Rock-cut images in Dirgheswari Dewalaya, North Guwahati, Assam

Dirgheswari Dewalaya, located atop Sitachal Hill in North Guwahati, Assam, stands as a vital Shakti Peetha and a prominent center for Shakta worship, deeply intertwined with the region’s historical, archaeological, and mythological fabric. This study investigates the religious, cultural, and iconographic significance of the site, with a special focus on its extensive collection of rock-cut sculptures, engravings, and associated oral traditions. Through field-based qualitative methodologies, including exploration, non-participant observation, and unstructured interviews with temple custodians, the study documents various deities represented in rock- such as Ganesha, Hanuman, Yamraj, Shiva, and a possible form of Goddess Durga, as well as symbolic carvings like footprints, animals, and abstract motifs. The study also explores the temple’s vibrant ritual calendar, particularly highlighting Madon Chaturdashi and Durga Puja, and their role in sustaining communal identity and spiritual continuity. Additionally, it raises concerns about conservation, noting how devotional practices- particularly the application of oils, vermillion, and incense- combined with natural weathering, threaten the preservation of these invaluable sculptural remains. The study presents Dirgheswari Dewalaya as a living cultural monument where archaeology, mythology, and ritual converge, demanding urgent attention for heritage conservation alongside continued religious practice.