Things to do in Assam

The Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden is the largest in the north east region that spreads across an area of 432 acre. It is also called the Guwahati Zoo and is located within the Hengrabari Reserved Forest at Guwahati. The zoo was established in 1957 and was open for public in 1958. The zoo added a museum and a botanical garden in 1982, and hence now known as the Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden.
Over the years, the zoo has been expanded with the introduction of several exotic species of animals from different places including kangaroos from Australia, puma, jaguar and llama from South America, and chimpanzees, white rhinos and black rhinos, zebras, ostriches and giraffes from Africa. These animals have been exchanged over one-horned Indian rhinoceros and others to different countries.

The main attraction of the zoo cum botanical garden is the wide range of animal that are found here. The best part is that these animals are taken proper care, well fed and treated well by the authority. Being situated on the hillock, the ambiance of the zoo is natural and it is not at all commercialized. No plastic bags are allowed inside, hence the pollution too is under control.
Things to do: Apart from checking out the different exotic species from one enclosure to another, one can also try cycling that has been introduced by the zoo authority most recently.

Walk through the forest and keep exploring the 5 km stretch to catch glimpse of birds in abundance. Do make sure to carry your binoculars and camera to make the most of it. One has to cross the river on a boat before starting the walk. It is better to start off early for the forest exploration so that you don’t miss the beautiful sunrise.

The famous Kamakhya Temple, in western part of Guwahati, Assam, is dedicated to mother goddess Kamakhya and is considered as one of the oldest of the 51 Shakti Pithas and one of the important pilgrimage destinations for Hindus and Tantric worshippers. The temple is devoted to “Shakti” as a celebration of womanhood.
The temple holds its uniqueness in the fact that the deity here is considered as “the bleeding goddess”, and the sanctum sanctorum of the temple houses the mythical womb and vagina of the goddess “Shakti”. Strangely, and curiously enough the water of the River Brahmaputra turns red during the month of June, and mythology believes the phenomenon as the goddess “menstruating”. Every year, lakhs of pilgrims, sages and common people from all over the country as well as from abroad travel down to Guwahati to witness the Ambubachi Mela and to pay their homage to the goddess.

Located in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas in the Sonitpur District of Assam, Nameri National Park is the third national park in Assam adjoined by the Pakhui Sanctuary of Arunachal Pradesh on its North-Eastern point. It covers an area of over 1000 sq km of semi-evergreen, moist deciduous forest where the vegetation rules with cane and bamboo brakes, and with narrow strips of open grassland along rivers.
The sanctuary is a birdwatcher’s paradise where over 300 species of birds flock during season, especially near the waterpots that dot the area during the rainy seasons. The area is interlaced by the river Jia-Bhoroli and its tributaries - Diji, Dinai, Doigurung, Nameri, Dikorai, Khari.

Nameri attracts tourists mainly for its heavenly abode for over 300 species of birds. The white winged wood duck, black stork, ibisbill, blue-bearded bee-eaters, great pied hornbill, wreathed hornbill, rufous necked hornbill,nbabblers, plovers and several other make for the vibrant hues throughout the region.
Apart from birds, Nameri is considered to be an elephant reserve, and a resident to several other animals like tiger, leopard, sambar, dhole (the Asiatic wild dog), muntjac, gaur, wild boar, sloth bear, Himalayan black bear, pygmy hog, Indian wild bison, clouded leopard, leopard cat, capped langur and Indian giant squirrel to name a few.

Walk through the forest and keep exploring the 5 km stretch to catch glimpse of birds in abundance. Do make sure to carry your binoculars and camera to make the most of it. One has to cross the river on a boat before starting the walk. It is better to start off early for the forest exploration so that you don’t miss the beautiful sunrise.

Considered among the most magnificent temple of Guwahati dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, it is considered to be among Hindu pilgrimages. The first glimpse of the temple would remind you of the famous Tirupati Balaji Temple of Andhra Pradesh. The temple was built in 1998 at around 10 km from the city centre and is famous for its architectural marvel.
Spread over an area of over two acres of land, the complex includes several other adjacent temples. The Ganesha temple welcomes the devotees at the entrance of the temple complex, while the main temple at the centre is dedicated to Lord Balaji – who deity is carved out of a single stone weighing around 4 tones. The scenic beauty around the temple is praiseworthy which adds to the charm of the milk white temple.

Umananda Temple is located on Peacock Island on the Brahmaputra River. The peaceful temple is named and devoted to the Lord Shiva. The name is derived from two words – Uma which is Goddess Durga’s name and Ananda which means happiness. The island is one of the smallest inhabited islands of the country, and speaks for its serene natural beauty. Be it the peaceful ambiance inside the temple, or the outstanding natural beauty of the island – the temple is a must visit for devotees and nature lovers alike.
The temple was built in 1694 by Bar Phukan Gadadhar Singha in the reign of King Gadadhar Singha, one of the mightiest kings of the Ahom Kingdom. During the Mughal rule in Kamrupa, the Umananda temple received donations from the Mughal emperors Jahangir and Aurangzeb. The earthquake in 1897 damaged the temple badly, though it was rebuilt by a merchant who was a devotee of Lord Shiva.