Guwahati · Assam
Umananda Temple — Peacock Island (Umananda Island), Brahmaputra River, Guwahati, Assam (built 1694 CE by Ahom Swargadeo Gadadhar Singha; Bhasmacala hill; Madana-bhasma legend; only-by-boat darshan)
Umananda Devaloi (Assamese: উমানন্দ দেৱালয়); 'Uma' (Parvati) + 'Ananda' = Shiva-Uma-Ananda form; Bhasmacala (Bhasmakuta) hill, the Madana-bhasma site; built in 1694 CE by Bar Phukan Garhganya Handique under orders of Ahom Swargadeo Gadadhar Singha (reigned 1681-1696)
अन्य नाम: Umananda Devaloi · Urvasi Island · उमानन्द देवालय
इस मन्दिर की विशेषता
Shiva (in the Umananda form; atop Bhasmacala hill); sub-deities: rock-cut figures of Surya + Ganesha + Shiva-Devi (with scorpion emblem) + Vishnu with the ten avataras
Umananda Shiva (Uma-Ananda form)
सम्प्रदाय: Shaiva (with documented post-1897 Vaishnavite inscriptions added by the merchant-reconstructor — a notable hybrid feature, not a sampradaya change)
Shiva sprinkled bhasma here at the beginning of creation + imparted knowledge to Parvati (Templepurohit + Placeguider Kalika Purana citation). The primary scriptural inscription places the site from the creation period.
While Shiva was in meditation on this hill, Kamadeva disturbed him; Kamadeva was burnt by the fire of Shiva's wrath — hence 'Bhasmacala/Bhasmakuta' ('hill of ashes' name). Wikipedia + multi-secondary consensus.
Per the Kalika Purana, Urvasi Kunda is here; the goddess Urvasi brought amrit for Kamakhya — the island's alternate name is 'Urvasi Island'. Templepurohit + Placeguider Kalika Purana citation.
Associated with the broader 'Kamarupa' name of the region (where Kamadeva was burnt + later regained his form). Scriptural-tradition consensus.
Built by Bar Phukan Garhganya Handique under orders of Ahom Swargadeo Gadadhar Singha (reigned 1681-1696) in 1694 CE. Wikipedia + Assam Government Kamrup Metropolitan + Incredible India multi-source full consensus.
In the 1897 earthquake, the original brick temple was totally destroyed; afterwards a wealthy local merchant reconstructed it and added Vaishnavite inscriptions inside (a Shaiva-Vaishnavite hybrid feature). Wikipedia + bestofnortheast + Templepurohit.
05:30 (morning; some sources 06:00) से 18:00 तक · मध्याह्न विश्राम None
वस्त्र-संहिता: Modest traditional attire; footwear removed before entry
फोटोग्राफी: Forbidden in the sanctum during prayer; drone use restricted under Assam regulations
विशेष नियम: Only-by-boat/ferry access from Kachari Ghat; no overnight stay on the island; entry free (only ferry fare); golden-langur conservation — do not feed/touch (endangered); the temple was reconstructed after the 1897 earthquake with hybrid Shaiva-Vaishnavite inscriptions; exact archana times not in any primary source — dropped
Umananda Shiva darshan + rock-cut figures (Surya + Ganesha + Vishnu with the ten avataras + Shiva-Devi with the scorpion emblem).
Thousands of pilgrims cross by ferry; the temple stays open through the night; ferries are extended/run 9 AM-4 PM during the day. Drik Panchang Nishita Kaal 12:09-1:01 AM on 16 February.
Krishna Paksha Chaturdashi each month.
Thousands of pilgrims cross by ferry; the temple stays open through the night; ferries extended 9 AM-4 PM during the day; commemorates the Madana-bhasma legend
Monthly Shiva vrata; Drik Panchang computed
Shravan-month Shiva vrata darshan
Kamadeva who disturbed Shiva's meditation was burnt here by the fire of Shiva's wrath; Bhasmacala hill = 'hill of ashes'; the Madana-bhasma-site darshan sankalpa tirtha
स्रोत: Kalika Purana inscription + multi-secondary consensus
Built by Bar Phukan Garhganya Handique in 1694 CE under orders of Ahom Swargadeo Gadadhar Singha (reigned 1681-1696); the Ahom dynasty Shaiva tirtha darshan sankalpa
स्रोत: Wikipedia + Assam Government + Incredible India
Thousands of pilgrims cross by ferry; the temple stays open through the night; the Shiva-central Nishita Kaal 12:09-1:01 AM on 16 February vow-fulfilment sankalpa tirtha
स्रोत: Drik Panchang + calendardate.com
Per the Kalika Purana, Urvasi Kunda is here; the goddess Urvasi brought amrit for Kamakhya; the scriptural source of the Kamarupa-region naming, a tirtha darshan sankalpa
स्रोत: Kalika Purana citation
A vow unique among mainstream Indian temples — only-by-boat/ferry darshan across the Brahmaputra; an 8-15-minute ferry journey from Kachari Ghat is itself a tirtha sankalpa
स्रोत: Site-arrangement-central
The foremost of the 51 Shakti Peethas; central to the Kamarupa region; paired with the Umananda scriptural narrative (Urvasi brought amrit for Kamakhya)
The central 9-planet tirtha
Shiva temple; near Kachari Ghat
Brahmaputra-bank temple
The sage Vasishtha's ashram
Wider Guwahati tirtha circuit
The Brahmaputra-island Shiva temple; paired with the Kamakhya scriptural narrative (Urvasi brought amrit for Kamakhya)
6 मंदिर
The only river-island temple; only-by-boat access
3 मंदिर
The Kalika Purana/Yogini Tantra origin-narrative source (Urvasi Kunda + Madana-bhasma + Kamarupa-naming)
5 मंदिर