Guwahati, the capital city of the northeastern state of Assam, was formerly known as Pragjyotishpur (the City of Eastern Light). Its etymological root is derived from two Assamese words, "Guwa," meaning areca nut and "Haat," meaning market. Couched between the picturesque hills of the eastern flanks of the Himalayan mountain range, Guwahati houses the political capital of the state, Dispur. The gateway to the seven other northeastern states, Guwahati is a vital tourist link point, besides being an attraction in itself. LOCATION: Situated on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra, at an altitude of 55 meters above sea level, Guwahati is the junction of three important roads, National Highways 31, 37 and 40. It is split into two parts by the river and North Guwahati is almost a separate town. One can visit it via the Saraighat Bridge or by the ferries that ply on the river. The nearest important city is Calcutta (1182 km), while the capitals of the other northeastern states are at distances varying from 110 km to 650 km. The city experiences an annual rainfall of 180 cm (from May to September). While summer temperatures range from 22 to 38°C, in winters the mercury ranges from 10 to 25°C. The best time to visit this cosmopolitan city is from October to April. HISTORY: There is magical aura that still lingers over the ever-expanding city. The demon king Narkasura is said to have built this ancient city. Another reason for Guwahati's charm is its being the ancient 'Kamrup', the birthplace of Kamdeva, the God of Love. FAIRS & FESTIVALS: The most notable festival here is the Bohag Bihu, which marks the beginning of the Assamese New Year and falls sometime in mid-April. Various local delicacies like pithas, larus, and other sweetmeats are available then. All these preparations are strictly vegetarian. The Durga Puja, celebrated in the month of October, is another major festival. In the months of June-July, there is the famous Ambubashi Mela at Kamakhya temple that attracts thousands of pilgrims from all over the country.
Guwahati in the state of Assam sports a humid subtropical climate, which offers an average annual temperature of 24°C with an extreme that is known to have touched the 40 degree mark. The city lies between the mighty Brahmaputra River and the Shillong Plateau. Guwahati has a good network of hills surrounding it as well, which further contributes in the subtropical topography of the region.
BY AIR:
Guwahati is well connected from all the major cities and towns. Tourists can easily land down at the airport to explore the amazing beauty of Guwahati. There are numbers of Guwahati flights that will take you to the place. The airfare of the place is affordable.
Nearest Airport : Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Guwahati
BY RAIL:
Guwahati is well connected to all the major cities and towns through various trains that are available at the place. The connectivity of the trains is quite good. There are numbers of trains available during day and night allowing you to plan your travel as per your choice. The train ticket is affordable in range.
BY ROAD:
Guwahati is well connected through the bus services so tourists will get various buses to reach the place smoothly. Some of the buses available are private buses, local buses, luxury & volvo buses and state buses. Tourists according to their choice and comfort can take the bus and make the travel simple and easy. The prices of the tickets are reasonable so tourists can easily reach the place. Shillong (100km), Cherrapunji (147km), Kohima (343km) and Jorhat (305km) can be reached from Guwahati