Guwahati
Your Starting point Straddling either banks of the Brahmaputra,
Guwahati-said to be the legendary Pragiyotishpur or city of Eastern Light
is a bustling, busy and crowded city.
Guwahati is actually two
words: Guwa meaning areca nuts. Although guwahati is the most important
commercial hub of the region, this capital of Assam is located at the
adjoining township of Dispur.
Guwahati has several places of
historical interest. Perhaps the biggest attraction is the Kamakhya Temple
atop Nilachal hill, where the Goddess Kamakhya is worshipped and which
commands a majestic view of the city and the river. The ponds here are
home to giant turtles which are quite Used to being fed by visitors.
Another
temple which draws people is the Shiva temple on the island. There other
centres of religious and archeological interest such as the temples of
Nabagraha and Basista as well as of Janardhana. Those who are interested
in cruises can take one, either on the ferries that travels regularly
between sulkheshwr Ghat and North Guwahati or travels style in the vessels
of the statement Museum is a must for visitors, with exhibits which date
to the 7th Centuries A.D. stone sculptures and bronzes.
DAY
TRIPS
Sualkuchi is an hour's drive from
Guwahati and produces the golden silken thread for which Assam is famous.
One can see the silk begins its journey from the cocoon stage, to its
unraveling and then to the loom and finally as a saree or the traditional
Mekhala Chador, the two piece saree, which women wear on festive
occasions.
Hajo,
25 kms west of Guwahati, is the site of the Pua-Mecca mosque, setup by an
Iraqi prince who turned preacher and traveled all the way to Assam in the
12th century to spread the prophet's teaching. Hajo is revered by Muslims
and Hindu's for in the town is the Hayagriba Madhava Temple reached by way
of a long stone stairway. At the base of the stairway is a large pond
where resides one of the town is also well-known for its bell-metal work,
of plates and serving bowls.
Madan kamdev About 35km
away, is an archaeological site where erotic sculptures and other stone
carvings abound.
SHOPPING PLEASURES
Guwahati is the commercial capital of the North east. Its markets are busy
and noisy and well stocked, especially with local handicraft sand handloom
for handicraft item include the State Government department store,
Pragiyotika at Ambari as well as many privately owned shops in Pan Bazar
and Fancy Bazar, two of the main commercial markets, that sell a range of
items- from muga silk to bell metal, canework to woollen shawls and
elegant Naga and Manipur jackets.
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