Umananda Temple, Guwahati: History, Timings & Visitor Guide

Umananda Temple is open every day, usually from early morning to late evening with a break in the afternoon. Darshan and aarti timings change with the season and on festival days.

• MorningOpens early morning (around 5 to 6 AM)
• AfternoonShort break around midday at many temples
• EveningEvening aarti around sunset, closes by about 8 to 9 PM

Ask the temple office on arrival for the day's aarti schedule.

Dress Code & Temple Rules

• DressModest, traditional clothes covering shoulders and knees
• FootwearRemove before entering; use the shoe stand
• PhotographyNot allowed inside the sanctum
• Not AllowedLeather items, tobacco, alcohol, non-veg food
• QueueFollow queue lines and staff instructions on festival days

Evidence of a stone temple belonging to the post-Gupta period can be seen on the site. The site has stone sculptures and carvings belonging to the early medieval period. Achaturbhuja stone female figure still exists here besides rock-cut figures of Ganesha and a cave.

Brick temple of Umananda was built in 1694 CE by the Bar Phukan Garhganya Handique by the order of King Gadadhar Singha (1681–1696), one of the eldest and strongest rulers of the Ahom dynasty. The temple was desecrated by the Mughal Army. Aurangzeb later conferred jagir to the temple when Gauhati came under his control.

The original temple was however immensely damaged by a devastating earthquake of 1897. Later, it was reconstructed by a rich local merchant who chose to inscribe the interior part of a Siva temple with Vaishnavite slogans.

Legend & Significance

Siva is said to have resided here in the form of Bhayananda. According to the Kalika Purana, in the beginning of the creation Siva sprinkled ashes (bhasma) at this place and imparted knowledge to Parvati (his consort). It is said that, when Siva was in meditation on this hillock, Kamadeva interrupted his yoga and was therefore burnt to ashes by the fire of Siva’s anger and hence the hillock got the name Bhasmacala.

This mountain is also called Bhasmakuta. The Kalika Purana states that Urvasikunda is situated here and here resides the goddess Urvasi who brings Amrit (nectar) for the enjoyment of Kamakhya and hence the island got the name Urvasi Island.

Architecture of Umananda Temple

The main shrine is reached by a flight of steep steps. Aside from Lord Shiva, there are 10 other Hindu Gods whose idols reside in the shrines. Representations of Surya, Ganesha, Shiva and Devi (with a scorpion as emblem) in addition to those of Visnu and his ten incarnations (avatar) are found here. The sculptures here show that the worshippers there followed all the principal Hindu gods. The temple has inherited some rock-cut figures.