Umananda Temple is a Shiva Temple built in Guwahati in 1594, by the Ahom King of Assam. Umananda Temple is located at the Peacock island in middle of river Brahmaputra. Umananda temple is one of the mostly visited one. The devotees as well as the tourists coming to Assam, takes a visit to this temple. Umananda Temple is devoted to Lord Shiva. Umananda Temple is built on a riverine island called Peacock island. It is an island of River Brahmaputra. To reach the temple, one has to cross the river in a boat. These boat service is available from the Kachari ghat. There is also a ferry service that is available from 7 am in the morning to 5 pm in the evening. During the Hindu festival of Shivaratri, every year the devotees from all parts of Assam and other parts of India come to this place.
Lord Shiva is said to have resided here in the form of Bhayananda. According to the Kalika Purana, in the beginning of the creation Siva sprinkled ashes (bhasma) at this place and imparted knowledge to Parvati (his consort). It is said that, when Siva was in meditation on this hillock, Kamadeva interrupted his yoga and was therefore burnt to ashes by the fire of Sivas’s anger and hence the hillock got the name Bhasmacala. This mountain is also called Bhasmakuta. The Kalika Purana states that Urvasikunda is situated here and here resides the goddess Urvasi who brings Amrit (nectar) for the enjoyment of Kamakhya and hence the island got the name Urvasi Island.
Umananda is the presiding deity of this temple (Tatrasti bhagavan sambhu- ruma- nandakarah Prabhu). It is believed that, worship here on the Amavasya day when it falls on Monday brings the highest bliss. The Siva Chaturdasi is the most colourful festival that is held here annually. Many devotees come to the temple on this occasion .
The temple of Umananda was built in 1694 A.D. by the Bar Phukan Garhganya Handique by the order of King Gadadhar Singh (1681–1696), one of the ablest and strongest rulers of the Ahom dynasty. The original temple was however immensely damaged by a devastating earthquake of 1897. Later, it was reconstructed by a rich local merchant who chose to inscribe the interior part of a Siva temple with Vaisnavite slogans.