A DAY IN TEZPUR TOWN, ASSAM - PART 2 - VISITING THE HISTORICAL AND TOURIST PLACES

Photo Travelogue :
Read first part - Here!


When you think of historical places to visit in Tezpur, the first one that comes to mind is the 'Dah Parvatiya' where there are significant architectural remnants of an ancient temple in Gupta Empire period architectural style of the 6th century overlying the ruins of another Shiva temple built of bricks during the Ahom period. So, I asked the auto to take me there first, as the village was about 15-20 minutes drive from the town centre.

1...
DAH PARBATIYA...

we enter the sleepy village road after leaving Tezpur town, and driving a while...


there was no security or entry free, so we just walked in the well maintained grounds...


the steps leading to the site...the ruins lay on the sides...


only the door-frame remains standing, of the original temple...


moi, tried touching it...


view from the back...and side...


ruins scattered in the grounds...Even though its a tourist place, I was the only tourist there. There was no refreshment stalls often put by locals or washrooms around the site. It lay quite abandoned. But, since it's grounds are well manicured; I guess, someone from ASI comes by to look after it once in a while.


2....
ANCIENT MAHABHAIRAB SHIVA TEMPLE...

the Mahabhairab temple facade made of black 'living' stone, from across the road...


the entrance and the steps leading to it...


the main temple inside...with a nandi bull on its front...


oh...hello there...standing on both sides of the temple, seems they were guarding it...
( I'm not the religious types, so, didn't go inside the temple )


3 ( A )...
BAMUNI HILL TEMPLE RUINS

our next stop...


we drove through a long path...


came across a temple site, was this the one?


the entrance, devotees and garland stalls outside...


we go the long way up the stairs...see some ruins lying about on both sides...


some more ruins...and we are excited...


we finally approach the temple...At this point, I'm greatly disappointed as its a small 'normal' functioning temple we've arrived to, and not some ancient ruins. Did we reach the correct site? We come back down the steps, and ask around, convinced, that the ruins must be nearby, since we had spotted that sign-board earlier. A local points out to another path and we go, hoping we reach the correct spot this time...its really annoying I tell ya, when you reach wrong places..., duh!

3 ( B )...
THE CORRECT BAMUNI HILL

after a while, asking around, we do arrive at the right spot...thankfully...
and, its not far from the 'newer' temple we had gone by mistake, earlier...


enter the compound, and there are many steps that go uphill...up and up...


we arrive at a site that looks ~ like, a temple had just collapsed on the ground...
And, again, not a soul on the site, I was the only tourist there!


stones and stones everywhere, of the temple and many of them, carved...


pillars and columns of what looks like a royal and exotic temple, now lay in ruins...


the auto wala turns into a guide, tells me many interesting things about tezpur & its temples...
( According to Hindu mythology, Aniruddha, the nephew of Lord Krishna, had fallen in love with the daughter of Banasura, who disapproving of the match had imprisoned Aniruddha in this place )


I walk about the grounds...over history...
its fun too ~ when you have the whole place to yourself...


from far behind the ruins, peaks the river Brahmaputra...
( like, Dah Parbatiya, here too, there was no officials or anyone at all )


4...
AGNIGARH...

the road to Agnigarh is shaded with trees, I guess, its popular with locals for daily walks...


though Agnigarh hill has historical significance, the beautification around it give a modern feel...


the entrance and the tower inside...


going inside...up the hill via its various steps and path-ways...

Not religious,but like clicking interesting things.So, here's one for #Mahashivratri ..clicked at #Agnigarh #Tezpur pic.twitter.com/CqdhLFDKxf

— ? ? NandiniDéka ? ? (@NandiniDeka) March 7, 2016

lots of statues around the now-landscaped hill narrating stories of that time period...


cozy spots to sit and relax, in case, one gets tired climbing the hill...


the top, with the tall Ashoka column at the centre...


the spot where Banasur's daughter Usha was kept captive for falling in love with Aniruddha...Agnigarh is the hillock located in Tezpur, Assam, India, where according to Hindu mythology, it is the site of the fortress which was built by Banasura to keep his daughter Usha in isolation. The name itself is derived from the words 'Agni' and 'garh' in Sanskrit ( wiki ).


the gardens here are pretty and in full bloom...loved it totally...


the 'machan' to get the views of the grounds and the river Brahmaputra...
Even though we had agreed to go around more places in Tezpur ( rightly named ~ the cultural capital of Assam ), like Chitralekha Udyan, Ouguri Hill etc ( skipping of course Nameri National Park, Bura-Chapori Wild-life Sanctuary, Bhairabi temple etc because of no time ), and the auto-wala was quite willing too, I decided to cut short my tezpur darshan, as I had a long day ahead the next day ~ a 12+ hour long drive to Tawang. I thought it better to catch some sleep, because, the whole day I'd be travelling. It was about 5pm when the auto wala dropped me near the Sumo stand, and I walked back to my hotel. A small dinner, and off I went to sleep and dream about my upcoming trip to Tawang...

Tezpur is a city and urban agglomeration in Sonitpur district, Assam state, India. It also serves as a district headquarter for Sonitpur district ( wiki ).

Address : Bamuni Hills, Tezpur, Assam 784001
Agnigarh, Mahabhairab, Tezpur, Assam 784001
Read next part - Here! Stay tuned for all my road, rail, flight, cruise & walk trips.
( Images - ©Mine. All rights reserved. )
Our Rating Scale is : 1 to 5 = ◕◕◕◕◕ - It was Awesome!

---