From Glory to Dust: Exploring the mysteries behind ancient ruins of Guwahati

Guwahati, Sept 2: Guwahati, identified with the ancient Pragjyotishapura, has been a major centre of cultural development in Assam since ages.

The present day Guwahati is well known for Kamakhya Temple, the early medieval sites like Doul Govinda, Manikarneshwar, Aswakranta, Dirgheswari and many more in the northern bank of Brahmaputra River.

The famous archeological site of Ambari in Guwahati has provided ample evidence for understanding the cultural growth of the area since the beginning of Common Era.

The Northeast region is typically identified as being less developed, by its wildlife and tribal communities. But like the rest of India, we also have a rich and extensive history that is yet to be presented to the world. And it’s time that archaeological tourism is taken seriously.

An ancient town in the Puranas, North Guwahati was known as the “East Kashi”. The hermitage of Makhandeya was located in the foothill of the Dirgheswari Hill or the Sita Parbat on the bank of the Puspabhadra.

It was North Guwahati rather than Guwahati that attracted the local kings to build their capital and administrative center because it had both economic and strategic advantages.

But these archaeological sites of Assam are gradually fading into oblivion. No government or public initiative has in recent times sought to promote the heritage sites which lie within the city, and have their own stories to relate.

When teaching Indian prehistory and archeology, the Northeastern states are often ignored or understudied. This goes from school textbooks to college syllabus. This dearth of knowledge about the 7 sisters and 1 brother results in students growing up to falsely believe that the Northeast has little to no history worth studying and researching. But this is far, far from the truth.

The truth of the matter is the fact that all the “Seven Sisters” and “one brother” have their own blend of uniqueness & basically the whole of Northeast is a cornucopia of varied culture, intermingling & intertwining of various ethnicity & a landscape so unique & diverse, it clearly is "An Explorer's Paradise".

Manikarneshwar Devalaya

As mentioned by Maheshwar Neog in his book “Pabitra Assam”, the area might have been named after the Shivalinga Known as Manikarneshwar, and a pond named as Manikarna, which must have merged with the river Brahmaputra.

Local legend associate this sacred place of Manikarneshwar with Lord Shiva taking rest after the self-immolation of Sati and subsequent dismembering of Sati’s body by lord Vishnu through his Sudarshana Chakra. Lord Shiva rested under a Bel tree at the confluence of Barnadi and Brahmaputra rivers known as Manisila.

The complete scheming of the Manikarneshwar temple is based on a Triangle. The plinth which is made of block-stone and retains its early mediaeval features is designed in the form of a star with six projections and it developed out of two concentric triangles.

A pre-Ahom Uma-Maheswar image can be seen just at the entrance. In the sculpture, Shiva is shown sitting on vamalalitasana on a high lotus petal with his left leg folded while the right leg and hands are hanging down.

Meanwhile, Devi is depicted sitting on the lap of Lord Shiva in savyalalitasana where her right leg is folded and the left leg is hanging.

The inner chamber is in a small underground cave, where the Shiva linga is present.

Another legend says that invaluable gems, pearls, gold, ruby, and other precious stones were looted from beneath the seas, the underworld, and from heaven by King Narakasur and he got them deposited in the shape of a mountain which now becomes Manikarneshwar where the King built a beautiful place in the Jogini tantra.

Ashwakranta Devalaya

Located on the northern banks of the Brahmaputra River, it was built by Ahom King Swargadeo Siva Singha in 1720.

Legend has it that while Lord Shri Krishna rode on His horse on his way to kill Narakasura, His horse fell down, exhausted at the place where the temple is located. In the Assamese language, “ashwa” means horse, and “klanta” means tired.

Another legend says that horses belonging to Arjuna, the warrior, were persuaded in this place to stay back away so Abhimanyu could be killed. It was a conspiracy in the war and called “Abhikranta” in Assamese. From this word, the place where the temple is located was named “Ashwa-kranta”; later, came to be called “Ashwa-klanta” in popular language.

The temple was damaged in the earthquake of 1897 that shook Assam, and was later repaired and renovated under the supervision of the viceroy, Lord Curzon. There is a place for sacrifice (called the “kunda”) near the temple, which was eroded by the Brahmaputra River and no longer exists in the temple premises.

Being a Vishnu temple, festivals related to Lord Vishnu and His incarnations are celebrated with much glory and pomp. Janmastami and Ashok-astami are two main festivals celebrated here. Devotees come here to witness the celebrations.

Doul Govinda Temple

Situated on the northern banks of the Brahmaputra River, at the foothills of the Chandrabharti hills at Rajaduar, North Guwahati, the temple is dedicated to Lord Shri Krishna. There is a “Naamghar” inside the temple premises. The temple is open and accessible all year round. There are several stories around the deity. It is widely believed that the deity of the temple was brought to the temple by the late Ganga Ram Barooah from a place called Sandhyasar near Nalbari. The first structure was erected more than 150 years ago, but it was renovated again in 1966. The temple, shrines, copper plates, and rock inscriptions are scattered to suggest a glorious heritage in and around North Guwahati

Holi is celebrated with pomp and joy in the months of February and March. It is observed by the local people by conducting almost a week-long programme with various events.

Auniati Satra

The Auniati Satra was established in 1663 in Majuli by Ahom king Swargadeo Jayadhwaj Singha. About 250 years ago, the fifth satradhikar of the Auniati Satra Shri Shri Hari Deva Goswami fled from Majuli due towar unrest and took refuge in Andharoo Bali, the sandbar on Brahmaputra at Bharalumukh, Guwahati. The then Ahom king, Swargadeo Rajeshwar Singha allotted 62 bighas of land to the satra at Fatasil, and subsequently established the first branch of Majuli’s Auniati Satra in Guwahati

The Satra in Guwahati was established in 1917 by the then satradhikar Kamal Chandra Deb. This is not an original establishment; this establishment was previously located at Fatasil, Ambari. Then, it was known as Amoni Satra. The area saw massive urbanisation under the British Raj. Fearing the increasing urbanisation could disrupt the peaceful environment of a satra, the satradhikar contacted with Ashwaklanta Devalaya. They required a plot of land in North Guwahati. The plot of land on which the satra now sits belongs to Ashwaklanta Devalaya. About 70 bighas of land were leased from them.

Like all satras, the North Guwahati satra also has a circular structure with a row of houses called “Baha” at the periphery with the naamghar and the manikut (the sanctum sanctorum). The main entrance of the satra is called “korapat” or “batsora”, followed by the “bulonisora” (a short gateway), then “raangoli sora” (an open space) and then the main naamghar and manikut.

The North Guwahati satra also has a museum. Amongst the various items of display are ancient manuscripts, which were written on “saanchi paat”; belongings of the twelfth satradhikar; a gold-plated wooden “maan-sarai”; intricately designed ivory “kharam” (slippers); a wooden boat for “paal naam”; brass “Bheru” (an instrument used for bugle call of battles), amongst others.

Ambari Archeological Site

The Ambari Archaeological Site was discovered in 1968. Material evidence from excavations has established that the site was one of the important centres of culture that flourished in ancient Kamarupa. The settlements of the site are broadly assigned to two cultural periods - the early cultural period which flourished as an urban centre from BCE 200; and the later cultural phase which after a brief cultural gap continued from c. 1100 CE to the late mediaeval period

Major structural remains of the early phase include the remains of a tank of burnt bricks followed by a drainage system, brick-paved pathways, brick-paved floors and foundation walls of the early mediaeval period. These features suggest the development of Ambari as a cultural centre on the river Brahmaputra flowing to the north. During the early mediaeval period the site functioned as an artists’ guild and a production centre of sculptures (atelier) with its distinct art form often termed the Kamarupa School of Art.

The discovery of a large number of stone sculptures, Siva lingas, terracotta, kaolin pots, oil lamps, sculptures, and other antiquities like beads and ornaments make it clear that the site was an atelier and artists and sculptors dwelt in this site leading. The sculpture of Nataraja on the vahana Nandi found here is unique in this country and was a production of local iconographical norms.

Scientific clearance directed for structural conservation of the brick architectural remains during 2002-03 revealed existence of a square structure, which was a living apartment divided by an inner corridor laid in north-south direction. This dwelling apartment was found laid within a north-southern and an east western brick wall. Innumerable stone sculptures of various divinities of Brahmanical faith and terracotta human figurines are now preserved in a museum in situ and at the Assam State Museum.

The structural remains of the later phase are not so distinctive but evidence of some remarkable ceramic wares like glazed terracotta potteries, kaolin pots and celadon wares found in the site indicate that the site perhaps served as an important centre for trade since ancient times. This is confirmed by the discovery of a terracotta clay sealing and evidence of a brick-built tank datable to the Sunga-Kushana period of ancient Indian history during excavation conducted in the site in 2008-09.

Archaeological studies have revealed that the people of Assam have an extensive, if not long, history of inhabiting the region. The archeological remains of Guwahati and the surrounding areas have provided us with vital clues about the evolution of human society over the last several millennia.

The evidence thus far has been scanty. And there is still much we can learn. There are some important sites that need to be studied and excavated in order to bring out the full extent of the culture and history of this region.

The many other ancient cities and towns that dot the landscape of North East India have all been lost to the sands of time.

The only way to understand these sites and their true history is to try and visit them. Explore the hidden secrets of the olden times, and bring alive the mystery of these deserted cities.

Guwahati is actually one of the largest cities of Northeast India, which was the capital of Assam for about 1,000 years. It was the seat of the kingdom of Kamarupa which flourished from the 1st to the 13th century. The city was built on the banks of the Hoogli River, which flows through the city today.

The Capital of the kingdom was first established in Guwahati then moved to Cossimbazar, with the latter being the political, economic and cultural hub.

After independence, Guwahati slowly began to emerge and restore its importance as a city, but it took many decades to become a truly viable metropolis in India. The influx of migrants from various parts of the country as well as from the neighboring countries, gave Guwahati an urban feel. The city has now become a hive of economic activity for the region. There is also a growing presence of small and medium industries. The bustling markets and the presence of a large number of eateries from different parts of the country provide a taste of the city's cosmopolitan character.

Today, Guwahati is a thriving metropolis with lakhs of people living in the city. It is also one of the major economic hubs in the northeast. The state government is developing the city as a major tourist destination, and there is still a lot to be done in this regard.