Guwahati’s untainted natural beauty mingles with age-old culture into a cauldron of surprises. Situated on the right side of the Himalayan mountain range, on the banks of the Brahmaputra river, this remote eastern city welcomes you with picturesque hills that almost appear painted in shades of greens and browns. The clear water of the river snakes alongside the centre of the city, with hilly landscapes in the horizon. A thriving flora flourishes on its muddy shore, adjacent to concrete roads that see an unexpected amount of traffic for a city that sprawls only 216 sq km.
With Air Vistara commencing flights to the city and Air Asia soon to follow, Guwahati’s international prominence is on the rise. Assam’s largest city saw its first 5-star property, Radisson Blu, open its doors last year, attracting tourists who were perhaps sceptical to venture in. And it’s understandable why; Guwahati isn’t the most obvious choice for a holiday. Firstly, because of language barriers, Hindi isn’t widely spoken and the residents are slowly getting used to English. Secondly, travelling through the city isn’t exactly smooth-sailing. But if you are daring enough and want to experience an unconventional getaway, take a direct flight from Mumbai (about three hours on IndiGo, GoAir and SpiceJet) or Delhi (about two and a half hours on JetKonnect, IndiGo and GoAir) and hop-on to this eastern adventure.
Temples adorned with idols of various Hindu gods can be found at every street-crossing, reaffirming its title as the “city of temples”. Mythical tales fill the air of Guwahati and locals engross you with fantastical stories from Indian epics that pique at your curiosity even before you visit the temples. Located on the Nilachal hill in western Guwahati, the eponymous Kamakhya mandir (named after goddess Kamakhya), is the city’s glory and the reason many religious Indians visit it.
Legend has it that goddess Kamakhya and Lord Shiva’s matrimony was never accepted by the goddess’s father. And after a heated fallout, she decided to jump into a pyre, giving rise to the concept of sati (an age-old Hindu funeral ritual which was made illegal in 1829). Lord Shiva, enraged with fury performed the “dance of destruction” or the tandav with her corpse. Lord Vishnu, to calm him down, cut apart her dead- body into 108 pieces. These parts fell across India at various sites (known as Shakti Peeths) where temples have been built to honour the goddess. Guwahati fascinates you when you least expect it and is definitely not for the faint-hearted traveller. Its culture charms and intimidates you at the same time.
The Kamakhya temple is especially holy for unhappy couples from across the country who visit in the hopes of conceiving a child. This is because reproductive organs of the goddess, it is believed, have fallen on this very location. This temple is known for black magic as well and Hindu priests offer animal sacrifices to the goddess every day. Assam also celebrates a festival called Ambubachi Mela (fest) which celebrates the yearly menstruation of the goddess. Priests even throw vermillion in the Brahmaputra river, turning it red in colour. Religious or non-religious, a unique cultural escapade awaits you at the Kamakhya mandir, and mustn’t be missed on your trip to Guwahati.
The temples’ adventure don’t end here; situated on a quaint island in the middle of the Brahmaputra river is the Umananda temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The river is a gracious beauty that flows through the centre of Guwahati. Brahmaputra River Cruises (brahmaputrarivercruises.com) organises 3-, 5- and 7-day excursions across the unexplored isles amidst this water body. However, for the time- pressed traveller, a visit to the Umananda temple is enough to give you a glimpse of the river’s splendour. Private boats are available on rent. The public ferry that transits through the island to its final destination is another option. Be careful to get the right ticket though, as you may not want to land up on the other side of the shore.
An hour or two is enough on the island, trekking across the non-temple areas, and of course, offering, prayers to the deity. Make sure to stay away from any additional monetary demands by priests with promises of a longer life in exchange for a few hundred rupees. This usually doesn’t work.
Not just temples, Guwahati is known for its fauna as well. Kaziranga National Park, located 200kms (five hours by road) from Guwahati is the ideal option for nature lovers. Home to 70 per cent of the world’s one-horned rhino population, this massive reserve is spread across 858 sqm of lush grasslands and river-islands. Ride an elephant through the national park or drive through in an enclosed jeep. If you’re lucky, you may be able to spot a Bengal tiger or two. Some of the other wild-animals that reside here are Indian civets, sambars, leopards, sloth bears and capped langurs. Of course, a trip to the national park would require an additional day and this only makes sense if you have no time-constraints.
A spare few hours can also be spent at the Assam State Museum (Gopinath Bordoloi road), back in the city, for a peek into the historic tribal culture of the state. The building houses a commendable collection of traditional sculptures and anthropological galleries. If stars and planets catch your fancy, stop by the Guwahati planetarium (MC Road) to watch an astronomical show on its impressive dome besides exploring its exhibitions, seminars and workshops. An ideal way to spend your evenings
in Guwahati would be experimenting with the local cuisine at some of the age-old restaurants which pride themselves with Assamese style fish and thalis (plates with small portions of a number of dishes). Chicken in banana flower at Delicacy (gamsdelicacy.in) and the Assamese thali at Paradise (Krishna Nagar, Silphukuri) are two unmissable meals.
Travelling through Guwahati isn’t easy and might require some pre-planning. You can choose to rent
a car and drive through with Google maps as your co-pilot, or take an Ola cab for every journey. Be prepared to wait a while before the cab arrives; and for longer journeys, make sure to book well in advance.
Guwahati fascinates you when you least expect it and is definitely not for the faint-hearted traveller. Its culture charms and intimidates you at the same time. Even as an Indian, I almost felt like an alien during my time there, and this wasn’t only because of the distance I had travelled from home. The locals aren’t used to seeing too many tourists but are warming up to the idea of it. An interesting trip, this eastern adventure is out of the ordinary.
