Assam is the largest of the states in the northeast
of India is Assam whose capital, Guwahati, has
an inspired location on the banks of the River
Brahmaputra. Amidst Assam’s verdant lushness
are two important game sanctuaries, Manas and
Kaziranga, both best known for their population
of one horned Indian rhinoceros, a species that
faced extinction. Much of the rest of the state
is devoted to tea plantation which yield the
strong Assam leaf popular all over the world.
General Information
Altitude: 55 metres
Temperature (°C): Summer- Max. 35, Min.
22; Winter- Max. 26, Min.10
Rainfall: 180 cms (from May to Sep)
Best Season: October to May
Languages spoken: Assamese, Bengali, Hindi,
English
How to get there
By Air : Indian Airlines connect
Guwahati with Calcutta, Delhi, Bagdogra, Imphal
Agartala, Dibrugarh and Dimapur
By Train : Guwahati is connected by rail with
New Delhi, Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, Trivandrum,
Bangalore, Cochin, Silchar, Tinsukia and Dibrugarh
By Road: Guwahati is connected by good motorable
roads with Shillong 103 kms, Kaziranga National
Park 217 kms, Manas Wildlife Sanctuary 176
kms, Dimapur 280 kms, Itanagar 420 kms, Imphal
487 kms, Agartala 599 kms, Aizawal 538 kms,
Gangtok 624 kms, Darjeeling 587 kms, Calcutta
1182 kms and Kohima 342 kms
Places of interest in Guwahati
Janardhan Temple
Navagrah Temple
Umananda Temple
Bhubaneshwari Devi Temple
Museums
Assam Zoo and Botanical Gardens : 0700 to
1600 hrs (Sep to March)
Anthropological Museum: 1000 to 1600 hrs.
Closed on University Holidays
Assam Forest Museum: 1000 to 1600 hrs (Mon
to Fri), 1000 to 1300 hrs (Sat)
Cottage Industries Museum.
Museum of Animal Husbandry and Vaterinary
Science
Assam State Museum : 1000 to 1630 hrs (Tue
to Sat), 0800 to 1200 hrs (Sun)
Dept. of Historical & Antiquarium Research
: 1000 to 1600 hrs. Sun Closed.
Excursions from Guwahati
Haplong (Hill Station) 355 kms
Jatinga (Famous for bird mystry near Haplong)
364 kms
Hajo 32 kms
Kamakhya Temple 10 kms
Basistha Ashram 12 kms
Sualkuch 32 km
Chandubi Lake 64 km
Orang 150 km
Darrang 100 km
Bhairakunda 137 km
Batadrawa 134 kms
Barpeta 137 kms
Tezpur 181 kms
Bhalukpung 250 kms
Kaziranga National Park
Situated on the south bank of the Brahmaputra
river, Kaziranga National Park is famous for
the stronghold of the armoured one-horned
Indian Rhinocerous.The total area of Area
of the Park is 430 sq. kms. The Sanctuary
provides unique setting for a sight of its
best known wild life including birds. Park
closes between Mid April to Mid October for
tourists.
Sightseeing in the Park
It is essential for visitors to take a Forest
Department guide with them if they are going
by car or jeep, so that he can both direct
the vehicle and also sight wildlife for the
visitors. Timings : On Elephant Back: 0500
to 0600 hrs, 0630 to 0730 hrs and 1530 to
1630 hrs. By Road : 0800 to 1100 hrs and 1400
to 1630 hrs.
Sibsagar
Sibsagar was the capital of the Ahom Kings
who ruled Assam before the advent of the British.
The town is build round the Sibsagar tank,
dug over 200 years ago. The tank is above
town level although situated in the heart
of the town. On its banks are located some
of the famous temples of Sibsagar. The Shiva
temple, constructed in the year 1734 is believed
to be the highest Hindu temple in India.
How To Get There :
By Air : The nearest airport is at
Rewriah, Jorhat (55 kms away) connected by
Indian Airlines with Calcutta, Guwahati and
Tezpur.
By Rail : The nearest railhead
is Simaluguri (16 kms away) on main N.F. Railways
By Road : Sibsagar is connected
by road to most of the important places in
Assam.
Some distances are : Guwahati
- 369 kms, Kaziranga - 152 kms, Jorhat - 55
kms, Nowgong - 249 kms, Dibrugarh - 76 kms,
Tinsukia - 114 kms
Tourist Attractions :
Sibsagar Tank and Temples :
The tank comprising 120 acres of water, dug
ever 200 years age, is above town level although
situated down town. fed by natural springs,
the tank is surrounded by deep ditches and
earthen moats. Three temples are built on
itsbanks - Siva temple, Vishnu temple and
Devidol temple.
Talatal Ghar : Built in
1699 by king Rudra Singha about 6 kms from
Sibsagar it is an underground garrison having
three stories the lowest connected with Dikhow
river by tunnel.
Kereng Ghar : 9 kms from
Sibsagar, this is a seven storied castle-four
above and three below the ground containing
two underground pathways to Dikhow river and
Garden palace.
Rang Ghar : The Ahom Kings
watched elephant fights and other sporting
events from this two- storied oval-shaped
pavilion built by king Pramutta singha.
Joysagar Tank and Temple :
Historical records reveal that the tank was
constructed in 45 days at Rangpur in 1697.
The tank stands on the area of 318 acres half
of which is under water and on its banks stand
the Jeydol (Vishnu) temple, Shiva temple and
Devi Ghar and Ghanashyam (Nati Gosain) temple.
Gaurisagar Group : 16 kms
south of Sibsagar on the Assam Trunk Road,
Gaurisagar is one of the historical tanks
constructed by Queen Phuleswari in the year
1723. This springfed tanks is 150 acres under
water and on its banks stand three temples
dedicated to Devi, Shiva and Vishnu.
Gargaon Palace : The principal
town of the Ahom Kings, constructed by the
15th Ahom King Suklemnung in 1540 lies in
13 kms east of Sibsagar. The present seven
storied palace was built by King Rajesshar
Singha in about 1762. All the underground
stories and passages were blocked by the East
India Company. The magazine made of bricks
is within the palace compound and further
eastward are two old stone bridges constructed
by King Gadadhar Singha.
Charaideo : 28 kms east
of Sibsagar, was the original capital of the
Ahom Kings built by Sukhapa the founder of
the dynasty in about 1229. Charaideo is famous
for its numerous maidams (vaults) of the kings
and members of the royal family resembling
the pyramids of egypt. Most of them were build
of stones and bricks and are in ruins now.
Other Places : A great
number of old Sastras of the Vaishava cult
Muslim Dargahs, Budhist and Sakta shrines
are to be found around Sibsagar, Besides,
there are more than 500 tanks, vaults, earthen
forts and castles belonging to the Ahom, Manipuri,
Jaintia Shan and Kachari kings in this sub-Division.
Excursions from Sibsagar :
Jorhat (55 kms.) : The journey
from Sibsagar to Jorhat is famous for its
sprawling tea gardens. It is the nerve centre
of tea industry. It has the world reknowned
Teklai Experimental Centre.Research is carried
out to find new varieties of tea and also
therapeutic effected of green tea. Regional
Research Laboratory which is situated here
conducts investigation on plants, herbs and
seil. There are also other organisations such
as Assam Agricultural University, Technical
School etc. From Jorhat, one may visit majuli,
the largest island on the Brahmaputna. In
Majuli, there are numerous satras or monasteries.
60 kms aways from Jorhat, lies Nambar Foprest
reserve which is famous for being a rejuvenating
hot spring. Further 90 kms down, one comes
across Dimapur (in Nagaland), once the seat
of Cachar Kingdom.
Dibrugarh (76 kms) : It
is an upcoming major trading centre and a
lovely river side town in Upper Assam. This
is the place where the mighty river Brahmaputra
is at its majestic best.
Haflong
At 680 metres above sea level, in the lush
hilly terrain lies this lovely lakeside resort
which is Assam's only hill station. It is
the headquarters of North Cachar Hills District
and is situated at a distance of 355 kms from
Guwahati. Haflong is the name of variety of
orchids, one of them being the rare Blue Vanda.
How to get there :
Air : Nearest airport is Dimapur
(266 kms), Jorhat (364 kms) Gguwahati (355
kms). All there connected by Indian Airlines
with Calcutta.
Rail: Haflong is connected
by North Erontier Railway from Guwahati via
Lumding.
Road : Itinerary is connected
by road to important places.
The distance to some important places
are :
Guwahati - 355 kms, Diphu - 170 kms, Dimapur
- 266 kms, Jorhat - 364 kms, Newgong - 309
kms, Golaghat - 335 kms, Assam State Transport
Corporation Buses connect most of these places
with Haflong.
Tourist Attractions of Haflong :
Haflong Lake : Situated in the heart
of the hill station it is a picturesque area
Jatinga : 9 kms away, this
village has attracted orinthologists from
all over the world to unreveal the mystery
of the flocks of little migratory birds crashing
to death on still dark nights. The phenomenon
is attributed by scientists to the sensitivity
of these birds to infra red emissions of the
torches borne by the villages during the nights.
An elevated watch tower provides an opportunity
to see this bird mystery.
Maibong : 47 kms away from
Haflong, on the banks of river Mahur lies
the ruins of the once flourishing capital
of the Dimasa Kachari Kingdom. A stone house
and temple of Kachari kings can be seen at
Maibong.
Umrangsu : 115 kms away
from Haflong by road, the biggest hydel plant
under North East Electric Power Corporation
(NEEPCO) has come up with dams across the
river Kopili, a tributery of the Brahmaputra.
Near Umrangsu, there is a hot water spring
(Garampani) which is believed to possess medicinal
properties.
