Sri Sri Ganesh Mandir, Panjabari stands at the foot of Botahghuli hill on GPS Road, Guwahati, roughly 4 to 6 km from VIP Road. The temple opens daily from 6 am to 10 pm, entry is free, and Ganesha is worshipped here in the form of a naturally shaped stone.
Where Is Sri Sri Ganesh Mandir, Panjabari?
The temple address is Botahghuli, GPS Road, Panjabari, Guwahati, Assam 781037. Listings also spell the locality as Batahguli, and some show Ganesh Path or Amsing in the address, all pointing to the same campus.
It sits in the eastern belt of Guwahati between Panjabari and Amsing, tucked against a hillside rather than on a main road. Coordinates for map apps are roughly 26.1324 N and 91.8364 E.
Distances from familiar points:
- Panjabari city bus stop: about a five minute walk
- VIP Road: about 4 to 6 km
- Six Mile: about 4 km
- Khanapara: about 4 to 5 km
- Ganeshguri: about 7 km
- Guwahati Railway Station: about 13 to 14 km
- Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport: about 33 km
In practice, the instruction that works best with any driver is “Panjabari, Botahghuli, Ganesh Mandir”. The GPS Road name confuses people because it looks like a typing error for GS Road, which is a completely different and much larger artery.
What Makes This Ganesh Temple Different?
Guwahati has several Ganesh shrines. What sets Ganesh Mandir Panjabari apart is not scale or age but the object of worship itself and the hillside setting around it.
What is a Shila, and why does it matter here?
A shila is a naturally formed stone treated as a self manifested form of a deity, rather than a sculpted idol installed by an artisan. Devotees at this temple describe the presiding Ganesha as exactly that, a shila rather than a carved murti.
That distinction changes the feel of a visit. There is no dramatic ornamental figure to photograph. The focus sits on the stone, the offerings around it, and the quiet of the hill behind.
Regular worshippers connect the site to the natural rock formations along the seasonal water channel that once ran down from the opposite hill, before the area filled in with housing through the 1990s.
It is a community campus, not only a shrine
This is the part almost every listing leaves out. The grounds hold an open field, a stage, a pre primary school and a recreation space, and the committee that maintains the temple also hosts weddings, meetings and community functions here.
Visitors have consistently rated it well, with a 4.6 average on Google, and the reviews that mention the campus almost always mention how clean and orderly the committee keeps it.
On an ordinary weekday it is one of the calmest religious spaces in east Guwahati. On a function day it is a busy neighbourhood venue with cars along the approach lane. Both are true, and which one you meet depends entirely on the date.
How to Reach Ganesh Mandir Panjabari From VIP Road
The trip is short and simple. Every route runs through Panjabari, and the only fiddly part is the final lane.
By car or two wheeler
- From VIP Road, head towards Hengrabari and join Panjabari Road.
- Continue east past the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra campus.
- Carry on towards Panjabari and Botahghuli.
- Turn into GPS Road and follow it to the temple gate at the foot of the hill.
Allow 15 to 20 minutes in normal traffic. Parking is available on the campus, which is unusual for a neighbourhood temple in Guwahati and a genuine convenience.
By bus, auto rickshaw or app cab
- Any city bus on the Panjabari or Narengi route will drop you at the Panjabari bus stop, from where the temple is about a five minute walk. Fares run ₹10 to ₹20.
- Auto rickshaws from Six Mile or Hengrabari usually charge ₹60 to ₹120.
- App cabs such as Uber, Ola and Rapido cover the run from VIP Road for roughly ₹80 to ₹160 depending on time and surge.
We have run this stretch at different hours, and the bottleneck is never the temple road. It is the Panjabari Road corridor between roughly 9 am and 10:30 am, when school traffic builds. Arriving before 8:30 am or after 4 pm avoids it almost entirely.
Which Ganesh Temple Near VIP Road Should You Visit?
This question matters more than it sounds, because two well known Ganesh temples sit within a few kilometres of VIP Road and people regularly end up at the wrong one.
Ganeshguri takes its name from its Ganesh temple, which stands right at the roundabout on GS Road. It is busier, more central, and surrounded by traffic. Panjabari is the quiet hillside alternative.
| Temple | Area | Approximate distance from VIP Road | Character |
| Sri Sri Ganesh Mandir | Panjabari, Botahghuli | 4 to 6 km | Quiet hillside campus, open 6 am to 10 pm |
| Ganesh Mandir, Ganeshguri | Ganeshguri | 5 to 6 km | Busy roadside shrine at a major junction |
| Basistha Temple | Basistha | 8 to 10 km | Ancient Shiva temple beside a stream |
| Kamakhya Temple | Nilachal Hill | 14 to 16 km | Major pilgrimage site, long queues |
If you want darshan without crowds and have twenty minutes, Panjabari is the better choice. If you are already at Ganeshguri for shopping, the roundabout temple makes more sense.
Sri Sri Ganesh Mandir Panjabari Timings, Puja and Festivals
The temple is open every day from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm. There is no entry ticket and no booking system.
Best times to visit:
- Early morning, roughly 6:00 am to 8:00 am, for the quietest darshan
- Evening aarti hours, when the campus fills with local families
- Wednesdays and Sundays, which see steadier footfall than midweek afternoons
Avoid the middle of the day in summer. The campus is open ground with limited shade, and Guwahati afternoons between April and June are unforgiving.
When is the main Ganesh Puja here?
This is the single most useful thing to know about the temple, and it contradicts what most visitors assume.
The big annual Ganesh Puja at this temple falls in January, on the Magh Ganesh Chaturthi, which lands a day before Saraswati Puja. It does not follow the August or September Ganesh Chaturthi that dominates Maharashtra and most national coverage.
On that day the puja begins early in the morning, community food is prepared and served free to anyone who comes, and a cultural programme runs that evening or the next.
The practical consequence is straightforward. If you plan a special visit around the Ganesh Chaturthi date you read about in national news, you will arrive on an ordinary day. Check the Assamese Magh calendar instead.
What to Know Before You Visit
Simple etiquette
- Remove footwear before entering the shrine area.
- Dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered.
- Ask before photographing the sanctum or other worshippers.
- Keep voices low during aarti.
- Offerings such as flowers, sweets and coconut are available from vendors near the approach.
Nobody polices this at the gate, which is exactly why it is worth stating. This is a working neighbourhood temple, not a ticketed monument.
Combine it with Kalakshetra
The temple takes twenty to thirty minutes. On its own it does not fill an outing, so pair it with what is nearby.
- Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, about 2 km away on Panjabari Road, open 9:30 am to 7:00 pm
- Assam State Zoo and Botanical Garden, about 6 km away
- Basistha Temple, about 8 km away
- Ganeshguri market for food and shopping afterwards
A sensible half day loop is Kalakshetra in the late morning, the Ganesh Mandir in the late afternoon, and dinner around Six Mile or Ganeshguri.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Sri Sri Ganesh Mandir, Panjabari located?
The temple is at Botahghuli, GPS Road, Panjabari, Guwahati, Assam 781037, set at the foot of Botahghuli hill in east Guwahati. It lies about a five minute walk from the Panjabari city bus stop and roughly 4 to 6 km from VIP Road. Some listings spell the locality Batahguli.
What are the Sri Sri Ganesh Mandir Panjabari timings?
The temple is open daily from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm, seven days a week. There is no entry fee and no ticket counter. Early morning between 6:00 am and 8:00 am offers the quietest darshan, while evenings draw local families and feel considerably livelier.
How do I reach Ganesh Mandir Panjabari from VIP Road?
Head towards Hengrabari, join Panjabari Road, continue past Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, then turn into GPS Road at Botahghuli. The drive takes 15 to 20 minutes. App cabs cost roughly ₹80 to ₹160, autos ₹60 to ₹120, and any Panjabari route city bus stops within walking distance.
Is this the same temple as the one at Ganeshguri?
No. They are two different Ganesh temples. The Ganeshguri temple sits at a busy GS Road roundabout in central Guwahati and gave the locality its name. Sri Sri Ganesh Mandir, Panjabari is a quieter hillside campus several kilometres east, with longer opening hours and easier parking.
When is Ganesh Puja celebrated at this temple?
The main annual Ganesh Puja here falls in January, on Magh Ganesh Chaturthi, a day before Saraswati Puja, rather than on the August or September Ganesh Chaturthi observed elsewhere in India. Puja starts early morning, free community food is served, and a cultural programme follows.
Is there parking at the temple?
Yes. The campus includes open ground used for parking, which is uncommon for neighbourhood temples in Guwahati. The same ground hosts weddings, meetings and community functions, so space can be limited on event days. Arriving on a weekday morning gives you the easiest access.
Conclusion
Sri Sri Ganesh Mandir, Panjabari is not a landmark that shouts for attention, and that is precisely its appeal. It offers a naturally formed shila at the foot of a hill, a clean campus run by a committed local committee, free entry, long opening hours and parking you can actually use.
For anyone living or working around VIP Road, Hengrabari, Six Mile or Khanapara, it is a twenty minute detour that returns a genuinely calm half hour. Go early in the morning, pair it with Kalakshetra down the road, and mark January rather than September if you want to see the temple at its most alive.