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Navagraha Temple, Guwahati
Navagraha (Nine Planets) · Chitrachal Hill · Guwahati
॥ ओं नवग्रहाय नमः ॥
On Chitrachal hill in Guwahati sits a temple given over to the heavens. The Navagraha Temple honours the nine grahas — the celestial bodies of Hindu astronomy and astrology — set as nine lingams around a central Surya beneath a low dome. Long a seat of astronomical and astrological study, it lies at the root of Guwahati’s old name, Pragjyotishpura, the city of eastern light and stars.
A shrine to the nine grahas
In Hindu thought the Navagraha are the nine moving bodies that govern time and fortune: Surya (Sun), Chandra (Moon), Mangala (Mars), Budha (Mercury), Brihaspati (Jupiter), Shukra (Venus), Shani (Saturn), and the two lunar nodes Rahu and Ketu. Here each is given form as a lingam, the nine arranged around the central Sun, so that worshippers can offer prayers for the planets that shape their charts.
Devotees come especially to seek relief from difficult planetary periods, making the temple a focus of jyotisha, the science of the stars.
Pragjyotishpura, city of astrology
Guwahati’s ancient name, Pragjyotishpura, points to a long tradition of observing the skies, and the Navagraha Temple is remembered as a centre of that learning. Scholars are said to have studied the planets and computed astronomical tables from this hill.
That heritage gives the temple a character beyond ordinary worship — a meeting point of devotion and the older Indian sciences of the heavens.
The Ahom-era temple on Chitrachal
The present domed structure is associated with the Ahom period, the building set on the Chitrachal (Navagraha) hill overlooking the city and the Brahmaputra. Its compact form and rounded dome give it a quiet, contemplative air.
From the hilltop the temple commands a wide view of Guwahati, adding to its appeal for visitors who climb up for both the shrine and the outlook.
How to reach Navagraha Temple, Guwahati
- By road: The temple sits on Chitrachal hill within Guwahati and is reached by taxi or auto-rickshaw, with a short climb to the shrine.
- By train: Guwahati Railway Station is well connected across India and lies a few kilometres from the hill.
- By air: Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport serves Guwahati, about 20–25 km from the temple.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Navagraha Temple in Guwahati dedicated to?
It is dedicated to the Navagraha, the nine celestial bodies of Hindu astronomy and astrology, represented as nine lingams arranged around a central Surya, the Sun.
Who are the nine grahas?
They are the Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn, together with the two lunar nodes Rahu and Ketu — the nine moving bodies that Hindu tradition links to time and destiny.
Why is Guwahati linked to astrology?
Guwahati’s old name, Pragjyotishpura, means the city of eastern light or stars, and the Navagraha Temple was a centre of astronomical and astrological learning on Chitrachal hill.
Where is the temple located?
It stands on Chitrachal, also called Navagraha hill, within the city of Guwahati in Assam, overlooking the Brahmaputra.
Why do people visit the Navagraha Temple?
Many come to offer prayers connected to the planets in their horoscopes, seeking relief during difficult planetary periods, alongside its historical interest as a seat of jyotisha.
When was it built?
The present domed temple is associated with the Ahom period, though the hill’s reputation as a centre of astronomy is older.
॥ जय नवग्रह ॥ • Bhaktiras.net Temple Guide
| Dedicated to | Navagraha (nine planets) |
| Central image | Surya with nine lingams |
| Location | Chitrachal Hill, Guwahati |
| Period | Ahom-era structure |
| Tradition | Astronomy & astrology |
| State | Assam |