The Navagraha Temple, also known as the temple of the nine celestial bodies, is located on Chitrachal Hill in the southeastern part of Guwahati. It is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and is home to nine phallic emblems, each representing a different celestial body.
The Navagraha Temple is an important religious site in Guwahati and is known for its association with astrology and astronomy. The term "Navagraha" refers to the nine planets, and the temple houses nine Shivalingams, representing the nine heavenly bodies that hold immense religious significance. The temple houses phallic emblems representing Surya, Chandra, Mangala, Budha, Brihaspati, Shukra, Shani, Rahu, and Ketu, and serves as a research center for both astrology and astronomy. In 1752 AD, the mighty Rajeswar Singha, one of the Ahom Kings, oversaw the construction of the prominent Temple Navagraha, which stands tall to this day.
The major Assam earthquake caused some damage to a temple, particularly its upper portion, known as the 'Sikhara'. However, the temple was restored by using folded iron sheets. Despite the destruction, the 'Garbagriha', which is the inner part of the temple made of bricks, remained intact and survived the calamity. During the reign of Rajeswar Singha, a tank was built near the temple named Silpukhuri Temple.
While the Navagraha Temple is mainly visited for religious purposes, there are other places of interest in the area that tourists can explore. The Kamakhya Temple on Nilachal Hill and the Bhuvaneswari Temple are nearby attractions, as well as the Guwahati Zoo.
The Navagraha Temple is easily accessible from the city of Guwahati, with regular bus and taxi services available.
The Navagraha Temple is in a sub-tropical area that can be extremely hot during the summer months and prone to heavy rainfall during the monsoon season. Therefore, the best time to visit the temple is from late autumn to spring, particularly during the months of November, December, February, and March.
