A Day’s Trip to Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary from Guwahati

By JAGAT [31/May/2024] Guwahati is the capital city of Assam and is predominantly popular for the presence of Kamakhya Devi Temple, one of the 51 Shakti Peethas. Shakti Peeth literally refers to ‘Seat of Power’ and these are the places of worship, dedicated to Goddess Sati or Shakti. According to scriptural references, Mata Sati was the incarnation of Lord Shiva’s first wife, Adi Shakti. After Sati's self-immolation, a grief-stricken Lord Shiva carried her body and performed the Tandava, the cosmic dance of destruction, in his Bhairava form. This dance caused immense devastation across the universe, prompting the gods to seek Lord Vishnu's intervention. Using his Sudarshan Chakra, Lord Vishnu dismembered Sati's corpse, scattering her body parts across various locations. Each place where a body part fell became a Shakti Peetha, a sacred site where Goddess Shakti is worshipped as the presiding deity, accompanied by her consort, Lord Shiva.

The Kamakhya Temple, originally dating back to the 8th or 9th century, has undergone numerous reconstructions over the centuries, culminating in its unique Nilachal architectural style. The temple is dedicated to Kamakhya Devi, also revered as The Bleeding Goddess. It is believed that the sanctum sanctorum enshrines the mythical womb and genitalia of the Hindu goddess Shakti (or Sati).

Reaching Guwahati from Kolkata

Board a flight from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata to Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Guwahati. The flight takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes to cover the distance. One can also reserve seats on a train from Kolkata, Howrah, or Sealdah Railway Stations to Kamakhya Junction. The journey takes from 17 hours to 21 hours depending on the train. Trains and flights to Guwahati are also well-connected from other major cities of India. Whether you get a direct commute or an interchange that depends on the city you are boarding from.

A Day Tour to Pobitora from Guwahati

There are so many places to visit in and around Guwahati. The city is surrounded by natural wonders, spirituality, wilderness and so on. One of the most popular places to visit near Guwahati is Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. Located just about 56 km from the capital city of Assam, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary is a fascinating destination in the Morigaon district of Assam. A one-hour drive along a road skirting the Brahmaputra River and the village of Mayong leads to Assam’s Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. This sanctuary is renowned for its dense population of the Great Indian one-horned rhinoceros. In addition to rhinos, Pobitora is home to leopards, wild boars, barking deer, and wild buffaloes. The sanctuary also hosts over 2,000 migratory birds and various reptiles, earning it recognition as an Important Bird Area.

The scenic 1-hour drive to Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary from Guwahati is truly a mesmerising one. Pobitora Jeep Safari begins at 7:30 am in the morning. If you want to embark on the very first slot, reach Pobitora by 7:00 am and complete the formalities and procedures to enter the safari zone. The jungle safari at Pobitora lasts for about an hour. The morning safari operates from 7:30 am to 10:30 am in three slots and the afternoon safari functions from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm in three slots.

Pobitora also offers elephant safari and they are carried out only during the morning shift. An alternative to the jeep safari in the morning, you can also opt for riding an elephant and enjoying the view of the jungle. The time for the elephant safari is from 6:30 am to 8:30 am, operated in two slots. To make the most of the day, opt for an elephant safari in the morning, and then after breakfast and lunch go for the jeep safari in Pobitora. You can choose to stay overnight at Pobitora or return to Guwahati after the day’s wildlife encounter.