Sights in Assam
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A
Urra Tara Temple
The half-hidden Urra Tara Temple is Guwahati's second-holiest, backed by the gently attractive Jorpulkuri ponds in the city centre's most prestigious residential quarter.
reviewed
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Kaziranga National Park
Assam’s must-do attraction is a rhinoceros-spotting safari through the expansive flat grasslands of this national park. Kaziranga’s population of around 1900 Indian one-horned rhinos (just 200 in 1904) represents two-thirds of the world’s total. There is a western, central and an eastern range. The central is the most accessible giving the best viewing chances for rhinos, elephants and swamp deer plus plenty of bird life (take binoculars). One-hour elephant-back rides, central range only for foreign visitors, are especially satisfying when a ‘team’ of elephants makes pincer movements, surrounding rhinos without frightening them off.
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Kamakhya Mandir
While Sati’s disintegrated body parts rained toes on Kolkata, her yoni (genitalia) fell on Kamakhya Hill. This makes Kamakhya Mandir important for sensual tantric worship of female spiritual power (shakti). Goats, pigeons and the occasional buffalo are ritually beheaded in a gory pavilion and the hot, dark inner womblike sanctum is painted red to signify sacrificial blood. The huge June/July Ambubachi Mela festival celebrates the end of the mother goddess’ menstrual cycle with even more blood.
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B
Sukreswar Ghat Park
Sukreswar Devalaya comprises three mostly modern-looking temples including one where holy water dribbles continuously over a Shiva lingam from a suspended bell-metal amphora. Almost adjacent, little Sukreswar Ghat Park contains a playful, multi-arched ornamental gateway built by the British. Two of its eight missile-shaped spires are leaning precariously, perhaps due to the devastating 1897 earthquake that destroyed virtually every other building in Guwahati.
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C
Umanda Mandir Cruise Bats
Some tourists pay a fortune to spot rare golden langurs in Bhutan's national parks. Yet at Umananda Mandir these loveable monkeys often loiter at the gates, politely soliciting snacks from devotees. This Shiva temple complex sits on a prettily forested river-island, accessed by a 36-seater Umanda Mandir cruise boats. The boats depart when full (roughly half-hourly) from Kachari Ghat which itself offers attractive afternoon riverviews.
reviewed
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Karenghar Palace
Dramatic if largely unadorned, this 1752 brick palace is the last remnant of the Ahom’s pre-Sivasagar capital. The unique four-storey structure rises like a sharpened, stepped pyramid above an attractive forest-and-paddy setting spoilt by nearby electricity substations. It’s 900m north of the Sivasagar–Sonari road: turn just before Gargaon (14km) from Sonari.
reviewed
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Chitralekha Udyan
Chitralekha Udyan has a U-shaped pond wrapped around pretty manicured lawns, dotted with fine ancient sculptures. The bearded chap in Mesopotamian-style costume is Banasura. A block east, then south, stands Ganeshgarh temple backing onto a ghat overlooking the surging river, a good place for Brahmaputra sunsets.
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Rang Ghar
Talatalghar the famous (but not spectacular) Ahom ruin is 4km down AT Rd from central Sivasagar. Some 2km beyond a WWII-era metal lift-bridge, look right to see the rather beautiful Rang Ghar. From this two-storey oval-shaped ‘pavilion’, Ahom monarchs once watched buffalo and elephant fights.
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POA Mecca
Two kilometres east of Hajo is a mosque sheltering the tomb of the multi-named Hazarat Shah Sultan Giasuddin Aulia Rahmatullah Alike who died some 800 years ago. Muslims need to walk (the less pious may drive) 4km up a spiral road to reach the mosque, which is architecturally unremarkable.
reviewed
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D
Nabagraha Mandir
Several hilltops are crowned by minor curiosities. One-such is Nabagraha Mandir, northeast of centre by autorickshaw, famed as a centre of astrology. Beyond its aggressive monkey guardians, a darkly atmospheric inner sanctum holds nine ancient stone Shiva lingams.
reviewed
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Nameri National Park
Picturesque Nameri National Park specialises in low-key, walk-in birdwatching treks. Access is from Potasali, 2km off the Tezpur–Bhalukpong road (turn east at one-house hamlet Gamani, 12km north of Balipara).
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E
Assam State Museum
This worthwhile museum, on GN Bordoloi (GNB) Rd, has a large sculpture collection, while the upper floors are devoted to informative tribal culture displays. You get to walk through reconstructed tribal homes.
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Agnigarh Hill
It might have been Banasura’s fire fortress site. River views are lovely from the top and there’s a snacks bar; statues-in-action all around it vividly illustrate the Usha legend.
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Talatalghar
The two-storey ruins of Talatalghar comprises the extensive, two-storey Ahom palace built by Ahom King Rajeswar Singha in the mid-18th century.
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Manas National Park
Bodoland’s Unesco-listed Manas National Park has two ‘ranges’ – Bansbari and Koklabari – with different access points.
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F
Nehru Park
There's a vaguely sweet naivety to strolling amid the floodlit statues, balloon sellers and bubble-blowers of Nehru Park.
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G
Guwahati Planetarium
The Guwahati Planetarium looks somewhere between a mosque and a landed UFO.
reviewed
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