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Guwahati

Pop: 670,000 Area Code: 0361

Guwahati is the main town in northeast India and the main entry point for the area. Guwahati is a nice town to spend a couple days. There are many Hindu temples. It used to be known as Pragjyotishpura and was mentioned in the Mahabharata.

Orientation
The city is divided into two areas, which are on either side of the Brahmaputra River. Most of the offices are in the southern section of the city. The railway and bus stations are next to each other in the southern area of the city. The area on the north side of the river is known as North Guwahati.

Information
Assam Tourism Office (544-475), in the Tourist Lodge, Station Rd, is open Mon to Fri 10 am to 5 pm and Sat 10 am to 1 pm. They organize a city tour on Mon and Sun or more often if there is a demand from 9 am to 3 pm. They also organize a two-day tour to Kaziranga National Park (Rs 600).

The Government of India Tourist Office (ITDC) (547-407) is on BK Kakoti Rd. Open Mon to Fri 9 am to 5 pm and Sat 10 am to 1 pm.
Meghalaya Tourist Office is at the ASTC bus station.

ANZ Grindlays, GN Bordoloi Rd; and the State Bank of India on MG Rd, change money. It may be possible to change money at the Hotel Brahmaputra Ashok.

Guwahati Medical College Hospital, off GS Rd, is 4km from the center of town.

Modern Book Depot, HB Rd, is a good book shop, with a selection of books about northeast Indian. Western Book Depot, Josavanta Rd, off HB Rd, has a good selection of books on the northeast area as well as other books.

The GPO in on ARB Rd, near the State Bank of India. The 24-hr telegraph office is around the corner.

Swimming at Assam Swimming Club and there is a pool at Nehru Stadium.

GN Bordoloi Rd is the best shopping area.

Travel Agencies
Jungle Travels (547-862), GN Bordoloi Rd, is the agent for American Express. They arrange a package tour to Kaziranga National Park and flights. Wild Grass (546-827; fax 520-348), 107 MC Rd, Uzan Bazaar, near the Brahmaputra Ashok, does very good, efficient tours. They are helpful, have good guides, and are recommended.
Network Travels (512-700; fax 522-105), GS Rd, is the agent for Indian Airlines and can also book other airlines.

Rhino Travels (540-061; fax 547-025), MN Rd, Pan Bazaar, books flights.

Blue Hill (547-911), in Paltan Bazaar, in back of the Hotel Nandan, organizes tours and books train tickets.

Kamakhya Temple
This temple is dedicated to the Shakti energy. At this place, Sati’s yoni (her creative part) is said to have fallen. In 1665, the temple was rebuilt after being destroyed by a Brahmin priest who had converted and became a Muslim. It is built in the typical Assamese style with a sikhara (tower) shaped like a beehive. It is 7km west of the Guwahati on Nilachal Hill. Goats are offered to Shakti at the temple. Non-Hindus can not enter the inner sanctum. There are good views from the hilltop here.

The Ambuchi Festival in June/July is a big festival, which is supposed to be celebrated at the end of the earth’s menstrual cycle. During the Manasa Festival in September, devotees dress up in costumes, dance, and then go into trance. Bus #16 comes here from town.

Other Temples
Navagrah Temple on Chitrachal Hill is dedicated to the nine planets. It is on a hill east of town. The former name of Guwahati was Pragjyotishpur, which mean “City of Astrology.”

Umananda Temple (1594) is dedicated to Lord Siva and is on Peacock Island in the middle of the river. Boats come here between 7 am and 5.30 pm (Rs 8 return).

Basistha Ashram, 12km from town, is said to be the ashram of Vasistha Muni.

Assam State Museum
This interesting museum has a good collection of sculptures, musical instruments, terracotta and dioramas of tribal villages in Assam. Open daily except Mon, Sun afternoons and the second and fourth Sat each month from 10 am to 4.30 pm.
Assam Zoo and Botanical Gardens

The zoo has Indian and African rhinos, a white tiger, leopards and some birdlife that is mainly only found in the Northeast states. The zoo is mainly wide-open enclosed areas and has nice gardens. Open daily except Fri 8 am to 4 pm. Admission Rs 4.

Where to Stay—Lower
There is a 10% to 20% tax added onto the room depending on the price.
The railway Retiring Rooms are Rs 300 for an A/C rooms and Rs 60 for a dorm bed.
Hotel Alka, on MS Rd in Fancy Bazaar, has rooms with common bath for Rs 125/150 and rooms with bath for Rs 225/275.
Ananda Lodge, MN Rd, Pan Bazaar (544-832), has cheap, but dreary budget rooms.
New Strand (32245), GNB Rd, Pan Bazaar, near the railway station, has clean, nice rooms for Rs 200/250. It is a good value.
Hotel Alankar, GN Bordoloi Rd, 3km from the railway station, has single rooms with common bath for Rs 100 and Rs 150/200 with bath. Dorm beds are Rs 50. The rooms in the back are quieter. It is well-managed and a good value.
Tourist Lodge (Assam Tourism) (544-475), Station Rd, near the railway station, has clean rooms with bath for Rs 300 and dorm beds for Rs 60. Hot water in a bucket. It could be better maintained.
Hotel Nova (523-464), SS Rd in Fancy Bazaar, has rooms with bath for Rs 225/350 and Rs 400/500 with A/C. It is a good place.

Where to Stay—Middle
Hotel Kuber International (520-807; fax 541-465), Hem Barua Rd, in Fancy Bazaar, has comfortable rooms with bath for Rs 300/400 and Rs 500/600 with A/C. It has a good restaurant.
Hotel President (544-979), GN Bordoloi Rd, has rooms with bath for Rs 500/600 and Rs 800/900 with A/C.
Hotel Nandan (540-855; fax 542-634), GS Rd, near the railway station, is a three-star place with comfortable rooms with bath and TV for Rs 750/900 and Rs 900/1100 with A/C. Recommended.
Urvashi (582-889), near the airport, has comfortable mid-range rooms.
Hotel Belle Vue (540-847; fax 540-848) has spacious rooms with bath and TV for Rs 900/1000 and deluxe rooms for Rs 1200/1250. It is in a peaceful location with good views.

Where to Stay—High
Hotel Raj Mahal (522-476; fax 610-282), AT Rd, Paltan Bazaar, is a central A/C place with modern rooms for Rs 1100/1600. It has a pool and a very good restaurant.
Dynasty Hotel (510-496; fax 522-112), SS Rd, is a business-type hotel with comfortable rooms with A/C and a TV for Rs 1250/1750 and Rs 3700 for a suite.
ITDC Brahmaputra Ashok (541-064; fax 540-870), MG Rd, near the river, has spacious, comfortable A/C rooms for Rs 1600/2500. There are great views from some of the rooms.

Where to Eat
The Dhaba, GN Bordoloi Rd, serves North Indian food. Middle priced.
Bidur Chinese Restaurant, GS Rd, has cheap Chinese and Tibetan food.
Woodlands, GS Rd, is an excellent South Indian vegetarian restaurant. It has thalis for Rs 40 that are served from 11 am to 3 pm and 7 to 9 pm.
Orbit, Kuber International Hotel, HB Rd, Fancy Bazaar, is a revolving restaurant.
Madras Cabin, AT Rd, Paltan Bazaar, has good South Indian food.
Ming Room, off GN Bordoloi Rd, is a good Chinese place. High priced.
Silver Tulip, GN Bordoloi Rd, is a good place.
Utsav, in the Hotel Nandan, is a higher-class place with good North Indian food.
Paradise Restaurant, GN Bordoloi Rd, has very good Assamese and Chinese food. It is open for lunch and dinner. Recommended.
Dynasty Hotel, SS Rd, has two good restaurants serving Indian, Chinese and Continental. Chopstix has good buffet breakfasts.

Local Travel
You can get a ferry to North Guwahati from Pan Bazaar Ghat. The bus system is good here and the local people are helpful. Green Valley (544-636), GNB Rd, hires out long-distance taxis.

Travel
Air  Indian Airlines (564-420; Airport 840-401) has flights to Calcutta (daily, $75), Delhi (5 weekly, $220), Imphal (2 weekly, $55) and Agartala (3 weekly, $50). Sahara Airlines (548-876) has flights to Delhi ($220) and Dibrugarh ($60). Jet Airways (522-402; Airport: 84130) has flights to Calcutta ($75) and Bagdogra ($55).
The airport is 20km from the center of town. There are infrequent airport buses into town (Rs 30) and frequent shared taxis for Rs 65 per person. A taxi is Rs 250.

Train Enquiries: 526-644; Reservations: 532-288. There are trains to Calcutta, New Jalpaiguri and Delhi. From Howrah station in Calcutta the Kamrup Exp goes to Guwahati (24 hr). From Sealdah station in Calcutta the Kanchenjunga Exp goes to Guwahati (22 hr). You can get these same trains at New Jalpaiguri railway station.

From Delhi the North East Exp goes first to New Jalpaiguri (8 hr), and then to Guwahati. The fully A/C Rajdhani Exp departs Delhi on Mon, Wed and Sat at 5 pm and then departs from New Jalpaiguri (7 hr) at 1.50 pm to Guwahati.
The Kamrup Exp goes east to Lumding and Dibrugarh. It stops at Dimapur in Nagaland, but you can not get off the train without a permit for Nagaland.

Calcutta Kanchenjunga Exp #5658 (10 pm, 24½), Kamrup Exp #5960 (7 am, 23½ hr); Delhi Rajdhani #2473 (6 am, 28 hr), Brahmaputra Mail #4055 (12.30 pm, 41 hr), NE Exp #5621 (8.30 am, 38 hr).

Bus The Paltan Bazaar bus stand is near the south side of the railway station. From here there are buses to Shillong (3½ hr, every hour during the day), Kaziranga (5 hr, 12 daily), Jorhat (7 hr, 10 daily), Tezpur (4 hr, hourly during the day), Sibsagar (8 hr, 6 daily), Imphal (22 hr) and Agartala (26 hr).

Private bus companies usually have their agents along GS Rd or in Paltan Bazaar. Green Valley (544-636), GNB Rd, and Blue Hill (547-911), near the Hotel Nandan, are established companies. Green Valley has an A/C bus to Kaziranga for Rs 190.

There is another station called Machkhowa bus stand, from where buses depart to many places including Hajo (1¼ hr, 5 daily).

Near Guwahati

Hajo, 27km from Guwahati, is sacred to the Hindus, Buddhist and Muslims. There is the Hindu Hayagriva Madhava Temple. Some Buddhists believe this is where the Buddha attained nirvana. The Pao Mecca Mosque is supposed to have one-quarter (pao) of the sanctity of the main mosque in Mecca. Buses come here from the Guwahati Machkhowa bus stand (1 hr, 5 daily).

Basistha, 12km southeast of Guwahati, is a nice place with a waterfall and some temples. There is a red-domed temple here dedicated to Vasistha Muni, the author of the Ramayana, built in the Assamese style. You get here by taking a bus on GN Bordoloi Rd.

Sualkushi, 33km from Guwahati, is known for its silk products, which you can get cheaper here than in Guwahati. You get here by taking a ferry across the river and then getting a bus from there.

If you know of a informationthat is not correct or if you would like to help update our listings, please e-mail us at:

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