Ugratara Temple (Ugratara Devalaya), Guwahati
Devi as Ugra Tara temple · Guwahati (Uzan Bazaar / Latasil), Kamrup Metropolitan, Assam, India
The Ugratara Temple, also called Ugratara Devalaya, is a Shakti shrine in the Uzan Bazaar (Latasil) area in the eastern part of Guwahati, Assam. It stands beside the twin tanks known as Jor Pukhuri and is dedicated to the goddess Ugra Tara.
Assam Tourism calls it an important Shakti Peetha after the Kamakhya Temple, and notes that Guwahati is home to both. According to the Kamrup Metropolitan district administration and the scholars B. K. Barua and H. V. Sreenivasa Murthy, the present temple was built by the Ahom king Siva Singha in 1725.
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Ugratara Temple (Ugratara Devalaya), Guwahati
According to popular belief reported by Assam Tourism, the district administration and EastMojo, Ugratara is the place where the navel of Sati, the first consort of Shiva, fell. A distinctive feature recorded by Assam Tourism is that there is no image of the goddess in the sanctum: a small pit filled with water is itself worshipped as the goddess.
Barua and Murthy explain that Ugra Tara is generally identified with forms such as Tiksna-Kanta and Eka-Jata of the Buddhist pantheon, and quote the Yogini Tantra's teaching that Tara, Kali and Kamakhya are one. The district administration also notes this link with Buddhist tradition. Ugra Tara is regarded as another form of Parvati, according to the district page.
A legend retold by Barua and Murthy explains why Ugra Tara is worshipped with Tantric (vamachara) rites. In the story, Yama complained that no one from sacred Kamarupa ever reached his realm; Shiva sent Ugra Tara and her hosts to drive the people out, and when they disturbed the sage Vasishtha in meditation on Sandhyachal, he cursed them so that worship in Kamarupa would follow left-handed rites. This is told as legend, not history.
Heritage
History of Ugratara Temple (Ugratara Devalaya), Guwahati
Barua and Murthy, the Kamrup Metropolitan district page and EastMojo all state that the present temple was built in 1725 CE by Siva Singha, who had excavated the tank three years earlier. The tank, Jor Pukhuri, lies to the east of the temple. EastMojo reports that the British later built a road through the middle of the tank, dividing it in two, which is how it came to be called Jor Pukhuri (twin ponds).
The upper part of the temple was destroyed by a great earthquake. According to Barua and Murthy and the district administration, it was later rebuilt by a private citizen, and the district page adds that the temple has undergone several renovations since.
In 2018 EastMojo reported a trustee's account that pujas at the temple go back to the Pala period, which would make its Durga Puja one of the oldest in Guwahati; this is the temple's own tradition and has not been independently dated. In 2019 EastMojo reported that police had recovered an 18th-century idol belonging to the temple, more than five months after it was stolen.
Architecture and sacred features
Assam Tourism notes a Shiva temple behind the main shrine, and Wikipedia records a Shivalaya beside the Ugratara temple with a pond behind both. Because the upper structure was lost to an earthquake and later rebuilt, the present building reflects later renovation rather than its original 18th-century form.
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
Ugratara is an active Shakti shrine where traditional rites, including animal offerings during Durga Puja, are still followed, as the temple's trustee told EastMojo. Visitors should respect local customs, dress modestly and follow instructions from the temple committee. Crowds are heavy during Durga Puja and Navaratri. Confirm current timings and arrangements with the temple committee before visiting.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Temple trust/committee before travelling. Last reviewed 1 November 2026.
Sacred Calendar
Festivals at Ugratara Temple (Ugratara Devalaya), Guwahati
Durga Puja
EastMojo describes Durga Puja as the most special time at the temple, with traditional rites that the trustees say have been followed since early times.
Navaratri
The Kamrup Metropolitan district administration names Navaratri as the main festival, when devotees come from across the country.
Location
How to Reach Ugratara Temple (Ugratara Devalaya), Guwahati
The temple is in Uzan Bazaar, Latasil, in the eastern part of central Guwahati, beside Jor Pukhuri, according to Assam Tourism and the Kamrup Metropolitan district administration. It can be reached by local transport from any part of the city. Confirm the best route locally.
Location: Guwahati (Uzan Bazaar / Latasil), Kamrup Metropolitan, Assam, India
More in Hindu temples in Assam · Devi as Ugra Tara temples · Temples in Guwahati Circle · Temples in Kamrup Metropolitan District
Questions
Ugratara Temple (Ugratara Devalaya), Guwahati: Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Ugratara Temple in Guwahati?
It is in Uzan Bazaar (Latasil) in the eastern part of Guwahati, beside the Jor Pukhuri tanks.
Is there an idol in the Ugratara Temple?
Assam Tourism says there is no idol of Goddess Ugra Tara in the sanctum; a small water-filled pit is worshipped as the goddess.
Who built the Ugratara Temple?
The Ahom king Siva Singha built the present temple in 1725 CE, three years after excavating the Jor Pukhuri tank. The upper part was later rebuilt after an earthquake.
Why is Ugratara considered a Shakti Peetha?
According to popular belief, the navel of Sati fell at this spot. Assam Tourism calls it an important Shakti Peetha after Kamakhya.
What is the main festival at Ugratara Temple?
Durga Puja and Navaratri, in the month of Ashvin, draw the largest crowds.
What is Jor Pukhuri?
It is the tank to the east of the temple, excavated by Siva Singha. EastMojo reports it was divided in two by a road built by the British, giving it the name 'twin ponds'.
Sources and attribution
- Assam Tourism Development Corporation — Ugratara Temple
- Kamrup Metropolitan District Administration, Government of Assam (Wayback Machine copy, May 2026) — Ugratara Temple
- B. K. Barua and H. V. Sreenivasa Murthy, Temples and Legends of Assam (reproduced by HinduNet; Wayback Machine copy) — Temples in Kamrup District – Ugra Tara (introduction and pages 1–3)
- EastMojo — Stolen idol found: 5 things to know about Assam's Ugratara temple (2 May 2019)
- EastMojo — This 974-yr-old puja celebration is perhaps Guwahati's oldest (18 October 2018)
- Wikipedia — Ugratara Devalaya
Further reading: Ugratara Temple (Ugratara Devalaya), Guwahati on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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