Day 122 - Silchar

Silchar is the second largest city in the state of Assam .It is situated on the banks of the Barak River and is popularly known as Barak Valley.The place has also earned the title of an “island of peace” from the former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. The British tea planters revived the game of polo in India in the 1850s in Manipur on the Burmese border. In fact, the first polo club of the world was formed in Silchar and the first competitive modern polo was held here.

How to reach here:

By Air: Flights can be taken directly to the town of Silchar, as the town has an airport of its own.

By Rail: Silchar Railway station is one of the primary means of transport for the local people.


Places you must visit:

Hajo, an ancient town situated on the banks of River Brahmaputra, is a popular pilgrimage attraction at Silchar.  Hayagriva Madhava Temple and Powa Mecca are the prime attractions of Hajo.









Maibong, the medieval capital of the Dimacha kingdom and the earlier capital of Kachari Kingdom of Assam, is a popular tourist attraction in the vicinity of Silchar. Known  for its scenic beauty, Maibong is also famous for its Ramchandi Temple.





Maniharan Tunnel is a popular pilgrim spot located in Silchar.As per legends, this tunnel was once used by Lord Krishna. The holy River Tribeni flows beneath this tunnel. Maniharan temple, dedicated to Lord Krishna, is situated in the premises of this tunnel.

Martyrs’ Tomb, dedicated to the 11 martyrs of the Language Movement of Assam of 1964, is a popular memorial. The movement was held to make Bengali the official language of Cachar District of Assam.

Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited is one of the popular tourist attractions located nearby Silchar, en route to Badarpur at Panchgram. Regarded among the largest paper mills of Asia, Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited was established by the Minister of Silchar, late Mr. Moinul Haq Choudhury, in the 1960's. 

Jatinga, situated in the verdant valleys of North Cachar Hills, is famous for its orange orchids. This place also attracts ornithologists and bird watchers, as it is visited by huge flocks of migratory birds every year. This place is also noted for its phenomenal 'bird suicide', wherein the migratory birds hurt themselves to cause their death.

Umrangshu, tucked away in between the border of Assam and Meghalaya, is a popular destination of tourists visiting Silchar. Set in the backdrop of North Cachar Hills, the hill station of Umrangshu is famous for its scenic beauty. 

Kachari Fort is a popular historic monument, which is situated in the vicinity of Silchar at Khaspur at a distance of about 10 km. Khaspur was the capital of Kachari Empire and Kachari Fort was the royal seat of Kachari Dynasty.

Sri Kancha Kanti Devi Mandir is a popular pilgrim spot  dedicated to Mother Goddess, who is the union of Goddess Durga and Goddess Kali. The four-armed gold idol of the temple was made in 1806 by one of the Kings of Kachari Dynasty.

Day 121 - Kaziranga

Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts in the state of Assam. It was declared a Reserve Forest in 1905. The park consists of an area of 429.93 sq km with a buffer area of 429.40 sq km.During the British reign, Lady Curzon on a safari expressed concern at the prevalence of hunting in the park. In 1926, hunting was banned in Kaziranga and in 1974 it was declared a National Park. Kaziranga is also famous for the Important Bird Area by Bird life International for conservation of avifaunal species. Some of the bird species which can be spotted here are herons, storks, pelicans, imperial eagles.


How to reach here:

By Air: The closest airport is located in the town of Tezpur. There are scheduled flights from places such as Kolkata to Tezpur. Tezpur is located at a distance of around 60 kilometers from the park.

By Rail: The closest major rail head is located at Guwahati.


Places you must visit:

Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Kaziranga has large bio-reserves of tall elephant grass, marshland and dense tropical moist broad leaf forests. The park celebrated its centennial in 2005 after its establishment in 1905 as a Reserve Forest. The park is maintained by the Assam Forest Department and Wildlife Trust of India along with the International Fund for Animal Welfare who have set up rehabilitation centers for distressed animals. Kaziranga is also famous for the Important Bird Area by Bird life International for conservation of avifaunal species. Some of the bird species which can be spotted here are herons, storks, pelicans, imperial eagles, etc.

Gohpur town is one of the historic places of Assam, as it was the birthplace of the famous freedom fighter Kanaklata Barua. Major attractions of this town are Gohpur Reserve Forest, Dhandi Devalay and Bor Pukhuri. 

Tea Gardens are another major attraction among tourists visiting Kaziranga National Park. The tea gardens of Hathkhuli, Methoni, Difalu, Behora and Borchapori are the prominent ones.

Deoparbat Ruins, also known as Deopahar, are the archaeological remains of an ancient temple. The statues of this temple are scattered on a hill top, from where visitors can get a view of the Numaligarh tea estate and nearby Karbi Anglong hills.

Kakochang Waterfalls is a popular tourist spot.

Panbari Reserve Forest in Golaghat District is located near Kaziranga National Park. The base for entering this reserve forest is Kohara. Tourists visiting this forest can spot rare species of birds, including crested goshawk, rufous-gorgeted flycatcher and crow-billed drongo. Some of the other birds that can be spotted are pied falconet, great Indian hornbill, speckled piculet, inornate warbler and slaty-bellied tesia. 

Kalyani Mandir is a temple located at Dipora, which falls under the Halem Revenue Circle. The principle deity of this temple is Goddess Kalyani. As per the local belief, King Arimatta was the founder of this temple.

Day 120 - Guwahati

Gauhati or Guwahati, the erstwhile capital of the state of Assam was earlier known as "Pragiyotishpura" (The Light of East). The name suits Guwahati remarkably due to its terrain and structure and with the river Brahmaputra bisecting the city into two halves, the city represents a miniature Assam complete with a collection of all inhabitants, their lifestyles and their dependence on the mighty river. However, the presence of mighty Brahmaputra carving its way through the city makes for a romantic and memorable experience. The history of the city dates back to the epic times. Guwahati has its first mention in the great epic Mahabharata as the capital of the demon king Narakasura of Pragjyotishpur. It is also believed that the city was the ancient land of Kamarupa. In this ancient land, the Hindu god of beauty, fertility and source of life was reborn.The city has also been a battleground and witnessed plenty of intense struggles between the Mughals and Ahoms. The Mughals tried to invade the state around 17 times, however every time they were defeated by the Ahoms. During the time of battle, the army of Ahoms was led by the great Ahom General, Bir Lachit Borphukan. In 1897, the entire city was ruined due to a major earthquake. Most of the old city was wiped out because of this earthquake, which was followed by a series of devastating floods.


How to reach here:

By Air: Guwahati Airport is well connected to many major cities in India, including Delhi, Agartala, Aizwal, Kolkata and Imphal.  International travelers can connect to Guwahati through Kolkata.

By Rail: The Paltan Bazaar Railway Station in Guwahati is a major railway junction on the North-East Frontier Railway. Guwahati is well connected with all the major railheads of India like Delhi (Dbrt Rajdhani E), Kolkata (Saraighat Exp), Mumbai (Ghy Ltt Exp), Chennai (Ghy Sbc Express) and Bangalore (Ghy Sbc Express).


Best time to visit: October to March.


Languages spoken:  Assamese, Bengali, Hindi, English.


Must eat: Pitika , Dheakiyasak and outenga, Tamol.


Famous Restaurants: Maihang, Mainland China, Delicacy, Hotel Sagar, Paradise, Naga Kitchen.


Places you must visit: 


Manas National Park in Assam is situated on the foothills of the Himalayas. Formed by the watershed of the Manas, Hakua and the Beki rivers, the Manas National Park borders Bhutan and is the only Tiger Reserve in Assam. It was declared a sanctuary on 1st of October, 1928 and was designated a World Heritage site in December 1985.The park's vegetation is largely made up of eastern Himalayan moist mixed deciduous forests and grasslands. While tiger sighting is relatively rare, visitors to the park often spot golden langur, the Asiatic buffalo, elephants, Rhinos, wild bison, wild dog (dhole), otter and civet.The park is also a haven for 22 highly endangered species of Hispid Hare and the Pygmy Hog. The rare red pandas are also found here but on the Bhutan side. Some of the other animals sighted while exploring the park are Gaurs, Swamp Deer, Capped Langurs,  Assamese Macaques, Slow Loris, Hoolock Gibbons, Sloth Bears, Barking Deer, Hog Deer, Sambar and Chital.









Pobitora is one of the major wildlife sanctuaries of Assam.About 50 km from Guwahati, the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary covers an area of 38.8 Sq. km. Mainly famous for its Great Indian One-horned Rhinoceros, the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary also shelters the Asiatic Buffalo, Leopard, Wild bear, civet cat.











The Assam State Museum, which showcases the unique culture and tradition of the north-eastern state, is located on the southern end of Dighalipukhuri Tank. Constructed in 1940, the museum features several sections such as archaeology, iconography, epigraphy and also numismatics. Visitors to the museum can see the various aspects of Assamese history and culture.There is a huge showcase of ancient Assamese coins, fabrics, tribal arts and sculptures. The museum also organises exhibitions of the tribal huts, which have been reconstructed. Exhibitions are also organised displaying the traditional weaving along with several other handicraft products, like locally made cane and bamboo items, toys and pottery.The archaeological and ethnographic displays of the museum include local costumes and terracotta.

The Bhubaneswari temple, a white shrine, is perched atop a hill adjacent to the city. Dedicated to Goddess Bhubaneshwari, the temple is visited by large number of tourists from across the country every year.

The Guwahati Planetarium  is one of the major attractions of Guwahati. The aim of this planetarium is to spread awareness about astronomy. It also provides information about the universe along with several unsolved mysteries and queries.Sky watching sessions and special programs are the major attractions of this planetarium. These are projected on a dome-shaped screen in a hall.

The Sukreswar temple, located at Sukreswar, is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is famous for housing the sixth Jyotirlinga of India.According to one of the popular beliefs, it is said that a person performing post-death rituals at this temple will attain ‘moksha’ or peace for the dead. Constructed by the Ahom King Pramatta Singha, in 1744, this temple is believed to be the place where Sage Sukra resided and worshiped Lord Shiva.