Guwahati (Gauhati) India Travel Guide
Guwahati is the capital of
Assam, which a state in north eastern India.
Guwahati, which means “market of betel nuts”, lies sandwiched between the foothills of the
Shillong Plateau and the southern most bank of the mighty River
Brahmaputra. The city is famous as the gateway to the northeast. Apart from being a major oil and tea producer, it is also well known as a bustling metropolis. The city has become the business capital of the north eastern states of India.
Guwahati History
The folklore about the city dates back to the
Mahabharat, which is an epic in
Hindu Mythology. Legend has it that the city was established by Narkasura, a demon, and was named Pragjyotishpur, meaning the “Eastern City of Light”. Archeological evidence suggests early human settlements dating back to 2000 B.C. The Varman kings, from 400 A.D to the 13th century, were the first clan to establish dominance over the area. Then, the people of the
Ahom race established their dominance over the region from 1228 to 1826, during which the Tai
Ahom kingdom flourished. One of their biggest accomplishments was to stop the
Mughal expansion that was taking over India. The
Ahom kingdom slowly abated over a period of time, and by the middle of the 19th century the
Burmese had gained control of the city and surrounding area. The
Burmese were, in turn, defeated by the British, who controlled the area until
Indian Independence.
Today, the largest tea-auction market of the nation lies in the city. It also houses one of the campuses of IIT (
Indian Institute of Technology), the premier engineering institute of the world. The city is also famous for its celebration of
Bihus.
Guwahati Things To Do and Attractions
Guwahati has many old temples that have great religious importance. The temple Kamakhya is a dedication to shakti, or strength, and was once the centre of
tantric or black magic activities. You can still see the sacrificial alter inside the temple. Another temple worth a mention is the Navagrah temple. Dedicated to Lord
Shiva this temple has astronomical and astrological significance. The view from the temple is absolutely breath taking. The Umananda temple is also dedicated to Lord
Shiva, and has the most interesting journey of all the three, as a boat is required to reach the temple. There is small beach that offers an opportunity to relax right next to the temple Another
Guwahati thing to do is to visit the renowned
Assam State Museum. This edifice houses some of the most valued antiques of the country. The Saraighat Bridge in
Guwahati is another
Guwahati attraction that’s worth mentioning for the dolphins and natural beauty of the river below. You can also wade through the large tea plantations in the city and sip on the finest of teas.
Guwahati Excursions
About thirty kilometers from
Guwahati is Hajo, which is a unique place of religious importance for
Hindus,
Muslims and
Buddhists. It is a perfect example of communal harmony in the eastern region. About two-hundred-and-forty kilometers from
Guwahati is a one-of-a-kind national park with accommodation facilities, known as the
Kaziranga Game Sanctuary. It has the rare one-horned rhino, along with dozen of other endangered species. The
Manas Tiger Reserve in
Assam is the only tiger reserve in the region, and it attracts tourist from all over the world. Sixty-four kilometers from
Guwahati is a fabulous lagoon known as Chandubi. This is a beautiful picnic spot with loads of opportunities for anglers and boat rowers. About one-hundred kilometers from
Guwahati is
Shillong, another captivating city in India.
Guwahati Shopping
Guwahati has fancy malls that can be compared to the malls of New York. You will get almost everything from domestic to international brands in these malls. The city also has a lot of local bazaars where you can get the highest quality silk. Markets like Pan and Fancy bazaars, are excellent for buying bamboo and cane items at very reasonable prices.
Guwahati Restaurants
Again being a metropolitan city, you won’t find problem finding good
Guwahati restaurants. The traditional cuisines is however that of rice and a very tasty fish. The sweet dish of the city is the
pitha, which is a kind of a cake.
Guwahati Nightlife
Guwahati has few pubs compared to its development, but it has a whole lot of bars in its
Guwahati hotels. The booze is at pretty reasonable rates. There are the night parties that go on secretly in the city, for which you need a guide to take you there.
Guwahati Getting There and Around
This beautiful tea city is well connected by airways as well as a domestic airport. The city has four national highways intersecting it, making its connection by roadways very efficient. The city is also well connected to major cities of India by railways. The best time to go however is the winter season.
