Page 330 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

328  EASTERN INDIA

Devotees at Guwahati’s Kamakhya Temple, a major centre of pilgrimage for Hindus
1 Guwahati 17th century, after the original  Umananda Temple
temple was destroyed by Muslim Peacock Island. 4 Umananda Ghat,
Kamrup (Metro) district. 1,081 km 1 km (0.6 miles) N of railway station.
(672 miles) NE of Kolkata. * 957,400. invaders. According to legend,
k Borjhar, 25 km (16 miles) W of as a furious and grieving Shiva
city centre, then bus or taxi. £ @ carried the corpse of his wife, Enchantingly located on the
n Assam Tourism, Station Rd, Sati (also known as Parvati) lush green Peacock Island in the
(0361) 254 7102. _ Rongali Bihu around the skies, parts of her middle of the Brahmaputra, this
(Apr), Ambubachi (Jun), Assam Tea dismem bered body fell to the 16th-century temple is also
Festival (Jan). earth (see p283). All these sites dedicated to Shiva’s wife. The
have been sanctified by major island, swarming with friendly
The capital of Assam, Dispur, temples. Kamakhya is believed langur monkeys, is an excellent
lies in Guwahati city. to mark the place where her place to watch the river, which
Guwahati is also the vagina fell, and is there- is deceptively slow on the surface
gateway to Northeast fore said to have special but with swift undercurrents.
India. Ringed by the powers associated
Nilachal Hills, the city with energy and E State Museum
stretches along both creation. In accor dance GN Bordoloi Rd. Tel (0361) 254 0651.
banks of the broad with tantric rituals, a goat is Open winter: 10am–4:30pm; summer:
Brahmaputra river. An sacrificed here every day, 10am–5pm daily. Closed Mon, 2nd &
ancient seat of tantric and offered to the 4th Sat of month. &
Hinduism, with a goddess. The giant This interesting museum, just
number of interesting Brass utensil for turtles in the temple east of the railway station, has
temples in its environs, serving betel leaf ponds enjoy being fed fine reconstructions of tribal
Guwahati is now a busy by visitors. The colourful
commercial centre for Assam’s annual Ambubachi festival,
tea and oil industries. Its outer which marks the end of the
fringes are dotted with the earth’s menstrual cycle, attracts
slender, graceful betelnut palm pilgrims here from all over India,
trees from which Guwahati to be blessed by the goddess.
(literally “Betel Nut Market”)
derives its name.  Navagraha Temple
On Chitranchal hill, in northeast
 Kamakhya Temple Guwahati, is the Navagraha
Open 8am–1pm daily. (“Nine Planets”) Temple,
∑ kamakhyadham.com believed to mark the site of the
Perched on Nilachal hill, 8 km ancient city of Pragjyotishpur,
(5 miles) northwest of the city, Guwahati’s old name, which
this temple is one of India’s most was famous as a centre of
important pilgrimage sites. astronomy. Beneath its red,
The present struc ture with its beehive-shaped dome is a
typically Assamese beehive- dark chamber with nine lingas Umananda Temple, on a pretty island in
shaped shikhara dates to the representing the nine planets. the Brahmaputra
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp698–9 and p712

328-329_EW_India.indd 328 26/04/17 11:45 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm