Sights in Northeast States
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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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Tawang Gompa
The biggest attraction is magical Tawang Gompa backdropped by snow-speckled peaks. Founded in 1681, this medieval citadel is reputedly the world’s second-largest Buddhist monastery complex and famed in Buddhist circles for its library. Within its fortified walls, narrow alleys lead up to the majestic and magnificently decorated prayer hall containing an 8m-high statue of Buddha Shakyamuni. Across the central square is a small but interesting museum containing images, robes, telescopic trumpets and some personal items of the sixth Dalai Lama. Spectacular chaam (ritual masked dances performed by some Buddhist monks in gompas to celebrate the victory of good over evil and…
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.
reviewed
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Tripura Sundari Mandir
When Sati’s toes fell on Kolkata, her divine right leg dropped on Matabari. This gruesome legend is piously celebrated at the Tripura Sundari Mandir, a 1501 Kali temple where a steady stream of pilgrims make almost endless animal sacrifices that leave the grounds as bloody as the temple’s vivid-red shikhara (Buddhist monastery). Even more people come here at the big Diwali festival (October/November) to bathe in the fish-filled tank by the temple. The temple is 100m east of the NH44, 4km south of Udaipur.
reviewed
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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.
reviewed
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Neermahal
Tripura’s most iconic building, the 1930 Neermahal, is a long, red-and-white water palace, empty, but shimmering on its own boggy island in the lake of Rudra Sagar. Like its counterpart in Rajasthan’s Udaipur, this was a princely exercise in aesthetics; the finest craftsmen building a summer palace of luxury in a blend of Hindu and Islamic architectural styles. The delightful waterborne approach by speed boat (passenger/boat Rs. 15/300) or fancy rowboat (passenger/boat Rs. 15/75) is the most enjoyable part of visiting.
reviewed
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B
Ujjayanta Palace
Agartala's indisputable centrepiece is the striking, dome-capped Ujjayanta Palace. Flanked by two large reflecting ponds, the whitewashed 1901 edifice was built by Tripura's 182nd Maharaja. It looks particularly impressive floodlit at night, a spectacle that strollers can enjoy for just one hour daily, entering from the relatively grand south gate. To see the palace's comparatively unspectacular interior (now the Tripura state assembly chamber), sign in between 14:30 and 15:00, weekdays (admission free) then report to the caretaker.
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KV Paradise
The KV Paradise site is 8km from Zarkawt, 1km off the Aizawl–Silchar road via an improbably narrow dirt lane. V is for Varte who died in a 2001 motor accident. K is for her husband Khawlhring who has since lavished his entire savings and energy creating a three-storey mausoleum to her memory. The marble fountain-patio has wonderful panoramic views. Inside and downstairs is Varte’s grave and upstairs an odd collection displays her wardrobe and shoe collection, including the clothes (neatly laundered) she died in.
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Kisama Heritage Village
This open-air museum has a representative selection of traditional Naga houses and morungs (bachelor dormitories) with full-size log drums. Nagaland’s biggest annual festival, the Hornbill Festival (1–7 December) is celebrated here with various Naga tribes converging for a weeklong cultural, dance and sporting bash, much of it in full warrior costume. Simultaneously Kohima also hosts a rock festival. Kisama is 10km from central Kohima along the well-surfaced Imphal road.
reviewed
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C
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.
reviewed
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D
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.
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War Cemetery
An immaculate War Cemetery contains graves of 1200 British, Commonwealth and Indian soldiers. It stands at the crucially strategic junction of the Dimapur and Imphal roads, the site of intense fighting against the Japanese during a 64-day WWII battle. This reached its climax on the deputy commissioner’s tennis court (marked out) with seven days of incredibly short-range grenade-lobbing across the net. Deuce!
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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.
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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.
reviewed
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E
All Saints’ Cathedral
The 1902 All Saints’ Cathedral would look perfect pictured on a biscuit tin. Located nearby, the turreted Das-Roy House (closed to the public) lurks behind a traffic circle that harbours five forgotten Khasi monoliths as well as a mini Soviet-style globe monument.
reviewed
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Ward’s Lake
Colonial-era Shillong was planned around the ever-attractive Ward’s Lake with its pretty ornamental bridge. The city’s half-timbered architecture has been rather swamped by lots of drab Indian concrete, but areas such as Oakland retain many older houses and even in the centre a few gems remain.
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Rajbari Park
Nagaland’s flat, uninspiring commercial centre was the capital of a big Kachari kingdom that ruled much of Assam before the Ahoms showed up. All that remains are some curious, strangely phallic pillars of a former palace complex dotted about scraggy Rajbari Park near the interesting market.
reviewed
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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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F
Tripura Government Museum
The small Tripura Government Museum has a variety of tribal displays plus some interesting musical instruments made from bamboo. Several royal mausoleums are decaying quietly on the riverbank behind Batala market. Be discreet as it’s also the burning ghats (crematorium).
reviewed
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G
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.
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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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Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary
Southern Tripura’s best known sights can be combined into a long day trip from Agartala. All transport passes the gates of Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary, a local picnic and boating spot famous for its spectacled monkeys.
reviewed
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H
Jagannath Mandir
Of four Hindu temples around the Ujjayanta Palace compound, the most fanciful is Jagannath Mandir. Its massive sculptured portico leads into a complex with wedding-cake architecture painted in ice-cream sundae colours.
reviewed
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Mizoram State Museum
This Museum has interesting exhibits on Mizo culture. It’s up a steep lane from Sumkuma Point past Aizawl’s most distinctive church, whose modernist bell-tower spire is pierced by arched ‘windows’.
reviewed