Umananda Temple on Peacock Island Guwahati Assam: Shiv Temple Brahmaputra River

 About Umananda Temple

Umananda devaloi temple is a lord shiva temple situated in the peacock island in the center of the river Brahmaputra. It is situated just opposite to the office of the deputy commissioner of kamrup Or the kachari ghat in Guwahati. The name ummananda comes from the two Hindi words one is "uma" Which means Lord shiva's wife and the other one is "ananda" Which means happiness. The surroundings of the temple and Divine but the beauty of the island make a heaven for all the nature lovers. The umananda temple is built by skilled Assamese workmen. Aside from Lord shiva, there are 10 other Hindu gods whose idols found inside the temple. Aside from being a place of worship, umananda temple is also a wonderful exception to the typical type of place of worship. This place has a serene environment which makes you want to sit down in a temple and absorb the beauty of the place. On the entrance of the temple there is Ganesha's shrine with a big sculpture of a rat in the sitting facing position. The idol of Ganesha and the dashavataras of Vishnu are seen on the outer walls of the temple. The calm surroundings with beautiful and attractive scenes of birds and trees make people relaxed and happy. 

About Peacock Island

Peacock Island is the smallest river island in the middle of Brahmaputra river flowing through the city of Guwahati in Assam, Assam is a northeast state of India, in 1897 after the earthquake damaged the temple heavily but it is repaired by local merchants then the craftsmen were also figured out of the rocks of the island. The umananda island is the hometown of the species of the endangered langur who was introduced to the island in the 1980s, generally the island is dotted with the tamarind trees. Peacock island is a British name for its structure; the island is shaped and looks like a peacock feather. But it is also known as umananda island. The golden langurs are one of the best attractions of peacock island because golden langurs are only found in black Mountain of Bhutan and umananda island in assam. The island is exactly situated between North and South Guwahati. 

Ummanada Mandir History

The umananda temple was built in 1694 A.D. By the bar phukan garhganya handique by order of king gadadhar singha (1681 - 1696) he is one of the strongest rulers of ahom dynasty but the original temple was destroyed in the earthquake of 1897. Later it was reconstructed by local merchant who built the interior part of shiva temple with vaishnavite slogans during the period of mughals the occupation of kamrupa money and land men received by the priest of the temple from mughal emperor's jahangir and aurangzeb. 

Architecture

The temple has architecture with some rock cut figures, which is crafted by passionately skilled Assamese craftsmen. There are many worshippers sculptures present here to follow Hindu gods like shiva and devi, addition of those vishnu and his ten incarnations (avatar) and representation of surya. 

How to Reach

We can reach umananda temple very easily from Guwahati with the help of ferries. Ferries are only available at sukleswar ghat and fancy bazaar ghat. Travelling in ferries is quite an experience. Tourists can feel the view and beauty of Brahmaputra river. Ferries and cheapest inland water transportation connect the Uzanbazar ferry ghat and peacock island to Guwahati. 

Best Time to Visit

In Guwahati, umananda temple is a prominent attraction for tourists. Generally jan, feb, mar, oct, nov, dec are considered as the best time to visit umananda temple is all days of week 5:30 am to 6:00 pm & the visit duration is around 3 hours. Entry fee is ₹10 per person for ferry ride to temple. The place is the best place for nirvana seekers and God lovers. 

How to Reach Peacock Island

The peacock island is located in the middle of the brahmaputra river, it is situated at 3 km. From Guwahati railway station. It can be easily reached by taking a boat from the kachari ghat, right in the heart of the city. The rides of boats and ferries are more memorable for tourists. umananda temple is dedicated to Lord shiva and it is the most respected temple in the entire state.