on an area of 850 sq km and is a World Heritage Site. The park is famous for the endangered one-horned rhinoceros. Apart from rhinos there are wild water buffaloes, wild elephants, Royal Bengal tigers etc. There are also almost 500 species of birds here. Tourist season starts from October onwards and lasts till March and there are elephant-back and jeep safaris inside the park to facilitate game viewing.
Manas National Park-
This project tiger reserve is located at a distance of 176 km from Guwahati and is also a World Heritage Site. Other than tigers there are also many other animal species in Manas like rhinos, hispid hare, gaurs, pygmy hogs, rare golden langurs etc. A large number of avian species also exist within the park. For angling enthusiasts there are excellent angling opportunities in Manas.
Nameri National Park-
This park is located between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and is a preferred angling destination. The golden mahseer of Nameri is quite famous. There are also river rafting opportunities. The park has animals like clouded leopard, tiger, and Indian bison and capped langur to name a few.
The Orang Wildlife Sanctuary-
The official name of this park is Rajiv Gandhi National Park but popularly it is known as 'mini-Kaziranga'. Spread on an area of 78.81sq km it is 31 km from Tezpur town.
Apart from these there are several other wildlife sanctuaries which are very popular with tourists like Pobha Sanctuary (Lakhimpur district- water buffalo), Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary (elephant and Indian bison), Dibru-Saikhowa Wildlife Sanctuary (wild horses, rare winged wood duck and migratory birds), Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary (Nagaon district- rhinoceros, wild buffalo, swamp deer, ducks, cormorant, etc), Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, Nambor Wildlife Sanctuary, Barnadi Game Reserve, and Pani-Dihing Bird Sanctuary.
Ethinic Tour
Just 32 kms from Guwahati is Sualkuchi, 'The Manchester of the east'. It is famous for Assam silk - the unique golden Muga, Pat, and Eri fabrics. Dress materials from here are much sought after by cloth connoisseurs from around the world.
Majuli which is the largest river island in the world and proposed 21st UNESCO World Heritage Site is located at a distance of 300 kms from Guwahati and 12 km from Jorhat town. Several important Vaishnavites sattras or monasteries exist here. The island is famous for Salmara pottery, migratory ducks and other rare avian life.
Located at a distance of 269 km from Guwahati lies Diphu, a hilly town, which is the headquarters of Karbi-Anglong district. It is a centre of Karbi art and culture.
The coal town of Margherita in upper Assam is just 20 kms or 45 minutes drive from Digboi, the oil township, and here one can visit the Singpho village to sip the world famous Singpho organic tea.
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