Sukreswar temple is one of the most sought after temples of India which is located in the state of Assam. People from all across the country come here to visit the temple which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. In Assam this temple is located on Itakhulli hill or Sukreswar hill in Guwahati. It too provides visitors with a beautiful view of the Brahmaputra River as the temple is located at the Southern bank of the river. The picturesque view of the river is really breathtaking which gives immense pleasure to the visitors. The temple dates back to eighteenth century and is visited by people from around the world to celebrate the existence of Lord Shiva. The Premise of the temple also has a Vishnu temple and many Puja halls and complexes. The temple is famous for having the most colossal Shiva lingams in India and the sixth Jyotir Lingam.
The history of the temple is associated with Saint Sukra, who made a retreat at the Sukreswar hillock, where he regularly meditated and worshipped Lord Shiva. The place where he meditated is called Hastagiri as per the Kalika Purana, for it being in the shape of the hump of an elephant. This temple later was constructed in the year 1744 by the King of Ahom, Pramatta Singh, who is supposed to have constructed many religious sites during his rule. In the year 1759, the king Rajeswar Singha took the charge of promoting the Shiva cult. The bank of the river on which the temple is located is used by the devotees for taking holy bath and performing other Puja activities. The temple too has beautifully designed steps which lead to the holy river and make the journey to the river an amazing experience. Besides that, the scenic beauty of the rising sun visible from the bank of the river makes the experience even more amazing.
The temple is known for having the largest Lingam of Lord Shiva. This great Indian monument of India is the contribution of the King of the Ahom dynasty of Assam, Pramatta Singh. Throughout the year, devotees from many far off places including many of them from foreign countries come here to take a glimpse of this largest Shiva lingam built in the 18th century. Adjacent to the temple is a Nat Mandir. Though the Sukreswar temple is still in good condition but the adjacent Nat temple has been replaced by sheet of iron.
The good thing about the temple is that you can visit it during any time of the year and there is no specification on the month in which it can be visited. This fact is because of the favourable climate that keeps up in tune with the convenience of the devotees. However, during religious festival times the visit becomes a worth remembering experience. During most of the religious Hindu festivals the temple is decorated and filled with so much of vibrant colours. So, it is advised to visit this beautiful temple of Guwahati during the time of Hindu religious festivals particularly during Mahashivaratri.
The temple can be reached by all three means; by rail, by air or by road. Here’s how you can find the best route for a perfect and hassle free visit to the temple.
By Train:Indian railways are one of the best transportations to reach the Sukreswar temple which provides a hassle free and very easy service. Some of the nearby railway stations to the temple include Amin Gaon railhead which is at a distance of 13 km from the temple, Azara railway station located at a distance of 11 km and Mirza railway station which is situated a distance of 14 Kms from the Sukreswar temple.
Those who wish to make the visit to the temple by taking the air route need to get familiar with the nearby airports. Some of the nearby airports to the temple include Borihar airport which is at a convenient distance of only 9 Km a from the Guwahati city. Then there are Shillong airport and Salonibari airports at a distance of about 84 Km and 152 Km respectively from the Guwahati city.
By Road:The roads in Guwahati city are well connected to the most of the major cities in North Eastern state. Also the city has well defined road routes which are conveniently connected to most of the major cities of the country. So, visitors who want to make a trip to the temple taking the road route can easily plan their visit.
Guwahati is considered as one of the fastest growing cities of India which is located in the North Eastern part of the country and that is one reason that there is no dearth of places for staying during your visit to the temple. There are plenty of accommodations in the nearby places to the temple which can be best suitable for making your stay, an experience worth remembering. On the top of that, the Government of Assam has particularly made arrangement for the stay of the devotees who come to visit the temple. Nevertheless, people can bank upon many private staying options. The hotels and other accommodation facilities are pocket friendly.
As per the Hindu religion, death rites and rituals performed here at the temple is considered to be sacred and it is believed that the dead person will get salvation if his/her last rites are performed at Sukreswar temple.
The temple opens from six in the morning to seven in the evening.
6.00 AM to 7.00 PM
At the temple, the main festival is organized during the time of Mahashivaratri and that time the whole temple is embellished with beautiful flowers and glittering lights. And the scene during the time is entirely different. During this festive season a large number of devotees of Lord Shiva flock to the temple to take a glimpse of the deity and to take his blessings. The temple gets crowded with an uncountable number of people, standing one after the other in rows to take the blessings of the almighty.
Guwahati, aside from having this great temple of the country, is also considered to be the gateway of the seven other states of the North East India. Every year people from around the world come here to visit the beautiful city. The city has an assortment of travel operators who provide for tour packages to the city and that too at affordable pricing which can be easily accommodate in your budget. All you need is, sit back and enjoy the tour, the travel agents will arrange for you the whole trip. Besides the Sukreswar temple, there are a number of other places to be visited in Guwahati. Some of which include Kamakhya temple, Assam State Museum, Guwahati Planetarium, Brahamaputra river cruise, Guwahati zoo and various others.
