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Guwahati: A melting pot of cultures

For ages, Guwahati has been the gateway to the northeast and a major riverine port city. Multiculturalism has been a part and parcel of the city since its inception. The city gets its cultural mosaic not just from its 7 sisters but also from Rajasthan, Punjab, Bengal, Bihar and even from Nepal.   

The glimpse of its multiculturalism could be explored at the onset of your journey at Guwahati station and the road leading to the station called Paltan bazaar. The street invites every backpacker with countless options of budget hotels and easy on the wallet eating joints serving meals varying from Chinese, Punjabi to Assamese.The congested Paltan Bazar also offers innumerable tour and travel operators and shops selling traditional garments from North-east.

One of the main touristic attractions of the city is Kamakhya Temple, located on Nilachal hills in the north of Guwahati.  It is 51 Shakthi Pithas, built during 8-10th Century AD. Followers of Shakti from all across the country come to the holy shrine for the blessings. Every morning hundreds of devotees stand in queues for their turn to pay a visit to the shrine. Thus tying the knots of pluralism even stronger than ever in this city.
After hours of waiting, worshipers get a chance to enter the inner sanctum of the temple to experience the divinity of Goddess Kamakhya. Apart from devotees, priests, photographers, a number of goats and pigeons are seen in the temple. These gullible animals and birds are being offered to please the deity.   

After exploring interesting temples in the city, stroll down to the southern bank of river Brahmaputra for Pan Bazar, one of the talked about parts of the city. Here, savour the old flavours while walking through the alleys with a series of palm trees, small single-storey traditional wooden houses and colonial-era mansions are still standing with the same grandeur.
The area is a cultural epicentre of the city with the district court, museum and well known educational institutes like Cotton college, Handique Girls college, and Don Bosco High school in the vicinity. If art and craft of Assam are in mind then the place offers a series of shops to pick authentic handloom and handicrafts. Kachari Ghat, next to the district court provides the much-needed tranquillity to the tourists as well as the locals. This port offers a perfect view of the River Brahmaputra and the ferry service allows you to explore the river.

Your north-eastern itinerary begins on a perfect note with a visit to Guwahati.



Guwahati from a hill top


Cotton College (One of the prestigious colleges of India)

Kamakhya Temple

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