Lankeshwar Temple

Crowning an idyllic wooded hillock in the western Jalukbari neighborhood of Guwahati, Lankeshwar Temple is a historic Shiva shrine steeped in ancient Puranic mythology. Local legends recount that King Ravana of Lanka, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, sought an auspicious place to perform rigorous penance to attain supreme invincibility, choosing this peaceful ridge overlooking the mighty Brahmaputra River basin. Pilgrims ascend a steep, scenic flight of over four hundred concrete stairs shaded by tall sal trees and bamboo thickets to arrive at the hill sanctum. The shrine houses an ancient stone Shiva lingam embedded within the living bedrock, exuding a profound aura of meditative tranquility. Its elevated hilltop setting offers sweeping vistas of western Guwahati, the rolling Meghalayan foothills, and Gauhati University campus. On Maha Shivratri and throughout the auspicious month of Shravan, the temple resonates with sacred mantras as thousands of devotees, neighborhood families, and university students climb the hill to perform holy abhishekam with fresh milk, honey, sacred bilva leaves, and fragrant mountain flowers amidst tranquil forested hill breezes.