No matter how many places you visit in a year, that feeling of the first trip is second to none and my very first trip of the year was to the perfect paradise for an eco-nut like me.
Guwahati is the largest city in the state of Assam, one of the seven sisters in India, situated on the banks of Brahmaputra river which is considered to be the most famous male river in the country. It is the emerging sports capital of India. As someone who's never been to North East India, I didn't know what to expect when the trip was planned considering it has always been a secluded region of the country. But that's the beauty of travelling, isn't it? Teetering in the unknown. And the overall experience of the trip left me wondering when did all the days flew by.
How to reach:
By Road:
The distance between New Delhi to Guwahati is 1932 kilometers by road. There are no direct buses available, at least not that I know of. You can choose to drive.
By Air:
The most convenient and easy way to reach Guwahati is by Air. Direct flights are available from Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Chennai, etc. on a daily basis. The airline I traveled in was JetAirways. You can get cheap tcikets by early booking.
By Rail:
Railway journey to Guwahati is almost two days long. Direct trains are available from many cities. Although the price of train tickets isn't much cheaper than flight tickets. You can still check and try your luck, though.
Getting around Guwahati:
There is nothing better than having a friend who lives in the city you're visiting. We traveled the whole of Guwahati on scooties feeling the strong gush of winter air of the city on our faces. The transport link of Guwahati is well organised. You can take buses to travel around the nearby areas. Sumos are also available. They are basically shared taxis and are pretty cheap. Ola and Uber also provide their services in the city. How amazing is that! Private taxis can also be booked for the number of days you're planning to visit by giving a couple extra bucks.
Now, here's what the beautiful city of Assam has to offer:
The Tirupati Balaji temple is the first temple we visited in the city of temples which is considered to be a very holy place for the Hindu pilgrims. The main shrine of the temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu which is said to be carved out of a single rock and the idol weighs about 4 tonnes . The architecture of the temple resembles South Indian style. At the entrance of the temple, you'll also find a temple of Lord Ganesha. Temple premises also has park attached to it covered with beautiful flowers. The temple also organizes pujas and aartis on a daily basis.
Timings:
Summer:
Mornings: 7 a.m-11 a.m.
Evenings: 3:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
Winter:
Mornings: 7 a.m-11 a.m.
Evenings: 3:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Situated in Uzan Bazar area, the place gives an amazing view of the Brahmaputra river. The morning hours are perfect to visit the loaction as it is more peaceful then.
It is situated on the world's smallest river island called Peacock Island. The temple gives a wonderful view of the river Brahmaputra river. The endangered Golden Langur can also be seen here. You can take a ferry ride to reach the island which is available till 4 o'clock at a fare of rupees 20. One can also enjoy river cruise on Brahmaputra river which includes traveling to the temple as well. The difference between ferry ride and river cruise is that the latter is quite expensive.
Built in the memory of Mahatama Gandhi, it is loacted on the hill top of Sarania Hills. The top provides a view of one-fourth of the city and has a statue of Father of the Nation. It also has a monumental flag which stand 319.5 feet high. It is India's tallest National flag from the average city elevation and thrid highest flagpole in the country after Attari Border which is 360 feet and Pimpri Chinchwad Bhakti Shakti Chowk in Pune which is 351 feet. The place also has meuseum but since, it is still under construction, the meuseuem hasn't been opened yet.
Located in the outskirts of city, the sanctuary is designated as Ramsar Site on international level. Since it is a birds sanctuary, thousands of migratory birds can be seen here.
Every place you visit has this one place that if you don't visit, the trip is considered incomplete. Kamakhya devi temple is one of those places. It is one of the oldest Shakti Peeth which are sprinkled throughout the Indian subcontinent. Shakti peethas are "significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism, the goddess-focused Hindu tradition" and considered divine. There is one caveat though. Some serious sacrifice rituals takes place inside the temple. We didn't go inside the temple for same reason.
Dighal is Assamese means "small" and Pukhuri means "pond". It is a man-made pond and it is a must visit cultural and monumental heritage of Assam. It is a beautiful garden with stautues of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, a famous singer of Assam and Radha Govinda Baruah, first Mayor of Guwahati city and builder of modern Assam.
It is considered as the heart of Gawahati and is also known as Faasi Bazaar. It is one of tha most famous market in the city and is perfect for those who loves shopping. Like every other Indian market, this one's crowded too. Mekhla Chadar, famous Assamese silk, can also be bought here.
Do I need a permit to enter Guwahati?
No, you don't. You, however, need an Inner line permit to enter Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim.
These were all the places I visited. I haven't mentioned all the tourist places of Gawahati.
You can also pay a visit to Assam State zoo cum Botanical Garden and get a chance to watch the rare One Horned Rhino, Assam State Museum, Kaziranga National Park, Accoland, etc.
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