Guwahati, The Capital Of Assam

About Guwahati Once known as "Pragiyotishpura" or Light of the East, the most striking feature of Guwahati (also spelt as Gauhati), is the Brahmaputra, whose swollen sandy channel is so wide that the far shore is often rendered invisible. Of its many mysterious temples, 'Kamakhya' and 'Navagraha' both occupy commanding positions on hilltops while 'Umananda' sits on a small island in the middle of the Brahmaputra. Guwahati's main business, tea is booming with the new Assam tea auction centre holding auctions. The large oil refinery at Noonmati, on the northern outskirts, symbolizes Guwahati's recent growth and prosperity. The busy central market area contrasts sharply with the almost rural riverside feel northeast of the centre, and the surrounding hills rising beyond the coconut palms give Guwahati a fairly appealing atmosphere. Guwahati is split in two by the Brahmaputra - only crossed by the Saraighat Bridge and the ferries - "Guwahati" is taken to refer to the main town south of the river, while north Guwahati is virtually a separate town. The main roads out of town are the Assam trunk road, to upper Assam and the Guwahati - Shillong road to Meghalaya.

Geographical Profile of Guwahati

Guwahati straddles the valley of the river Bharalu, a small tributary of the river Brahmaputra. It is surrounded by hills, except where the Bharalu discharges into the Brahmaputra. To its west the Nilachal hill is said to be the home of the goddess Kamakhya, a shakta temple. In the past, this was an important seat of tantric and Vajrayana Buddhism. To the north, on top of Chitrachal Hill, is the Navagraha (nine planets) temple, a unique astrological temple. To the south of the city lie the Narakasur hills, named after a legendary king of ancient Assam. Guwahati today is important because it is close to the seat of power in Assam, is a commercial centre, and is the node that connects six other northeastern Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Tripura. Interactive map of Guwahati View Larger Map