Hayagriva Madhava Temple Guwahati

Assam, Kamrup, Guwahati

The Hayagriva Madhava Temple was built by King Raghudeva Narayan in 1583. The temple is dedicated to the Hayagriva incarnation of Lord Vishnu. This is one of the famous Temples of Assam dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Buddha. This is a Hindu Temple, but as the Buddhist remains are found here, many believe that Goutam Buddha meditated here and attained Nirvana in this temple. Thus, it is an equally important shrine for both Hindus and the Buddhists.

Legend

Different legends are there concerning the Hayagriva incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Reference of this incarnation of Sri Vishnu is found in both the Kalika Purana as well as the Matsya Purana. But the legend which is famous says that once Lord Vishnu was sleeping and Lord Brahma on His lotus was also resting when two demons Madhu and Kaitabha stole the Vedas from the hands of Brahma dev and ran to Rashatal (Hell). Then Lord Vishnu took the avatar of Hayagriva and fought the demons to get back the Vedas. The Hindus in the North East believe that after the fight, Hayagriva, the incarnation of Sri Vishnu rested on the Hills of this area of Assam.

Architecture

The Hayagriva Madhab Temple was built in the pious city of Hajo and this is one of the most significant Hindu temples in Assam because of its architectural magnificence. The edifice was built by Naranarayan, the Koc King in around 1550 AD. The temple is completely built with stone, octagonal in shape and the total diameter is 30 feet. The edifice is crowned with a pyramidal roof. The stone decoration of the temple resembles the Kailash temple of Ellora. The magnificence is shown with the stone sculptors of the huge elephants, etc.

Darsan Info

Darshan Timings: 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM

Darsan Dresscode

No Specific dresscodefor visiting Hayagriva Madhava Temple

Famous Festival

March :- Doul or Holi
June :- Ratha Yatra

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.