Tezpur

Tezpur, on the north bank of the Brahmaputra, is one of Assam's most pleasant towns and the cultural capital of the region. Its name is often translated as 'city of blood', after a legend in which Krishna battled the demon king Banasura to rescue his grandson Aniruddha, who had fallen in love with Banasura's daughter Usha. Agnigarh, a hillock said to be where Usha was kept, now has a viewpoint and sculptures retelling the story, with fine views over the river and the Kolia Bhomora Setu bridge.

The town also has genuine archaeological interest. The Da Parbatia temple door frame, with Gupta-style carvings of Ganga and Yamuna, dates to around the 5th–6th century, and the Bamuni Hills ruins hold sculpted temple remains from around the 9th–10th century. Chitralekha Udyan (Cole Park) displays carved stone pieces in a lakeside garden, and the Mahabhairab temple is an important Shiva shrine.

Tezpur is the natural gateway to Nameri National Park and to the road into western Arunachal Pradesh, so it makes a convenient overnight stop on the way to Bhalukpong, Dirang and Tawang.