Guwahati, the capital city of Assam is also famous as "the light of the east". It is situated on the banks of the mighty river Brahmaputra and surrounded by mystical hills. The city derives its name from two Assamese words, "Guwa," meaning areca nut and "Haat," meaning market. Besides being a place of pilgrimage, Guwahati is an important cultural hub, business center and educational center of North East India.

Places to see:

The city gets its bewitching persona from the magic of the demon king Narakasura, who built the ancient city, and also from the Nabagraha Temple (temple of nine planets), the seat of astronomers. Guwahati also offers spiritual-religious experience. Guwahati is particularly famous for its Kamakhya temple. Bohag Bihu festival, which marks the beginning of the Assamese New Year and falls sometime in mid-April attracts tourists in great numbers. Nabagraha, Hajo, Sukleaswar are notable places of pilgrimage. Madan Kamdev, a site whose history is still unknown, is an interesting site for archeology and sculpture.

How to reach:

There are regular flight services to Guwahati from Delhi (2½ hours), Calcutta (1½ hours), Imphal, Agartala, Aizawl, Dibrugarh and Jorhat. The busy and overcrowded Paltan Bazar railway station is the destination for many trains from every corner of India.