breckenridge to aspen 560 NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES AS S A M NORTHEAST TOURS The vast majority of foreign tourists visiting

1 Sights Kamakhya Mandir HINDU TEMPLE (admission for no queue/short queue/queue 500/100/free; h8am-1pm & 3pm-dusk) While Sati s disintegrated body parts rained toes on Kolkata (see p443), her yoni fell on Kamakhya Hill. This makes Kamakhya breckenridge to aspen Mandir important for shakti (sensual tantric worship of female spiritual power). Goats, pigeons and the occasional buffalo are ritually beheaded in a gory pavilion and the hot, dark inner womblike sanctum is painted breckenridge to aspen red to signify sacrificial blood. The huge June/ July Ambubachi Mela celebrates the end of the mother goddess menstrual cycle with even more blood.

1 Sights War Cemetery HISTORIC SITE (hdawn-dusk Mon-Sat) This immaculate breckenridge to aspen War Cemetery contains the graves of 1400 British, Commonwealth and Indian soldiers. It stands at the crucially strategic junction of the Dimapur and Imphal breckenridge to aspen roads, breckenridge to aspen the site of intense fighting against the Japanese during a 64-day WWII battle.

560 NORTHEAST TRIBAL STATES AS S A M NORTHEAST TOURS The vast majority of foreign tourists visiting the northeast states travel as part of an organised tour, and indeed for four of the states (Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram), independent travel in the normal breckenridge to aspen sense of the word is almost impossible. Instead, the only realistic way of getting permits is to enlist the services of a tour company. Once you have a permit, breckenridge to aspen travelling around independently is not normally a problem, but you re unlikely to find a tour company who ll help you get permits without fi rst hiring a car and driver/guide from them, thus making real independent travel in the permit states pretty much impossible. breckenridge to aspen Most tour companies are based in Guwahati and all of the following can organise permits and tours throughout the northeast. Traveller s Point (Map p554; %2604018; www.assamtourism.org; Prashaanti Tourist Lodge, Station Rd) If you re staying only within Assam then Assam Tourism s commercial booth runs a variety breckenridge to aspen of city- and state-wide tours including day excursions breckenridge to aspen to Hajo via the silk-weaving centre of Sualkuchi. Network Travels (Map p554; %2605335; www.networktravelsindia.net; GS Rd; h5am9pm) A highly experienced breckenridge to aspen agency whose operations cover the whole of the northeast with tailor-made and fixed-itinerary tours. Organising permits is a speciality. Jungle Travels India (off Map p554; %2667871, 9207042330; www.jungletravelsindia.com; 3b Dirang Arcade, GNB Rd) Another breckenridge to aspen experienced agency covering the entire northeast with tailor-made tours and fixed-date departures. It organises all the permits, but can be slightly disorganised breckenridge to aspen in this regard. With two boats, it runs Brahmaputra cruises (see www.assambengalnavigation.com) for four to 10 nights at US$350 per person breckenridge to aspen per night, breckenridge to aspen and also runs the Bansbari Lodge in Manas National Park. Rhino Travels (Map p554; %2540666; breckenridge to aspen www.rhinotravels.com; M Nehru (MN) Rd) This agency offers set-date tours in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. It also offers two- to four-night river cruises. 4 Sleeping & Eating