Famous Temples of Assam
In this article you can get all the detailed information about the famous Temples of Assam. Assam state is also very well worshiped with lots of pilgrim spots. The architecture and sculpture of the Assam temples are mesmerizing. Natural beauty of these temples is the main attraction of Assam. Read the full article to know more about the Famous Temples of Assam.
Assam has a rich cultural and historical tradition which displays in its temples. The state is located in the south eastern part of Himalayas.The state is famous for its tourist's attractions historical places and festivals and holy temples etc. The state is important to pilgrims of all faiths and religion. Assam state in India has many Hindu Assam temples. Favorite Gods and Goddesses in Assam temples include the Goddess Durga, Lord Shiva, Lord Krishna and Lord Narayana. The temple of Assam are almost the oldest in architecture with stunning beauty in entire north east India. The climate in Assam though with heavy monsoon it is very comfortable throughout the year to visit this place. Famous temples of Assam are Asvakranta Temple, Devi Dol Temple or Devi Temple, Kedareswara Temple, Dol Govind temple, Navagraha Temple, Dab Parbatia Temple, Sib Dol Temple, Bageswari Temple, Lalmati Duramari Ganesh Temple, Sukreshwara Temple, Maha Bhairav Temple, Kamakhya Temple, Umananda Temple, Madan Kamdev Temple, Surya Pahar Temple, Shiva Temple, Ugra Tara Temple, Hayagriva Mahadeva Temple, Tamresvari Temple, Hathimura Temple, Neghriting Temple, Satra Tample.Asvakranta temple of Assam
Asvakranta temple is situated at Guwahati in Assam. It is a very beautiful temple which ias dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Asvakranta Temple is an important Vaishnavite Shrine in Assam. The very famous Asvakranta temple is located on a rocky stratum touching the waterfront of the Brahmaputra. This particular shrine is considered very sacred according to the 'yogini tantra.' It is believed that a sinner can achieve salvation by offering worship here. The deity is referred to as Anantasayin Vishnu. The word 'Anantasayin' refers the reclining position of Lord Vishnu on the body of a serpent, as depicted by the idol. An idol of Lord Brahma is depicted seated on a lotus, which emerges from the navel of Lord Vishnu. Asvakranta means 'ascended by horses'. It is an ancient one and is associated with the legend of Krishna slaying the Narakasura. It is believed that Lord Sri Krishna camped with his army here before he defeated and killed Narakasura, Hence the name Asvakranta of this temple. Asvakranta is favoured for its scenic beauty and the Temple with interesting carvings enshrines a reclining image of Vishnu of great workmanship.Devi Dol Temple or Devi Temple of Assam
Devi Dol or Devi temple is situated at Gaurisagar near by Sivasagar in Assam. Sivasagar or Sibsagar is an adminastritive district of Assam with headquarters at Sibsagar town. This temple dedicated to goddess of power, Durga and with interesting architectural and sculptural features. The temple is 60 feet in height and 120 feet wide. Shakti Puja is celebrated in this temple for the past 300 years and people from all over the country come to offer their prayers to the Goddess. Durga Puja is celebrated twice a year in this temple in the month of Ashwin (Sep-Oct) and Chaitra (Apr-May). The Devi Dol seems to resemble the Sib Dol at Sibsagar in respect of style. In this temple the Sikhara is without the familiar amalaka in the standard pattern; instead, a tier of gold-plated kalasas in tapering sizes is placed on a solid circular base made of bricks. On the exterior walls of the temple there are bands of sculptural panels. Each panel contains a number of niches and each niche contains an image. The space in between the two panels is utilized for ornamental Decoration.Kedareswar Temple of Assam
Kedareswar Temple is located a top the Madanachala hill in Hajo, about 32 km north-west of Guwahati in Kamrup District. The presiding deity here is Lord Shiva, popularly known here as Kedareswara or Kedara. The Kedareswara Temple, a Shiva temple, has inscription on the temple showing that it is of Rajeswar Singha period. King Rajeshwar Singha adjoined two walls in the gateway of the temple in 1753. A temple, Kedareswar is one of the oldest temples having its own importance in the country. Lord shiva is worship hear in the form of linga, which is called Sayambhu Linga. It has a big linga made of stone as the main sanctum. This linga appears to be an Ardhanariswara form of Lord Shiva. The linga is always kept covered with a big metal bowl. kedareswar is also a beautiful temple.Dol Govind temple of Assam
Doul Govinda Temple is situated at Rajaduar area of North Guwahati in Assam. Lord Krishna worshiped in this temple. The timing of this temple is vary strict. The Doul Govinda Temple in Assam is famous for its Holi celebrations in the month of February - March. Every year, Holly festival has observed by the local people for five days with various programmes. There are a lot of legendary stories surrounding this Temple. It is said that Ganga Ram Barua brought the idol from Sandhyasar, a secluded place near Nalbari. It was to be renamed as Doul Govinda in a different 'unbelievable' but true background about, 150 years ago and it was again renovated in 1966. The architecture design used in this temple is vary beautiful. So the temple develops the natural beauty of this place. Every year a large number of visitors visit to this place.Navagraha Temple of Assam
Navagraha Temple is located on the hill Citrasaala in the south east of Guwahati in Assam. The Navagraha is also known as Abodes of Surya or the tample nine celestial bodies. Navagraha Temple is a worship place devoted to the nine planets of the solar system, namely Surya (the sun), Chandra (the moon), Buddha (mercury), Mangala (mars), Brihaspati (Jupiter), Shukra (Venus), Shani (Saturn), Rahu (Dragon's head) and finally Ketu (Dragon's tail). The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva who is worshipped here in the form of nine shivlings, representing the nine planetary gods of Hinduism. The nine lingams are covered by colored clothes; each of these colors symbolizes one of the nine planets. The Navagraha temple as it stands today was built by the ruler Rajeswar Singh in late 18th century. An earthquake destroyed the temple tower, and it was rebuilt later. Navagraha temple is an important astrological and astronomical center in the state.Dab Parbatia Temple of Assam
Dab Parbatia Temple is situated at a distance of few Km from the Tezpur town of Assam. Tezpur, the city of mythology and legends, is situated in the Sonitpur district of Assam. Situated amidst lush green valleys and lofty snow capped peaks of the Himalayas, the city is the ultimate travel destination of every tourist and nature lover. Da-Parbatia is the oldest and finest representation of sculptural or iconoclastic art in Assam in the form of the ruins of the door-frame of the Da-parbatia temple. The carving of Da-Parbatia temple displays the characteristic style of the early Gupta School of sculpture. The doorjambs of this Temple are adorned with the forms of two Goddesses, Ganga and Yamuna, standing with elegance and poise, with garlands in their hands. Besides this, the whole doorframe is also ornamented with beautiful and delicate foliage. Due to its exquisite architecture and elegant carvings belonging to the 5th and 6th centuries AD, the place is now a protected site under the auspices of the Archaeological Survey of India. Sib Dol Temple of Assam
Sib Dol Temple is situated on the bank of the Sibsagar tank. The sib dol temple occupies an area of four and a half acres. 'Dol' means temple in Assamese. It is an important landmark in the artistic history of Assam. The temple belongs to the dvaikuta class, consisting of two cells, a garbhagriha and a mandapa. Over the garbhagriha rises the Sikhara with fluted vertical lines. Its replicas called Uramanjari surround the main Sikhara. There are two more temples on the bank of the same tank. They are the Vishnu temple with a height of forty cubits and occupying an area of three acres and the Devi temple also with a height of forty cubits and occupying an area of about two and a half acres.Bageswari Temple of Assam
Bageswari Temple is one of the old temples having its own importance. According to Hindu mythology, this is the grate place where in devi durga's trishul fell down where her body was cut in two pieces by god Vishnu just after Dakhshya Yagya. In Assam, this temple is situated on the top of a hill called Bageswari Hill which is at the center of Bongaigaon town. The hill presents a natural watch tower to view the entire town and its surroundings. The hill also houses an ancient Shiva temple inside a stone cave and Baba Taraknath Temple. Bageswari Temple is a nice religious-place. It is proposed to be developed as afforested hillock with a garden and a little artificial lake fed by a perennial stream. This would advance the water catchment area of the town and the surrounding environment. Every year a large numbers devotees visit to the Bhageswari hill top.Lalmati Duramari Ganesh Temple of Assam
Lalmati-Duramari Ganesh Temple is one of the most historical attractions place, is located 25 kms away from in Bongaigaon district. It is one of the oldest and beautiful temples in Assam. The temple lies on the Khagrapar Hill near Abhayapuri town, under North Salmara Sub-Division. The three main views show the reason for destructions of the Lalmati-Duramari Ganesh Temple. The first view has it that earthquake during the 8th and 10th centuries destroyed the temple and its images, while according to the second view, Kalapahar who revolted against worshipers and priests, destroyed the temple along with other temples and images in the North-East. The third view has it that Burmese invaders who camped at Malegarh hills destroyed the temple along with the idols. But it is clear that eartquake has been the prime cause of the destruction of the temple. The existance of ruins in Lalmati-Durgamari area along with temples and images was brought to the notice of the Historical & Antiquarian Department of the Govt. of Assam in 1974. The department undertook excacation work which is result the discovery of the temples, images and idols of the Gods and Godesses. The site of temples is teemed with natural beauty and the Govt. can upgrade the place to a major tourist attraction.Sukreshwara Temple of Assam
In Assam, Sukreshwara Temple is situated near by Guwahati district. The temple is located on the Sukreswar or Itakhuli hill on the south bank of river Brahmaputra. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Originally dating back to the 18th century, the temple is believed to have the largest Shiva lingam or phallic emblem in India. The hillock where the temple resides is called Hasti which is being named in the Kalika Purana, and is described as the ashrama (hermitage) of the sage Sukra. According to the Kalika Purana, Sukresvara Linga was set up here. The Sukresvara temple in Assam was built by King Pramatta Singh of the Ahom dynasty in 1744 A.D. The temple is still intact though the roof of the Nat mandir (Nat temple) attached to it has been replaced with corrugated iron-sheets.Maha Bhairav Temple of Assam
The Maha Bhairav is a famous temple which is situated at Tezpur town, in Assam. The temple is located atop a hillock of this town. It is a magnificent landmark and adds a magnetic charm and beauty to this enchantingly beautiful town. The Mahabhairav Temple Dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple is the oldest Shiva shrine in the region .The history of this great Maha Bhairav temple, which is being visited by devotees from all over India, can be shown back to the age of the Puranas. Banasura, the demon king first introduced the linga worship, who had his capital at Tezpur. The most interesting thing to observe that perhaps the largest stone-phallus (Shiva Linga) in the entire world inside the temple of Mahabhairab which is said to have been established by Banasura. From the establishment this Shiva temple was originally built of stone but after it was heavily damaged by the catastrophic earthquake of 1897. At present the new one was renovated and built with concrete. During the Ahom rule, the kings especially of the Tungkhungiya dynasty donated large area of Devottar land to the Temple and pujaris and Paiks were appointed to look after the temple. The responsibility of management was in the hands of a Borthakur. Shivaratri is big festival celebrated in the temple with big festivity when people gather here from all over the country.Kamakhya Temple of Assam
Kamakhya temple is a major attraction in Assam. It is located high uphill known as Kamagiri or Neelachal hill in Guwahati. The Temple dedicated to Kamakhya Devi. Kamakhya temple is one of the biggest Shakti shrines in the whole of India and also serves an important pilgrimage center for the tartaric worshippers as well as the general Hindus. According to the Kalika Purana, an ancient work in Sanskrit describes Kamakhya as the yielder of all desires, the young bride of Shiva, and the giver of salvation. Shakti is known as Kamakhya.Kamakhya Temple had been built in admiration to Goddess Kamakhya or Sati, who was one of the numerous incarnations of Goddess Durga or Goddess Shakti. The famous festival Durga Puja is also celebrated during every Navaratri in between september to October. This place becomes very busy with several visitors during this festival. Umananda Temple of Assam
The temple of Umananda is located on the Peacock Island in the middle of the river Brahmaputra at Guwahati. A temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Siva created this place his wife Uma's happiness and pleasure. Siva is said to have resided here in the form of Bhayananda. Thats why this place is called Uma-Nanda. Uma means Siva's wife and Ananda means happiness. Umananda Temple was constructed in the year 1664 A.D in Guwahati of Assam. The Siva Chaturdasi is the most colourful festival that is held here annually. Many devotees come to the temple on this occasion for the worship. The temple has inherited some rock-cut figures, which speak passionately of the masterly skill of the Assamese craftsmen. The sculptures here show that the worshippers there followed all the principal Hindu gods of Surya, Ganesha, Shiva and Devi, Visnu and his ten incarnations (avatar).Madan Kamdev Temple of Assam
Madan-Kamdev is one of the most important historical places in Assam. The Madan Kamdev temple in Guwahati is a shrine dedicated to Lord Kamdev, also known as the Khajuraho of Assam and the place was once known as Kamrupa. The temple was built during the period of 10th-12th century in Pal dynasty with well-sculptured images carved on this temple. Madan Kamadev temple is resided full of Sal and Teak forest on a hillock. The Madan Kamdev hill ruins of another temple are to be seen on a knoll known as Jalpeswar on the western end of the Madan Kamdev hill. To its north on top of the "Narasimha' hill rock are also to be found a few architectural remains. The western end of the Madan Kam Dev hill contained principally stone built temples. This Madan Kamadev temple enshrines Lord Shiva and Goddess Uma (Parvati).Surya Pahar Temple of Assam
Surya Pahar Temple is an old temple situated in Golpada near Guwahati in Assam. This beautiful temple located on a hill named Pahar and hence it is known as Surya Pahar temple. Surya Pahar, the word Surya means the Sun God who is a god of Hindu. So it seems that this temple belongs to Hinduism. This beautiful magnificent temple is located on a peak called Pahar. This temple enshrines a circular stone tablet having 12 images of Aditya in a circle with an image of Kashyapa the father of Aditya in the center. Surya is said to be the son of Aditi and Kashyapa. Each of the Adityas so one faced and two armed. It is believed that Vyasa engraved the 99999 Shiva Lingas here to build this place as a second Kashi. But it is not clear till now how many Shiva Lingas are here but till now about hundred Shiva Lingas are found from small sized to large sized. So this place is known as one of the holi place of Assam. Surya Pahar temple is an ancient temple and comprises of many beautiful idols and drawings. The architecture and sculptures of this temple are also very attractive and describe Assam's scenic beauty.Siva Temple of Assam
The Siva Temple situated on the bank of "Borpukhuri" (Bigtank) in Sivasagar town, at Guwahati in Assam. It is one of the tallest Shiva temples in the world. Shiva temple is 180 feet tall and 195 feet in diameter. It is caped seven feet high large Golden Dome, called 'Kolosi', on the topmost part of the dole. The walls of the temple are sculptured with statues of numerous Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Siva Temple stands between two smaller temples, Devi-doul and Vishnu-doul (doul-temple). The temple was made by Ahom kings. The temple is also called as "Siva Doul". The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva who is worshipped here in the form of nine shivlings. Maha Shivaratri is the most celebrated puja of this temple. Thousands of devotees come to the temple in the Shivaratri. Another attraction is 'Hare Krishna' kirton in the month of 'Shawan'.Ugra Tara Temple of Assam
The temple of Ugratara is situated at the Kamrupa district of Assam. The temple of Ugra Tara dates back to the eighteenth century. It falls in the long list of ancient temples in India. It was built in 1725, by King Shiva Singh of Ahom Kingdom. He also excavated a tank, known as Jorepukhuri, in the east of the temple. Ugratara is considered to be one of the very impotent Shaktipeeth situated at the heart of the Guwahati. "Shakti Peethas" are places of worship consecrated to the goddess Sati. This goddess Sati is the incarnation of Parvati, the benevolent goddess of harmony, marital felicity and longevity. The main festival celebrated in Ugratara temple is Navaratri or the festival of nine nights. During this time, devotees from far and wide come to offer their prayers and seek blessings of the Maa Shakti. An important ritual observed during the festival is the sacrifice of animals, like bulls, buffaloes, wild boars, goats etc.Hayagriva Mahadeva Temple of Assam
Hayagriva Mahadeva temple is situated on the Monikut hill near Hajo of Kamrup district. This is a famous temple of Assam. The temple is dedicated to lord Vishnu. Hayagriva is one of the incarnations of lord Vishnu. The temple was constructed by the King Raghu deva Narayan in 1583. According to some other historians, King of Pala dynasty constructed it in 6th century. It is a stone temple and it enshrines an image of Hayagriva Madhav. The rows of elephants are seen on the body of the temple and they are fine specimens of Assamese art. There is a big pond known as Madhab Pukhuri near the temple. Beautiful Doul, Bihu and Janmastami festivals are celebrated every year in the temple. This temple is most important for both the Hindu and the Buddhist community, which attract Buddhist Monks from far flung places. For the Buddhist of the region, the temple is important because they believe that it was here that the Buddha attained Nirvana. Tamresvari Temple of Assam
Tamresvari is one of the oldest Temple; at Sadiya is an important Place in the North Lakimpur district of Assam. Sadiya was the capital of the Chutiyas, a Mongolian tribe, who were reigning there at the beginning of the 13th century AD. There are numerous legends connected with the origin of the Chutiyas and how the capital came to be called Sadiya. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Tamresvari Devi. It now stands in a ruined state in the over-grown jungle about seven miles from Sadiya. The temple is described as a small stone building, nearly square, but without cement, the stone joined by iron pins not clamped. The roof was of copper, but it has fallen in. The interior is eight feet square. The whole is enclosed within a brick wall, 130 feet by 200 feet. The walls of the temple were decorated with sculptural representation, which included human figures, animals, birds, flowers, geometrical designs, etc. Hathimura Temple of Assam
The Hathimura Temple is located at Silghat, Nagaon district of Assam. It is a shakti temple and it was built by King Pramatta Singh in 17th century. The presiding goddess is Durga which is known here as Mahisamardini. The goddess is represented with slender waist, broad breasts, ten hands, and holding different weapons in each hand. She is seen placing her right foot on the lion, and pressing the shoulder of the buffalodemon with her left. She pierces the tridentthrough the body of the demon, and has fastened his arm with a noose. To put her weight on the Asura, the goddess is slightly bent to the left. The lion is also represented attacking the demon. The temple was one of the important centres of Saktism in early Assam.Negheriting Temple of Assam
The Negheriting is a Shiva temple in Dergaon, is situated on a hillock in the Golaghat district of Assam. The Brahmaputra River is flowing near the temple. This is one of the famous and beautiful temples built during the Ahom rule. This temple was built in 1687 by Swargadeu Rajeswar Singha. . The main temple is surrounded by four other temples namely the Bishnu, Ganesh, Surjya and Durga temple. The Shiva temple consists of the 'Bana linga' that is 3ft in diameter. The four smaller douls are dedicated to Vishnu, Surya, Ganesh and Durga. A Banalinga of 3 feet in diameter is established in the main temple. According to legend a Rishi named Urba wanted to establish a second Kashi right on this place for which he collected many Shiva lingas there. The place where the temple is located was once the habitat of a peculiar bird locally known as Negheri. From this name the place has come to be known as Negheriting.Satra Tample of Assam
In Assam, Satra Temple was constructed in the 15th century in Majuli Island. Satras are the unique features of Vaishnavism in this state. Majuli, the world's largest river island is a home to several satras established by Sankardeva who was involved in the movement of religious faith. During the Rasotsava festival, the Vaishnavites flock to these sacred Satras in large number. These satras have great influence on the lives of Assamese. Now there are about 65 sastras are in Assam which helps the human in many ways and show them the true path to progress their life and gains their knowledge. From these 65 satras 22 satras are developed from Majuli. The Satras of Assam also became centers for education and dissemination of all kinds of art of harmonious living. In the state, Satra culture developed and flourished primarily at Majuli, Bardowa, Barpeta and Madhupur. Later in the 19th century Britishers and then missionaries built churches in Assam.
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