Tourist Places To Visit In Goalpara

The District of Goalpara has numerous tourist spots because of which it has become a significant holiday destination in Assam. Located on the River Brahmaputra’s southern side, Goalpara’s abundant with places like the Surya Pahar, an archeological tourist attraction which brings together Hinduism, Jainism & Buddhism, a blend of 3 religious sects, which not only makes it unique and appealing but also houses a garden of medicinal plants. Some other must-visit spots include the Dadan Hill, Pir Mazhar, Buraburi Than, The Shyamrai Sattra and tea gardens like Simlitola and Moijonga. Here’s a list of tourist places you can visit in Goalpara.

Surya Pahar may not be so well-known however, it comes with a certain archeological significance, which is no less of a gold man, that translates to ‘Hill of the Sun.’ It is known to be associated with a ritual of worshipping Lord Sun. The archeological finds from the area are on display at the local museum just 12km from Goalpara’s southeast region. The Surya Pahar is now an ancient ruin amidst a hilly terrain sprinkled with numerous Shivalingas. It is a unique site that holds a significant historical background of 3 of the most renowned religious sects – Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism with a variety of religious and archeological scriptures.

A UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, the Manas National Park is a Project Tiger Reserve, a Biosphere and an Elephant Reserve in Assam, renowned for housing the endangered Golden Langur and the Red Panda and is also one of the best kept National Parks in the country. Known not only for its abundant biodiversity, but also its captivating scenery and natural backdrops, Manas is brimming with a variety of forested hills, tropical evergreen forests and sedimentary grasslands. You can spot tigers, rhinos, wild water buffalos quite easily here, and enjoy elephant rides as well. The best time to visit Manas National Park is October through the early weeks of December and then Mid-March onwards.

About 15km from Goalpara, Tukreswari’s a renowned religious tourist site on Highway 37, where few parts of Goddess Sati fell according to popular beliefs, and a temple was built there, next to a shrine, that’s built-in reverence of Lord Shiva atop the Tukreswari Hill. It is a serene sight to visit, bringing you a calming peace through the quiet beauty surrounding it.

One of the 27 districts in Assam, Kokrajhar’s located on glorious Brahmaputra River’s north bank, stretching to an international border that it shares with Bhutan. Home to the endangered species of the Golden Langur, the area’s abundant culturally, is a natural haven at the Himalayan Foothills and speckled with lush green forestry. Also renowned as the gateway to North-East India, the rugged aura of this scenic district beckons visitors from far and wide, spanning roughly over 3,169 sq. km. The district’s also renowned for some of the most popular outdoor activities of bird watching, wildlife photography and trekking.

Known to be Assam’s most inhabited district, Nagaon’s also one of the largest in the area, called the Rice Bowl of Assam, abundant in wildlife, with the Kaziranga National Park as the feather in its natural cap and renowned as the magnet that attracts tourists throughout the year from all over the world. Besides its abundant flora and fauna, with solid agricultural roots, Nagaon has other offerings of natural and artificial constructs as well. For instance, it is also known to be the birthplace of the founder of the Vaishnavi Cult, Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva, home to the glorious One-Horned Rhinocerous, the beautiful and scenic Champwati Kunda Waterfalls and the historic site of Kaliabor, which was once the place to have witnessed numerous battles of Muslim Conquests.

Nandeswar Devalaya is one of the oldest shrines that stands atop the Nandeswar Hills beside the Dudhnoi River, built in reverence of Lord Shiva. This temple is always in the limelight, especially during the festivities of Maha Shivratri, Durga Puja and Dol Jatra when the place is thronging with visitors and devotees flocking the region for celebrations. Constructed during the 10th century AD, the temple’s in pretty good condition, even today; and with the scenic river flowing by its side, the ambiance around the shrine’s really divine and welcoming with picturesque views.

One of the 51 Shakti Sthals under Hinduism, Sri Sri Joybhum Kamakhya Temple is a significant shrine nestled on the Brahmaputra Banks, situated about 50km from Goalpara. The Kamakhya Temple is also known as the Kamrup-Kamakhya, built in honor of Goddess Mother Kamakhya atop the Nilachal Hill. Its main shrine is housed in a complex which is also the residence to individual shrines, built in honor of 10 Mahavidyas of Saktism: Kali, Sodashi, Tara, Bhairavi, Bhuvaneshwari, Dhumavati, Chhinnamasta, Bagalamukhi, Kamalatmika and Matangi.

While the temples for Kamala, Tripurasundari and Matangi are inside the main temple, the rest of the 7 temples reside individually in the complex. The Joybhum Kamakhya Temple is most popular for Tantric Worshippers and a major pilgrim spot for Hindu Devotees.

The beautiful landscape of Dadan Hills is a captivating tourist attraction with incredible views of water bodies and rocky terrains, both intriguing for nature enthusiasts and divine for religious devotees, who flock the region to offer their reverence at the Shiva Temple, which was constructed by one of King Bana’s Generals at the Dadan Hills. According to popular folklore, Dadan was a general in Sontipur King Bana’s army and because the General had killed a wild elephant here who disturbed the King while he was in meditation. The temple was built in remorse to honor the elephant as well as worship Lord Shiva. The elephant’s rock figure sits on the River Dariduri’s banks amidst the scenic beauty of rivers, valleys and lush greenery, where you can also enjoy the adventurous activities of rock climbing and trekking.

Located just a kilometer away from the Narnarayan Setu, the Kumri Beel Lake, 11km from town, in Goalpara District is a popular tourist spot, a natural lake that is quite a crowd puller for its ethereal beauty. Known for its picturesque charm, the sight is a busy residence to a variety of migratory birds during winter and spring seasons, amidst lush greenery and marshy grasslands. You can also enjoy a picnic here with boating activity and quiet time, away from life’s chaos. If you’re in the mood for some Divine experiences, feel free to visit the Paglatek temple close by.

Embellished with Arabic Calligraphy, Pir Saheb’s Majar-Shariff was built in honor of the Sufi Saint Sayed Nasiruddin Kadri, renowned as Bagdadi. Situated at Jaleswar-Katarihara, 60km from Goalpara, the saint who arrived from Baghdad, Iraq was the leader for the Sufi Movement and every year, tourists from all parts of Assam and West Bengal flock the site to participate in URS.