Guwahati
- Situated on the bank of the mighty river Brahmaputra,
Guwahati - said to be the legendary Pragjyotishpur or City
of Eastern Light - is the gateway to north eastern India.
The name is a combination of two words: Guwa meaning areca
nut and Hat meaning market. Guwahati is the commercial nerve
centre of the North-East. The places to shop for handicrafts
and handloom items include the State Government's department
store, Pragjyotika at Ambari as well as several private
shops in Pan Bazar and Fancy Bazar, two of the main commercial
markets.
Manas Sanctuary
& Tiger Reserve - Formerly known as North Kamrup,
Manas, in Assam, was declared a sanctuary in 1928. In 1985
it was accorded the status of World Heritage Site. The park
straddles two rivers, the Manas and its tributary the Hakua,
along the Assam-Bhutan border. The protected area extends
into the Bhutan foothills.
Kaziranga National
Park lies on the south bank of the Brahmaputra and
its boundary for the most part follows the Mora Diphlu river
and runs parallel to National Highway No. 37. It covers
an area of 688 sq. kilometres. The Park was first established
in 1908, as a reserve forest with only about a dozen rhinos
and was declared a National Park in 1974.
Sibsagar
was the capital of the mighty Ahoms, who ruled Assam for
more than six hundred years, before the advent of the British.
The town, which literally means 'the ocean of Lord Shiva',
is strewn with the tell-tale ruins of a powerful empire.
The most remarkable landmark of the town is the 200 year
old Sibsagar tank. On its banks are three significant temples
- Shivadol, Vishnudol and Devidol. Modern Sibsagar is a
fast developing urban settlement. It is the headquarters
of the district Sibsagar, a leading tea and oil producing
centre.
Tezpur - Situated on the banks
of river Brahmaputra, this town replete with a raw natural
beauty and fascinating archaeological ruins, is the headquarters
of district Sonitpur. Undulating green valleys surrounded
by the lofty hills and snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas,
and lush tea gardens render Tezpur a tourist's delight.
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