JYOTISH DUTTA

Hajo, a place just 32 kms from my house in Guwahati, and I knew so little about the place and the people. So off I rode to Hajo. It took me 2hrs to reach the main town. Not that the road condition was bad, but the view all along the way was just fantastic. The river Brahmaputra and the enveloping hills on both the sides ensured that I made many pit stops in admiration. With early morning rains bringing down the mercury level, it was a great day for biking. My 1 st climb was the Garurachal Hills to see the shrine people call Poa Mecca, a place of pilgrimage for the Muslim community. On top of the hill is a mosque and the tomb of Gyasuddin Aulia. It is said that Gyasuddin Aulia , an Iranian prince, made the first attempt to impregnate Islam in this part of the country(supposedly 12AD). Legend has it that the preacher had bought a lump of earth from Mecca and enshrined the same at the spot where the mosque was built at a later period.   The present preacher there was kind enough to...

The Gateway of Guwahati (i.e North East) is situated on the bank of the mighty Brahmaputra. We, guwahatians pass by it every now and then without giving it a thought. It aint in a good state..... the walls have developed cracks....the plaster is falling off.... The government has developed a small park around it. There's a restaurant too....and thats all. What I enjoyed the most was the view. On a good day one can witness an amazing river sunset.

The ruins of Madan Kamdev Temple , was a mystery to me when I first visited the site in 2003. In my recent revisit to the site I couldn’t help but marvel at the amazing sculptures that assert eternal love, joy and happiness. Archaeologists have dated the ruins to the 10 th -12 th Century A.D( Reign of the Pala Dynasty in Kamrupa). The ruins are supposedly the remains of around 20 temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. The main temple housed a sculpture of Lord Shiva and his consort Uma which the locals call “Madan Kamdev”. As I climbed the stairs and reached the main temple, I was happy to see some roofing done. Atleast a start….. The main temple As per a legend, it was here that Lord Shiva( God of Destruction) incinerated Kamdev( God of Love) with his third eye. Kamdev was again reborn to be united with his consort Rati. The temple, situated in the Devangiri hillock, is known for its striking resemblance to the famous 10th-11th century Khajuraho temples in central Madhya Pr...