Exploring Guwahati ~ the ‘Gateway to Assam’

The city of Guwahati is the largest city of the State of Assam and is also the largest city of North East India. Guwahati is a city that has a blend of the modern world and ancient times as well. The numerous ancient temples around the vicinity of the city reminds every traveller here about the rich mythological past of the city as well as one gets a feel of the modern city with the many high rise buildings, modern architecture, numerous malls, various pubs and bars, the rush of city traffic, etc. But the very sight of the mighty Brahmaputra river flowing across the city brings peace and tranquil to one’s mind while in Guwahati. Also, the lush green cover of trees across the hills and mountains of the city brings a soothing feeling on any clear day in the city. As a tourist one has many options to explore in the city of Guwahati.

Guwahati is among the fastest growing cities in India with the expected population to reach around 2 million residents by 2025. Quality education and better career prospects every year bring in thousands of students, workers and business owners to Guwahati from various parts of North East India. Being the gateway to Assam as well as the other States of North East India, Guwahati is well connected across the country with a network of roadways, railways and airways. The National Highway 31 connects Guwahati with the rest of the country. The Guwahati railway station is the most important railway station of North East India as various train routes are connected to various parts of the country. The Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport has daily flights connecting to various major cities in India as well as certain International destinations too.

Guwahati has a beautiful geography as the city has a mix of urbanization as well as nature with mountain ranges running across the borders of the city, various natural lakes and ponds along with the mighty Brahmaputra flowing across the border of the city. The climate is favorable around the year baring the month of August when temperatures are high and the weather is humid. The month of May thru July the city of Guwahati witnesses heavy downpour. The actual meaning of Guwahati translates to “Guwa” meaning Areca nut and “Haat” meaning market. The history of the city of Guwahati goes back several thousands of years with references to its existence being mentioned in the Mahabharata as the capital of the kingdom of Narakasura and Bhagadatta. Archaeological evidence finds excavations in the city from as early a 2nd century BC as being a part of the Shunga-Kushana kingdom.

Some of the major and important tourist attractions in the city of Guwahati are ~

1| Maa Kamakhya Temple ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

The highly revered Temple shrine of Maa Kamakhya is the most important pilgrim sites across Assam and North East India. Located in the heart of the city of Guwahati atop the Nilachal Hills, the Maa Kamakhya Temple is one among the 51 Shakti Peethas across the Indian Sub Continent dedicated to the holy goddess Maa Kamakhya. It is believed that while Lord Shiva was carrying the severed body of Goddess Parvati in his arms, the womb fell on the Nilachal Hills and hence a temple shrine was constructed atop the hill.

2| Umananda Island and Temple ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

The Umananda Island is located in the midst of the river Brahmaputra near the Uzaan Bazaar area of Guwahati city is the smallest inhabited river island in the World ans is also popular tourist attraction of the city. The island is home to the Umananda temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and is also home to the population of the highly endangered Golden Langur primate species with only a few of these species present now in this island. It is said that Lord Shiva and Parvati used to stay here in this island during Lord Shiva’s visit to Assam and he used to spend his time in meditation at the Umananda Island in Guwahati. It so happened that once while Lord Shiva was spending time in deep meditation, Lord Kamadeva was trying to interrupt Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva got so furious at Lord Kamadeva that he opened his third eye and burnt Lord Kamadeva into ashes. Hence the hill atop which the Umananda Temple is located is called as the Bhasmacala hill.

This beautiful island can be reached from Guwahati city by boarding a ferry boat from Uzaan Bazaar or the Kachari ghat. After offering your prayers at the Umananda Temple one can take a stroll around the forests of the smallest river island in the world. There are hawkers here who sell fresh coconut water and snacks like aloo chat and pani puri. The Umananda island is also referred to as the Peacock Island.

Approximate time required to explore Umananda Island in Guwahati ~ 2 to 3 hours

3| Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Gardens ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

The Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden in Guwahati is one of the most popular zoo attraction in North East India apart from the Zoological garden in Gangtok. If you are in Assam on a business visit and do not have time to explore its varied wildlife in the National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries of the State, then the Assam State Zoo in Guwahati would be an ideal stopover. The Assam State Zoo houses the varied fauna of Assam of the likes of the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros, Asiatic Water Buffaloes, Hollock Gibbons, Golden Langurs, Leopards, Pygmy Hogs, Crocodiles, various Bird species native to the National Parks of the State along with animals which are not native to Assam like Lions, Black Panthers, Hippopotamus, etc. Located in the heart of the city of Guwahati, this zoo is a perfect place to spend one half of your day before visiting other popular tourist attractions in Guwahati city.

Approximate time required to explore Assam State Zoo in Guwahati ~ 2 to 3 hours

4| Assam State Museum ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

The Assam State Museum is located at the Ambari area in Guwahati and it houses various artifacts of the Assamese society and culture. From various Assamese village exhibits, to ancient sculptures discovered in Assam to various remnants of Assam’s struggle during India’s independence and ancient artifacts of World War II – the Assam State Museum is your one stop destination to discover the culture and traditions of the State of Assam without having to travel to various destinations of Assam. The museum is located very close to the Guwahati Railway Station and is easily accessible from various parts of the Guwahati city.

Approximate time required to explore Assam State Museum ~ 3 to 4 hours

5| Dighalipukhuri Lake ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

Located just opposite to the Assam State Museum, the Dighalipukhuri lake is another prime attraction of tourist interest in Guwahati city. It is an artificially created lake dug out as an amusement park near the principal educational insitutions of Assam – the Cotton College and the Handique Girl’s College of Guwahati. The Dighalipukhuri lake is a favorite hangout destination of the young college going students of Guwahati as the place offers a getaway from their hectic study schedule. Surrounded by lush green trees and beautifully kept flower gardens, the lake also offers boat rides on the clean waters in the heart of Guwahati city. The Dighalipukhuri area also hosts a War Memorial. The War Memorial is dedicated to the brave martyrs of Assam who laid down their lives fighting for their motherland. This war memorial had an ancient war aircraft and a battle tank donated by the Indian Air Force and Indian Army and these were used in war. It also has a beautiful environment depicting the battle of Saraighat fought between the Ahoms and the Mughals. With the beautifully sculpted sculptures one can get a feel of the how fierce the battle of Saraighat was and the bravery of the Ahom General Lachit Borphukan is sure to instill the spirit of patriotism in the hearts of the people of Assam. The war memorial also depicts India’s war at Kargil, the Indo China war and the attack on Karachi by the Indian Navy. This war memorial is a tribute to all martyrs who fought for their motherland and aims to introduce the young generations towards the fearless lives of these martyrs.

Approximate time required to explore Dighalipukhuri  ~  1 to 2 hours

6| Guwahati World War II Cemetery ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

The Guwahati World War II Cemetery is located at the Silpukhuri area near Guwahati and have burials of over 500 soldiers of the British, Canadian, South African, Chinese and Japanese army who laid down their lives during the Burma Campaign of World War II. To give a brief history of the Guwahati War Cemetery, it was started during the World War II, for burials from several military hospitals in the region. Soldiers and workers who couldn’t make it after fighting the enemy and building the epic Stilwell road were laid to rest here. Later, other graves were brought in by the Army Graves service from military cemeteries in Sylhet and Amari Bari and civil cemeteries in Nagaon, Mohachara and Guwahati for permanent maintenance. Some graves were later also brought from isolated sites in present-day Mizoram, Coochbehar, Darjeeling, Shillong, Dibrugarh, Lumding, Dinjan, Dhubri etc. The Guwahati War Cemetery is a beautiful and peaceful place covered with a well kept green lawn and flower gardens. This cemetery was built and is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Mission.

Approximate time required to explore Guwahati War Cemetery ~  1 to 2 hours

8| Belle View ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

Located near the Uzaan Bazaar area in Guwahati – the Belle View is one of the older places of Guwahati city that has residences of some of the elite personnel of Assam. The importance of this place is the majestic view of the Brahmaputra river. During the evening many people visit this area as the place has very less traffic and the calm breeze that blows here along the riverside brings peace to a visitor’s mind and also the view of the sunset across the clear blue skies is a once in a lifetime experience.

Approximate time required to explore Belle View ~  1 to 2 hours

9| G S Road ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

The Guwahati-Shillong Road aka the G S Road is the most popular hang out area for food lovers, shopaholics and businessmen as the entire stretch of this road has various business establishments, malls, eateries and restaurants. Some of the major hospitals of Guwahati city are also located here at G S Road. The roads here are one of the busiest in the city and numerous malls are to be found along the stretch of the road like the Central Mall, Brand Factory, Reliance Trends, Dona Planet, Sohum Shoppe, Big Bazaar, Pantaloons, Roodraksh Mall, etc. Various Pubs and Cafe are also here like Terra Maya, Cafe Copa, Extreme Sports Bar & Grill, Underdogs Sports Bar & Grill, Topaz, Bullz & Bearz, Mystery Rooms, etc. Eateries like KFC, Dominoz Pizza, Pizza Hut, Barbecue Nation, etc. are present here. Numerous fast food outlets like J14, FoodEx, Meat Durbari, Keri Beri, etc. are also to be found at the G S Road in Guwahati. Students from across North East can be seen hanging around the Malls and eateries of the G S Road in the evenings.

Approximate time required to explore G S Road ~  3 to 4 hours

10| Guwahati Planetarium ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

Located near the Dighalipukhuri area at the M G Road in Guwahati, the Guwahati Planetarium is another important tourist attraction of Guwahati city. The Guwahati Planetarium is at par with the planetarium at Kolkata city and gives a deep insight into the knowledge of the Universe. The Dome shaped overhead screen highlights regular sessions in English, Hind and Assamese language on the various extra terrestrial objects in space and this place is where you can visit with your family and friends in Guwahati.

Approximate time required to explore Guwahati Planetarium ~  2 to 3 hours

11| ISKON Temple ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

Under the flagship of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, the ISKON Temple is located in the heart of the Guwahati city at Ulubari Charali area. Surrounded by lush green gardens and constructed with marble, the ISKON temple in Guwahati is a must visit for any devotee of Lord Krishna. One can get a bird’s eye view of the Guwahati city from the temple premises here. Regular sessions of Aarti and Bhajans are conducted across the day with prasadam being distributed to the devotees of the ISKON temple. Inside the premises one can see deities of Lord of Lord Krishna and Rukmini dressed up in beautiful attires. In addition, various sessions on personality development and stress management are conducted here at the ISKON temple in Guwahati.

Approximate time required to explore ISKON Temple ~  2 to 3 hours

12| Nehru Park ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

The Nehru Park is a famous park and amusement center in Guwahati city. It is a popular place among fitness enthusiasts who come here to take an evening walk. Various attributes for children and present in the park area here. In the evening, this park is well lit up and the lights make the atmosphere very romantic so that you can plan to visit the Nehru park along with your beloved partner.

Approximate time required to explore Nehru Park ~  2 to 3 hours

13| Regional Science Museum ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

The Regional Science Museum is located at the Khanapara area in Guwahati and is a popular attraction for all science lovers to Guwahati city. It is under the National Council of Science aimed at promoting learning of science by a personalized experience.

Approximate time required to explore Regional Science Museum ~  3 to 4 hours

14| Srimanta Shankardeva Kalakhetra ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

Another important tourist destination located in the Punjabari area of Guwahati city is the Srimanta Shankardeva Kalakhetra. This is one of the largest cultural congregation of North East India and the Srimanta Shankardeva Kalakhetra hosts a library, cultural museum, children’s park and various facilities for preserving the culture and traditions of Assam. A detailed insight into the Assamese culture is illustrated in the various cultural rooms of this place. A huge collection of books and manuscripts are also to be found here. Various cultural functions are often held in the open air theater here at the Srimanta Shankardeva Kalakhetra. Another important attraction here is the Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Museum.

Approximate time required to explore Srimanta Shankardeva Kalakhetra ~  3 to 4 hours

15| Ganeshguri ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

Ganeshguri area is a prime shopping location in the heart of Guwahati city. People from across Guwahati come to Ganeshguri for all their shopping needs. The fish market here is one of the most popular fish markets in the city. There are various street vendors here at Ganeshguri selling various items of day to day household needs. The Ganeshguri flyover is also present here. Various eateries are also present here like the Icchapuron which serves impeccable bengali style cuisine and the Madhumita fine dining that serves tandoori delicacies. The O-Guwahati retro bar serves exclusive cocktails and a plethora of continental and chinese dishes.

Approximate time required to explore Ganeshguri ~  3 to 4 hours

16| Panbazar ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

Pan Bazaar area is another important shopping area of Guwahati city. This market is famous for its bookstores and wholesale medicine shops. Numerous bookstalls selling books for all fields are to be found in the Panbazaar area in Guwahati. One of the luxurious 3 Star Hotels in Guwahati – the Mayflower Hotel is located in the Panbaazar area. The Sheikh Brothers bakery is one of the Oldest bakeries of Guwahati located here and is also a good eating option here. Don Bosco School of Guwahati is located here as well as the Cotton College and the headquarters of BSNL North East.

Approximate time required to explore Panbazaar ~  2 to 3 hours

17| Sukreswar Temple ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

Dedicated to Lord Shiva – the Sukreshwar Temple is located near the Panbaazar locality by the banks of the river Brahmaputra. The temple was constructed in 1744 by an Ahom King Pramatta Singha and is located on the Itakhuli Hill. It has one of the largest Shivalingas in India and it is believed that the Guru of the Asuras offered prayers to Lord Shiva in this Temple.

Approximate time required to explore Sukreshwar Temple ~  1 to 2 hours

18| Sukreshwar Ghat ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

Sukreshwar Ghat is located just before reaching the Fancy Bazaar area in Guwahati. This ghat is a popular attraction in the city because of the presence of a few River Cruises like Alfresco Grand, Umananda River Cruise and Jolpori River Cruise that take tourists on a joy ride across the mighty Brahmaputra river near the city and offers luxurious river dining experiences on-board. The Alfresco Grand is the most popular river cruise option in Guwahati and it offers evening as well as night river cruise followed by delicious dinner. The evenings in Guwahati city is best enjoyed by taking one of these river cruises exploring the night sky view from the Brahmaputra river in Guwahati city. The Kamakazi River Cruise is an on the river Discotheque and is also present here at the Sukreshwar Ghat.

Approximate time required to explore Sukreshwar Ghat ~  3 to 4 hours

19| Fancy Bazaar ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

Fancy Bazaar area if the best shopping destination of Guwahati as well as North East India. Fancy Bazaar is also one of the oldest market area in Guwahati city. From clothes, furnishings, electronics, electricals, hardware, bath fittings, toys, etc. everything can be found in the shops here at the fancy bazaar. The prices here are the cheapest across the city and every Guwahatian once in their life must have visited fancy bazaar area. If you love exploring markets of a city then Fancy Bazaar area is a must visit area for you on your visit to Guwahati.

Approximate time required to explore Fancy Bazaar ~  3 to 4 hours

20| Pandu Port ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

The Pandu Port area is a prime river port serving Guwahati and Assam located on the banks of the Brahmaputra river. This port provides grand views of the Brahmaputra river especially during the sunset. Many luxurious tourist cruise liners operate from the Pandu Port that take you on a luxurious ride over the river Brahmaputra covering destinations of Guwahati, Kaziranga National Park, Sivasagar and Majuli Island. While in Guwahati a visit to Pandu Port is a must for any traveller.

Approximate time required to explore Pandu Port ~  1 to 2 hours

21| Saraighat and New Saraighat Bridge ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

Spanning over the Brahmaputra River, these two bridges connect Guwahati to places in lower Assam and the rest of the country by road. It also connects the city to the industrial corridor at North Guwahati. There are two bridges here, one that is only a road bridge and the other is a road cum rail bridge. When in Guwahati, take a ride across these bridges to cross the mighty Brahmaputra river to explore the temple of North Guwahati.

Approximate time required to explore Saraighat Bridges ~  30 min – 1 hour

22| Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Samadhikshetra ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

Located at the Jalukbari area in Guwahati, this place is dedicated as a token of remembrance and respect to the Legendary singer of Assam – Late Dr. Bhupen Hazarika.

23| Decathlon ~ Azara ~ Guwahati

If you are an adventure traveller to North East India and have trekking and camping activities planned in your Itinerary, then you one stop over for all your adventure activities needs is the Decathlon store at Azara area in Guwahati. Spread over a sprawling campus, this Decathlon store like any other in the World has all items needed for sports and fitness equipped. While in Guwahati, simply drop by the Decathlon store on your way from or to the Guwahati airport.

24| Dipor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

The Dipor Beel Lake present near the Dipor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary is an important tourist attraction near Guwahati. It is a very huge lake area that allows visitors for a spectacular time of birdwatching especially during winter season when various species of migratory birds fly into Assam and take shelter across the various water bodies and National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries of Assam. This spot is also an important picnic spot area for the people of Guwahati city especially during the month of December and January. It is an important wild elephant crossing area too.

25| Balaji Temple ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

Located in the Betkuchi area in Guwahati, the Balaji Temple is another important pilgrimage site in Guwahati city. Constructed in the year 1998, to promote religious harmony and peace across the States of North East India, this temple has a south Indian style architecture and resembles the Tirupati Balaji Temple in South India. During the evening time, this Temple is well lit and devotees come here to offer their prayers. There is a huge open lawn area where children can play too.

26| Garbhanga Reserve Forest ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

Located near the Lokhra area in Guwahati city, the Garbhanga Reserve Forest is every nature lover’s paradise. Known for its population of wild elephant, hoolock gibbons, leopards, etc. the Garbhanga Reserve Forest is one of the most pristine forest reserves in the entire State of Assam located very close to Guwahati city. Various bird and butterfly species can be spotted here. Deep inside the forest reserves there a few local villages inhabited by the Karbi and Garo tribes of North East India. These people engage in farming and every Sunday and wednesday bring down their produce from the hills to sell in Guwahati city at the Lokhra and Sawkuchi areas. Cycling into the Garbhanga Reserve forest is a new adventure activity grabbing the attention of the youths of Guwahati city along with camping inside the forest reserves. This is the best places to do some birdwatching and butterfly spotting very close to Guwahati city.

27| Basistha Temple and Ashram ~ Guwahati ~ Assam 

To Plan your visit to Guwahati with Kaziranga National Park please fill the form below:

Place around Guwahati city that can be covered in a day’s time ~

1| Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary – 60 km from Guwahati

Located around 60 km from Guwahati city is the land having the highest population density of Indian One Horned Rhinoceros – Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. Known as the mini Kaziranga National Park, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary has a population of 104 rhinoceros spread over an area of 38 sq km. If you do not like touristy place that are very crowdy and also do not have much time to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kaziranga National Park, then a visit to the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary near Guwahati is a must for you. You can start from Guwahati in the morning; arrive at Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, go for a Jeep Safari and return back to Guwahati after lunch. This would however deprive you of the opportunity to explore the varied flora and fauna diversity at Pobitora as a stay here is always recommended in the beautiful and homely resorts here. Also you will miss out on the opportunity of going on an Elephant Safari ride into the forests here. But if you are short on time and only have time to explore Guwahati then this is an option to explore Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary.

2| Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary ~ 15 km from Guwahati

A very popular birding destination near Guwahati is the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary. It is located along the way to Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and you can plan your visit to Amchang early in the morning from Guwahati while travelling to Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary or on your way back in the late afternoon to Guwahati as the best time to spot bird species here is during the early mornings or the late afternoons. Some of the varied faunal diversity found at the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary are Leopard, Jungle Cats, Hoolock Gibbons, Assamese Macaque, Slow Loris, Rhesus Macaque, Wild Elephants, Barking Deer, Gaurs,  etc. Important Birdlife to be found are Lesser Adjutant, Greater Adjutant, Great Indian Hornbills, Khaleej Pheasant, etc.

3| Chandubi Lake ~ 70 km from Guwahati

Around 70 km away from Guwahati city is a natural paradise in the form of a lake called as the Chandubi Lake. This pristine lake was formed during the 1897 earthquake and is one of the most beautiful places in Assam surrounded by green mountains offering magnificent landscape views. The Chandubi Lake area is turning into a favored ecotourism destination in Assam and thousands of visitors come here every year to beat a fast paced city life and spend time in the lap of mother nature to be greeted every morning with the sound of chirping birds. Various adventure sports too are now being organized around the area of Chandubi Lake with the pioneer of tourism here – the Chandubi Jungle Camp organizing sports like cycling, river boating, trekking around the forest reserves, etc.

4| Hajo ~ 60 km from Guwahati

Located around 60 km from Guwahati is the holy land of Hajo where faith unites. Hajo is a holy land of the Hindus, Muslims and the Buddhists as well. The Hayagriva Madhava Temple at Hajo is considered sacred by people practicing all the above three religious faith. It is said that after visiting the Sun Temple at Konark in Orissa, your pilgrimage ends after visiting the Hayagriva Madhava Temple at Hajo near Guwahati in Assam. The Poa Mecca shrine at Hajo is one of the holiest muslim shrines across North East India. This Dargah was built by Peer Giasuddin Aulia by bringing soil from the holy land of Mecca and then constructing the Poa Mecca. There are also many other temples across Hajo. Another noteworthy place at Hajo of tourist interest is the “Bhim Soriya” – it is a huge stone saucer which is believed it was the dish where Lord Bheema used to eat food. One time he was not served adequate food and he got so furious that he flung this huge saucer in the sky and it fell at Hajo where it still remains to this day.

5| Suwalkuchi – 40 km from Guwahati

Suwalkuchi is the famous Silk town of Assam. This place has the highest concentration of weavers anywhere in the World. Suwalkuchi is home to the 3 finest silk varieties of Assam – the Muga, Eri and Pat Silk. Suwalkuchi near Guwahati is often referred to as the “Manchester of the East”. When you are in Guwahati, a visit to Suwalkuchi silk town is  must to witness the grandeur of Assam silk. At Suwalkuchi there are various shops that sell handmade Silk Mekhela Chadors of Assam made up of Muga, Eri and Pat silk along with various other designer accessories as well. You can also visit a local factory to witness the entire process of Silk weaving on the traditional looms of Assam. Silk Chadors available here are found at prices much lower than it is  available in the large cities. If you are visiting in the month of July-August then you can witness the annual Boat race festival here at Suwalkuchi that is held every year on the river Brahmaputra.

6| North Guwahati – 20 km from Guwahati

North Guwahati is an industrial hub of Guwahati that has many industrial units and is also well known for the many historic temples of Assam and the river bank of the Brahmaputra river. North Guwahati is the older part of Guwahati and many local people of Assam reside here. The famous temples of North Guwahati are Doul Govinda Temple –  dedicated to Lord Krishna and famous for its celebrations of Janmashtami and Holi. The Dirghewari Temple at North Guwahati is another Shakti Peeth near Guwahati. It is said that Goddess Sati’s upper thigh fell on the hill top on which this temple is located. This hill is called as the Sitachal Hill. This temple is famous for celebrations of the Durga Puja festival of Assam. The Kanai Barasi Stone inscriptions of North Guwahati are stone inscriptions carved out during the time of the Ahom Kings.

If on your visit to Assam, you do not have time to explore the various Satras of Assam in Majuli Island, then you can visit the Auniati Satra in North Guwahati to get a glimpse of the Neo Vaishnavite culture of Assam that was initiated and preached by the holy Saint Srimanta Shankardeva and his disciple Madhabadeva.

If you are interested in traditional fishing, then North Guwahati is the place to be as the river banks of the mighty Brahmaputra is present here and one can see many locals fishing on the River Brahmaputra early in the mornings and in the late evenings.

7| Jagiroad ~ 50 km from Guwahati

Another important industrial town near Guwahati is Jagiroad. Jagiroad is home to the Nagaon Paper Mills a unit of Hindustan Paper Corporation Ltd. A visit to the factory can be arranged with prior permission and visitors can get a detailed insight into the process of paper making from bamboo here. Jagiroad also is home to the Asia’s largest dry fish market. Every year in the month of January, Jagiroad plays host to the Jonbeel Mela – the festival of Barter trade. Here one can witness the ancient practice of barter trade where people do not pay money to buy good and instead they exchange their produce and trade in the system of barter trade. Here visitors can also witness the ancient time during kings where the King of Morigaon comes down during the festival and addresses his subjects at the Jonbeel Mela festival. The King and his courtiers also collect taxes from the local people and the people happily oblige to the King’s request keeping the traditional alive.

8| Nagaon ~ 120 km from Guwahati

Another important industrial town close to Guwahati city is Nagaon. Nagaon connects Guwahati with Karbi Anglong, Hojai and Nagaland by road. Nagaon is the birthplace of the holy Saint reformer Srimanta Shankardeva and hence this place holds a specific religious importance to the people of Assam.

9| Tezpur ~ 180 km from Guwahati

Located around 180 km from Guwahati, Tezpur is the knowledge city of Assam and a popular stop over town on your journey to Arunachal Pradesh at Tawang and Bomdila. The Tezpur University located here is one among the top 50 universities in the country. Places of tourist interest in Tezpur are Agnigarh – the Fortress of Fire, the Mahabhairab Temple, the Hanuman Temple, Cole’s Park, etc. The Koliabhumura Bridge spans over the river Brahmaputra and is an important bridge of Assam and underneath this bridge one can find an old battle tank that was used in World War II. Drive to Tezpur from Guwahati takes around 3 hours so you can plan to visit Tezpur in the morning, explore the town and return to Guwahati by evening.

 10| Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park ~ 110 km from Guwahati

A Lesser known National Park of Assam but the one having various species of Flora and Fauna is the Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park located at around 110 km from Guwahati. Known for its population of the Endangered One Horned Rhinoceros and Indian Tigers – the Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park is often referred to as the mini Kaziranga because of its similar landscapes. This park is very less frequented by tourists and hence if you want to explore the calm of the jungle the Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park is the place to be. There are no Elephant Safaris conducted here and the only mode of transport into the forest reserves at Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park is the Jeep Safari. Prior booking is necessary because of the limited number of Jeeps available here. You can plan your visit to Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park by starting early in the morning from Guwahati, arrive at Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park by 8 AM, go for a day of Jeep Safari into the interiors and then return back to Guwahati. Please be advised that there are not many shops around here and so please carry snacks and drinking water with you to Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park. Also no option is available for lunch and so please carry adequate eatables in your vehicle.

11| Barpeta ~ 96 km from Guwahati

The important trade center of lower Assam, Barpeta is located around 96 km from Guwahati. Barpeta is close to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Manas National Park and is also home to various Neo Vaishnavite Satras and Temples. The most famous among the various Satras present here at Barpeta is the Barpeta Satra. Built by the disciple of Saint Reformer Srimanta Shankardeva, Sri Sri Madhabadeva, Barpeta Satra is one of the most prominent Satras of Assam renowned across the World for its grand celebrations of the Doul Utsav (Holi) and Janmashtami. The Namghar entrance at the Barpeta Satra has two huge trunks of Tulsi tree and this is another prime attraction of this Satra. Start early from Guwahati to arrive at Barpeta, explore the various Satras and Temples here and head on your drive back to Guwahati city.

12| Bogamati ~ 92 km from Guwahati

A popular picnic spot area near Guwahati Bogamati is a nature lover’s paradise. The river Barnadi flows across Bogamati and during winters this place becomes a residence for the various species of migratory birds. Overlooking the hills of Bhutan, Bogamati is now becoming a favorite adventure sports destination near Guwahati as  one can enjoy river rafting on the water of the Barnadi river at Bogamati. Best way to visit Bogamati is to start early in the morning from Guwahati city and spend your day at Bogamati and return to Guwahati by evening.

13| Umiam Lake ~ 88 km from Guwahati

Located in Meghalaya at a distance of around 88 km from Guwahati, Umiam Lake is the largest artificial water reservoir in North East India. People from Guwahati find Umiam to be one of the preferred area for a day’s outing and hang out.

14| Shillong ~ 99 km from Guwahati

The capital of Meghalaya is located at a distance of 99 km from Guwahati city.

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Best Hotels in Guwahati ~

1| Radisson Blu Hotel ~ Boragaon ~ Guwahati

2| Vivanta by Taj ~ Khanapara ~ Guwahati

3| Mayflower Hotel ~ Panbazar ~ Guwahati

4| Hotel Shoolin Grand ~ Six Mile ~ Guwahati

5| Ginger Hotel ~ Six Mile ~ Guwahati

6| Hotel Kiranshree Portico ~ Paltan Bazar ~ Guwahati

7| Hotel Gateway Grandeur ~ G S Road ~ Guwahati

8| The Grand Starline Hotel ~ G S Road ~ Guwahati

9| Hotel Pragati Manor ~ G S Road ~ Guwahati

10| Novotel ~ G S Road ~ Guwahati

11| Landmark Hotels ~ Ulubari ~ Guwahati

12|Hotel Dynasty ~ Fancy Bazar ~ Guwahati

13| Hotel Nandan ~ Paltan Bazar ~ Guwahati

14| Hotel Bhargav Grand ~ ISBT ~ Guwahati

15| Hotel NE Zone ~ Garchuk ~ Guwahati

16| Hotel Vrinda Residency ~ Garchuk ~ Guwahati

17| Hotel Parashuram ~ Garchuk ~ Guwahati

18| Nakshatra Hotel ~ Beltola ~ Guwahati

19| Hotel Royal De Casa ~ Survey Beltola ~ Guwahati

20| Hotel Ambarish ~ Ganeshguri ~ Guwahati

21| Hotel Palacio ~ Khanapara ~ Guwahati

22| Hotel Siroy Lily ~ Khanapara ~ Guwahati

Most Popular Restaurants in Guwahati ~

1| Paradise Restaurant ~ Silpukhuri ~ Guwahati

Known for Assamese traditional delicacies. Must try Parampara Thali, Pigeon Meat, Duck curry, bamboo shoot dishes.

2| Heritage Khorika ~ Chandmari ~ Guwahati

Owned and operated by the celebrity chef of Assam, Mr. Atul Lahkar, the traditional meals of this restaurant. Try the Assamese thali along with the Khorika dishes.

3| Steaming Mug ~ Ambari ~ Guwahati

4| 11th Avenue Bistro ~ Ambari ~ Guwahati

5| Momo Ghar ~ Ambari ~ Guwahati

6| J14s ~ Christian Basti ~ Guwahati

7| Dispur Dhaba ~ Ganeshguri ~ Guwahati

8| The Dhaba ~ Silpukhuri ~ Guwahati

9| Chung Fa ~ Geetanagar ~ Guwahati

10| China Town ~ Rajgarh Road ~ Guwahati

11| Confucius ~ ABC ~ Guwahati

12| Woking Mama ~ Dona Planet ~ Guwahati

13| Dominoz Pizza ~ Zoo Road Tinali ~ Guwahati

14| Pizza Hut ~ near Rajdhani Masjid ~ Guwahati

15| KFC ~ Ulubari ~ Guwahati

16| Gam’s Delicacy ~ ISBT ~ Guwahati

17| Quick Pick ~ Silpukhuri ~ Guwahati

18| Biryani Center ~ Near Commerce College ~ Guwahati

19| Kolkata Biryani ~ Near Rajdhani Masjid ~ Guwahati

20| Icchapuron ~ Ganeshguri ~ Guwahati

21| John’s Naga Kitchen ~ Rukmini Gaon ~ Guwahati

22| Keri Beri ~ Christian Basti ~ Guwahati

23| Food Ex ~ Christian Basti ~ Guwahati

24| Chick n Chilly ~ Christian Basti ~ Guwahati

25| Meat Durbari ~ Christian Basti ~ Guwahati

26| Barbecue Nation ~ Ulubari ~ Guwahati

27| Terra Maya ~ ABC ~ Guwahati

28| Xtreme Sports Bar ~ Christian Basti ~ Guwahati

29| Kalita’s Spectrum Dine ~ Six Mile ~ Guwahati

30| Bonfire ~ Rajgarh Road ~ Guwahati

31| Citi Dhaba ~ Ulubari ~ Guwahati

32| Rang De Basanti Dhaba ~ Ganeshguri ~ Guwahati

33| Bullz and Bearz ~ ABC Point ~ Guwahati

34| Underdog Sports Bar ~ Central Mall ~ Guwahati

35| Chai Point ~ Ganeshguri ~ Guwahati

36| Spice Route Restaurant ~ Dispur ~ Guwahati

37| Red Hot Chilli Pepper ~ Ganeshguri ~ Guwahati

38| Red Contemporary Dining ~ R G Baruah Road ~ Guwahati

39| Street Zaa ~ Hatigaon ~ Guwahati

40| Bakes and Fries ~ Hatigaon ~ Guwahati

41| Madhumita Fine Dining ~ Ganeshguri ~ Guwahati

42| Mishing Kitchen ~ Hengrabari ~ Guwahati

43| Jalukbari Dhaba ~ Jalukbari ~ Guwahati

44| O Maa Go ~ Ulubari ~ Guwahati

45| Sholo Ana Bengali ~ Ulubari ~ Guwahati

46| Maa Manasha Hotel ~ Maligaon ~ Guwahati

47| Chennai Kitchen ~ G S Road ~ Guwahati

48| Recipes Train Restaurant ~ G S Road ~ Guwahati

49| Cafe Craft ~  Silpukhuri ~ Guwahati

50| Maihang ~ Ganeshguri ~ Guwahati

Renowned Hospitals in Guwahati ~

1| Guwahati Medical College and Hospital ~ G S Road ~ Guwahati

2| NEMCARE ~ G S Road ~ Guwahati

3| B Barooah Cancer Institute ~ A K Azad Road ~ Guwahati

4| North East Cancer Hospital ~ 11th Mile ~ Guwahati

5| Marwari Hospital ~ Athgaon ~ Guwahati

6| Apollo Hospitals ~ G S Road ~ Guwahati

7| Dispur Polyclinic ~ Ganeshguri ~ Guwahati

8| GNRC Hospitals ~ Amingaon ~ Guwahati

9| Down Town Hospital ~ Six Mile ~ Guwahati

10| City Heart Hospital ~ Rajgarh Road ~ Guwahati

11| Arya Hospital ~ Ulubari ~ Guwahati

12| Pratiksha Hospital ~ Borbari ~ Guwahati

13| Hayat Hospital ~ Odalbakra ~ Guwahati

14| Critical Care Hospital ~ Lokhra ~ Guwahati

15| Ayursundra Hospital ~ Ahom Gaon ~ Guwahati

16| Health City Hospital ~ Khanapara ~ Guwahati

17| Excel Care Hospitals ~ Boragaon ~ Guwahati

18| Sanjevani Hospital ~ Kamakhya Gate ~ Guwahati

19| Agile Hospitals ~ Beltola ~ Guwahati

20| Maligaon Railway Hospital ~ Maligaon ~ Guwahati

Renowned Educational Institutions in Guwahati ~

1| Cotton College ~ Panbazar ~ Guwahati

2| Handique Girls College ~ Panbazar ~ Guwahati

3| Assam Engineering College ~ Jalukbari ~ Guwahati

4| Guwahati Medical College and Hospital ~ G S Road ~ Guwahati

5| Guwahati Commerce College ~ Chandmari ~ Guwahati

6| Arya Vidyapeeth College ~ A K Azad Road ~ Guwahati

7| K C Das Commerce College ~ Chatribari ~ Guwahati

8| Assam Don Bosco University ~ Azara ~ Guwahati

9| Assam Down Town University ~ Panikheti ~ Guwahati

10| NERIM Group of Institutions ~ Jayanagar ~ Guwahati

11| IIIT Guwahati ~ Ambari ~ Guwahati

12| IIT Guwahati ~ Amingaon ~ Guwahati

13| Girijananda Chowdhury Institute of Management and Technology ~ Guwahati ~ Assam

14| Scholar’s Institute of Technology and Management ~ Garughuli ~ Guwahati

15| TISS ~ Jalukbari ~ Guwahati

16| Krishna Kanta Handique Open University ~ Pamohi ~ Guwahati

17| Assam Engineering Institute ~ Chandmari ~ Guwahati

18| Guwahati University ~ Jalukbari ~ Guwahati

Popular Malls in Guwahati city ~

1| Guwahati Central ~ R G Baruah Road ~ Guwahati

2| Big Bazaar ~ G S Road ~ Guwahati

3| Roodraksh Mall ~ G S Road ~ Guwahati

4| Pantaloons ~ Six Mile ~ Guwahati

5| The HUB Mall ~ G S Road ~ Guwahati

6| Dona Planet ~ G S Road ~ Guwahati

7| Matrix Mall ~ Beltola ~ Guwahati

8| Central Mall ~ G S Road ~ Guwahati

9| Vishal Mega Mart ~ Ganeshguri ~ Guwahati

10| Brand Factory ~ Ulubari ~ Guwahati

11| Fashion @ Big Bazar ~ Paltan Bazar ~ Guwahati

12| Tanz Supermarket ~ Zoo Road Tinali ~ Guwahati

13| Reliance Trendz ~ Zoo Road Tinali ~ Guwahati

14| City Center Mall ~ G S Road ~ Guwahati

15| Anil Plaza ~ G S Road ~ Guwahati

Exploring Guwahati and neighbouring areas with our guests from across the World

1| Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary (60 km from Guwahati) with our guest from USA ~

In December 2017, we conducted a tour of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary from Guwahati with our guest from USA – Mr. Dennis Nullet. I picked him up from the Guwahati Airport and we drove to Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary crossing Deepor Beel, Six Mile, Narengi, Panikhaiti, Chandrapur to reach Pobitora. We went at first to the viewpoint to sight the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros species of Pobitora from here. We were lucky to sight about 6 Rhinoceros here. Dennis loved the sight and he stood there admiring these beasts for a little while. After this we headed to the Arya Eco Resort at Pobitora where his stay was booked for the night. I helped him check into his room before heading on my drive back to Guwahati again.

The next day morning I drove from Guwahati again to Pobitora. By the time I reached Dennis had not yet come back from his Elephant Safari ride from inside of the Sanctuary. After he came came back we had our breakfast and then headed for a Jeep Safari ride into the interiors of Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. On our ride we spotted more Rhinoceros, Asiatic Wild Water Buffaloes, Wild Boars and various species of Birds like owls, eagles, Lesser adjutants, black necked stork, etc. It was an amazing and thrilling ride. After the Jeep Safari ride was over Dennis packed his bags and we headed to the Mayong Museum of Black magic to see various relics from the ancient era of black magic practice here in Mayong. We explored the museum for 30 minutes looking at these relics. We returned to Guwahati and I dropped Dennis at the LGBI Airport in Guwahati for his flight to New Delhi.

2| Exploring Garbhanga Reserve Forest, Guwahati Zoo and Umananda Temple with our Guest from Slovakia

Mr. Martin from Slovakia was on a tour of Assam with us for 20 days in the month of April 2018. Here we describe our experience of exploring Guwahati city with him in brief. On the second day of his arrival we went to explore the Garbhanga Reserve Forest area in Guwahati. My friends had invited us over for a traditional lunch into the forest where they would cook rice, chicken and pork amidst the forest in bamboo trunks over fire. We left to the forest reserve here in Guwahati after exploring the local market in Lokhra area closeby. On reaching we went to a small village to see how the tribal people here lead a life. We came back to the place where lunch was being prepared. After helping the guys with the cooking lunch was served shortly and it was one of the most delicious traditionally cooked meal I had ever had. Even Martin loved it and after lunch we headed back home.

After exploring Chandubi area and Pobitora near Guwahati and also Cherrapunji in Meghalaya, we arrived back to Guwahati on 14th evening. On the 16th morning we set out to explore Guwahati as we were out to Hajo on the 15th. We were to explore the Ganeshguri local market, the Assam State Zoo and the Umananda Temple in Guwahati. As it was during the Bihu festival of Assam, the roads were empty. Shortly we arrived at the Ganeshguri area and we went ahead to explore the local fish market here as Martin was interested in looking at the various fish species of Assam. The market was bustling with people as the holiday season was on and Assamese people love their food. There were various fish varieties to be found in the market from the Brahmaputra river as well as local fisheries and lakes. We could see Rohu, Catla, Magur, Saal, Hol, Sital, Prawns, Hilsa, Kusiya and varied other small fish varieties as well. After exploring the market for a bit we headed on to the Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Gardens. We explored the zoo and got to see many species of animals in captivity of the likes of Lions, Tigers, Leopards, Black panthers, Rhinoceros, Hippopotamus, Golden langurs, Hoolock Gibbons, Pygmy Hogs and various bird species here. After spending 2 hours at the Zoo in Guwahati we headed to the Uzan Bazar area to have our lunch and then cross the river Brahmaputra on a ferry boat to reach Umananda Island and Temple. Here in the Umananda Island we were lucky to sight a golden langur species in the wild. this completed our day of exploring Guwahati and we headed back home to continue our journey to explore rest of Assam.

3| Exploring Chandubi with our guest from Czech Republic ~

Mr. Michal Khuna was exploring Assam and Meghalaya with us in the month of November 2016 and the final leg of our tour was at Chandubi Lake near Guwahati. A beautiful natural lagoon created during the earthquake of 1897, Chandubi offers a natural retreat to all nature lovers from across Guwahati and India as well. The reserve forest area here are home to various wildlife species like Elephants, Tigers, Leopards, Hoolock Gibbons, Bears, etc. Visitors to Chandubi are enthralled with the unadulterated natural surroundings and the warmth and welcome of the Rabha people here.

Michal was hosted at the Chandubi Jungle Camp by my friend Mr. Kaushik Das who is the owner of the camp. We reached Chandubi in the early afternoon and we had to cross the lake on a country boat to reach Chandubi Jungle Camp. Michal wanted to try his hand on riding the country boat and so he was assisted by Bokhonto to steer the boat to the camp. Kaushik had arranged for a special lunch for us. After lunch we went trekking to a nearby forest reserve behind the camp near Guwahati. It was an enjoyable experience and we came back by early evening and we had tea. Michal was enjoying his stay here amidst nature. A traditional Assamese dinner was arranged for us by Kaushik and his team and the meal was very delicious and tasteful. We returned to our room and got up early next morning ro catch a glimpse of the sunrise here at Chandubi and to see the local people fishing on the lake. We spent some time around the lake and after breakfast headed back to Guwahati.

4| Exploring North Guwahati with our guest from Scotland ~

Rue Mcleod had come over to explore North East India and had spent over a month exploring Nagaland. He came to my home to stay as he was a mutual friend of Kaushik and I hosted him in Guwahati. We explored Guwahati with him where we visited the Guwahati World War II Cemetery and Umananda Island and headed to North Guwahati to be hosted there by my friend. On reaching North Guwahati we were greeted by my friend and we first explored the Doul Govinda temple and the Dirgheswari temple here at North Guwahati. Next we headed to the banks of the Brahmaputra river in Kuruwa area where my friend had arranged for a local lunch for us on an abandoned ferry boat. Four of his friends joined us who had brought along local rice wine and chicken to be cooked. We lit a fire and started cooking rice and chicken. It was a wonderful experience and Rue loved it completely. In the early evening we headed back to my home in Guwahati after thanking everyone for the wonderful arrangements made.

5| Exploring Umananda Island and Treasured Wheel Museum with our guests from Australia ~

Mr. Alan Abraham was touring North East India across Assam and Meghalaya with us and the final leg of his tour was in Guwahati. Before his evening flight to Mumbai I decided to take him on a tour of Guwahati at the Umananda Island and the Treasured Wheels Museum at Sonapur near Guwahati. We started in the morning at 8 AM after our breakfast and reached the Uzan Bazar area in Guwahati from where we boarded a ferry to cross the Brahmaputra river and reach the Umananda Island. We explored the Umananda island and Umananda Temple here. We also sighted the Golden Langur species here and later headed back into Guwahati to head to Sonapur.

We arrived at the Treasured Wheels Museum that has on display various vintage cars and motorbikes on display. The owner Mr. Piklu Deka was present at the museum and he helped us to look around and he also helped us to identify the various vintage vehicles as well as motorbikes. There were other vintage stuff on display like typewriters, machinery, etc. We explored this museum near Guwahati and later I dropped Alan at the Guwahati airport for his onward flight to Mumbai flying out to Australia.

6| Exploring Assam State Museum and Maa Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati with our guests from Bangalore ~

Mr Vivek and family were touring Assam and Meghalaya with us and their final day of exploring was at Guwahati in Assam before they went home by an early evening flight. We were scheduled to explore the Assam State Museum and the Maa Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati today before they flew back. We started from the Hotel in the morning at 9 AM and reached the Assam State Museum at 10 AM. Various relics and artefacts along with ancient sculptures discovered in Assam have been preserved at the Assam State Museum. We explored the Museum for about 2 hours and then went to a nearby souvenir shop at Ambari area in Guwahati for the guests to buy some souvenirs from Assam on their way home. We had lunch at a nearby Cafe and then proceeded to visit the Maa Kamakhya Temple atop the Nilachal Hills in Guwahati. As we did not have much time in hand we seeked the blessings of Maa Kamakhya from outside the temple Dome and then headed to the Guwahati airport where I dropped them for their flight to Bangalore.

7| Exploring Hajo and Suwalkuchi near Guwahati with our guest from Bangalore

Mr Supriyo and family had come over to tour Assam and Meghalaya with us. On the final day before their flight to Bangalore I helped them explore the Holy land of Hajo and the Manchester of the East – Suwalkuchi near Guwahati. We left to Hajo at 8 AM from Guwahati to arrive by 9AM. At Hajo near Guwahati, we explored the Hayagriva Madhava Temple and the Poa Mecca shrine. Next up we came to Sualkuchi to explore the various ethnic silk varieties of Assam where Mr. Supriyo purchased silk Mekhela Chador for his wife here as a gift. After having an ethnic lunch at a local restaurant in north Guwahati I dropped the family at the Guwahati airport for their evening flight to Bangalore.

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Exploring the Holy Temples in and around Guwahati ~

The city of Guwahati in Assam has many Hindu Temples in and around the city. Some of these temples are the Holiest temple shrines across the country and thousands of devotees come here every here to seek blessings of the Gods and Goddesses to whom these Temples are dedicated. Although there are many Temple in and around the city of Guwahati we narrate our divine experiences of visiting some of the most prominent Temple shrines in and around the city of Guwahati.

Exploring Maa Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati and the Hayagriva Madhava Temple at Hajo

On a sunday morning I had decided to visit the Holy Maa Kamakhya Temple shrine in Guwahati in the early hours of the morning and then after seeking my blessings here proceed to Hajo to visit the Hayagriva Madhava Temple in Hajo near Guwahati. I had my bath and left home at 7 AM to the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati. On sunday mornings there is a huge rush at the Maa Kamakhya Temple and people line up in queues from 5 AM in the morning to be able to go inside the temple premises once the temple doors are opened. Not only from Guwahati but devotees from across Assam and other parts of India come to the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati to seek the blessings of Goddess Kamakhya. The temple is not very far from my home and is located atop the Nilachal hills in the Maligaon area in Guwahati. I reached the foothills of the Nilachal hills at 7.20 AM and started to gradually drive the car uphill. Precision driving is necessary here as it is a two way road and cars keep on coming from the other direction and the road has sharp bends as well.

I reached the Kamakhya temple parking at around 7.30 AM. The parking was almost full and I realized that there would be a lot of rush at the temple in Guwahati today. I parked my car and proceeded to visit the Kamakhya Temple. It is a short walk from the parking area to the entrance of the Kamakhya Temple. I could see hundreds of people entering and coming out of the gate of the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati. Devotees had booked buses and come in all the way from West Bengal as well to the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati. I gradually entered the temple gate and started climbing the flight of stairs that lead to the main temple shrine. Once I reached the top I had to remove my slippers and then walk inside the temple. There was a long queue at the temple entrance and I knew that if I had to wait in the queue I would have to spend my whole day here itself.

I contacted a ‘Panda – a temple priest’ and he advised me to purchase a VIP ticket for INR 500 so that I could bypass the long line and enter the temple shrine to seek blessings of the Goddess. I thought it to be a good advice and purchased my ticket. The ‘Panda’ assisted me to get into the VIP entrance and i was waiting in a much smaller queue now to enter the main temple shrine of the Maa Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati. The long queue and the short queue converge together at the entrance point of the main temple shrine at the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati. So it takes a little time here to enter the temple shrine. I was able to enter the main temple dome which is carved out of a single stone. There were many devotees inside awaiting their turn to enter the temple sanctum to touch the holy water that is present inside. There were also many temple priests inside who were guiding the devotees on their way to the inner sanctum. I too eventually got my turn to seek the blessing of Goddess Kamakhya by touching the holy water and sprinkling some of it on my head. I later came out of the shrine and the ‘Panda’ whom I had contacted was waiting for me with a puja thali. He guided me how to place my offerings in front the place of offering and he recited some holy chants to bless me. I was asked to walk around the temple thrice and then he came to me and offered me the puja items in a bag to carry home. I offered him some money as donation and after clicking a few pictures I came out of the temple premises. I paid a visit to the devotees dining area at the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati as it was donated by my father on behalf of the employees of NECF (CIL). At around 11 AM I finished my visit at the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati and then I proceeded to Hajo near Guwahati to visit the Hayagriva Madhava temple here.

I reached Hajo at around 12 PM in the afternoon. The Hayagriva Madhava temple at Hajo near Guwahati has a huge temple pond at the entrance. This pond is home to some of the most endangered turtle species in the World of the likes of the Assam Roofed Topped Turtle. There were people near the pond who were feeding the turtle with a special feed that is available for purchase near the pond for INR 20. This pond also has many species of fish as well. I bought the turtle feed and fed the turtles and fishes too. Then after cleaning my hands and feet I proceeded to the Hayagriva Madhava temple premises. I bought a puja thali to be offered at the Temple shrine. To reach the premises of this temple near Guwahati devotees have to climb a fleet of around 135 stairs. The stairs are not very steep so climbing them is not much of a challenge and many aged devotees too were successfully able to climb the stairs. On reaching the temple I met a temple priest who offered to take me around the temple and also help me in offering my prayers as well. The temple has a huge prayer hall that accommodates devotees during special prayers at the temple near Guwahati. I lit the incense sticks and the lamp and offered my prayers to the God at the Hayagriva madhava Temple at Hajo near Guwahati.

After offering my prayers, I was guided by the temple priest inside the main idol hall of the Hayagriva Madhava temple. Inside this prayer room there were 5 idols of Gods and Goddess to whom prayers are offered in this temple. There is also an oil lamp burning here and it is believed that this lamp has been burning continuously for over 500 years now. Devotees offer money for mustard oil to be bought and this oil is fed continuously to help keep this lamp burning. I later took a walk around the temple admiring the rich craftsmanship of its architecture. There is a big lawn at the temple premsies and during earlier times cock fights used to be held here during the Magh Bihu celebrations in Assam (this practice has now been stopped vide the order of the Hon. Supreme Court of India). I took a little more time exploring the Hayagriva Madhava temple and then after paying my donation for the temple welfare to the priest I bid goodbye to the temple in Hajo. It was still early as it was only 1.30 PM so I decided to explore a little more of Hajo.

As I had a late breakfast at 11 AM, I was not hungry for lunch as well. So I enquired about the other places of interest to be visited in Hajo near Guwahati and I was guided by the local people to visit the ‘Bhimor Soriya’ and the ‘Poa Mecca’ shrine at Hajo. At first I went ahead to visit the ‘Bhimor Soriya’ near the Hayagriva Madhava temple. It is a small place where there is a huge stone saucer shaped vessel kept. It is said that when the Pandavas were in exile they had come to the forests of Assam. Lord Bhima used to eat food in this giant stone saucer. It is so huge that almost 8 grown men can feet inside this saucer and he used to eat the completely filled saucer with food. It so happened one day that the food to be served to Lord Bhima was delayed and also the food served was bad in taste and the quantity too was not adequate. Lord Bhima got very angry and he hurled the saucer to the sky. Then this saucer came and fell at this place in Hajo. And so this saucer has been preserved since then. Hard to believe but yet a very interesting story. After exploring this place I took the drive to the Poa Mecca shrine at Hajo. This Dargah shrine is located atop a hill in Hajo. The entire mountain is filled with beautiful trees that produce the finest quality timber in the country. Hajo is a holy land of the Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists as well. The hindus and muslims of Hajo have been living in harmony since ages and the muslim people here are the descendants of the Mughal empire as their ancestors when they had come to fight battles in Assam fell in love with this place and settled themselves here. I reached the Poa Mecca shrine at around 2.30 PM.

This shrine was built by Pir Giasuddin Aulia by bringing in 250 gm of soil from the holy land of Mecca. It is a huge white colored building that houses a burial. I bought a chadar to be offered at the Dargah and I went inside the Dargah and sat there as two religious men were offering their prayers. I offered the chadar to them and they placed in on top of the tomb. I came out of the shrine and then explored the natural beauty of the place for a while. After this I came out from Hajo and stopped at a roadside dhaba to have my lunch. The meal served was simple yet delicious. After this I headed on my drive back to Guwahati to reach home at around 6 PM.

Exploring the Temples of North Guwahati ~ 

I had done my schooling (Std 11 and 12th) at the Faculty HS School in North Guwahati. Although I spent two years at school here in North Guwahati, I never took an opportunity to explore this place. North Guwahati is one of the most historical places near Guwahati city and has various temples and other attractions here. One day I decided to visit North Guwahati and explore the ancient Temples and Satras alongwith the views of the banks of the river brahmaputra as well. My brother was here in Guwahati during his job vacations from Bangalore and he accompanied me along to the visit to North Guwahati. We started at 9 AM from our home in Guwahati to North Guwahati as it is not quite far away from my place. We crossed the new Saraighat bridge and then reached Amingaon from where we had to take a right to got to North Guwahati. Our first stop was at the Doul Govinda Temple in North Guwahati.

 

We parked our car at the parking area and then came out to explore the Doul Govinda Temple in North Guwahati. This holy temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and sees devotees from various parts of Assam come here and offer their prayers. This temple shrine hosts the Holi festival and the Krishna Janmashtami festival in a grand manner and thousands of devotees come here during these festivals. We visited on a weekday and so not many devotees were around. We bought a puja thali from shop outside the temple premises and then went inside the temple after opening our shoes outside. The oil lamp and incense sticks were to be burnt in an open area on the left of the Doul Govinda temple in North Guwahati. Next we cleansed our hands and feet and entered the main temple shrine of the Doul Govinda temple. Here we went to the prayer room where the temple priest took our puja offerings and offered it to Lord Krishna. We closed our eyes in prayer and then the priest blessed us after chanting some religious mantras. We thanked him and paid a small donation for the welfare of the temple in the donation box. We went to another place where they offered us some prasad and asked us to come in the afternoon when they would serve payasam. We agreed to come back and then left the premises of the Doul Govinda temple.

Next up we wanted to visit the Dirgheswari temple in North Guwahati but we came to know that this temple serves a simple lunch as prasad in the afternoon to it devotees. So we planned to visit this temple during the afternoon time. We decided to pay a visit to Kanai Borosi Rock inscription at North Guwahati which is located close the Doul Govinda temple. We drove our car near the area of the Kanai Barasi rock inscription and then walked into the premises. These rock inscriptions speak about the various military victories the rulers of Assam had over foreign invaders. Several rock inscriptions are present here with 3 of them being very prominent. This site had been protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. Various metal plates have been put up that describe the contents of the rock inscriptions here at North Guwahati. We took our time exploring the place and were guided by the caretaker of the place who showed us around.

After finishing explore the Kanai Barasi rock inscriptions we headed to the Sri Sri Auniati Satra at North Guwahati and arrived shortly at the premises of the place. The Sri Sri Auniati Satra at North Guwahati is a branch of the main Satra in Majuli Island and keeps alive the tradition of the Neo Vaishnavism cult of Assam. I had already visited the Auniati Satra in Majuli Island so I had a fair idea of how this Satra in North Guwahati would look like. My brother on the other hand did not get a chance to visit Majuli so I took this opportunity to explain to him the importance of these Satras in our lives. Preached and propagated by the holy Saint reformer Srimanta Shankardeva, these Satras are religious institutions that propagate the cult of Neo Vaishnavism that preaches that all human beings are alike and henceforth abolishing the age old caste system in India. These Satras were setup to promote this fact and young boys were admitted here from a very early age where they learnt about the praise of the lord and various other arts and crafts as well. They become monks and spend their time at the Satras renouncing the pleasures of the world. Inside the Satra too there is a main prayer hall called as the Namghar, surrounded by the quarters of the monks called ‘hutis’ and a huge pond. We took time exploring the Auniati Satra in North Guwahati and then proceeded to visit the Aswaklanta Temple in North Guwahati.

We reached the Aswaklanta temple premises shortly. This is one of the ancient temples of Guwahati built during the regime of the Ahom kingdom under the patronage of Ahom king Shiva Singha in 1720. This temple is located adjacent to the banks of the Brahmaputra river flowing across Guwahati city. This is perhaps one of the most beautiful temples in Guwahati but has been neglected by the people and government because not many people know about it. A flight of stairs lead us to the main temple shrine of the Aswaklanta temple in North Guwahati. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. We walked to the temple entrance but the entry inside the temple was closed at present. We took a walk around the temple admiring its grand architecture. A local man came to us and guided us around the temple. He guided us to the banks of the brahmaputra river and spoke to us as to why this temple had been named as the Aswaklanta temple. Lord krishna when he was in search to kill Narakasura, his horse got tired at this place and fell down to rest for a while here by the banks of the Brahmaputra river. ‘Aswa’ means ‘Horse’ and ‘Klanta’ means ‘Tired’ in the local Assamese language. There is also a stone impression of the hooves of the horse speaking about this incident as well. Interesting to note, we took a walk around this place and then came out of the Aswaklanta temple to head to the Sri Sri Dirgheswari temple in North Guwahati.

This temple is about 20 minutes drive from the Aswaklanta temple. Right after the Maa Kamakhya temple, which is one among the 51 Shakti Peethas of importance in India, the Dirgheswari temple too is another Shakti Peetha in North Guwahati. Built on a rocky mountain, the Sri Sri Dirgheswari temple speaks of the finesse of ancient architecture as the entire temple dome has been carved out of a single stone. A flight of stairs lead you to the top of the hillock where this temple in North Guwahati is situated. Dedicated to Goddess Durga, the Dirgheswari temple is a must visit on your tour of Guwahati. There are thousands of pigeons who stay here at the temple courtyard and can be seen once you enter the temple. We went inside the main temple dome that is carved out of single stone and is located downstairs the temple premises. It was quite dark inside as there is no electricity here. Only an earthen lamp can be seen burning inside. the priest offered our prayers to the Goddess and he blessed us with health and wealth as well. We thanked him and came out of the shrine.

It was around 1.45 PM and food would be served at 2 PM. We had to pay a nominal amount as temple donation for this lunch. There is a huge open hall where devotees were to sit down and lunch is served here. It was a simple meal of rice, black dal and a mixed vegetable sabji. It was very very delicious and we asked for a second helping as well. After completing our lunch we bid farewell to North Guwahati before making our last stop at the Doul Govinda temple again for the payasam. My brother got it packed and we relished the payasam in the car. We finally left North Guwahati at 3.30 Pm to return back home thereby ending our temple tour for the day and hoped to visit again sometime soon.

Exploring the Umananda Temple and the Sukreswar temple in Guwahati ~

I had often heard of the Umananda Island in Guwahati but never had an opportunity yet to visit the place. The Umananda island is the smallest inhabited river island in the World and it is famous for the Umananda temple and also being home to the last few surviving golden Langur species in the World here in Guwahati city. Located in the midst of the mighty river Brahmaputra, the Umananda Island is a popular tourist attraction in Guwahati city as well. Every day hundreds of visitors come here to offer their prayers at the Umananda Temple. I went to visit this Island and temple in Guwahati in the month of January 2016. I started from my house in Lokhra area and crossed Lalganesh, Kalapahar, Sharab Bhatti to reach Ulubari flyover. From here I drove straight to Guwahati club to finally arrive at Uzan Bazar area in Guwahati. One of the posh areas in Guwahati, Uzan Bazar is home to some of the most elite people of Guwahati city. I parked my car and then went to the ferry ghat to board my ferry to got to Umananda island. The tickets are quite cheap around 20 INR per person for a to and fro ride to the Umananda Temple and back. I boarded my ferry and shortly we started our ride to the Umananda island in Guwahati.

It is a short 10 min ferry ride and I reached the Umananda island. There is a flight of stairs that lead to a hillock where the temple is located. In sometime I reached the top where there are a few shops that sell puja items that are to be taken inside the Umananda temple in Guwahati. I tried to look out for the Golden Langurs but they were not to be seen at present. So I decided to visit the temple premises at first. I bought a puja thali for INR 50 and then took my strides across the stairs to reach the temple premises. Before entering the main shrine of the temple that is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati I had to first make a small offering on the outside. I burnt the incense sticks here and then proceeded inside the shrine. There were few other devotees ahead of me so I had to wait for little time here. The priest offered the prayers and showed me the idols of Lord Shiva and parvati kept here. He also told me as to why this temple is called as the Umananda temple as well. After this I came out of the temple and explored a few other temples that are present here as well. After this I took a walk around the Umananda Island. It is located atop the Bhasmachal hill – it is said that when Lord Shiva was meditating here, Lord Kamadeva was distracting him during his meditation. Lord Shiva got so angry at Lord Kamadeva that he opened his third eye and burnt him down to ashes here and hence the name Bhasmachal. While walking around the island I finally got my chance to spot the Golden Langur species here. It was sleeping on top of a tree. It was really amazing to see this species in the wild. After this, I completed my visit at the Umananda Island in Guwahati and headed back to the parking spot after crossing the brahmaputra river on a ferry.

Next up I went ahead to explore the Guwahati World War II Cemetery. This cemetery is located at the Silpukhuri area in Guwahati and had burials of over 500 soldiers of the British and Indian army who had laid their lives during the course of World War II. I reached the Guwahati war cemetery shortly and started exploring the place. This place has been built and maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Mission. Once you enter the Guwahati War Cemetery, you can see all the burials of the soldiers aligned in rows. The lawn is well kept and it looks like a spread green carpet. There are also flowers alongside each grave as well. There are also flowers alongside each grave as well. There is a huge cross in the center of the Guwahati World War II Cemetery as well. I took my time to walk around the Guwahati World War II Cemetery identifying the names of the various soldiers who are buried here. After about 30 minutes I bid farewell to the Guwahati World War II cemetery.

Next up I visited the Sukreswar Temple in Guwahati. This temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is located in the heart of Guwahati city at the Pan Bazar area. I reached Pan bazar and parked my car. Then I went out to explore the Sukreswar temple. There were many devotees present at the temple who were offering their prayers here. I entered the temple shrine and found a huge Shiva Linga kept here. People were worshipping this Shiva Linga and offering milk to it as worship. I found this ritual a little strange as to why feed the stone with milk. Still I did not question about the practice and continued to explore the Sukreswar temple. I seeked blessings from the temple priest and then headed to the banks of the Brahmaputra river near the temple. I spent little time by the river banks and then headed back home ending my day of exploring Guwahati for the day.

Exploring the Basistha and Balaji Temples in Guwahati ~

My parents expressed their desire to explore the Basistha and Balaji temples near my home in Guwahati one day to me. So the next day I kept my schedule free to help them explore these two important temples in Guwahati city. I knew that the Balaji temple gets lit up in the evening and the entire area looks very beautiful so I planned the visit in a way that in the late afternoon we visit the Basistha temple in Guwahati and then continue to visit the Balaji temple at Garchuk area in Guwahati. We left home at 3.30 PM to go to the Basistha temple to arrive at 4 PM. There were many devotees awaiting to go inside the Basistha temple. I parked my car and we went to a local shop nearby to buy items for puja. We bought a puja thali and then proceeded to the Basistha temple after opening our shoes outside the temple entrance.

I knew a pujari here from earlier who greeted us and took us inside the temple premises to perform our puja. At first we had to cleanse our feet and hands at the river that flows just behind the temple. We cleansed ourselves and then proceeded inside the temple shrine of the Basistha temple in Guwahati. We offered our prayers here and the pujari blessed us. We came out of the shrine and in the open space we had to light our dia and incense sticks. After finishing this we went down to explore the Ganesha temple and later we came out of the Basistha temple and proceeded to the Balaji temple near ISBT area in Guwahati.

We reached the Balaji temple at 5.30 PM and it was just dark. The temple was all lit up in the evening and it looked breathtakingly beautiful from outside here in Guwahati. I parked my car and then we went ahead to visit the Balaji temple in Guwahati. There were many people who had come over, not just only to offer their worship but also to spend some quality time with family in the open gardens of the Balaji temple in Guwahati. We went inside the temple premises after cleaning out hands and legs. The evening Aarti was going on and we offered our prayers here and also explored the various temples inside which were made with architectural finesse all with white marble. We came out and took our prasad and we also bought the special ladoo sweet that is made with pure ghee to be offered to our relatives and friends in Guwahati. We came out of the temple and we could see an International Trade Expo going on at the maniram Dewan Trade Center near Balaji temple in Guwahati. We decided to spend our evening here. We purchased our tickets and went inside. There were several stalls selling various items from kitchen goods to indigenous handicrafts and handlooms of Assam. We took our time exploring these stalls at the Maniram Dewan Trade center in Guwahati. Inside there were various stalls from other countries as well like Thailand, Iran, Turkey, Malaysia, Singapore, etc. who had brought goods from their country and were displaying and selling them here. We explored the stalls for sometime and after having some snacks here we returned to our home at Lokhra in Guwahati.

Exploring Chandubi Lake near Guwahati ~ 

My friend owns a Jungle Camp near the Chandubi lake area near Guwahati and he was inviting me over to visit this place near Guwahati as he had requested me to build a website for him and I needed to explore the place myself to get content and pictures to create his website. I was unable to do so earlier due to some prior engagements but in the month of February 2016, I finally made a plan to visit Chandubi lake and Chandubi Jungle Camp near Guwahati. We started in the morning from Guwahati at 7.30 AM to go to Chandubi area. We had planned on staying for a night at my friend’s camp so we did not have to rush along. We crossed Garchuk and Pamohi area across Guwahati and continued to drive towards Rani area. After crossing Rani we had to take a right diversion to go to Chandubi. We gradually arrived at a market area where we made a quick stop to buy some groceries and then we proceeded further to go to Chandubi. On the way we crossed the beautiful tea gardens of Assam. We arrived near the Chandubi lake near Guwahati at 9 AM.

It was a weekend and so we could see lots of people coming in for picnic celebrations here. We parked our car at the Assam Tourism Guest House near the lake and then started to explore the area. There were lots of small shops being set up here selling fresh vegetables and cooking pork sticks. I took my time admiring the beauty of the natural resources around the Chandubi lake near Guwahati. My friend wanted to take me to a nearby waterfall here. A few guests who were staying at the Chandubi Jungle Camp near Guwahati overnight also agreed to join us to explore the beauty of this waterfall area. It is about 20 minute drive from the Chandubi lake and we arrived here shortly. It was a nice place with beautiful natural environment. No people settlement were around so the water was quite cleat at the waterfall. Everyone took their time enjoying at the waters of the fall here. At around 11 AM we headed back to the Chandubi lake area near Guwahati. The tourist officer of the Assam Tourism guest house and Chandubi area invited us to the guest house as there was a big group of people who were scheduled to have lunch here today. As there were many people around, the tourist officer was having a tough time managing the people so me asked my friend and me to help him attend to the guests and in turn offered us lunch and locally brewed rice wine as a token of appreciation for helping him out 🙂

We had time in our hands so we agreed to help him out. The guests who had come to Chandubi guest house were from a government office in Guwahati and they had come as a group outing today. They wanted to explore the lake on a boat ride so my friend arranged for four boats to accommodate them and we started on our boat ride at the chandubi lake near Guwahati. The beautiful nature took away everyone’s breath here at Chandubi. The boat ride lasted for 30 minutes and we came back to the guest house. While the group got engaged in games and cultural activities we took our place at the kitchen to see that all work of cooking was going as per schedule. A local person bought us some rice wine brewed freshly and we tried it with some chicken fry. The wine was good to taste and we savored it. Lunch was served at 1.30 PM and put out on the garden area in a buffet. We enjoyed our lunch and bid goodbye to everyone to head to the Chandubi Jungle Camp near Guwahati after crossing the Chandubi lake on a country boat.

The guests kept coming to the Chandubi Jungle Camp as it was a sunday and we took our time speaking to the guests from Guwahati. In the evening, we took a short walk across the forest reserves of Chandubi. After coming back to the camp I tried my hand at boating and helping the local people to set up fishing nets on the lake to catch fish for the next morning. Evening tea was served to us and a bonfire was lit in the premises of the Chandubi Jungle Camp near Guwahati. All the guests from Guwahati were having a gala time around the bonfire. Some of them were singing, a person was playing the guitar, the children were playing around and it was a very nice atmosphere. Some adults bought in beers and wine and savored in around the bonfire. Dinner was served at 8.30 PM and it was a traditional Assamese meal that had rice, dal, black dal, fish curry, pork with sesame seeds, chicken curry, mixed vegetables, various chutneys, mashed potato, papad, etc. The meal was simple delicious and I had no words to appreciate it. At 10 PM everyone retired to their rooms at the Chandubi Jungle Camp near Guwahati. The next day I got up early to catch a glimpse of the sunrise and also to help the fishermen pull out their nets from the waters of the lake. It turned out to be a good catch for them. I returned to the camp and after having my bath and breakfast we started on our drive back to Guwahati to reach home by afternoon.

Exploring Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary near Guwahati with guests from USA

Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary near Guwahati (50 km) is a beautiful place and is home to the highest population density of Indian One Horned Rhinoceros anywhere in the World (around 103 rhinos in an area of about 38.2 sq km). The Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary is gradually gaining importance among visitors from across the World as people who want to avoid the rush at Kaziranga National Park prefer to go for a safari ride here at Pobitora to sight the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros and other varied fauna. We have hosted guests from many countries here at Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary near Guwahati and in this article we narrate our experience of hosting our guests from USA. Ms. Janet Niichel and her husband Mr. Patrick had contacted us over the internet and expressed their desire of exploring Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary near Guwahati with us. They had planned their visit in the month of November 2017 and I offered them to stay over at my place in Guwahati before we headed out to explore Pobitora and other parts of Guwahati the next day.

I went to pick them up at the Guwahati airport and their flight was scheduled to arrive at 12 PM. They arrived on time and we started on our drive to Guwahati city. As they wanted to eat a traditional Assamese lunch I took them to the Borluit dhaba and restaurant at North Guwahati. This place is an authentic Assamese traditional dining experience and serves the Assamese thali along with other local delicacies as well. We ordered for non-veg thali for us and the food was indeed very delicious and very low in oil and spices. Janet and Patrick loved the meal and after completing we headed back towards Guwahati city. As there was time, I took them to the North East Museum of Handicrafts and Handlooms at garchuk area in Guwahati. A govt. of India undertaking under the ministry of handlooms and handicrafts, this museum in Guwahati offers a deep insight into the various forms of bamboo and cane handicrafts and handlooms as well. We went inside the display hall of this museum to take a look at the various indigenous arts and crafts of the people of North East India. There were various bamboo handicrafts kept here along with handlooms woven from people across Assam and other states of North East India. There were also models of traditional Assamese village homes that illustrated the rural life of Assam. Next up we visited the showroom area here that had available for purchase various handlooms of Assam like handwoven silk Mekhela chadors, gamusas, etc. After this we went to the Mekhela chador weaving room where we could see young ladies hand weaving exquisite handlooms here. It was an amazing experience here at this museum in Guwahati. We thanked the people here who showed us around and next we started to drive to my home at Lokhra in Guwahati. We reached in the late afternoon and the guests went to refresh themselves.

In the evening, I decided to take them out to a nearby place where there was a Raas festival being hosted here in Guwahati. A major festival of Assam, it depicts the life of Lord Krishna in an art form. Though celebrated with great pomp and vigour across Majuli Island, Guwahati too witnesses these celebrations as well. We reached the festival grounds and there were many people around. I guided the guests into the grounds and we admired the grand celebrations of the Raas Leela festival in Guwahati. There was also a grand fair or mela being held at this grounds. There was a giant wheel and also the ‘Maut ka Kua’ where stunt drivers drive motorcycles and cars inside a big well like structure constructed with wooden planks. This interested Patrick and so we went to watch this performance here at Lokhra in Guwahati. It was an amazing experience to witness their driving finesse and concentration as they rode the bikes and small maruti car across slanting wood panels and went round and round. Patrick enjoyed the experience a lot and appreciated the vigour of the riders. We finished watching this and then headed back to my home in Guwahati. My caretaker at home prepared dinner for us. A simple traditional dinner of chicken curry, vegetables, rice and dal. We sat down for dinner and then retired to bed as we had to get us early morning tomorrow to go to Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary from Guwahati.

The next morning we were up by 5 AM and after getting ready we started on our drive to Pobitora from Guwahati. We reached Pobitora at around 7.30 AM. Breakfast was prepared and served to us at the Arya Eco Resort in Pobitora. The Jeep Safari ride started at around 8 AM and we headed into the forest reserves of pobitora accompanied by a forest guard who was also a bird guide. A little into the jeep ride we sighted many bird species like eagles, owls, drongos, cormorants, egrets, kingfishers, lesser adjutants, etc. Next up it was our turn of sighting the rhinoceros , wild water buffaloes, wild boars, jungle fowls and other species of fauna at Pobitora near Guwahati. We completed our jeep ride and came out of the interiors of Pobitora at around 10 AM. It was really interesting to witness so many animal species in the wild. Next up we headed to the Mayong museum of black magic at Pobitora. This museum depicts the age old practices of black magic that were prevalent during the earlier times here at the Black magic capital of India near Guwahati. Here we could see various ancient black magic scriptures kept on display. Also there were many models depicting the practices of black magic as well. We finished exploring the Mayong museum of black magic and then headed on our drive back to Guwahati.

At Guwahati we went to explore the Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra. This place is also a kind of museum here in Guwahati. It illustrates the rich culture and heritage of the people of Assam and other North Eastern states as well. The area is spread across a sprawling campus. We were already quite hungry so we decided to have lunch at the cafeteria here. We treated ourselves with masala dosa and coffee and then started exploring the Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati. We saw the different culture of the people of North east here. Various artefacts from the indigenous people of Assam were collected and preserved here. Art of handicrafts made from bamboo, cane and wood were kept here. We finished exploring the place by 4 PM and then headed on to visit the local market at Lokhra in Guwahati. We saw various vendors selling locally grown vegetables and fruits. Also we visited the fish market to see the various species of fish that are available for sale here at the Lokhra market in Guwahati. After exploring the market area we returned home. The next day morning I dropped them at the bus stand for their onward journey to Nameri National Park from Guwahati.

Exploring Assam State Zoo and Assam State Museum in Guwahati ~

Guwahati is the largest city of Assam and North East India and being the most prominent places in the region, the city is home to a big Zoo (Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Gardens) and also a fine Museum (Assam State Museum). Since I had explored both these places only during my childhood days, I decided to pay a visit again to the Assam State Zoo and the Assam State Museum in Guwahati. I started with my visit at the Assam State Zoo cum Botanical gardens at first that is located near the AIDC area in Guwahati city. I reached at around 10 AM and parked my car at the premises of the Zoo. After purchasing my tickets I entered the zoo in Guwahati where I was handed over a pamphlet that contained a small map on how to explore the zoo. Upon entry there is also a huge board that illustrates the directions to this zoo along with the details of the enclosures of the various animals here.

The first enclosure that you get to see is that of a Golden Langur. A beautiful primate species, this Golden Langur species is the most endangered primate species in the World with only a few hundreds surviving in the protected forests of Assam and Bhutan. The Golden langur was perched atop a tree here at the zoo in Guwahati and I got the perfect view to click its pictures. next up is the enclosure of the Hoolock Gibbons. Although i could hear their typical cries but couldn’t see them as there was a huge tree there and these monkey species were somewhere inside the branches of this tree. So I moved on further. There are enclosures of deers, pangolins, crocodiles, hoolock gibbons etc. a little ahead. I admired these animals and continued further to the aviary that had a varied collection of birds. beautiful creatures some of these birds were outside their cages as well.

Next up is the enclosure of the Burmese Python here in the Guwahati zoo. A giant snake can be seen inside the enclosure here. Further up are the enclosures of the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros, the Barasingha and the Hippopotamus. I got a chance to see all these magnificent animals upfront in the Guwahati zoo. Further ahead there is a juice shop and next to it is the enclosures of the Hog Deers. There are many Hog Deers to be seen here who I saw feeding on leaves that were provided to them. Continuing further one can see the enclosures of the pygmy hogs and the Emu bird. Coming next are the big cat enclosures with the first being that of Lions. There are two lions in the Guwahati zoo and I got a chance to see them face to face. The roar of the Lion was quite big and was almost like thunder to the ears. Next up there are Leopards, Tigers and Black Panthers to be seen in the Guwahati zoo. The Guwahati zoo is spread across a sprawling campus and taking a walk around here admiring the gorgeous animals turns out to be good exercise as well. After visiting all the enclosures, I finally came out of the zoo at around 12 PM. After a quick snack and coffee at the cafeteria here I continued to drive to the Assam State Museum at Ambari area in Guwahati.

I reached Ambari area in Guwahati from AIDC crossing Zoo road tinali, Chandmari, Silpukhuri and Guwahati club areas. I parked my car near the Dighalipukhuri lake and decided to eat something before I set out to explore the Assam State Museum in Guwahati. I remembered that why not eat something at one of the most popular food joints of Guwahati that is located here – the Mono Ghar. The Momo Ghar in Guwahati is the most favored outlet among the people here for its steaming hot momos (dumplings). They have been serving Guwahati for more than 20 years now and their pork momos are the best to be found across Assam and looking at the quantity the most affordable as well at INR 50 per plate of momos. I went to the Momo Ghar at ambari in Guwahati and ordered myself a plate of pork momos and they did not disappoint me. The size of each momo was almost twice you get to eat in any other restaurant in Guwahati city. The soup that was served along with it was amazing as well. I finished relishing my plate of momos and then I went ahead to explore the Assam State Museum in Guwahati.

The entry tickets are priced nominally at INR 10 per adult and after purchasing my tickets I went inside. The entrance had a large reception area and a huge auditorium on the left. The museum starts from the first floor where there is a gallery of the various prominent leaders of Assam who laid down their lives during the freedom struggle and other movements of Assam. Next up I proceeded to visit the gallery of the indigenous people of Assam. There were various models of the village life of the indigenous tribes of Assam like Bodos, Mishings, Karbis, etc. and various models depicting their traditional homes, their handlooms and handicraft activities as well. There is also a model of an Assamese village cottage here that shows visitors how people lead a life in the villages including a model kitchen. Exploring further I visited the gallery of ancient sculptures here. This room had various stone sculptures of various civilizations that were excavated in and around the Guwahati area of Assam. These sculptures were so graceful and all dated back to prior to the 10th century speaking about the rich cultural history of Assam.

Next up it was the turn to look at the various machinery that were used during the World War II by the Allied Forces and the soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army. There were hand grenades, assault rifles, AK 47s and canons that were on display here. Next there area galleries of the ancient civilizations of India that are here including old coins and other items of daily use. Other galleries include that of the traditional handlooms of Assam and robes adorned by the Ahom kings. The Assam State Museum in Guwahati is a must visit for any tourist to Guwahati as it illustrates the rich history of Assam and the ancient Indian civilizations as well. I finally wrapped up my visit at the museum and my day of exploring Guwahati for the day and returned back on my drive to my home back at Lokhra in Guwahati.

Visit to Suwalkuchi and Saraighat War Memorial near Guwahati ~

I always wanted to visit Suwalkuchi after my return home from bangalore. Suwalkuchi also called as the ‘Manchester of East’ has the highest concentration of weavers anywhere in the World and weaves out various handlooms from the three indigenous silk varieties of Assam – the Muga, Eri and Pat silks. I always heard about this place but never had an opportunity to visit here even though itis only an hours drive from Guwahati. So one day I decided to explore Suwalkuchi and see how the place feels like. I started on myu drive from Guwahati at around 9 AM and crossed the new Saraighat bridge and took the road left that leads to Hajo. After driving for a while I reached a market area and from here I had to take a left to go to Suwalkuchi. I arrived at Suwalkuchi at 10 AM. At first I stopped at the entrance of this town near Guwahati where there is a huge gate that welcomes visitors to Suwalkuchi – the Manchester of the East.

After clicking my pictures here I drove towards Suwalkuchi town near Guwahati. On entering the town one can find various showrooms displaying the various mekhela chadors made of silk here. I parked my car and came to visit one of the silk emporiums here. I was recommended one of the shops here by a friend in Guwahati who had also requested the owner of the place to show me the art of weaving on the loom at his small factory at his home in Suwalkuchi. I reached the silk emporium at Suwalkuchi and met the owner Gautam Da who showed me around his shop. Various varieties of silk costumes were available here from the pat mekhela chadors to the very expensive and grand Muga mekhela chadors as well. After exploring the shop at Suwalkuchi near Guwahati he took me to his manufacturing unit a little away from the market. We reached his home shortly and then we went behind the house where there was a big godown kind of area and here and here there were many traditional looms and ladies were weaving on these looms. There were two men too who were equally skilled in weaving silk mekhela chadors. I admired their craftsmanship and took a look around the workshop for sometime. The sound of the loom was like music to my ears with the rhythmic clanking of the ‘Taat Haal’ as they call the loom in Assamese. I explored the place for sometime and after having tea at Gautam Da’s home I left Suwalkuchi to return to Guwahati before making a stop at the Saraighat War Memorial near Guwahati.

The Ahoms ruled Assam for over 500 years and they had one of the bravest army in India. The Mughals couldn’t conquer Assam during the reign of the Ahom Kings because of the bravery and sharp war tactics of the General of the Ahom army. During the fierce battle of Saraighat when the Mughals had come to conquer assam, the Ahom army put up a brave stand and drove the Mughals away from Assam. This battle was fought near Guwahati the then Kamarupa and its memoirs are preserved at the Saraighat war memorial near North Guwahati. There are various statues here depicting the bravery of the Ahom army and these statues have been designed depicting the fierce battle where one can see Lachit Borphukan – the brave general of the Ahom army commanding his soldiers. It was a big achievement for me in trying to relive these moments of my ancestors here at the saraighat War Memorial near Guwahati. I explored the area for a while clicking pictures and later returned back to my house in Guwahati ending another fruitful day of exploration around Guwahati.

Exploring Garbhanga Reserve Forest and Garbhanga Village in Guwahati ~

The place where I stay in Guwahati, Lokhra is very near to the Garbhanga Reserve Forest which is one of the most pristine reserve forest areas that has a fair population of various wildlife like Elephants, Leopards, Hoolock Gibbons, monkeys and various species of birds and butterflies. It is quite evident from the fact that I can easily spot many bird species in front of my house itself like egrets, cormorants, owls, lesser adjutants, storks, kingfishers, etc. My friend the owner of Chandubi Jungle Camp Mr. Kaushik was always interested in visiting the Garbhanga Reserve Forest in Guwahati to see if we could arrange for our future tours here especially for the bird watching and nature loving enthusiasts. But due to some reason or the other we were not being able to make our time to visit this place even though it is so close to my house. One day he dropped by in the morning to my place and asked me to accompany him to Garbhanga reserve forest in Guwahati. I had just got up and I had nothing planned for the day so I decided to accompany him along. As the roads are not very good and a wide road was just being made out across the mountains to access the villages that are located in the Assam and Meghalaya border we decided to take our bikes along as taking my car (which is not an SUV) wouldn’t be advisable. I got ready quickly and after having our breakfast we started on our ride to Garbhanga Reserve Forest at Guwahati.

We reached the forest office at Lokhra and from here there is a gate that needs to be crossed to start on the uphill climb on the mountain of the Garbhanga reserve forest. As you start climbing the breath of fresh air starts to fill your mind and you get a feeling of refreshment one you start driving. We started driving and continued to climb up the hill. The roads would be accessible during the winter months when it is dry because during the monsoons it would be very difficult to ride a bike hre as the roads would get muddy. As it was winter we were able to drive with ease apart from certain patches on the roads where water pools made the road muddy. We carefully crossed these patches and continued to drive. After a little while we stopped at a place where there was a little stream of water flowing. We took our time exploring the beautiful forest forest reserve and also to watch the various bird species here. The chirping of the birds was like natural music to our ears here at the Garbhanga Reserve Forest in Guwahati.

We started on the drive again and next we reached a place where we could see a nice backdrop of the mountains and there were paddy fields around as this was a plain area after climbing the mountain. There was a tree house also here from where the villagers kept a watch on the paddy fields during the night to ward away wild animals that came to these fields. There were a lot of trees a little ahead and we clicked our pictures here. We finally reached the villages of Garbhanga near Guwahati in sometime and it was nice to see human settlements finally! These villagers here belong to the Karbi tribes of Assam and also the Garo tribes of Meghalaya as this village is located very close to the border of Assam and Meghalaya near Guwahati. There is also a school here called the Parijat Academy which is run by a local person and some Australian samaritans. We went to the village school and saw a teacher teaching the students. We did not want to disturb them and so we went to a house nearby where we interacted with a local lady here.

The lady narrated her life in the Garbhanga village near Guwahati and told us how difficult their lives were here. As they had to come down to Lokhra area in Guwahati every sunday carrying a heavy load of local vegetables and other grocery items which they would sell in the sunday market and later carry back produce that is not available/grown in their village like potatoes, onions, salt, oil, etc. (while we took our bikes and it took us about an hour and a half to reach) these villagers walk all the way and come back walking again. This is now a little easier as the road has been built and pick up trucks ply to and from these villages to Guwahati. Still carrying the load all the way is a difficult task nonetheless. The lady showed us around their garden and we could see fresh vegetables being grown here. It tempted us a lot to buy and carry some vegetables along with us but as we did not bring any item to carry them we did not take the vegetables. Next up we went to the small market area that was present near the village. There were only a few shops here selling local goods and an interesting stone like item which they told us is used to brew a local alcohol. We had tea here at the market and got to know the the border of Assam and meghalaya is just a little ahead. We finished exploring the Garbhanga reserve Forest area and buy 11 AM headed back to Lokhra in Guwahati.

Exploring the Barpeta Satra near Guwahati ~

I had heard about the Doul Utsav celebrations (Holi) that is held on a grand scale at the Barpeta Satra near Guwahati so I had a plan to visit this place during the celebrations here. Upon discussing this plan with one of my friends who had visited this place during the celebrations strictly advised me not to visit the place during this time as thousands of people come here during this festival and it becomes difficult even to get into the Satra premises. So he told me to visit the Barpeta Satra near Guwahati on any other day apart from the festival time. I took his advice and so I planned on visiting the Barpeta Satra near Guwahati on the coming friday itself.

I started from Guwahati at 8.30 AM to drive to Barpeta. The roads are good so the drive is good. It is almost 100 km to Barpeta Satra from Guwahati at my home and the drive would take about 2 hours 30 minutes to reach. I reached the Barpeta Satra at around 10.50 AM. I parked my car at the parking area and then went to visit the Barpeta Satra near Guwahati. Outside the Satra there are many local shops that sell items to offer puja at the Namghar of the Barpeta Satra. I bought a puja thali and then went inside the premises of the Barpeta Satra near Guwahati. There is a huge entrance gate at the Satra and from here I had to take a right to go to the Satra Namghar. The Barpeta Satra was established by the disciple of Saint Reformer Srimanta Shankardeva who was Sri Madhava Deva in 1505 AD. I went near the Namghar and one ‘Bhokot’ greeted me here. He took me around the Namghar and helped me offer my prayers here at the Barpeta Satra near Guwahati. At the entrance of the Namghar there are two huge tree trunks. The ‘Bhakat’ informed me that these were the trunks of the Tulsi (Holy Basil) trees. I was taken by surprise as the normal Tulsi trees we see today are shrubs and do not have such massive trunks. The ‘Bhokot’ assured me that it was a Tulsi tree so I believed him.

After offering my prayers I took my time exploring the Barpeta Satra near Guwahati. The Namghar is adorned with beautiful paintings of the life of Lord Krishna. There is a small hut here where Sri Madhava Deva used to spend his time at the Barpeta Satra. Behind the Namghar of the Barpeta Satra near Guwahati there is a huge community hall where elders of the Satra used to hold meetings and religious conventions. It was written here that women are not allowed inside the place which was the belief of earlier times for sure. Next up there are the various ‘Hutis’ or the houses of the monks of the Barpeta Satra near Guwahati. There is also a small museum that has relics from the ancient era of Neo vaishnavism in Assam. I walked around the satra for a little more time and later returned back to Guwahati after having my lunch at the Barpeta market.

Exploring Bordowa Satra at Nagaon and the Deosal Mandir at Jagiroad near Guwahati ~

In the month of March 2016, I went out to explore the Bordowa Satra in Nagaon from Guwahati and on the drive back to Guwahati from Nagaon I planned my visit at the Deosal temple shrine at Jagiroad. Bordowa at Nagaon near Guwahati was the birthplace of the Holy Saint reformer Srimanta Shankardeva who propagated the neo vaishnavism cult of Assam and helped in establishing various Satras and Namghars across the State of Assam. The bordowa Satra is where you get a glimpse of the the life of the holy Saint and so I wanted to explore the place. I started from Guwahati at 8 AM in the morning as time taken to reach nagaon is about 2 hours and I had to return to Guwahati by late afternoon.

I reached Nagaon at around 9.45 AM and from the town I had to take a road towards left that leads to the Bordowa Satra. I arrived at the Bordowa Satra at around 10.15 AM. A very beautiful place across the green fields, I parked my car at the entrance and then bought some puja items and proceeded to visit the Bordowa Satra in Nagaon. Upon entering there is a huge prayer hall where I could see the devotees sitting and offering their prayers. It was some holy day on the day I visited so there were many devotees present at the Bordowa Satra near Guwahati. I explored the Satra for a while and one interesting thing here is the museum and also the various huge ponds in the satra premises. after about an hour I left the Bordowa Satra to return to Guwahati. On the way I made a stop at the Deosal Temple at Jagiroad. I offered my prayers to Lord Shiva here and later returned to Guwahati by 5 PM.

Exploring Tezpur from Guwahati ~

When I started my Tour company I was yet to explore certain places in the recent times which I had explored as a child during my stay in Assam. Revisiting these places would help me plan the future Itineraries better for our guests from across the World. One place which I never visited earlier was the Nameri National Park and I didn’t have much idea about the places here to stay so one day in March 2016, I asked my brother to accompany me to Tezpur where we would visit the Nameri National Park and then on the way back to Guwahati we would halt at Tezpur to check out a few more places of interest. The drive to Nameri National Park from Guwahati would take about 4 hours so we left early from Guwahati at 6.30 AM as we were scheduled to return back home by evening. We made a halt for breakfast at the Gupta’s dhaba near Jagiroad where we had hot tawa rotis and dal tadka along with tea. After breakfast we continued on our drive crossing Nagaon, Amoni to finally arrive at Kaliabor.

From Kaliabor we took a left to go towards Tezpur from Guwahati. Next up we made a halt under the Kaliabhomora bridge near Tezpur. Spanning across the river Brahmaputra connecting Guwahati to Tezpur, the water here are becoming a tourist destination for River Dolphin sightings. I had asked one person to help us sight river dolphins here and he came to visit us here. We first explored the remains of a battle tank that is located here which was used during World War II. This battle tank has been maintained properly and it still looks like it could take on a battle right now. Next we headed to the dolphin view point to sight river dolphins. These river dolphins were once found in abundance across the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries across Assam, but excessive and uncontrolled hunting have reduced their numbers drastically and they are now in the endangered list confined to the protected areas in the National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries of Assam. In about 10 minutes we caught a glimpse of the first river dolphin here in the waters of the Brahmaputra and slowly we got lucky to sight another 2 as well. We wanted to stay longer but as we had less time in our hands and had to reach Guwahati by evening we left the place to continue to drive to Nameri National Park.

We arrived at Nameri at around 11 AM. We had come to explore the various accommodation options so we started with the Nameri Jungle Camp. A newly constructed jungle camp, this place offers tree houses as accommodations to its guests. various homes have been constructed and the place is spread out on an open area with a dining area in between. Next up we headed to the Nameri Eco Camp which is the most popular accomodation option here in Nameri. The place has jungle tents converted in cottages for the stay of guests. Along with it there are traditional bamboo cottages and dorms as well. A souvenir shop and dining hall is also present to cater to the needs of guests. This place offers river rafting on the waters of the Jia Bhoroli river as well. next up we visited the Jia Bhoroli resort (property of Assam tourism) leased out to a private operator. This is a modern stay lodge at Nameri with concrete rooms for guests. We took a walk along the Jia Bhoroli river here at Nameri National Park and also visited the forest range office of Nameri near Guwahati. We left to head towards tezpur at 12.30 PM.

At Tezpur, we first had our lunch and then set out to explore the Agnigarh Fort here at Tezpur near Guwahati. Agnigarh aka the Fortress of Fire is located is a hillock on the banks of the mighty River Brahmaputra at the city of Tezpur in the State of Assam. As per Hindu mythology, it is the site of the fortress which was built by ‘Banasura‘ to keep his daughter Usha in isolation. The name itself is derived from the words ‘Agni’ (meaning fire) and ‘Garh’ (meaning fortress or wall) in Sanskrit. We explored the fort and later went to visit the Cole’s Park at Tezpur. This park is a place where the residents of Tezpur come to spend their time in the evenings. An old air force fighter aircraft is jet on display here as well. One last stop was to visit the Tezpur University before heading on our drive back to Guwahati. One of the most beautiful university campus in Assam, the Tezpur University is spread across a sprawling campus and has been voted as one of the top 50 universities in India. We took our car and drove across the campus to meet our cousin who is a member of the staff here at the university. We had a cup of coffee at the university canteen with her and later we drove back to Guwahati ending our day’s visit from Guwahati to Tezpur and back.

Exploring Shillong and Cherrapunji from Guwahati

While I was working and had not yet started my travel company, day trips to Shillong and Cherrapunji from Guwahati was a common occurrence for us once in a month on a weekend. A group of friends would go out at first to Cherrapunji, explore the natural landscapes here, grab a few beers and then have traditional Khasi lunch at a small shop in the Cherrapunji market and then come to Shillong to later return to Guwahati by late evening.

In one such instance we left to Cherrapunji early in the morning at 7 AM from Guwahati on a sunday. We stopped at Nongpoh for breakfast and then continued to drive to Umiam near Shillong and Guwahati. We took a break here to admire the beautiful waters of the Umiam lake and then drove further to Shillong. Sunday means less traffic on the roads of Shillong and so we crossed Shillong quickly along the Guwahati-Shillong road. Gradually we reached Upper Shillong where we drove to the Shillong peak to get a majestic bird’s eye view of Shillong city from here. After sometime here we continued further to drive to Cherrapunji. We reached the Mawkdok viewpoint midway and stopped here to admire the beautiful valleys of Meghalaya. We reached Cherrapunji at 11.30 AM from Guwahati. We went to the Nohkalikai falls viewpoint to admire the grandeur of India’s tallest plunge waterfall. Then we came down to the market to buy a few beers and drove to the Dainthlen falls at Cherrapunji. After this we went to a friends home to have our beers and we went out with him to the small restaurant at the market where we had ‘Jadoh’ and pork with spinach and tomato chutney. We ended our Cherrapunji visit with the Seven Sister Falls and drove to Shillong.

We arrived at Shillong at 4.30 PM and we headed to our friends place in Laban. We went to the Police bazar area next as our friends had little work at their shop here. After their work was over we went to a Chinese restaurant where we had momos. We left Shillong at 6 PM to return to Guwahati by 8 PM.

Exploring Samdrup Jongkhar (Bhutan) from Guwahati ~

In order to promote cross border trade and to boost tourism the Country of Bhutan allows visitors from India to travel to the town of Samdrup Jongkhar near Guwahati without any passport or visa. Travellers can show a valid ID proof (Voter ID Card) at the immigration check gate of Bhutan and they are allowed to cross into Bhutan, explore the local market at Samdrup Jongkhar, drive up to a hill where there is a restaurant cum lodge where visitors can get to taste Bhutan wine and liquor, enjoy the cuisine of Bhutan and even halt for the night and then return to Guwahati. Visitors are however not allowed to cross the second immigration checkpoint without a valid visa. Samdrup Jongkhar welcomes many local tourists from Guwahati where people travel to Bhutan to enjoy the warm hospitality of the people here and enjoy their culture and food and later return back to Guwahati. We narrate our experience of travelling to Bhutan from Guwahati.

I have visited Bhutan many times earlier from Guwahati and this time it was a group of friends who planned on visiting Samdrup Jongkhar in Bhutan from Guwahati. We would be joined by a local person from Darranga Mela who would take us to some places in Samdrup Jongkhar market as well. We started from Guwahati at about 10 AM. We were joined by one of our friends from Majuli Island in Assam and our sole purpose of our short trip was to him around Bhutan. We crossed Amingaon, Changsari, Baihata to arrive at Rangia from where we took a right to continue to Tamulpur, Kumarikata to finally arrive at Darranga Mela at 12.15 PM. here we met our local friend who joined us to go to Samdrup Jongkhar. We arrived at the immigration check gate of Indo Bhutan border and everyone got down with their ID proofs for verification. Our IDs were cross checked and we were allowed to enter Bhutan at Samdrup Jongkhar. We took a short drive around Samdrup Jongkhar and headed to the Tashi Gasel Lodge atop the hill area here.

The friend from Darranga Mela seemed to know everyone around here and we were offered our seats here. We ordered for 3 beers and a bacardi breezer for the lady friend along with pork dry fry, green salad and peanut masala. The view of the landscapes of Samdrup Jongkhar from here is breathtakingly beautiful and you can get to see the nice empty roads and a bridge over a river here. In sometime our order arrived and we got to talking while sipping over our beers. The pork fry was very tasty and they use smoked pork to prepare this recipe. The beer we ordered was Druk beer manufactured and bottled in Bhutan. Interestingly they use kingfisher bottles to package their beers. We finished by 2 PM and then headed to go to the Samdrup Jongkhar market area. Just closeby the Tashi Gasel lodge there is a stupa area here. We climbed to this place and saw the customary buddhist religious flags here. We sat down here for a while clicking our pictures and then started to drive to the market area of Samdrup Jongkhar.

We arrived soon at the market area of Samdrup Jongkhar and parked our car in the huge parking area here and headed to have our lunch at one of the local restaurants here. This place served food like the one we get we in Assam of rice, dal, fish curry, etc. The staff here even spoke in Assamese and they were mostly nepali boys. The place was completely filled as it was a sunday and also Saraswati puja as well. In sometime we got our tables and we took our seats to have our lunch. We finished our lunch and then took a walk around the market area and visited the various local shops. Also we visited the small monastery like place here. I bought some biscuits and candies to take home. It was around 4 PM and we planned on leaving to Guwahati. The local friend took us finally to a pub here in Samdrup Jongkhar. I never knew about this place from my earlier visits so I decided to give it a try. We entered the place and were welcomed by the waitresses here. We ordered for 2 more beers and a small bottle of wine here. The DJ put on some bollywood tunes while we had our beers. We also danced to a song number here as well. At 5 PM we finally left Bhutan to head back to Guwahati before making a stop at a local shop to carry home few wine bottles as gifts to friends. We dropped our friend at Darranga Mela and then started on our continuous drive to Guwahati. We finally arrived in Guwahati at around 8 PM in the evening ending another memorable trip to Samdrup Jongkhar in Bhutan from Guwahati.

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Exploring some of the popular restaurants in Guwahati ~

1| Chung Fa

Location: Geeta Nagar near Zoo Road tiniali, Guwahati

Speciality: Chinese

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Mixed fried rice, Pan fried noodles, Roast Pork, Garlic Prawns

2| China Town

Location: Rajgarh link road, Guwahati

Speciality: Chinese

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Prawns Manchurian, Roast pork, Chicken noodles, Pork fried rice

3| Bonfire

Location: Rajgarh link road, Guwahati

Speciality: India, Assamese

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Assamese Thali Non veg, Momos

4| Heritage Khorika

Location: Silpukhuri, Guwahati

Cuisine: Assamese traditional

Ambience: Casual dining

Must try: Chicken Khorika, Veg Thali, Fish curry, Duck Curry

5| The Dhaba

Location: Silpukhuri, Guwahati

Cuisine: Indian, Chinese, Mughlai

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Mutton biryani, Chicken biryani, Chicken Kasa, Mutton roganjosh

6| Quick Pick

Location: Silpukhuri, Guwahati

Cuisine: Indian, Chinese

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Chicken Lollipop, BBQ chicken momo, chicken meatball soup, devil’s’ chicken, nonveg thali

7| Paradise

Location: Silpukhuri, Guwahati

Cuisine: Assamese Traditional

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Parampara thali, Mutton curry, Pigeon meat curry, Duck meat curry

8| Steaming Mug

Location: Ambari, Guwahati

Speciality: Continental, Chinese

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Drums of heaven, Smoked BBQ chicken pizza, crispy fish burger, Saffron dum biryani

9| 11th Avenue Bistro

Location: Ambari, Guwahati

Speciality: Continental

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: American Breakfast, The Porky Burger, Bacon Egg and Cheese Sandwich, 4 Sauce Wings Platter

10| Momo Ghar

Location: Ambari, Guwahati

Speciality: Momos

Ambience: Seating and take away

Must try: Pork Momos, Chicken Momos, Pork dry fry

11| Alfresco Grand

Location: Machkhowa, Guwahati

Speciality: Indian and Chinese

Ambience: River Cruise Dining and Bar

Must try: Mutton Rogan Josh, Paneer Malai Tikka, Fish Corn Fritters

12| Kamikaze

Location: Machkhowa, Guwahati

Speciality: Indian and Chinese

Ambience: River Cruise Dining, Disco and Bar

Must try: Chicken tandoori, Paneer Tikka, Chicken Seekh Kababs

13| Railway Canteen

Location: Maligaon, Guwahati

Speciality: Assamese and Bengali

Ambience: Seating

Must try: Veg Thali, Fish Thali, Chicken Thali, Mutton Thali

14| Biryani Center

Location: Maligaon, Guwahati

Speciality: Indian and Chinese

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Chicken Dum Biryani, Mutton Dum Biryani, Mutton kasha, Mutton Masala

15| Maa Manasha

Location: Maligaon, Guwahati

Speciality: Bengali

Ambience: Seating

Must try: Veg Thali, Prawn malai curry, Sital fish curry, Aari fish curry, Mutton curry

16| Borluit Dhaba

Location: Amingaon, Guwahati

Speciality: Assamese traditional

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Assamese veg thali, Assamese non veg thali, local chicken curry, fish curry

17| Manikanta Restaurant

Location: Airport, Guwahati

Speciality: South Indian

Ambience: Seating

Must try: Idlis, vadas, Masala Dosa, South Indian tiffin meals

18| Jalukbari Dhaba

Location: Jalukbari, Guwahati

Speciality: Indian and Chinese

Ambience: Seating

Must try: chicken lababdar, Mutton curry, fish curry

19| Whistling Woods dhaba

Location: Jalukabari, Guwahati

Speciality: Indian and Chinese

Ambience: Seating

Must try: Thali, chicken curry, mutton curry, fish curry, dal fry

20| Radisson Blu Guwahati

Location: Boragaon, Guwahati

Speciality: 4 Star

Ambience: Fine Dining

Must try: Asian cuisine

21| Bajawi Hotel 

Location: Garchuk, Guwahati

Speciality: Bodo Tribal cuisine

Ambience: Seating

Must try: Pork with black dal, snails with black dal, boiled rice

22| Paakghar Restaurant

Location: Lokhra, Guwahati

Speciality: Indian and Assamese

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Thali, Fish fry, Local chicken curry, tandoori items

23| Manager Line Hotel

Location: Nalapara, Guwahati

Speciality: Indian Bihari cuisine

Ambience: Dhaba

Must try: Tandoori Roti, Mutton Curry, Chicken curry, Paneer Bhurji

24| Hotel Palacio

Location: Khanapara, Guwahati

Speciality: Indian and Chinese

Ambience: Fine Dining

Must try: Ala Carte Menu

25| Vivanta by Taj

Location: Khanapara, Guwahati

Speciality: 5 Star

Ambience: Fine Dining

Must try: A La Carte

26| Novotel Hotel

Location: Six Mile, Guwahati

Speciality: 5 Star

Ambience: Fine Dining

Must try: A La Carte

27| The Lily

Location: Khanapara, Guwahati

Speciality: 3 Star

Ambience: Fine Dining

Must try: A La Carte

28| Hotel Shoolin Grand

Location: Six Mile, Guwahati

Speciality: Chinese and Indian

Ambience: Fine Dining

Must try: A La Carte

29| Naga Kitchen 

Location: Six Mile, Guwahati

Speciality: Naga and Chinese

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Naga Thali, Momos, Smoked Pork, Pork Thali, Noodles

30| Kalita’s Spectrum

Location: Six Mile, Guwahati

Speciality: Continental and Indian

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Chilly Lamb, Tiger prawns lababdar, Kung pao chicken, Mixed meat noodles

31| Cafe Hendrix

Location: Six Mile, Guwahati

Speciality: Pub

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Fish and Chips, Pork manchurian, Crispy baby corns

32| Spice Route

Location: Dispur, Guwahati

Speciality: Indian and Chinese

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Prawns malai curry, murgh makhani, mutton rogan josh

33| Dispur Dhaba

Location: Ganeshguri, Guwahati

Speciality: Indian and Chinese

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Mutton curry with roti, Chicken Mughlai paratha, Chicken dhaba special, Mutton Biryani

34| Three Guys Restaurant

Location: Zoo Tiniali, Guwahati

Speciality: Indian and Chinese

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Fried chicken finger, Pan fried dumplings, chicken seekh kabab, Mutton biryani

35| KFC

Location: Zoo Tiniali, Guwahati

Speciality: Chicken

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Chicken Popcorn, Rice Bowlz, Smoky Wings, Chicken Longer

36| Red Contemporary Dining

Location: Zoo Road, Guwahati

Speciality: Asian, Chinese, North Indian

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Chicken Butter Masala, Mutton curry, Fried Rice, Noodles

37| Barbecue Nation

Location: Ulubari, Guwahati

Speciality: North Indian, Mediterranean

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Barbecue Skewers, Barbecue Platter, Desserts

38| 16 Anna Bengali

Location: Ulubari, Guwahati

Speciality: Bengali

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Daab Chingri, Thali, Muri ghonto, Mutton kasha, Chingri Malai Curry

39| Khorika 

Location: Ulubari, Guwahati

Speciality: Assamese

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Non Veg Thali, Chicken Khorika, Pork Khorika, Rohu Fish Curry

40| City Dhaba

Location: Ulubari, Guwahati

Speciality: Indian

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Chicken Tikka Butter Masala, Mutton Dum Biryani, Mutton Kosha

41| Karims

Location: Roodraksh Mall, Guwahati

Speciality: Indian

Ambience: Take Awayy

Must try: Mutton Biryani, Gosht Seekh Kabab, Chicken kathi Kabab, Murg Lahori

42| Nehars

Location: Bhangagarh, Guwahati

Speciality: Indian

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Mutton Biryani, Mutton Rogan Josh, afghan chicken, Murgh Mumtaz

43| Ichchapuron

Location: Ganeshguri, Guwahati

Speciality: Bengali

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Ichchapuron Thali, Mutton Pulao, Chicken Kosha, Mutton Kosha, Bhapa Ilish, Bhetki Macher Jhal

44| Street Za

Location: Hatigaon, Guwahati

Speciality: Fast Food

Ambience: Food Truck

Must try: Chicken Rolls, Chicken Momo, Chicken Burger, Chicken Noodles

45| Kolkata Biryani

Location: Ganeshguri, Guwahati

Speciality: Biryani

Ambience: Seating

Must try: Mutton Biryani, Chicken Biryani

46| Food Ex

Location: Bhangagarh, Guwahati

Speciality: Indian and Chinese

Ambience: Casual Dining

Must try: Mutton Biryani, Chicken Biryani, Chicken Fried Rice, Chicken Noodles, Tandoori Chicken

47| J14

Location: Bhangagarh, Guwahati

Speciality: North Indian

Ambience: Take away

Must try: Chicken Momos, Tandoori chicken, Baba roll, Chicken Seekh Kabab roll

48| Meat Durbari

Location: Bhangagarh, Guwahati

Speciality: North Indian

Ambience: Take away

Must try: Special Roll, Chicken Biryani, Chilly Chicken, Tandoori Chicken