The Tradition of Sun-worship in Ancient Assam a Northeastern State of India - An Outlook

Amongst the brahmanical deities worshipped in ancient Assam, Surya or Sun occupies a very prominent position. In the Markandeya Purana (300A.D.-400 A.D.) we have found the earliest reference to the prevalence of Sun-worship in ancient Assam. The account of the Buddhist monk Arya Dhitika depicted in Taranatha’s History of Buddhism in India shows the popularity of Sun-worship in ancient Assam. Kalika Purana, one of the famous Upapuranas of about 1000-1100 A.D. refers to two distinct centers of Sun-worship of ancient Assam. The first one is Raviksetra which can legitimately be identified to the Sri Surya mountain, located about 12 km southeast of Goalpara town and about 136 km northeast of Guwahati and the second one is the Citrasaila hill which is a worshipping seat of nine Grahas, where Surya ( the chief of the Grahas) is also worshipped. This Citrasaila hill is lawfully identified as the Navagraha hill situated in the city of Guwahati, the capital of Assam. However, some archaeological findings of Assam, witness the prevalence of Sun-worship in ancient Assam. The aim of this paper is to throw light on the tradition of Sun-worship prevailed in ancient Assam from historical point of view.