Hajo is a tourist destination in Guwahati, Assam and an ancient pilgrimage place for Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims. As per Wikipedia, the word Hajo word is derived from Bodo word ‘Hajw’ which means Hill. This tourist destination lies on the banks of the Brahmaputra River around 24 km from the city of Guwahati in the Kamrup district of Assam.
The Hayagriva Madhava Mandir is the most famous temple of Hajo. This destination consists of a number of other very ancient temples as well as home to various sacred artifacts. The Ganesha temple found here was constructed during the reign of Ahom King Pramatta Singha in the year of 1744. The Kedareswara Temple, a Shiva temple, has an inscription on the temple showing that it is of Rajeswar Singha period. Hajo is also famous for Powa Mecca which is the holy destination of the Muslim community.
According to a legend popularly prevalent among the Hajongs, they are Suryawanshi or the descendants of Surjo or Bila (sun race) and they are Kshatriyas or warriors. The Hajongs as it was found out belong to the Indo-Tibetan group of the main mongoloid race. These people had come from Tibet to the north-east India along the rivers of Brahmaputra and Teesta and their tributaries and had spread over in the Sankush Valley. The meaning of ‘Hajong’ can be comprehended as ‘the descendants of Hajo’.
2 Famous Tourist Destinations to See in Hajo, Assam
1. Hayagriva Madhava Temple: The Hayagriva Madhava Temple is situated on the Monikut hill. The present temple structure was constructed by the King Raghudeva Narayan around the year of 1583. This is a stone temple and it enshrines an image of Hayagriva Madhava. At this temple, the presiding deity is worshipped as the Man Lion incarnation of Vishnu by the Hindus. It is a stone temple and it enshrines an image of the Hayagriva Madhav ( a form of Vishnu ). The rows of elephants are seen on the body of the temple and they are fine specimens of Assamese art. There is a big pond known as Madhab Pukhuri near the temple. Doul, Bihu and Janmastami festivals are celebrated every year in the temple. This famous temple preaches both Hinduism and Buddhism, which attract both Hindus and Buddhist Monks from far-flung places across the sub continent.
2. Hajo Powa Mecca: Hajo is a place for the Muslim community who visit the place for pilgrimage and worship. Poa Mecca, which means “a quarter of that of Mecca” and also known as Barmagam, is a place of pilgrimage is situated atop the Garurachala Hills. An Iraqi Prince turned saint Ghiyasuddin Auliya, is said to have built the mosque here in the 12th century. It is held by the Muslims that the preacher had brought a lump of earth from Mecca and enshrined the same at a spot where the mosque was built at a later period. It is believed that by offering prayer, a faithful gains one-fourth (Poa) spiritual enlightenment of what could be gained at Mecca and so this place is known as Poa-Mecca. However, a Persian epigraph at the site indicates that the original masjid of Poa Mecca, built in 1657 by Mir Lutfulla-e-Siraj during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan, is no more. A pilgrimage to this shrine is believed to be equivalent to a quarter of the piety attained by a Haj pilgrimage to Mecca. This is a reason why so many muslims travel to this place every year.
The temples at Hajo are an ancient place of worship and can be an interesting tour destination for those willing to see the ancient built. The destination could be easily accessed from the city of Guwahati, Assam. You can also rent a car at no extra price from us to visit this tourist destination in Assam. We can pick you up from Guwahati airport and railway station too for your trip to Shillong in Meghalaya at no extra price.
