directly from owner Despite being an oil-service town, Sivasagar exudes a residual elegance from its time as the capital

Despite being an oil-service town, Sivasagar directly from owner exudes a residual elegance from its time as the capital of the Ahom dynasty that ruled Assam for more than 600 years. The name comes from waters of Shiva , the graceful central feature of a rectangular reservoir dug in 1734 by Ahom Queen Ambika. Three typical Ahom temple directly from owner towers rise proudly above the tank s partly wooded directly from owner southern banks to the west Devidol, to the east Vishnudol and in the centre, the 33m-high Shivadol Mandir, India s tallest Shiva temple. Its uppermost trident balances upon an egg-shaped directly from owner feature whose golden covering the British reputedly tried (but failed) to pilfer in 1823.

The MTC bus station (Jail Rd) also has a computerised directly from owner railway-reservation counter (nearest train station is Guwahati). Private buses depart from Dhanketi Point; book tickets from counters around directly from owner Police Bazaar, including Network Travels (Shop 44, MUDA Complex, Police Bazaar) and Deep (Ward s Lake Rd).

While each of these hotels have good restaurants, the cosy Dragon Restaurant (Old Market; mains 60-150) is the town s best eatery with freshly made local dishes such as churpa ( 150), a fermented cheese broth with fungi and vegetables that tastes much better than it sounds. Also don t miss the Tibetan tea. An acquired taste if ever there were one.

From a distance Aizawl (pronounced eyezole) seems a painted backdrop to an Italian opera, such is the steepness of the ridge on which it s perched. Backs of homes at road level might be held there with stilts directly from owner three times higher than their roofs.