Guwahati facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Guwahati
Gauhati
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| Guwahati City | |
      From top, left-to-right: Guwahati Club Area, Guwahati Ropeway car, ACA Stadium, Barsapara, Guwahati railway station, Guwahati Aerial View, Kamakhya Temple
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| Nicknames:
Gateway to Northeast India, City of Temples, Light of the East
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 Guwahati
Location in Assam
Guwahati
Location in India
Guwahati
Location in Asia
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| Country |  India |
| State | Assam |
| Region | Lower Assam |
| District | Kamrup Metropolitan district |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal Corporation |
| • Body | Guwahati Municipal Corporation |
| Area | |
| • Metropolis | 216 km2 (83 sq mi) |
| • Metro | 1,528 km2 (590 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 50-680 m (164-2,231 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Metropolis | 957,352 |
| • Rank | 47th |
| • Density | 4,432/km2 (11,479/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Guwahatian |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN |
781 0xx
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| Telephone code | +91 - (0) 361 |
| ISO 3166 code | IN-AS |
| Vehicle registration | AS-01 (Kamrup Metro) / AS-25 (Kamrup Rural and Dispur) |
| HDI |  0.703 high |
| Sex ratio | 940 ♀/ 1000 ♂ |
| City animal | Gangetic river Dolphin |
| GDP (2020–21) | ₹0.48 lakh crore (US$8.2 billion) |
| GDP per capita (2020–21) | ₹487,572 (US$8,300) |
| Climate | Cwa |
| Precipitation | 2,054 millimetres (80.9 in) |
| Official language | Assamese |
| Literacy | 91.47% |
Guwahati (Assamese: [ɡua.ɦa.ti]) is the biggest city in the Indian state of Assam. It is also the largest city in all of northeastern India. Dispur, the capital of Assam, is actually located within Guwahati.
Guwahati is a major port city along the Brahmaputra River. It is also surrounded by hills. The city is growing very fast. It is often called the "gateway to North East India."
Long ago, the ancient cities of Pragjyotishpura and Durjaya were capitals of the old state of Kamarupa. Many old Hindu temples are found here. These include the Kamakhya Temple, Ugratara Temple, and Basistha Temple. Because of these many temples, Guwahati is known as "The City of Temples."
Guwahati sits between the Brahmaputra River and the Shillong plateau foothills. The LGB International Airport is to the west. The town of Narengi is to the east. The North Guwahati area, on the Brahmaputra's northern bank, is slowly becoming part of the city.
Guwahati is home to many different animals. These include rare animals like Asian elephants, pythons, tigers, and rhinoceros. You can also find various types of monkeys and endangered birds.
Contents
- What's in a Name?
- A Look Back at Guwahati's History
- Guwahati's Surroundings
- City Life and Services
- How Guwahati is Governed
- People of Guwahati
- Learning and Education
- How Guwahati Makes Money
- Getting Around Guwahati
- Sports and Recreation
- News and Communication
- Famous Places of Worship
- Famous People from Guwahati
- Images for kids
- See also
What's in a Name?
Guwahati gets its name from two Assamese words. "Guwa" (Assamese: গুৱা) means areca nut or its plant. "Hati" (Assamese: হাটী) means rows. So, Guwahati means "rows of areca nut trees."
A Look Back at Guwahati's History
Ancient Times
Old texts from the 10th to 12th centuries mention the Kamrup area. They say it was home to strong people called Kirata. Legend says that Dighalipukhuri lake in the city center was dug by King Bhagadatta. He did this for his daughter's wedding.
Guwahati has many important ancient sites. The Kamakhya Temple on Nilachal hill is a famous spiritual place. The Navagraha Temple is an old astrology temple.
Digs at Ambari show that Guwahati was a city between 200 BCE and 1 CE. A Chinese traveler, Xuanzang, visited in the 7th century. He wrote that the city was about 15 kilometers long. Old brick walls found during construction show the city was important until the 9th-11th centuries.
Medieval Times
The Koch King Parikshit had his capital near Aswatirtha. This was during fights with the Mughals. The Mughals controlled Guwahati at different times. But they were fully removed after the Battle of Itakhuli.
Guwahati was the main base for the Borphukan. This was the Ahom governor of Lower Assam until 1824. The Ahoms built strong defenses around Guwahati. They also built many temples in the city.
Colonial Times
In 1826, the British took over Assam. Guwahati became the center of British rule. It stayed that way until 1874. Then, the capital moved to Shillong.
Modern Times
The Gauhati High Court started on March 1, 1948. It was created by Lord Mountbatten. The first Chief Justice began on April 5, 1948.
The Saraighat Bridge was built between 1959 and 1962. It cost about 106 million Indian Rupees. This bridge is very important. It connects Northeast India with the rest of the country. The first train crossed it on September 23, 1962.
In 1972, Meghalaya became a separate state. So, Assam's capital moved from Shillong to Dispur. Dispur is a part of Guwahati.
Guwahati's Surroundings
The Brahmaputra River flows north of Guwahati. The city's south side is bordered by the Shillong plateau foothills. To the east is the Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary. The Bharalu River flows through the city center.
To the southwest is Dipor Bil. This is a freshwater lake. It helps collect rainwater for the city. There are also several hills within the city limits.
How the City is Built
Guwahati has grown outwards from its center. It has spread south, east, and west. In recent years, southern areas like Ganeshguri have become new city hubs.
The old city center includes areas like Pan Bazaar and Fancy Bazaar. Each area has its own special activities.
The most important growth area is along the Guwahati-Shillong (GS) Road. This road is about 15 kilometers from the city center. It is a busy area with shops and offices. Many homes are also built here. Dispur, the capital of Assam, is in this area.
Another growth area goes west for about 30 kilometers. It has a rail line that connects Guwahati to the rest of India. This area includes historic places like Nilachal Hill. It also has Gauhati University and the airport.
The third main growth area goes east for about 15 kilometers. It connects to Noonmati, where the Guwahati Refinery is. This area has seen a lot of new homes built.
Guwahati is one of 98 Indian cities chosen to become a Smart City. This project aims to improve city living.
Weather in Guwahati
Guwahati has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters.
The highest temperature ever recorded was 40.6°C on April 24, 2014. The lowest temperature ever recorded was 3.0°C on January 30, 1964.
| Climate data for Guwahati (Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport) (normals for 1991–2020, extremes 1951–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 29.8 (85.6) |
35.7 (96.3) |
38.6 (101.5) |
40.6 (105.1) |
40.3 (104.5) |
39.0 (102.2) |
38.4 (101.1) |
39.2 (102.6) |
38.0 (100.4) |
37.0 (98.6) |
33.4 (92.1) |
30.9 (87.6) |
40.6 (105.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 23.9 (75.0) |
27.0 (80.6) |
30.5 (86.9) |
31.2 (88.2) |
31.8 (89.2) |
32.6 (90.7) |
32.8 (91.0) |
33.2 (91.8) |
32.5 (90.5) |
31.3 (88.3) |
28.5 (83.3) |
25.4 (77.7) |
30.0 (86.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 17.4 (63.3) |
20.0 (68.0) |
23.5 (74.3) |
25.8 (78.4) |
27.4 (81.3) |
28.9 (84.0) |
29.4 (84.9) |
29.5 (85.1) |
28.7 (83.7) |
26.8 (80.2) |
22.9 (73.2) |
19.0 (66.2) |
24.9 (76.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 10.8 (51.4) |
13.0 (55.4) |
16.5 (61.7) |
20.3 (68.5) |
22.9 (73.2) |
25.2 (77.4) |
25.9 (78.6) |
25.8 (78.4) |
24.9 (76.8) |
22.3 (72.1) |
17.2 (63.0) |
12.6 (54.7) |
19.7 (67.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 3.0 (37.4) |
5.3 (41.5) |
8.5 (47.3) |
10.3 (50.5) |
16.4 (61.5) |
20.4 (68.7) |
20.6 (69.1) |
20.8 (69.4) |
19.9 (67.8) |
13.8 (56.8) |
10.0 (50.0) |
4.9 (40.8) |
3.0 (37.4) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 11.5 (0.45) |
18.0 (0.71) |
52.5 (2.07) |
182.1 (7.17) |
253.0 (9.96) |
314.0 (12.36) |
283.4 (11.16) |
264.3 (10.41) |
184.5 (7.26) |
117.9 (4.64) |
9.6 (0.38) |
4.6 (0.18) |
1,695.3 (66.74) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.3 mm) | 2.1 | 3.2 | 5.7 | 15.2 | 18.7 | 20 | 21.2 | 18.2 | 14.4 | 7.4 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 129.1 |
| Average rainy days | 1.1 | 1.9 | 4.4 | 10.6 | 14.2 | 14.6 | 15.2 | 12.3 | 9.7 | 4.8 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 90.0 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 72 | 59 | 51 | 62 | 71 | 78 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 79 | 77 | 76 | 72 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 225.5 | 213.8 | 220.1 | 200.6 | 191.1 | 133.1 | 123.7 | 161.6 | 139.0 | 205.8 | 230.9 | 231.7 | 2,276.9 |
| Source 1: India Meteorological Department (1991-2020) | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: NOAA (sun 1971–1990, precipitation days) Tokyo Climate Center (mean temperatures 1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
Guwahati was ranked 36th best "National Clean Air City" in India. This was for cities with 3-10 lakh people.
City Life and Services
Guwahati offers a good quality of life. A 2006 survey ranked it 17th among large and medium Indian cities. It has nice landscapes, a pleasant climate, and modern shops. It also has good social services.
A big four-lane road project is underway. It will connect Guwahati to all state capitals in Northeast India. This project will help the whole region grow.
The city is working to improve its services. It gets help from the Asian Development Bank. It also receives funds from the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). These funds help improve transport and development.
How Guwahati is Governed
Dispur, the capital of Assam, is located in Guwahati. In 1972, Assam's government moved its capital to Dispur. This happened after Meghalaya became a separate state.
Dispur is home to the Assam Government offices. It also has the Assam Assembly House. The Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) is here too.
The Guwahati Municipal Corporation manages the city. It is divided into 60 areas called wards. The Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) plans for the city's future. They aim to cover a larger area by 2025.
Guwahati has four assembly areas for elections. These are Jalukbari, Dispur, Gauhati East, and Gauhati West. All are part of the Gauhati (Lok Sabha constituency).
Police Services
Guwahati is the main office for the Assam Police.
The city's police force is led by the Commissioner of Police. It has three main districts. Each district has its own Deputy Commissioner of Police.
Courts and Justice
Guwahati is the main location for the Gauhati High Court. This court serves Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh. It started on April 5, 1948. It moved to Guwahati on August 14, 1948.
Guwahati also has a lower court. It is called the Court of the District and Sessions Judge, Kamrup. It was set up in 1920.
Challenges the City Faces
Growing Population
Guwahati's population has grown very fast recently. Many people move here for school and jobs. This growth has caused the city to expand. It has also led to more informal settlements. Experts think Guwahati's population will reach 1.5 million by 2035.
Rising Prices
People in Guwahati face high prices for many basic goods. Food items like vegetables, chicken, and fish often become very expensive. This happens because vegetables are brought from other states. Truckers have to pay taxes at many checkpoints. This adds to the cost. Local vegetables also become more expensive due to transport costs.
The price of chicken has also gone up a lot. Fish prices have increased too. The COVID-19 pandemic made food prices even higher.
Flooding Issues
Experts believe that city flooding in Guwahati will get worse. Some areas might even become unlivable. Since the early 2000s, building on natural drainage areas has made flooding worse.
A professor from Gauhati University explained this. He said that in the past, wetlands absorbed rainwater. Channels carried excess water to the Brahmaputra. But human activity has changed this. Now, even a short rain can cause floods. Building on open areas reduces where water can soak into the ground. This is the main reason for floods.
Air Pollution
In a 2023 report, Guwahati was ranked the second most polluted city globally. It was behind Begusarai and ahead of Delhi. This shows that India has high levels of pollution.
People of Guwahati
| Historical Guwahati city population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1951 | 45,000 | — |
| 1961 | 138,000 | +206.7% |
| 1971 | 203,000 | +47.1% |
| 1981 | 348,000 | +71.4% |
| 1991 | 591,000 | +69.8% |
| 2001 | 818,809 | +38.5% |
| 2011 | 962,334 | +17.5% |
| 2021 | 1,135,000 | +17.9% |
| Source: Guwahati city historical demography | ||
Population Growth
| Religions in Guwahati (2011) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Religion | Percent | |||
| Hinduism | 84.74% | |||
| Islam | 12.45% | |||
| Jainism | 0.96% | |||
| Christianity | 0.93% | |||
| Other or not stated | 0.92% | |||
Guwahati is one of India's fastest-growing cities. In 2011, its population was 962,334. By 2021, it was estimated to be around 1.1 million. It is thought that the greater Guwahati area will have 2.8 million people by 2025.
Languages Spoken
In 2011, most people in Guwahati spoke Assamese (57.80%). Other languages included Bengali (20.40%) and Hindi (12.29%).
Learning and Education
Guwahati is a major center for education in Northeast India. It has many respected schools and colleges. One top institution is the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT). This is a leading school for technical studies. Cotton University is another old and famous institution for science and arts.
Other important colleges include Gauhati University and Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences. There are also many private schools. These include Don Bosco School and Delhi Public School.
How Guwahati Makes Money
Pandu is an old area on the Brahmaputra River. It was once a military base. Now, Pandu port is a key point for shipping goods. It handles cargo, passengers, and tourist boats. New docks have been built to handle more ships. This helps the city's income.
Making things is a big part of Guwahati's economy. Oil refining is very important. The Guwahati Refinery is the city's main factory. It was India's first public sector refinery, built in 1962. It makes products like cooking gas (LPG) and motor fuel. These products are sent to other states.
Tea production is another key industry. Assam is one of the world's biggest tea-producing areas. It provides 80% of India's tea exports. The Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) is the largest tea auction center for CTC tea. It is also the second largest for all types of tea. In 2019, a kilogram of special tea sold for a record price of 70,501 Indian Rupees here.
Many banks, both local and international, have branches in Guwahati. The Reserve Bank of India also has an office here.
Getting Around Guwahati
By Air
Guwahati has the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport. It is about 20 kilometers west of the city center. This airport is the tenth busiest in India. Many major airlines fly here. You can find daily flights to big cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata. There are also international flights to places like Bangkok.
By Train
Guwahati is part of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) zone. Its main office is in Maligaon. The Guwahati railway station is the busiest in the city. It is a major station for trains.
There are four other railway stations in the city. These include Kamakhya Junction for passengers and freight. The New Guwahati railway station is only for freight. Regular trains connect Guwahati to other major Indian cities. Famous trains like the Rajdhani Express and Vande Bharat Express run here. The Vivek Express, India's longest train route, also passes through Guwahati.
By Road
Guwahati has 218 kilometers of paved roads. National Highway 27 connects Guwahati to other states like West Bengal and Bihar. It also links Guwahati to Silchar in Assam. National Highway 17 connects Guwahati to Dhubri. National Highway 15 runs along the Brahmaputra. It connects Guwahati to cities like Tezpur and Dibrugarh.
Buses are the main way to get around the city. The state-owned Assam State Urban Transport Corporation runs city bus services. Private companies also offer bus services. The Rupnath Brahma Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) is a major bus station. It has regular bus services to other parts of Assam and Northeast India.
A metro rail project is also planned. This will help reduce traffic jams.
More people in Guwahati are using bicycles for transport. Cycling increased by about 50% after COVID-19. The city has an active cycling community. It is one of the few Indian cities with a Bicycle Mayor.
By Water
The Inland Water Transport Department is based at Pandu port. Water transport services in Guwahati move goods and people. Ferry services are available. They carry people from different ports along the Brahmaputra to Pandu port.
Sports and Recreation
Guwahati has the Nehru Stadium. It hosts football and cricket games. This stadium is part of the R.G. Baruah Sports Complex. This complex also has an indoor stadium, swimming pool, and tennis courts. Other sports venues include the North-East Frontier Railway Stadium and the Judges Field.
New sports facilities were built for the 33rd National Games in 2007. These include the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium. This stadium was also used for the 2016 South Asian Games.
Guwahati is home to NorthEast United FC. This is a professional football club in the Indian Super League (ISL). They play their home games at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium. This stadium also hosted matches for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017.
The Assam Cricket Association Stadium is a major cricket venue. It is the largest cricket stadium in Northeast India. It can seat 40,000 people. It hosted its first international cricket match in 2017.
| Club | Sport | League | Stadium | Established |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NorthEast United FC | Football | Indian Super League | Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium | 2014 |
| Northeastern Warriors | Badminton | Premier Badminton League | Karmabir Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Indoor Stadium | 2017 |
| Assam Titans Futsal Club | Futsal | North East Futsal League | Karmabir Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Indoor Stadium | N.A. |
News and Communication
Many daily newspapers are published in Guwahati. Assamese newspapers include Dainik Agradoot and Asomiya Pratidin. English newspapers include The Assam Tribune and The Sentinel. G Plus is an English weekly newspaper.
The state TV channel is DD Assam. Guwahati also has 24-hour regional news channels. These include News Live and Pratidin Time.
The Guwahati Radio Station started on July 1, 1948. It is a full regional broadcasting station. It has three channels. Other FM radio stations include 92.7 BIG FM and Red FM 93.5. Major phone companies like BSNL and Airtel offer services here.
Famous Places of Worship
- Temples in Guwahati
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Basistha Temple, re-constructed by Ahom King Rajeswar Singha in CE 1764.
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Doul Govinda Temple.
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Umananda Temple, constructed by King Gadadhar Singha in CE 1694 on the world's smallest river island.
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Kamakhya Temple, the oldest among the Shakti pethas, situated on the top of Nilachal hills.
- Kamakhya Temple
- Rudreswar Temple
- Doul Govinda Temple
- Ugratara Devalaya
- Basistha Temple
- Sukreswar Temple
- Lankeshwar Temple
- Dirgheshwari temple
- Umananda Temple
- Navagraha temples
Famous People from Guwahati
- Nabakanta Barua, poet and teacher
- Dipankar Bhattacharjee, Indian badminton player
- Barsha Rani Bishaya, Assamese film actor
- Gaurav Bora, footballer
- Ashmita Chaliha, Indian badminton player
- Utpal Das, Assamese film actor
- Somdev Devvarman, tennis player
- Zubeen Garg, singer and actor
- Arnab Goswami, journalist
- Mamoni Raisom Goswami, novelist and teacher
- Bhupen Hazarika, singer
- Reema Kagti, director and writer
- Papon, singer and composer
- Riyan Parag, cricketer
- Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Assam
- Jayanta Talukdar, Indian archer
- Shiva Thapa, boxer
Images for kids
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A view of Kamakhya Temple
See also
In Spanish: Guwahati para niños
