Fast Facts
Location : 10 kms from Guwahati on Guwahati-Shillong
Route, Assam
Importance : Capital city of Assam
Popular As : Auction Market of Classic Tea
Best Time To Visit : October to May
Introducing Dispur
Dispur, the capital city of north-eastern state of Assam is also the main
suburb of the city of Guwahati. With the birth of a new separate state of
Meghalaya in 1975, the capital had been shifted from Shillong to Dispur. A
small city with a population of around two thousand, Dispur is the central
point to the state of Assam and has a lot to offer in sightseeing for common
tourists and nature enthusiast. Dispur is a well-planned city and bestowed
with natural wonders like hills, grassy countryside and pollution free
environment that enthrall the tourists a lot. Nature has also blessed the
city with bushy forests and the shimmering rivers. Dispur is also a major
producer of the tea, some of the famous varieties are CTC or Crush, Curl Tea
and Tear tea. Tourists who visit the city always carry along the bag of tea
as a souvenior. So, visit this small capital city of Dispur on your next
holiday and enjoy a peaceful vacation in the lap of the mother nature.
How to Reach Dispur
By Air : Guwahati international airport is the main
airport which is 18 km east of the city centre. Flights of Indian Airlines,
Air Deccan and Jet Airways are available to and from Guwahati to major
cities of India like Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai. Taxis and buses are
available from the airport to the city. You may also take ASTC's Rhino City
Bus Service that runs from the airport to city centre.
Helicopter Sevices : Helicopter
Services are available from Guwahati to Shillong, Tura and Itanagar.
By Train : Guwahati railway station is the major
railhead, which is also the headquarters of the North-East Frontier Railway.
A number of mails, express and superfast trains are available to Guwahati
from rest of the country. Auto-rickshaws and taxis ply from the railway
station to various parts of the city.
By Road : National Highways 31, 37, 40 and 52 connect
Dispur with the other cities of India. State Transport buses of Assam
government and private buses ply from Dispur to other cities of
North-eastern India. Distances of some of important places from Dispur are :
Shillong (110 km), Tura (185 km) and Tezpur (191 km).
Local Transport : Tourist taxis and auto-rickshaws are
the main modes of local transport. Auto-rickshaws are easily available
throughout the city, cycle rickshaws and local buses are also available in
Guwahati.
Places Where You Can Stay
Plenty of accommodation options are available in Dispur, ranging from
deluxe to budget hotels. Most popular hotels include Hotel Brahmputra Ashok,
Hotel Belle Vue, Hotel Landmark, Hotel Dynasty, Hotel Raj Mahal, Hotel
Nandan and Hotel Vishwaratna.
Tourist Attractions in Dispur
Dispur is a famous place for tourists, who visit the city to see the
lifestyle of tribal and unconnected people. The mighty Brahmaputra river
which flows through the city is a major attraction and known for its
pristine beauty, fast current and thrilling rapids. Tea is another highlight
of Dispur, in fact, a visitor to the city leave with at least a classic
Dispur city made tea bag.
Culture of Dispur : Dispur is famous cultural hot spot
for the local people and for visiting tourists as well. The city of Dispur
encompasses its own unique form of dancing forms called Husari and Bihunas.
These two dancing formats are considered the essential component of the
Dispur culture and attract people from far and wide to take part.
Festivals
of Dispur : People of Dispur celebrate a number of festivals which also
draw people from all over India. Still, many of the smaller tribes in Dispur
town and nearby areas worship the gods and goddess's of the ancient periods.
Bihus Festival and Magh Bihu Festival are two most important festivals of
Dispur. The Bihus Festival is celebrated in April with fun and enthusiasm,
by the people of the city irrespective of caste, creed, religion, faith and
belief. Magh Bihu Festival or the Bhagoli Bihu, the harvesting festival in
celebrated in January. During the festival the community feast, buffalo
fight and other entertainment events are organized. Also called the festival
of food, the Maagh Bihu marks the end of the harvesting period.
Folk Music and Dance of Dispur : Dispur is a culturally
mixed city and known for several types of folk music and dance forms. Even
many years after its existence, traditional folk music are very popular
among the people of the town. In fact, the traditional folk music also has a
huge influence over the modern music forms. Some of the noted artists of the
Dispur and nearby areas are Bhupen Hazarika, Jayanta Hazarika, Rudra Baruah,
Parbati Prasad Baruah and Khagen Mahanta. Zubeen Garg and Jitul Sonowal are
the newer artists and very popular among the people of the Dispur.
Tourist Attractions Around Dispur
Guwahati : Situated
10 kms from Dispur, Guwahati is a big commercial town and home to a number
of tourist attractions. Some of the major attractions of the city include
Kamakhya Temple, Bhubneshwari Temple, Umananda Temple, Bashishta Ashram,
Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, Assam State Museum, Assam State Zoo cum
Botanical Garden etc. Guwahati is also the major railhead close to Dispur
and connected with all important cities of India.
Hajo : Hajo is 42 kms from Dispur and known for important
shrines of three different faith namely Hinduism, Muslim and Buddhism. For
last several centuries these faiths coexisting here that's why Hajo is also
called the cultural melting point of the state of Assam.
Shillong : Shillong the capital city of Meghalaya is
situated at a distance of 110 kms from Dispur. The town is dotted with a
number of churches, among them the Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians is
most famous, the All Saints church is another important church. Other
tourist attractions of the city include Butterfly Museum, Ward's Lake, Lady
Hydari Park, Lewduh Market, Shillong Peak, Spread Eagle Falls etc.
Manas
National Park : A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Manas National Park
is located at a distance of 186 kms from Dispur. Here you can spot the rare
one horned rhino and other wildanimals like Red Panda, Hispid Hare, Pigmy
Hog and Golden Langur.
Tezpur : Located 191
kms away from Dispur, the city repletes with the mythological legends and
folklore. Tezpur is home to arhaeological ruins, dating back to the 5th and
6th centuries, you can see the ruins at Da Parbatia. Apart from these, the
natural beauty of the town and the flurry of activity in Brahmaputa river
will mesmerize you.
Shopping in Dispur
Dispur has a number of good shops where you can buy a variety of items. For
more choices visit the shopping markets of Guwahati. In the markets of
Guwahati you will find the famous silks in three different varieties such as
Endi, Munga and Pat. Other must buy of Guwahati include clothes, furnitures,
handicrafts and decorative items made from bamboo and cane. Main shopping
areas of Guwahati are Fancy Bazar, Paltan Bazar and Pan Bazar.
