Basistha Temple

Basistha (Pron: bəˈsɪsθə) temple, located in the south-east corner of Guwahati city, Assam, India, is a Shiva mandir. The history of the Basistha Ashram where the temple is located dates back to the Vedic age. According to legend the ashram was founded by the great saint Basistha (Vasishtha).^[1]

Basishta Temple
Basistha Mandir
Religion
Affiliation	Hinduism
District	Guwahati
Deity	Shiva
Location
State	Assam
Shown within Guwahati
Geographic coordinates	26°05′42″N 91°47′04″E
Architecture
Type	Nilachal architecture
Creator	Rajeswar Singha
Completed	1764; 261 years ago (1764)

Temple in the ashram stands on the bank of the three mythical mountain streams-Sandhya, Lalita, Kanta- originating from the hills of Meghalaya, which becomes the rivers Basistha and Bahini/Bharalu flowing through the city.^[2]

Basisthashram

Basistha Temple, Guwahati

This ashram is believed to be the home of sage Basistha. The ashram is located a few kilometers (10-12) from Guwahati, on the outskirts of Garbhanga reserve forest which has a population of elephants. This Garbhanga reserve forest is also a proposed butterfly reserve. Although the ashram has a temple but still the cave in which the Muni Vasistha is believed to have meditated is located 5 km inside the ashram. The ashram also has a waterfall.^[2]

History

The brick temple was built in mid 18th Century. It is an octagonal shaped temple at the base with a polygonal sikhara over it. The temple has a sunken garbhagriha which is believed to have the foot impression of the sage Vasistha, who is believed to have had his asrama in this area in the remote past. The existing octagonal brick temple was built by Ahom king Swargadeo Rajeswar Singha during his period of reign from 1751 to 1769.^[3]