Tourist Places in Assam
Tourist Places in Assam
Assam, also described as the Shangrila in the North-Eastern India is the gateway to the North-East. The word Assam is derived from the Sanskrit word “ASOMA” meaning peerless. Nestling in the foothills of the Himalayas Assam is known as the land of blue hills and red rivers. The largest and most easily accessible of the north-east states, Assam grows 60% of India’s tea and produces a large proportion of India’s oil. The main visitor attraction is Kaziranga National Park, home of India’s rare one horned rhinoceros and Manas National Parks.
Assam, where the raging Brahmaputra flows, tea gardens brim, the nature work comes alive with national parks and sanctuaries. Assam, an up coming tourist destination is a land that keeps on unfolding its varied resources and attractiveness and also represent as the linkage and commercial hub of the whole North-East .
Guwahati
Guwahati is also known as the commercial capital of Assam and trade center of the North-East. The best thing about the city is that any part of North-East is accessible from here. Umananda temple, Kamakhya Temple, Assam Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Assam State Museum are the major tourist attractions to see when one is at Guwahati. Located on the banks of Brahmaputra, the feel of the rural riverside is a contrast to the hustle and bustle of the Central Market area.
Main Attractions of Guwahati
Assam Zoo and Botanical Gardens
These are open from September till March and its visiting time starts from seven in the morning upto four in the evening.
Assam State Museum
It is open on weekdays except Mondays from ten till four thirty in the evening and on Sundays, the visiting timings are eight in the morning till noon.
Kamakhya Temple
8 kms away from Guwahati and on the Nilachal hill, is the important temple of the goddess Kali. It represents the distinctive Assamese style in architecture and marks the place where one of the pieces of goddess Kali fell to Earth. The magnificent Brahmaputra and the city can be seen from a bird’s view by walking a little further up the hill.
Majuli
Situated 20 kms towards the north of Jorhat, this is the largest fresh water island in the world. This Island, that has a population of 1.6 lakhs, is also a natural habitat for the rare breeds of flora and fauna and serves as a migratory path for ducks, geese and other birds. For visiting Majuli one has to travel till Nimati Ghat(12 kms) and take a ferry ride to get there.
Sibsagar
Sibsagar which is 60 kms away from Jorhat and 369 kms from Guwahati is the seat of Assamese culture from time immemorial. The Ahoms who ruled Assam for six centuries had Sibsagar as its capital and the number of historical monuments of the Ahoms are found in the region. It is also famous for Shivadol which is the tallest Shiva temple and the two smaller temples on either side of it for the Lord Vishnu and the Goddess Durga.