Guwahati

The nickname ‘Gateway of North-East India’ may not be eloquent, but it’s certainly accurate. Sprawled out between the rolling hills of the Shillong Plateau and the banks of the meandering Brahmaputra River, Guwahati is the first stop for travellers making their way through to the far-flung northeastern states away from the Indian heartland.

Right from the ancient times, Guwahati has been in the thick of activity, its importance as a centre of religion and astronomy attested by a landscape dotted with temples such as the iconic Kamakhya Temple, the Navagraha temple and even the 17th century Umananda Devaloi, found a boat ride away on the Brahmaputra. Today, this rapidly developing town is a haphazard array of open spaces and flat-roofed residential sprawl, peppered with old mansions left over from the British Raj and set beneath a distinct layer of urban greenery. Many a Guwahati tour guide will recommend a visit to the Assam State Museum and Khanapara Regional Science Centre; and there’s also plenty for travellers with kids, from the relaxing Nehru Park and State Zoo, to a jaunt to the buzzing riverside markets.