GUWAHATI CITY

Guwahati Country : India State : Assam

Description

Situated on the bank of the mighty river Brahmaputra, Guwahati is said to be the legendary Pragjyotishpur or City of Eastern Light - is the gateway to north eastern India. The name is a combination of two words: Guwa meaning areca nut and Hat meaning market. Guwahati is the commercial nerve centre of the North-East

Location

Altitude : 55 metres

Best time to visit

Summer (April to June) temperatures vary between 25 and 40 degrees C. Winters (November to February) are chilly, especially at night. Guwahati lies in the monsoon belt and receives a good dose of rainfall through most of the year, particularly in August. Humidity is high throughout the year. Best time to visit : February to May, when it is pleasant without being too humid

How To Get There

By air: Indian Airlines flights connect Borjhar Airport in Guwahati to Calcutta, Delhi, Agartala and Imphal. Jet Airways connects the city to Delhi, Calcutta and Bagdogra and Air Sahara links it to Delhi and Dibrugarh. Book a flight with any of the domestic airlines. By train: A number of trains, including the Rajdhani Express, links the city to Delhi and other major cities. By road: Guwahati is connected to the capitals of the other North-eastern states by government and private buses. The private bus-station is at Paltan Bazaar is located in the heart of the city. Cars are also available for hire.

Attractions

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.

Travel Tips

Never plan a visit during the peak monsoons -- roughly from mid-June to mid-September. The rains are bad enough but the accompanying humidity will drain you completely. In Assam, always carry enough mosquito repellents to last for four persons, at least! Avoid the local buses; they're over-packed and slow.

Excursions

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; Dibrugarh; Digboi; Jorhat; Majuli