Navagraha Temple, Guwahati, Assam
Navagraha Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to nine celestial bodies, located at the top of Chitrachal Hill (Navagraha Hill) in the south eastern part of Guwahati City in Kamrup District of Assam, India.
History
The Navagraha Temple was built by Ahom King Rajeswar Singha in t1752 A.D. It has been renovated in recent times during the late 1923 and 1945.
The Temple
The Temple houses nine Shiva Lingams representing nine Celestial bodies of Hindu astronomy. They are Surya (Sun), Chandra (Moon), Mangala (Mars), Budha (Mercury), Brihaspati (Jupiter), Shukra (Venus), Shani (Saturn), Rahu (North Lunar Node) and Ketu (South Lunar Node). Each Shiva Lingams are covered with a colored garment symbolic of each of the celestial bodies. Shiva Lingam representing Sun is situated in the centre of other Shiva Lingams. It is in a beehive shaped architecture. The red colored dome shaped temple has nine lingas inside the sanctum Santorum.
Firstly, the Surya’s great chariot which has one wheel and is drawn by seven horses, while carrying a lotus in each of his hands, he wears an armour and has a shield over his breast with the beautiful straight hair and is surrounded by a halo of light. Secondly the great Chandra who is been represented in white colour, clothed in white garment who is surrounded by a halo and adorned with ornaments and garland of all sorts of flowers.
Thirdly one, Mangala who is represented in fire-like red colour, clothed in red garments, seated upon Simhaasana, with three arms bearing ‘Gada’, ‘Sula’, ‘Sakti’ weapons and as one in an ‘Abhaya’ or ‘Varada’ pose. Then, Buddha is being represented in yellow colour, clothed in yellow garment, with’ three arms bearing ‘Khadga’, ‘Khetaka’, and ‘Gada’ and in Varada pose.
In the fifth place is Brihaspati who is represented in yellow colour, clothed in golden yellow garments with three arms bearing ‘Kamandalu’, ‘Akshamala’, and ‘Danda’ and in Varada pose. Sometimes this planet is represented with two arms having a ‘Pustaka’ and an ‘Akshamala’. Then sixth planet, Shukra represented by white colour, clothed in white garments, having four arms and one who bears the same weapons as Brihaspati. Shukra is sometimes represented with two hands bearing ‘Nidhi’ (treasure) and ‘Pustaka’.
The seventh planet, Shani is represented in black colour and being clothed in black garments, small in stature and somewhat lame in one leg. He has two arms bearing a Danda and an ‘Akshamala’ and sometimes in Varada pose. The eighth is Rahu being represented on a ‘Simhaasana’ or a silver chariot drawn by eight horses. According to some, it is possessed with four arms, three of which bear ‘Khadga’, ‘Khetaka’, and ‘Sula’ and in Varada pose and sometimes he possesses two arms carrying a book.
The last, ninth planet is the Ketu being represented in dark colour having two arms in Abhaya pose holding a ‘Gada’, and sometimes on a chariot drawn by ten horses. The garbhagriha or sanctum of the temple survived the earthquake, while the upper portion was rebuilt with corrugated iron sheets. The temple acted as a research center of both astrology and astronomy in the past. There is a tank close by, called Silpukhuri Tank, excavated by Rajesvara Singha.
Connectivity
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