Religious Places of Assam
Assam is a beautiful state of northeastern India. Tucked in the southern part of the eastern Himalayas and flanked by the mighty Brahmaputra river, the state has many temples, mosques and other religious spots in different towns and cities of the state. Being home to
different religions, cultures and beliefs of people, Assam has many
religious places located across the state.
Assam is the abode of the famous Kamakhya Temple, a Shakti Peetha, which is known to the whole world. There are also other famous temples like Basistha Temple, Umananda Temple, Sukreshwar Temple, Bhairab Kunda, Maha Bhairab, Ketakeshwar Devalaya, Shiva Dol, Vishnu Dol, Devi Dol, Tilinga Mandir, Mahamaya Dham, Haigrav Madhaba Temple, Madan Kamdev Temple among others situated in Assam.
There are also many Satras and monasteries in Assam built by Vaishnavite Saint
Mahapurush Shrimanta Sankardeva and his followers.
There are also many gurudwaras like the Sri Teg Bahadur Gurudwara and mosques like Poa Mecca located in Assam.
Temples in Assam
Assam, spread along the Brahmaputra river, is also called the city of temples because of the existence of ancient temples here. Temples in Assam date back to the ancient times. The state has temples belonging to Shaktism, Shivaism and Vaishnavism. The Kamakhya temple located here is one of the Shaktipeeths of India. Sukreshwar and Shivadl are finest examples of Shivaism and the numerable namghar and sattras in Assam are the specimens of vaishnavism flourishing here in the state.
Kamakhya Temple
Situated on the top of the Nilachal Hills,
Kamakhya temple is the Shakti Temple of mother Goddess Kamakhya. Kamakhya mandir is one of the greatest shrines of tantric Shaktism in India. Kamakhya temple is one of the most important temples of Assam. Devotees from all over India gather here everyday to pay homage to the mother.
Doul Govindo Temple
Situated on the banks of Brahmaputra river,
Doul Govinda temple is one of the most revered shrines of lord Krishna. The Doul govinda temple is known to possess immense scenic beauty.
Nabagraha Temple
Situated on Chitra Chal Hill in Guwahati,
Nabagraha temple is the temple of nine planets. Nabagraha temple has been a great centre of study of astronomy and astrology.
Sukreshwar Temple
Situated on the Sukreshwar or Itakhuli hill in Guwahati, Sukreshwar temple is a famous Shiva temple. The temple is located on the banks of the Brahmaputra and provides a picturesque view of the mighty river.
Umananda Temple
Situated on the Peacock island in the middle of the Brahmaputra in Guwahati, Umananda temple is a great Shiva temple in Assam. Located on Bhasmacala mountain, Umananda attracts devotees from all over the country during Shiva Ratri. Regular ferry services are available to this place.
Ugratara Temple
Located in the eastern part of the Guwahati city, the
Ugratara temple is a Devi temple in Assam. The temple is an important Shakti shrine related to Sati, the consort of lord Shiva.
Ashwaklanta Temple
Situated on the banks of Brahmaputra river,
Ashwaklanta temple is a temple dedicated to lord Vishnu. During Janmashtami and Ashokashtami the temple is thronged by a number of devotees.
Basistha Temple
Situated on the Sandhyachal hill,
Basistha temple is the temple of vedic Sage Bashistha. The sage is said to have lived here. The rivulets Sandhya, Kanta and Lalita meet here and flow perennially which add to the scenic grandeur of the place.
Balaji Temple
Balaji temple is another most important temple in Assam. Situated in Guwahati, the Balaji temple is dedicated to lord Balaji and the structure of the temple is made in the same style of that of the South.
Mahabhairab Temple
Located on the northern part of Tezpur town,
Mahabhairab temple is an ancient temple where King Bana worshipped Mahabhairab, an incarnation of Lord Shiva. Mahabhairab temple is a place of pilgrimage in Assam.
Tilinga Mandir
Tilinga mandir is a famous Siva Temple in Tinsukia District of Assam. Tilinga means "bell" and mandir means "temple". There are hundreds and thousands of bells of all sizes tied to the big peepal tree and on its various branches in the temple.
Da-Parbatia
Located in Tezpur, Da-parbatia is a finest and oldest specimen of sculptural or iconoclastic art in Assam. The architecture of the temple is a marvelous one. The door-jambs have two goddesses-- Ganga and Yamuna standing below with garlands in their hands in artistic pose and elegance.
Devi dol
Situated in Sibsagar, Devi dol is a temple dedicated to the goddess of power Devi Durga. Shakti puja is celebrated in the temple and people from all over the country come here to offer prayers.
Shiva dol
Shiva Dol is a temple situated on the bank of the Sibsagar tank. Shiva dol is an important place of Shivaism in Assam.
Vishnu dol
Vishnu Dol is a temple situated in Sibsagar, Assam. Vishnu dol is an important place of Vishnu worship in Assam.
Surya Pahar Temple
Surya Pahar Temple is an old temple situated in Golpara, Assam. 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.
Hayagriva Mahadeva Temple
Situated on the Monikut hill near Hajo of Kamrup district, Hayagriva Mahadeva temple is a famous temple of Assam. Hayagriva Mahadeva temple is dedicated to lord Vishnu.
Mosques in Assam
Assam is a place where pilgrimage is one of the most pacifying and leveling experiences. Assam is home to many important and sacred mosques which are considered supreme pilgrimage centres. Mosques in Assam date back to thousand of years and are architecturally most beautiful and wonderful. Let us discover more about mosques in Assam.
Poa Mecca
Located at Hajo, near Guwahati, Poa Mecca is a supreme place of pilgrimage for the Muslims. Poa Mecca has the tomb of the seer Giasuddin Auliya. This is the most famous Dargah of the Mohmmedan people of North-East India. There is a belief about the mecca that Peer Aulia Giasuddin Sahab brought ‘one poa' of land from the Holy city of Mecca and established a Masjid on the hill Garudachala. Hence, from there the name of the mecca became Poa Mecca. According to another belief when Giasuddin Aulia established the mosque at Garudachala hills there were the excavation of 90 Shrines – one fourth of Mecca. And from this one fourth of Mecca the name Poa Mecca evolved. It is widely believed that by offering prayers in the mecca the faithful gain one fourth of the spiritual enlightenment of what could be gained at Mecca. The Uruch festival is celebrated with enthusiasm in the Poa Mecca.
Panbari Masjid
The Panbari Masjid or Rangamati Masjid is considered to be the oldest mosque of Assam. The mosque was built in 15th century by Hussain Shah, the then Governor of Bengal. An Idgah and a deep well was constructed during that time. The mosque was used as a prayer hall by the Mughal Mohammedan Soldiers. Known as a holy seat of Muslims, the masjid is visited by thousands of people from different parts of India, especially during Id.
Ajan Pir Dargah
Situated in Sibsagar District, on the bank of the Brahmaputra river, Dargah of Ajan Pir is the Samadhi of legendary Muslim Saint Shah Milan, also known as Ajan Pir. Ajan Pir was a famous saint of Assam who led a Muslim reform movement in the state. The Dargah of Ajan Pir is a revered destination for both Muslims and Hindus.
Panchpeer Dargaha
Panchpeer Dargaha is situated in Dhubri district of Assam. Panchpeer Dargaha is the mazar Sharif of five Sufi saints who accompanied Mughal General Raja Ram Singh during his time of Mughal fight with the Ahom Regime of Assam.
Namghars in Assam
Namghar is a place of worship of the Assamese community. Naamghor can be found in almost all the Hindu villages of Assam. Namghar is a kind of an identity for the Assamese people. It is the primary feature of every village, town and city of Assam.
Meaning of Namghar
Naamghor:
“Naam” meaning prayer and “ghor” meaning house. So literally, Naamghor
means house for prayers. Naamghor is the place where the Vaishnavite
Hindus of Assam do their recitations and pay their tribute to saint
Sankardeva. The worship is associated with the Ekasarana religion of
Assam.
Naamghar Formation
Long back in the 15th century,
Naamghor was introduced to the Assamese community by the Vaishnavite
saint Srimanta Sankardeva (1449-1569). During the Middle ages, he was
the first reformer in the state of Assam. It is believed that the
first Namghor was established by the side of the river Borholla, near
Golaghat by Mahapurukh Madhavdev and his disciples. Historical
references of the religious Namghor have been found during the reign of
King Gadapani who was an Ahom king. It is also believed that Gadapani
who was later known as Gadadhar Singha, donated 8 bigha land and 160
coins which is equal to 8 kuris to the naamghor due to which it is today
known as the ‘Athkuria’ (‘ath’ means eight and ‘kuri’ means twenty).
The first Manikut on the other hand was created by Srimanta Sankardeva
at Dhuwahat, where an idol was housed and established.
Worshipping in Naamghar
A
Naamghor primarily consists of two spaces, one is the Monikut and the
other is the assembly space. The principal axis of the Naamghor is
always directed towards the east-west. Xinxahon or the throne is place
in the east of the Naamghor facing the west. Devotees have to sit facing
the xinxahon towards the west. The monikut on the other is the one that
shelters the Xinxahon or thapana. The devotees sit in the assembly space and there
they sing and pay homage to the great saint Srimanata Sankardeva.
The
Monikut is the space which is very small in structure and either has no
windows or very little ones. This place is a private place where no one
but only the Xotradhikar can make his entry. Another important element
of the naamghor is the ghaai khuta (main pillar), which is a standing
column in the assembly hall, but it is oversized. The floor around this
pillar is slightly raised up and it can be usually recognized by the
Gamosa that is tied around it. Only the burha-dangoria is allowed to sit
near the ghaai khuta, since it is considered to be his honorable seat.
Unlike
temples and other religious places, the naamghor is not for daily use,
but it is primarily used in order to assemblage the people for special
events and other memorial services. The spiritual leader of the
community is known as the Xotradhikaar, who is in charge of the entire Naamghor and the rituals and practices related along with it. Naamghor
is also used for theatrical performances which are a part of the
tradition of the Assamese community known as bhawna. The public Naamghor
is made very spacious and airy, in order to be able to accommodate the
huge number of people coming to visit the Naamghor.
Naamghors
generally do not have the type of food service that one gets in temples
and other religious places. The only after food consumed after services
in Naamghors is the 'maah-saul' or fruit and soaked green lentils,
which are offered to the monikut as well. The ones who distribute and
serve the food in the Naamghor are called deus or deuris. This position
as deu and deuris is also a very reputed and honorable position for the
one holding it. And this is the reason that there never was or never
have been in pantries or kitchens associated with Naamghors till date.
Famous Namghars in Assam
There
are Namghars in all the Hindu villages in Assam. In Nagaon district,
Assam, there are several public Namghors in every village. Infact the
first Naamghar was established at Bordowa in Nagaon district. The town of Barpeta also has many Namghars located here. An
ancient Namghor called the Kirton Ghor is located here.
Dhekiakhowa
Barnamghar is a famous Namghar situated at Jorhat in Assam. The Namghar plays an important role in spreading Vaishnava
dharma. The Barnamghar is one of the important religious spots and
popular tourist destinations in Jorhat.
Athkhelia namghar is another famous namghar located at
Golaghat. The namghar was constructed by Ahom prince Gadapani. This
namghar is very popular in Golaghat.