Basistha Temple is a famous temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is located in the South-East corner of Guwahati, Assam. The temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva was built by Ahom King Rajeswar Singha in the Ashram area in 1764. It is believed that the ashram was the home of Sage Vasishtha and he brought an end to his life at this ashram.

Location Assam, Kamrup, Guwahati

Legend

According to the legends, the Ashram  dates back to the times of the Ramayana. Sage Vasishtha was the teacher of Lord Rama, Laxman, Satrughna and Bharat when they were princes. Later on, the great sage settled down to this hermitage up on the Sandhyachal Hills. The ashram is located in the South-East corner of the city of Guwahati. Ahom King Rajeswar Singha in 1764 built the Basistha Temple here in the Ashram area and dedicated it to Lord Shiva as the sage himself was an ardent follower of Lord Shiva. The King also gifted 835 Bighas of land for the ashram. The grave of the sage also can be seen near-by the Ashram.

Architecture

According to many old scriptures the ashram of Sage Basistha or Vasistha belongs to the Vedic era. But per history the temple of Lord Shiva, the "isthadev" of the hermit Basistha was built by the Ahom King Rajesvar Singha in 1764. The temple is built in the typical Kamrup architecture. The dome shaped, red building of the edifice proves that. The main sanctum sanctorum has Lord Shiva consecrated in a lingam.

Picture Courtesy : commons.wikimedia.org

Culture

The North-Eastern state of Assam is one of the largest states in India and is blessed with excellent weather, flora and fauna. The state is blessed with the mighty Brahmaputra River that is one of the major sources of water for irrigation and livelihood for the local people out there. The national parks and reserves of Kaziranga and Manas are often visited by the tourists to explore the widest range of rhinos in India.

Defining Assam will be incomplete without mentioning about the heavenly tea they produce. The Assam tea has achieved the international reputation for its strong flavor.                                                      

Besides the breathtaking views of nature, Assam boasts of its century-old cultures that they have preserved till date. It is said that Assam is the meeting ground of innumerable cultures. Today's Ahomiya people or the inhabitants of Assam are said to have their origins from the different racial stocks including Indo-Iranian, Burmese, Mongolian, and Aryan groups.

The Ahomiyas have a strong cultural background. With their indigenous form of music and dance, Assam has created a place in the cultural platform across India and the world.  Bihu, Tea Folk's Jhumur Dance, Bagurumba, Deodhani, Bhortal Nritya, Satriya Nritya are some of their finest performing arts.

Assam also houses some of the ancient temples of the world. During the era of the Kamrupa Kings, the temples were mostly built. Kamakshya Devi Temple, Umananda Temple, Nabagraha Temple, Vasistha Temple and Ashram, Bhuvaneswari Temple, Janardana Temple etc are some of the worth mentioning century-old Hindu shrines, enriched with legends, history, and architecture.

Darsan Info

Everyday from 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM.

Darsan Dresscode

There is no specific dress code for visiting Basistha Ashram Temple.

Famous Festival

Nirvana Divas

Temple Rituals

Regular Pooja

Special Rituals

Nirvana Divas

Additional Info

 

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Supermarket : Available