Hajo

Enshrined religious harmony

Hajo is an ancient pilgrimage centre for Hindus, Buddhists, and Muslims. This is a unique example of religious harmony. The place is full of mythological importance and is considered to be a highly sacred place by all three religions. The small town is located on the banks of river Brahmaputra, 24 km from the city of Guwahati in the Kamrup district of Assam. It is well connected with the rest of the state.

A number of ancient places of worship are located at Hajo. The Hayagriva Madhava Mandir is the most famous temple. There is an important Muslim mosque located in Hajo city known as the Poa Mecca. The town of Hajo is also famous throughout Asia for its bell metal industry. The small town is also the largest producer of silk clothes in Assam.

Sightseeing

Hayagriva Madhava Temple- The temple is situated on Monikut hill. The present Hayagriva Madhava temple structure was constructed by King Raghudeva Narayan in 1583. According to some historians, the King of the Pala dynasty constructed the original temple during the 6th century AD. The stone temple enshrines an image of Hayagriva Madhava or the god Vishnu. The image resembles the famous Jagannath of Puri in Orissa.

Powa-Mecca- This is a celebrated Muslim shrine. The word powa /poa means one-fourth. Implying its importance to be equivalent to one-fourth of the Mecca of Arab Emirates. It was built by Mir Lutufullah-i-Shiraji in 1657, during the period of the Mughal emperor Shahjahan. It is believed that soil from Mecca was used while laying the foundation of this mosque.

Sualkuchi – is famous for the Assam silk. Sualkuchi is located 10 km from Hajo. The town is also known for its Sankaradeva's Vaisnavite tradition.

Madan Kamdev- Located at a distance of 12 km from Hajo, Madan Kamdev is an archaeological site where erotic sculptures are found. There is a museum which stores archaeological findings of the place.