About Assam State Museum, Guwahati

Folk drama

                      

Lord Shiva

                      

Model of the Mohenjodaro public bath

Musical Instruments

Village Life 

Musical instruments

Vessels made of bamboo

terracotta Figurines

Village Assembly

Weapons

Umamaheshwara

large container

large utensil

Various tools

Durga

Terracotta Figures

Mahishasuramardini metal figure

Bellmetal bell

Assam State Musuem Road

Assam State Museum(Assam Rajyik Musuem)

This Museum is a worth-visiting place as it gives a clear picture of Assamese rich culture and art besides the varied traditions and cultures of Northeastern states in general. This museum is located on GNB Road at the southern end of the Dighali Pukhuri Tank. The building looks very big with a beautiful garden in the front. It is one of India’s largest multipurpose museums having more than twelve galleries. Out of the 14,000 objects collected nearly five thousand objects are kept on display in various sections.

 In manuscript Section ancient manuscripts in Assamese, Tai, and Myanmarese written on barks of trees are seen. In Arms and Ammunition section swords, daggers and shields used by Ahom kings and ammunitions of Koch and Mughal kings along with modern weapons and ammunition used by Japanese during II world War are seen. The cannons and cannon balls used by Ahom soldiers in wars are also displayed.

 In Pre-historic section specimens made of stone, wood, metal and terracotta objects belonging to Indus Valley Civilisation (Harappa and Mohenjodaro) and terracotta objects found in Assam and Northeast India are displayed. In Numuismatic and Sculptures section coins belonging to Ahom and Moghul periods are seen. A coin cabinet holding more than six thousand coins of reveals the large collection of coins of different periods and cultures. The metal statues of Durga, Vishnu and Nataraja are some of the attractive objects in this section.

In Epigraphy section copper plates and stone slabs with inscriptions describing victories, land grants and about construction of temples are seen. These inscriptions dating from fifth to eighteenth century are written in Sanskrit and Assamese in various scripts. In Sculptures and Handicrafts section sculptures of Vishnu, Durga, Surya and Shiva are seen. Objects made of bamboo and metal show the skills of folk art.

 In Ethnography section artifacts of ethnic communities of Assam such as Bodo,Rabha, Dimasa,Tiwa,Karbi,Sonowal and Kachari are displayed. Traditional homemade textiles, clay flute and ethnic dress items are seen. 

In Natural History section models of Rhinoceros, crocodiles, birds, moths and butterflies are displayed.On the ground floor a replica of Assamese cottage with various domestic tools and weapons are beautifully re-created. The local musical instruments, the village assembly, the festive celebration of tribal society are very picturesque and impressive. 

In the library established  on 26^th January,1984 one can see a very rich collection of periodicals, journals and books relating to art, culture, mythology. There is a conservation laboratory here which preserves and restores old sculptures, manuscripts, old coins, garments, sculptures and paintings. Nearly two thousand objects are preserved in this section. The Museum authorities recently celebrated their 79^th foundation day. They declared that they would develop the museum into a world-class museum and would also host a south-east Asian gallery. Really one feels that one has entered a new world and got a new glimpse of Assamese and Northeastern way of life and about their arts and traditions. 

This museum was founded by Kamarupa Anusandhan Samiti (Assam Research Society) in 1940 and was later taken over by the state Government in 1953. The working hours of this museum are from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. every day except on Monday and second and fourth Saturdays. The entry fee is Rs.10/- per person and for taking photos a special ticket for Rs.20/ is to be taken. In winter the opening hours are from 10.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.

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      3rd December, 2018                                              Somaseshu Gutala

About Umananda temple, Guwahati

Umananda temple Entrance

Umananda Temple interior

                                                                                     Temple Tower

View of peacock island

Lord Umananda in the sanctum

Rock sculptures

Rock sculptures of various gods

Sculptures on the walls in side the main hall

Pictures of various gods at the entrance

Idol of Ganesha's Mount at the entrance

Chandrasekhara Temple on the side of the main temple

Lord Chandrasekhara in the sanctum

ferries carrying devotees

Golden langurs on trees

Ducks in temple premises

  This temple is a must visit as it is located on an island called “Peacock Island” in the middle of the Brahmaputra river in the northern part of Guwahati. One has to go in a ferry or boat to reach this temple which is seen on a hillock called Bhasmachala or Bhasmakuta. One has to climb more than 150 steps to reach the temple. One can book ferry ride from Uzan Ferry Ghat (Kachari Ghat) managed by Inland Water transport. The fee is 20/- per person. This official boat service is available from 7.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. After that time one has to pay extra amount to avail the ferry services. If you engage private ferry services you have to pay more than Rs.100/- per person. One can go to Umananda from Shukleswar Ghat  and Fancy Bazar Ghat also. 

The ferry ride gives you a beautiful view of the flowing Brahmaputra River with distant view of hills and greenery. The journey takes just 15 to 20 minutes to reach the foot of the Bhasmakuta hill. While climbing steps one can see an abundant number of trees and different kinds of birds also. According to bird-watchers there are nearly twenty species of birds in this area. The golden langurs one of the rarest type of monkeys are seen on this island only.

As per legend this island was created by Lord Shiva to make His spouse, Uma happy. So this place is called Umananda. The British people named this island as peacock island as the shape of the island looks like splayed feathers of a peacock. This island is regarded as the smallest river island in the world. Lord Shiva while doing penance here was disturbed by Kama’s arrows. So Shiva became angry and burnt him to ashes with his blazing third eye. So this hill is named as Bhasmachal or Bhasmakut. Near this island there is a kund called Urvasi Kund.  It is believed that the divine Lady Urvasi staying here brings Amrit(nectar) to Goddess Kamakhya for Her enjoyment.The temple of Umanada was built in Kamarupa style with a red colored dome. One has to descend a few steps to see the Lord as the sanctum is at a deeper level. The passage to the sanctum is very narrow and every time five to six devotees are allowed to climb down the steps. Inside the sanctum a tiny Shiva Ling is seen with a pedestal on the ground level. 

This temple was built by the Ahom king gadadhara Singha(1681-1696) who was a devotee of Shiva. During the massive earthquakle (8.1 scale) in 1897, the temple was damaged. Later a local merchant renovated the temple and inscribed the interior part of the temple with Vaishnavite slogans. The sculptures of Ganesha, Shiva and Devi (with a scorpion as an emblem) are carved on the rocky walls of the temple showing the architectural skills of the local sculptors.The temple is crowded during Mondays and Mahashiva ratri. During Shiva Chaturdasi a colorful festival is held here. People believe that pooja offered to Lord Shiva on Monday with Amavasya Thithi brings highest merit and bliss to the devotees.The temple timings are from 6.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.

Near the entrance of the temple premises there is Ganesha’s shrine with a big sculpture of a rat in sitting position facing the idol of Ganesha in the shrine. There is a Hanuman temple beside the temple. Another Shiva shrine called Chandrasekhara shrine is seen beside the main shrine. The dasavataras of Vishnu are seen on the outer walls of newly constructed temple walls. The calm surroundings with beautiful scenes of trees and birds makes one feel very happy and relaxed. 

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    29th November, 2018                                                 Somaseshu Gutala

About my Visit to Sukreswar temple, Guwahati

Steps to Sukreswara temple

Sukreswar temple

Sukreswar Temple Premises

Temple Hall

Sukreswara Linga in the sanctum

Sukreswar Ghat

                     

Sukreswar Temple Tower

  Sukreswar or Shukleswar temple located on the southern banks of the river Brahmaputra is one of the prime attractions of Guwahati city. It is in Pan bazar locality  in the heart of the city and has a very beautiful scenic background with the river Brahmaputra flowing beside it. In this temple one can see one of the largest Shiva lingas in India. As per legend Sage Shukracharya lived here and did penance and worshipped Shiva here on this hillock called Sukreswar Hill or Itakhulli hill. In Kalikapurana this hill on which the Sukacharya used to stay was named as Hasti Giri as the shape of the hill resembles the round hump of an elephant.

     One has to climb steps to reach this temple. In a large space the temple is seen with a spacious hall and inner sanctum. In the hall one can see the beautiful idols of Shiva Parivar—Lord Ganesha with his mount mushaka, Lord Subrahmamnya with six faces mounted on a peacock, Lord Shiva and His consort Parvati. These idols are made of panchaloha and seem very bright and shining. In the inner sanctum one sees a very large Shiva Linga made of  dark grey-colored stone. Many people consider it to be the sixth Jyothirlinga.

   Originally a temple was here belonging to 10^th century. In 1744 the Ahom King Pramatta Singha renovated the temple. In 1759 King Rajeswar Singha gave much wealth in charity and promoted Shiva Cult during his rule. This temple is open from 6.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m.  Archana, Abhishekam and Arati are performed here every day. During Maha Shivaratri and Shiv Chaturdasi special poojas are done and thousands of devotees are seen visiting this temple.

    Just beside this temple there is a ghat called Shukleswar Ghat with the river Brahmaputra flowing by. There are steps here to go down and offer pooja to the river. It is considered that the funeral or post-death rituals done here will give salvation to the dead person. There is ferry service from here to go to the other side of the river. The scenic beauty especially during sunrise and sunset is extremely fascinating.

Janardana temple

Janardana temple sculptures on the walls

Janardana Temple Hall

Janardana temple Entrance

    Near this temple there is another temple for Vishnu called Janardana templebelieved to be built in 17^th century by Pramatta Singha. A Buddhist idol is seen in the sanctum and is considered as an incarnation of Vishnu. A combination of Buddhist and Hindu architectural styles are seen in this holy shrine with milky white walls and carved figures of various gods and goddesses. The prayer hall is quite spacious and serene. Many Hindu and Buddhist devotees come here to worship the deity and do meditation. This temple opens at 5.30 a.m. and closes at 8.00 p.m. One can see both temples and can also enjoy the scenic beauty of the Brahmaputra river. The nearby tourist places are Dol Govinda temple (1.5 kms)  Assam State Museum (4kms.) and Guwahati planetarium (3kms).

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    25th November, 2018                                    Somaseshu Gutala

      

About my Visit to Kamakhya temple, Guwahati

                                                                   Ganesha and Gowri

Sculptures on the temple walls

                                                            Durga Idol

idols of gods and goddesses inside the temple corridor

front view of the temple

   

Idols of Bhairava and Bhairavi in the temple premises

                             

View from above

Shops on the way to the temple

The stone from which Sindoor is made

    This temple is one of the oldest fifty one Shakti Peethas in India. This is where the womb and vagina of Sati fell when Lord Vishnu cut Her body into 108 pieces which fell in different places and became sacred Shakti Peethams. Lord Kamadeva worshipped Kamakhya Devi (also called Tripura Sundari Devi) to regain his virility. According to another legend Brahma was challenged by Shakti when he became arrogant and cursed him that He could thereafter create only with the blessings of Her Yoni, the sole creative principle. After much penance Brahma brought a bright light of heaven and placed it within the Yoni circle which was created by Goddess and placed it at Kamarupa’s Kamkhya’s temple.  She is regarded as an incarnation of Kali in Kalika Purana composed in 10^th century.

 Situated at a height of 561 feet above on Nilachal hill, this temple attracts many devotees from all over the country. On this hill only, one can see separate shrines for Tantric goddesses called Dasa Mahavidyas like Kali, Tara, Buvaneshwari Bhagalamukhi, Bhairavi, Chinnamasta, Dhumavathi and Shodashi. Inside the main shrine, Tripura Sundari,Matangi and Kamala reside. The temple is nearly eight kms from the city. One can go by taxi or by auto. City buses are also available.

From there one has to climb a few steps to reach the main temple.

On the way one can see a row of shops selling pooja material. The narrow lanes remind us the lanes in Benares leading to Kashi Vishwanth temple. One has to descend a flight of steps as the main temple is at a lower level. A temple pond (Sauvagya Kund) is seen. A few small shrines are seen there. Near the main shrine one can see two huge lion idols with many carved figures of gods and goddesses on the outer walls of the temple tower. The temple tower is in the shape of a hemispherical dome with seven oval spires topped by three golden pitchers or Kumbhas. The inner temple is below theground level. One has to wait patiently for hours to get darshan here. Otherwise one can buy special darshan ticket for 501/- and get darshan within one hour. The pandas here demand a hefty amount and so one should be cautious while negotiating with them. But there is no hurried pushing of crowds in the queues. The devotees are permitted to go in a line in an orderly way. Near the darshan queue, there is a separate place where animals and birds are sacrificed. Generally goats, hens, ducks and pigeons are offered as sacrifice in morning hours. As we went in the afternoon we did not see any bloodshed or dead animals there.

The temple has three chambers with a narrow corridor. In the outer chamber one can see the metal idols of the Goddess and Lord Shiva draped in silk clothes and decorated with flowers. The devotees offer pooja material here and touch the holy water near these idols and sprinkle it on their heads. In the middle chamber there is a cave which leads to a natural underground spring that comes from a fissure in the rock. This is the Shakti peetham of Kamakhya where the goddess is seen as a 10-inch deep depression shaped in the form of yoni or female genital organ. Devotees sprinkle water form this deep fissure over their heads. On the walls in the cave one can see the sculptures of Ganesha, gods and goddesses. The idols are covered with silk clothes and smeared with heaps of kumkum and one cannot see the idols clearly. Not only here but in other temples also, the idols are not cleanly maintained. The shrines are very small and way is dark and so one cannot see the idols properly. No boards are kept to give information about those idols also.

According to legends this temple was first built by Narakasura and later by the kings of Mleccha dynasty in 8^thand 9^th century. Later it was destroyed by Hussein Sha , a Muslim ruler. The ruins of the temple were discovered by Viswasingha, the founder of the Koch dynasty who revived the temple as a site of worship. His son, Nara Narayan (1540-1587) reconstructed this temple in 1565. In 1658 the kingdom of Kamarupa came under the rule of Ahom kings who further improved the temple. During the rule of Siba Singha, son of Rudra Singha, the management of the temple was handed over to  to Krishnaram Bhattacharya, a Shakta mahant of Bengal. Even now the descendants of his family and his disciples (Parbatiya Gosains) act as priests. This temple was an ancient site of sacrificial place of Khasi people. That is why even now devotees sacrifice animals as offering to Goddess. Vajrayana, a type of mystic and tantric Buddhist sect, flourished in Kamakhya in 16^th century. One can see the figures of Nara Narayan and Viswasingha on the temple walls. Just near the exit one can see a shrine for the Goddess Annapurna.

This temple is regarded as the oldest place for Shakti cult and Tantric worship. Even now one can see Tantric monks around the temple premises. In and around this temple there are shrines for deities like for Kali, Tata, Bhuvaneswari, Durga, kedareswara, and gadadhara. As the sunset is very early at 5.00 p.m. we could not see all other temples. In these small shrines no priest is found and there is no light to see the idols in the shrine. People say that Bhuvaneswari temple is on the highest point of the hill at a height of 690 feet and one can have a panoramic view of the natural surroundings. Nearly two hundred people connected with temple duties reside on this hill. The temple opens at 8.00 a.m and closes at 5.00 p.m. So one should better come here early to have darshan. At the donation counter also proper administration is lacking. For donors some Prasad and photos are to be given.

 During the month of June the Kamakhya temple is closed for three days when the waters of the river Brahmaputra turn red. People believe that the goddess menstruates during these days and so none is allowed to see Her. The cloth covering the idol also turns red. On this occasion lakhs of devotees attend the function called Ambhbachi Mela. Tantriks do special poojas during this time. During Nava Rathri five-day festival is observed. Many devotees buy “Kamakhya Sindoor” made from a special type of rock and regard it as a blessing from the Goddess. This Shakti Peetham symbolizes the procreative powers of the Goddess.

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   19th November, 2018                                 Somaseshu Gutala