While travelling towards Silpukhuri from Gauhati Club, one sees an old gate ('Toran') on the left with the word 'Panchavati' written on it. It is located just opposite the Lakshmi Service station on Maniram Dewan Road.
Although a common site for regular commuters, many are not acquainted with the history of the place. The gate belonged to the ashram that was there just decades ago called the 'Panchavati Ashram'.
Looking straight through the gate, one sees an old temple, always with a lit 'saki' in the morning and early evening hours. That is the original Shiva temple of the ashram.
The 'Panchavati Ashram' was established by Jogeshwar Kakoti, a well-known follower of Goddess Kali. He meditated and got enlightenment at this very place and was known as Swami Sureshnanda.
As he took only selected disciples, his followers were limited, but some were all the way from Calcutta.
It is said that Swami Sureshnanda was doing his daily rituals at the temple at the time of his death. Dr Bhubaneshwar Barooah was present at the moment of Swami's demise. Reportedly, even as the soul departed, the body continued to offer flower-bel leafs to the God.
As per his wish, Swami’s mortal remains were placed in a wooden coffin with flowers and bel leaves, and the coffin was floated off in the Brahmaputra River.
After Swami Sureshnanda’s death in 1925, the ashram was run by his wife, Hirawati Devi, elder sister of Anandaram Dhekial Phookan. She died in 1964. Even her body was floated off like her husband’s. The disciples took to run the ashram after that.
‘Panchavati Ashram’ originally had 5 bighas of land. However, some portions had to be sold off later for its maintenance.
The ashram hosted ‘sabhas’ that were attended by Tarunram Phukan, Gopinath Bordoloi, and other well known personalities.
All types of plants needed for religious rituals were present in the premises of the ashram. A few of the old trees are still present if one explores beyond the gate.