A place where culture and religion meet each other, in Hajo Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims co-exist in harmony since time immemorial. Hajo is 30 km from Guwahati and is an ancient pilgrimage site of major importance but now almost forgotten. The monuments here are in a dilapidated state. ASI and Assam tourism have both ignored their responsibilities towards securing the temple town of Hajo.
I was in Guwahati after finishing my three weeks trip to Tripura and Mizoram, I had only a day or two to spare. Out of boredom, I contacted Kopou Escapes for suggestions to explore nearby places. Not only did they suggest me Hajo but also arranged for a vehicle to take me there along with an experienced guide. I had no clue about the place, and to be honest I never heard of it before. So, I was not expecting anything, but I was thoroughly surprised to find myself amongst 11th-century temples and legends.
Hayagriva Madhav Temple
Rightly called as the melting pot of religion, the temple complex at Hajo houses Lord Vishnu in his horse head avatar of Narsimaha and a Buddhist shrine as it is believed that Buddha attained nirvana here.
Deva Bhavana Ganesha Temple
Believed to be the meeting point for all the deities of the Panchatheerthas, the image of Ganesha craved out on rock looks magnificent.
Bhimar Choriya [Bhima`s Bowl]
It is believed to be a bowl in which Bhima Mahabharataharta used to eat. As per popular legend, Bhima married Hidimba, a tribal princess, during his exile and spent quite some time in the North East.
Nandi temple and Beula Lakhindar Dhobighat
A small shed covers a stone structure that resembles the Nandi. Nothing much is known about it, there is no signage around this place. If you happen to visit this place, then ask around for a local artisan by the name of Kamini Das. She stays 100 meters from the Nandi temple and weaves beautiful Gamoshas and possess the voice of a nightingale. The Dhobi Ghat doesn’t exist anymore.
Kedareswar temple
It is a Shiva temple which was constructed by Rajeshwar Singha, an Ahom king in 1751. The temple houses a Shivalingum know as Svayambhu Linga.
Poa Mecca
Build around 11th century AD Poa Mecca is a revered shrine for Muslims in Assam. Lakshmi Singha, an Ahom king believed in inter-religious faiths, he gave 1/4th of his income to build this mosque. Poa Mecca is a samadhi of Giyasuddin Auliya who was an Iraqi prince who later become a preacher. The main purpose for the construction of this site was to celebrate world peace. During Magh Purnima in January every year all religions come here to celebrate unity and a bond of amity. A procession rallies from Poa Mecca to Hayagriva Madhava Temple to spread the universal message of communal harmony.
How to reach:
Bus connectivity is good from Guwahati to Hajo which takes around 1-2 hours depending on the route. One can either take Nalbari or Barpeta road. But to save time and see all the places in one day it is better to hire a private car.
So if you happen to be in Guwahati during your transit to other Northeastern states. Then consider visiting Hajo cluster of temples and Poa Mecca to witness the religious consonance.
Happy travelling!!
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It is really saddening to know that such a historic town has not been developed and maintained by the government. Each site seems like it has played its part in our country’s long history. Thank you for sharing a beautiful pist of this town..
What a beautiful temple. Seems like a hidden gem since no one here has heard of this town!
So much to see here! I feel like I would benefit from having a personal guide in a place like this because there is so much history and culture and legend…I feel like to absorb everything fully I would want it all explained to me from a local’s perspective. Looks great!
OMG… as in Assam?! Like the tea? This place looks beautiful and peaceful. Would love to sit in peace with a brew there.
Absoultelly in our bucket list, it seems a great place to visit and stay! thanks-
I would love to explore the Temple Town! I haven’t heard about it until now, but the idea of finding a place where different religions and cultures meet and coexist harmoniously is something I wish to see.
Nice place! Between the tranquility and the serene surroundings, there is some kind of spirituality here, especially those ancient temples. We would love to visit here as part of our upcoming plan to visit India.
Hajo definitely looks like an intriguing place to explore! Temples are sacred places rich in both history and culture and I truly appreciating learning about them on authentic tours. Hayagriva Madhav Temple in particular looks like a place I’d love to visit 🙂
It’s incredible to know there’s actually a town in the world full of temples! I know nothing about Indian temples, so really enjoyed reading the stories behind them too. It’s almost like something out of a fairytale!
Really nice. India has such nice temples. I really like the ornaments and decorations.
I should get me a bowl like that……
I love visiting temples and India is already on my list, so hopefully I will make it to Hajo. I also like the culture and the beautiful architecture.
Great post! I have been to India 5 times now and I’m still learning about this beautiful country! I have never been to Assam, but I’m loving your history and these photos so much that I think i’m going to have to add it to the list. I love Bhima’s bowl!
I am not a religious person but I do like exploring temples, specially because of their architecture. Temples built ages ago had spectacular architecture and India is full of such places! Hayagriva Madhav Temple is quite spectacular, especially because, like you said, it brings together Buddhist aspects along with Hinduism. It looks a lot like Buddhist stupas usually do!
I had never heard of this place before but it seems to rich in culture. I like to here about unknown places like this. It goes to show there is so much of the world to see and experience.
Quite interesting,I would love to visit someday.
Gosh every time I read articles like this I am reminded how little I know about India. It is such a vast country and I love that in Hajo, Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims co-exist in harmony. How rare that is in the world today. And the temple looks wonderful…. how many steps were there?
This looks like it was a wonderful experience. Hopefully one day I will travel to such places.
Oooh wow.. haven’t heard of this town.. can’t wait to review the birth east…