Hajo is a town which has religious places of different faiths, such as Hindus, Muslims and the Buddhists. The Muslim place of pilgrimage in Hajo is Powa Mecca Mosque. The name of the mosque means one quarter of Mecca, which is the holiest city for the Muslims situated in Arab. It is said that by offering prayers in this mosque, devotees gain one fourth of the good grace that they would have gotten in the real Mecca. On the top of Garurachal hill, the Powa Mecca mosque stands. This is the tomb of the pioneer of Muslim religion in this area, Pir Ghiyasuddin Auliya. In 1657 AD, Sujauddin Muhammad Shah had built this mosque. At that time Shah Jahan was the ruling Mughal emperor of India. The mosque is situated on the hill over the banks of the Brahmaputra River and is only 24 kms away from Guwahati. This is a shrine where not only the Muslims, but the Hindus also come to offer their prayers. The temple of Hayagriva Madhaba is just on the side of the mosque.
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The Powa Mecca is an important pilgrimage center for the Muslim in this region. It is said that this mosque contains the sacred soil of the original Mecca, and thus is religiously important for the community. On the full moon of the Jaishtha, the Bengali high summer month, the Hindus also visit the shrine and offer their prayer. Historically too, the mosque is important. Other than the mosque, the Hayagriva Madhava Temple is another important tourist spot, which is situated right next to the mosque.
Getting There
Hajo is not too far away from Guwahati, and just a drive of half an hour and so can take you to the city. The closest airport and rail station both are located in the city of Guwahati. There are bus and car services from Guwahati which can take you to the town of Hajo and then Powa Mecca. However, if you wish for a budget trip, consider the rickshaws as they are still the best modes of intercity transport and easily available at the bus stand.
Rental taxis or vehicles from tour operators can also take you to Powa Mecca in no time when you have reached Hajo.
Best Time to Visit
The temperature of the area is sub tropical with the average range at 24 degree Celsius, and thus, it gets quite hot during the late summer months. However, during the full moon of Jaishtha, people visit the mosque as it is believed to be an auspicious day. It is also better to avoid the monsoon, since incessant rains could disrupt your travel plans (precipitation is at 1928 mm). The best time to visit Powa Mecca is during winter when the temperature is soothing and also the environment seems ethereal.