More reasons to visit Guwahati

Sualkuchi and Hajo: Guwahati city is an excellent base to cover nearby sights like the silk-weaving centre of Sualkuchi and Hajo, a pilgrim centre for Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims, where the Brahmaputra is at its narrowest (just 1km).

Heritage Walk: Go on a heritage walk of Old Guwahati–from the Courthouse shaped like a beehive dome to Dighulipukhuri Park, once the fortified jetty of the Ahom kings. Guwahati Planetarium nearby screens show on outer space projected on a dome-like screen. A short walk northwest leads to the riverbank, an excellent place to watch the sunrise or sunset.

6E & Cheeky

Though steeped in tradition, there’s a quirky side to Guwahati too. Experience the beauty of the Brahmaputra; locals take great pains to explain that it is a ‘nad, not a nadi’ being a rare male river! See the sunrise across the Brahmaputra from Fancy Bazaar, enjoy boat rides or catch the serene sunset after a day’s explorations. Take a heritage walk through Old Guwahati and catch a Bihu performance. Share the local love for betel leaf as you try a paan. Try to time your visit in the monsoons to catch the Ambubachi Mela, a week-long fertility festival at Kamakhya Temple attended by mystics and tantriks. During the rainy season, when the Brahmaputra is in spate, the rivulet flowing over the stone shrine turns red with mud, which symbolises the menstruation of goddess Kamakhya. The sanctum is out of bounds for three days and reopens after the goddess, gets purified with a ritual bath. Devotees collect holy spring water and shreds of the angabastra (stained red cloth) as prasad.