Places to Visit in Assam

I'd like to dedicate this thread to Mayuri who has posted such a beautiful thread on Assam

Welcome to Assam! You'll fall in love

All I can say after reading through your beautiful representation is WOW! It sounds like Heaven on Earth. I had heard about Assam from my friends but never felt like visiting it till Mayuri...You brought us so close to it. The Pics you have posted are beautiful and enthralling.

Thank you for the heartfelt invitation. I'd definitely like to visit this Enchanting Land. And I sincerely feel everybody at Indusladies must be feeling the same. I'm starting this new thread as I'd like people from Assam to tell us about the PLACES TO VISIT in Assam. This will make our Journey enjoyable!

Happy Posting!

Sonia

Great thread!!!
There are many places to visit in Assam from religious places to natural beauty. However, I'd like to start off with an introduction to The Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati.

Kamakhya temple,located in Guwahati is situated on Nilachal Hill, eight km west of the city. This temple was built in honour of the Mother Goddess Kamakhya, the essence of female energy and best known seats of Tantric Cult. Considered as one of the Shakti Peethas of Goddess Durga. Legend has it that Kamakhya came into existence when Lord Shiva was carrying the corpse of his wife Sati, and her "yoni" (female genitalia) fell to the ground at the spot where the temple now stands.

The temple is a natural cave with a spring. Down a flight of steps to the bowel of earth, is located a dark, mysterious chamber. Here, draped with a silk sari and covered with flowers, is kept the "matra yoni".

The Temple was rebuilt in 1665 by King Naranarayan of Cooch Behar after being destroyed by Muslim invaders, but its origins are much older than that. It was probably an ancient Khasi sacrificial site, sacrifices are still very much part of worshiping here.

A unique festival observed here is the Ambuvachi (fertility) festival in the month of June (every year in on the seventh day of Ashaad) wherein it is believed that the Goddess Kamakhya (mother Earth) undergoes her menstrual period. The temple remains closed for three days thereafter and on the fourth day its doors are re-opened to pilgrims with much fanfare.

Best Time to visit: All the year round/ peak season - Ambuvachi
Temple hours: The temple remains open from 8.00 am to sunset, except for 2 hours at noon when the temple doors remain close.
How to reach: One can easily reach Kamakhya Temple by taking regular Buses or by hiring taxis from Guwahati

Hi Friends,

You all must be aware of National Parks in India (mostly Rajasthn and MP) like the famous Jim Corbett National Park, ranthambore National park and the Gir Forests. But, there are many national parks in Assam which are waiting to receive visitors like you. Let me introduce you to a few of them.

KazirangaNational Park
Mornings in the KazirangaNational Park in the northeastern state of Assam are generally misty. So much so that the main gate of the Park is called kohra, or mist.

ManasNational Park
Manas is situated in Assam spread over an area of 391 sq km, earlier it was known as North Kamrup, declared as a sanctuary on December 01, 1928.

Nameri National Park
Nameri National Park covering an area of about 200sq. kms is located at the foothills of eastern Himalayas about 35km from Tezpur, the nearest town.

OrangNational Park
Considered to be the mini-Kaziranga due to its natural setting and presence of River Bhramhaputra in the northern frontier.

Dibru - Saikhowa National Park
Dibru - Saikhowa is the largest national park of Assam, spread over an area of 650 sq. km. It is located at about 13 kms north of Tinsukia town and is bounded by the Brahmaputra river and Arunachal hills in the north and Dibru and Patkai hills on the south.is bounded by the Brahmaputra river and Arunachal hills in the north and Dibru and Patkai hills on the south.

Here's another place worth visiting in Assam - The Umananda Temple

The Umananda temple is located on the Pea cock Island in the middle of the river Brahmaputra at Guwahati. Country boats that are available at this place take the visitors to the island. The mountain on which the temple has been built is known as Bhasmacala.

The presiding deity of the temple is Umananda (Tatrasti bhagavan sambhu- ruma- nandakarah Prabhu). It is believed that, worship here on the Amavasya day when it falls on Monday brings the highest bliss. The Siva Chaturdasi is the most colourful festival that is held here annually. Many devotees come to the temple on this occasion for the worship of the deity.

Journey to UmanandTemple in Guwahati

Airport: The nearest airport is at Guwahati. From where you have to take a ferry to the PeaCockIsland to visit the temple.
Railhead: The closest railhead is at Guwahati, From here you have to take a ferry to the PeaCockIsland in the middle of the river Brahmaputra. The railhead at Guwahati is connected to almost all the major cities of India.
Road Transport: Guwahati is linked to all the major cities of Assam and nearby states. One can easily Guwahati by road from any part of the state.
Water Transport: As the temple resides in an Island amidst the BrahmaputraRiver, one has to take a ferry to reach the temple. The ferries are arranged by the state tourism department for the tourists from all the parts of India and world.

Have you visited Umananda, tell us more about it and if you liked the place.

Its been quite a long time since we visited Kamakhya temple and Umananda. Reading the posts has really been like revisiting the shrines. I remember how excited we used to be to visit Kamakhya temple and the 'pandas' of the temple flocking us as soon we alighted from our cars.

However, it is definitely a divine experience as you enter the shrine deep under the ground. I definitely look forward to visiting again. Please continue sharing more information.

You can visit Kamakhya temple all round the year. However, a trip to the temple during Ambubachi is every devotee's wish. The Ambubachi Mela is celebrated every year during the monsoon season, which happens to fall in around the middle of the month of June.

The Ambubachi Mela is the most important festival of the Kamakhya Temple of Guwahati. It is believed that the presiding goddess of the temple, Devi Kamakhya, the Mother Shakti, goes through her annual cycle of menstruation during this time stretch.

The rituals at Ambubachi Mela:

During the Ambubachi Mela in Guwahati, the doors of the Kamakhya TempleDaily worships and other religious performances are also stopped during the Ambubachi Mela of Guwahati in Assam. remain closed for three days. It is believed that the Mother Earth becomes unclean for three days. During this time any kind of farming work is not taken on in Assam and to all those who believe in the Goddess.

After the completion of three days, the doors of the Kamakhya Temple are reopened. But the doors of the temple are reopened only after Devi Kamakhya is bathed and the other rituals are executed. It is then believed that the Mother Earth has retrieved her purity. This is purely a ritual of the Tantrik cult.

The Ambubachi Mela in Guwahati is held at the Kamakhya Temple, after being closed for the mentioned three days. On the fourth day, the devotees of the Goddess are allowed to enter the temple for worshipping Devi Kamakhya. Thousands of pilgrims are found to visit the Ambubachi Mela in Guwahati from all over India.