On divine trail in Kamakhya
Local tour company's heritage walks showcase history, culture & tradition of the temple
The more you explore, the more you discover. Kamakhya Walks helps one explore the Kamakhya Devalaya and the Nilachal Hills and encourages one to discover the other side of Guwahati city.
Started in May this year, the heritage walking tour company, through its slow walks around the hills, aims to showcase the history, culture, artifacts, mythology and the communities that play an important role in the upkeep of the temple.
The founder, Prasenjit Sharma, said in a statement that he had been nurturing the idea of a heritage tour in and around the city for some time.
“After working in the travel industry for more than 10 years and running a travel company called Six Degree Adventures, based in Northeast India since 2017, I have always felt that Guwahati had more to offer to travellers from across India and the world, than just a transit point. Most travellers coming to the North East land in Guwahati and then head off to other parts of the region, spending hardly any time in the city. Less time spent by travellers in the city means less economic benefit and opportunities for the local people,” pointed out Sharma.
The walk starts from the Kamakhya temple multi-level parking lot and the duration is 1.5-2 hours at Rs 500 per person. The tour company also organises transport to and from the temple on request.
The walk covers 8 out of the 10 important temples dedicated to the mother goddess along with other interesting sites and is fit for all age groups. The walk ends where the darshan starts and at the end of the tour, visitors have the option of entering the sanctum sanctorum with recommended priests.
“The main objective behind Kamakhya Walks is to create awareness among visitors and locals about this important religious and historical site and to generate economic benefit for people in the local community,” said Sharma.
“We are organizing historical temple sightseeing tours to places like Hajo, Dol Govinda, Navagraha temple, as well as organising general touristy sightseeing day trips to places like the World War II cemetery, Sualkuchi, Pobitora and Mayong,” he said, adding that the tour company is keen to tie up with schools, hotels, travel agencies and corporates so that children and visitors to the city get an insight into the history and culture of Guwahati and Assam.
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