Overview
Guwahati is a sprawling city beside the Brahmaputra River in the northeast Indian state of Assam. It’s known for holy sites like the hilltop Kamakhya Temple, featuring shrines to the Hindu deities Shiva and Vishnu. To the east, 18th-century Navagraha Temple is an astronomical center with planetary shrines. Umananda Temple, dedicated to Shiva and covered with engravings, stands on Peacock Island in the river.
Pragjyotishpur was the historical name of the city of Guwahati. Under the Kamarupa kingdom, it used to be the capital of Assam. Durjaya was the ancient name for North Guwahati. Guwahati lies on the foothills of the Shillong plateau and between the banks of the river Brahmaputra.
Guwahati is one of the main tourist hubs in the entire Northeast India. The city is endowed with many beautiful places of tourist attraction. Every year thousands of tourists visit the place to appreciate its beauty. Guwahati is blessed with ancient temples, ponds, lakes, museums, heritage sites and sanctuaries. The mighty Brahmaputra River is one of the major attractions of Guwahati. It is the lifeline of Guwahati. Other tourist attractions of Guwahati include Deepor Beel, Digholi Pukhuri, Guwahati Planetarium, Accoland, Guwahati Zoo, Assam State Museum, and Srimanta Sankardeva Kalashetra. Among the many temples in Guwahati the first name that comes to mind is the famous Kamakhya temple. People not only from India but from abroad come to visit the temple to seek the blessings of Goddess Kamakhya.
Shopaholics would also find Gauhati a hub for shopping both contemporary and traditional items. In the many markets in Guwahati one will find the beautifully made silk items like “pat silk” and “muga silk”. Tourist coming to Guwahati can shop in the malls located here which includes the HUB, Dona Planet, Sohum Shoppe, Sohum Emporio, Westside, Pantaloons, Big Bazaar, Metro Bazar, Vishal Megamart, Reliance Trendz, Shoppers Point, Megha Plaza and so on.
Guwahati has a well developed transport system. Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati is the major airport of the city. Guwahati Junction railway station is the major station of Guwahati. Guwahati falls under the Northeast Frontier Railway Zone of the Indian Railways.
Guwahati connects the national highways within Assam and the other states of the Northeast. The national highways connect Gauhati to the entire Northeast, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. Transportation within the Guwahati city is facilitated by buses, autorickshaws.
