Sukreswar Temple, Guwahati
Shiva (as Sukreswar) temple · Guwahati (Panbazar), Kamrup Metropolitan, Assam, India
The Sukreswar Temple is a Shiva temple on the Sukreswar (Itakhuli) hill on the south bank of the Brahmaputra in the Panbazar area of Guwahati, Assam. A long flight of steps, the Sukreswar Ghat, leads down from the temple compound to the river.
According to the Kamrup Metropolitan district administration and the scholars B. K. Barua and H. V. Sreenivasa Murthy, the temple was built by the Ahom king Pramatta Singha in 1744. Barua and Murthy describe its linga as one of the largest worshipped in India.
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Sukreswar Temple, Guwahati
Barua and Murthy note that the Kalika Purana calls the hillock 'Hasti' and describes it as the hermitage (ashrama) of the sage Sukra, where the Sukreswar linga was set up. The district administration likewise records the belief that Sage Sukra lived here and worshipped Shiva, which gives the temple its name.
The temple is also a place for rites for the dead. The district administration records a popular belief that post-death rituals performed at Sukreswar bring peace (moksha) to the departed, and The Sentinel has reported families performing shraddha and tarpan for their relatives at the ghat, as well as first rice-feeding ceremonies for children.
The Kamrup Metropolitan district page describes the temple as housing 'the sixth Jyotirlinga of India'. This is a devotional belief reported by the district page, which does not give a scriptural source for it, and it is not repeated in the other sources consulted.
Heritage
History of Sukreswar Temple, Guwahati
Barua and Murthy, the district administration and Wikipedia all date the temple to 1744 and credit Pramatta Singha (reigned 1744–1751). Assam Tourism and Wikipedia add that his successor Rajeswar Singha, a patron of Shaiva worship, made grants and donations for the temple's upkeep; Wikipedia dates this provision to 1759.
Writing in the 20th century, Barua and Murthy reported that the temple was still intact, although the roof of the attached nat-mandir (hall) had been replaced with corrugated iron sheets.
The temple continues to be one of Guwahati's main Shiva shrines. The Assam Tribune has reported the Kamrup Metro district administration naming the Sukreswar Devalaya committee among the temple committees it coordinates with for Maha Shivaratri arrangements, including police and rescue teams posted at Sukreswar Ghat.
Architecture and sacred features
Published descriptions of the building are brief. Barua and Murthy record a sanctum with a large linga and an attached nat-mandir, whose roof had been replaced with corrugated iron. The setting is the most notable feature: the temple stands on a hillock directly above the Brahmaputra, with a steep stepped ghat running down to the water.
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
The ghat is used both by devotees performing rituals and by people enjoying the riverside; take care on the steep steps, especially in wet weather. Crowds are heavy at Maha Shivaratri, when the district administration issues special arrangements. Dress modestly and follow the instructions of the temple committee. Confirm current timings and ritual arrangements with the Sukreswar Devalaya committee before visiting.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Sukreswar Devalaya committee before travelling. Last reviewed 1 November 2026.
Sacred Calendar
Festivals at Sukreswar Temple, Guwahati
Maha Shivaratri
Assam Tourism says the temple attracts large numbers of devotees at Shivaratri, and the district administration makes special security and crowd arrangements at the temple and ghat.
Location
How to Reach Sukreswar Temple, Guwahati
The temple is in Panbazar, central Guwahati, on the south bank of the Brahmaputra, and can be reached by local transport within the city.
The Sentinel has warned that the ghat steps down to the river are steep and nearly vertical, with few handholds, so elderly visitors and children need care.
Location: Guwahati (Panbazar), Kamrup Metropolitan, Assam, India
More in Hindu temples in Assam · Shiva (as Sukreswar) temples · Temples in Kamrup Metropolitan District
Questions
Sukreswar Temple, Guwahati: Frequently Asked Questions
Who built the Sukreswar Temple in Guwahati?
The Ahom king Pramatta Singha built it in 1744. His successor Rajeswar Singha later made grants for its upkeep.
Why is it called Sukreswar?
Tradition, recorded in the Kalika Purana, holds that the hill was the hermitage of the sage Sukra, who worshipped Shiva here.
Is Sukreswar one of the twelve Jyotirlingas?
The Kamrup Metropolitan district page describes it as the sixth Jyotirlinga. This is a local devotional belief; the district page gives no scriptural source and the other sources consulted do not repeat it.
What rituals are performed at Sukreswar Ghat?
Families perform shraddha and tarpan for their departed relatives, and rice-feeding ceremonies for children, according to The Sentinel. Devotees believe rites performed here bring peace to the dead.
Is the Sukreswar Ghat safe?
The Sentinel has reported that its steps are steep and nearly vertical with few handholds, so take care, particularly with children and elderly visitors.
When is the busiest time at Sukreswar Temple?
Maha Shivaratri, when large numbers of devotees visit and the district administration makes special arrangements.
Sources and attribution
- Kamrup Metropolitan District Administration, Government of Assam (Wayback Machine copy, May 2026) — Sukreswar Temple
- Assam Tourism Development Corporation — Sukreswar Temple
- B. K. Barua and H. V. Sreenivasa Murthy, Temples and Legends of Assam (reproduced by HinduNet; Wayback Machine copy) — Temples in Kamrup District – Sukresvara
- The Sentinel — Beware of steep steps with fatal flaws! (2 April 2017)
- The Assam Tribune — Guidelines to temple committees
- Wikipedia — Sukreswar Temple
Further reading: Sukreswar Temple, Guwahati on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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