Religious/ Spiritual

Ketakeshwar Dewal is one of the most important Hindu shrines in Tezpur. The shrine is dedicated to Lord Shiva is said to have one of the biggest Shivalingam in the world. There are actually two parts to the temple, one where which is said to be the original place of the Shivalingam and another where the Shivalingam is located presently. Legend has it that the Shivalingam shifted its position during an earthquake. The temple is regularly visited by pilgrims from all parts of Assam, so it is well connected by road.

The ruins of the door frame of Da-Parbatia Temple a few kms. from Tezpur town, is perhaps the finest and oldest specimen of sculptural or iconoclastic art in Assam. It's carving has the characteristics of the style of early Gupta School of sculpture. The door-jambs having two goddesses, Ganga and Yamuna, standing below with garlands in their hands in artistic pose and elegance are decorated with beautiful ornamental foliage.

Bhairabi Temple is among the oldest temples in Assam situated on the borders of Tezpur. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga. From the back side of the temple, one can see the famous Kolia Bhomora Setu. On the stones of the temple, you can see intricate carvings and images that date back to 9th century. You can buy ghee lamps, sweets and fruits and can offer it to the Goddess. The temple still carries out sacrificial offerings of goats and bulls regularly.

35 km from the township of Silchar is the famous Shiva Mandir, a.k.a. Bhubaneswar temple, on top of the Bhuvan hills. The temple is a renowned tourist spot of the region, where pilgrims and devotes from all over the state come to offer their prayers and seek the blessings of the Lord. Inside the main sanctum of the temple are the idols of Lord Shiva and Goddesses Parvati. From Silchar it is quite easy to visit the place, as daily buses operate to the base of the hill, from where the remaining distance can be covered on foot.

Around 5 km to the north of Bhubaneswar temple, in the Bhuvan hills, is the famous Maniharan temple. According to the legends, Lord Krishna used this tunnel during His visit to the region. Just underneath this tunnel, the holy river of Tribeni flows and people often come here to bathe in the waters of the river and seek the blessings of the Lord. A number of festivals, like Doljatra, Shivratri and Baruni, are held here every year, where devotees from all over Assam and also the adjacent areas come to offer their prayers.

15 km from Silchar, on the way to the Kumbhirgram airport, is situated the famed Kanchakanti Kali temple, which is a union of Goddess Durga and Goddess Kali. Mythology has it the king of the region once had a dream, in which he was asked to build an idol of the four-armed goddess. Following his dreams, he constructed the temple and prepared a gold idol of the Goddess, somewhere during 1806. This temple however, got destroyed due to natural forces and a new one was constructed later.

Vishnu Dol is a temple of great architectural importance and is located just adjacent to the Shiva Dol. Constructed by Queen Madambika, wife of Shiva Singha, in 1734, the temple is dedicated to the worship of Lord Vishnu and can be visited all round the year. However, the month of Bhada (a month in the Hindu calendar) is very special for this temple. Daily kirtans and prayers are held in the temple all throughout the month and devotees from far and wide come to get a glimpse of the Lord.

This man-made tank, containing around 120 acres of water, was dug over 200 years ago and is situated well above the level of the town. This tank is fed by natural springs and is surrounded by deep ditches and earthen moats. Three temples of great historical importance, namely Shiva Dol, Vishnu Dol and Devi Dol, have been constructed on its banks.

One of the most sacred and revered pilgrimage centers in India, Shiva Dol is a major tourist attraction in Sibsagar. It is not only the tallest Shiva temple in northeast India, but also the highest Hindu temple in the whole of India. The entire temple has a height of about 104 feet and a perimeter of 195 feet at the base. Surrounding this massive temple are two other smaller temples, namely Vishnu Dol and Devi Dol, dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Goddess Durga respectively. Situated on the banks of the 200-year-old Sibsagar tank, it is visited by thousands of migratory birds in the winter season.

Rudrasagar Tank was built in the year 1773, by the Ahom king Lakshmi Singha and was dedicated to his father king Rudra Singha. Located on its banks, at a distance of eight km from Shivsagar town, is a huge temple devoted to the worship of Lord Shiva. Besides the temples and forts mentioned above, a number of Vaishnava Satras, Muslim Dargahs, Buddhist and Sakta shrines are also found here, constructed by the Ahom, Manipuri, Jaintia and Shah rulers.