Situated on top of the striking Nilachal Hill inthe western part of Guwahati city in Assam, is the Kamakhya Temple, one of the biggest Shakti sanctums in the whole of India. This Hindu temple is devoted to the worship of Mother-Goddess Kamakhya. Overlooking the majestic Brahmaputra, Kamakhya Temple is considered as one of the most significant pilgrimage centres for Shakti worship and Tantric Hinduism.
It is considered as one of the ancient Shakti Peeths. The legend has it that the genital organ (yoni) of Sati (Parvati), the eternal wife of Lord Shiva had fallen downafter her death, on the Kamakhaya grounds, in one of her incarnations, as her devastated husband carried her body here and there in distraught agony. The divine temple has three main chambers -the most sacred sanctum stands in the third chamber, which is in the structure of a cave and has a yoni-like cleft in the bedrock. The ‘Matra yoni’ is adorned with a silk saree and covered with flowers. There is a natural spring that runs through the cleft. The whole temple is devoted to several different forms of Mother Shakti namely – Sundari, Tripura, Tara, Bhuvaneshwari, Bagalmukhi andChinnamasta. Other than the holy shrines devoted to the worship of Mother Goddess, there are five temples constructed within the complex of Kamakhya Temple which are dedicated to the different forms of Lord Shiva and three temples devoted to the worship of Lord Vishnu. It is one of the biggest Tantric worshipping centres in India, with thousands of sanyasins and babascoming every year to worship and honour the Mother.
Hundreds and thousands of tourists and devotees visit the temple during AmbubachiMela, which is the major festival of this holy shrine. AmbubachiMela is held in the month of Ahar (mid-June), where pilgrims celebrate the yearly menstruation of Goddess-Mother Kamakhya. It is said that during this month, the natural spring which flows through the yoni like image of the Goddess turns red, similar to menstrual fluid. Observing the menstrual cycle, the temple remains closed for three days and rituals are performed on the fourth day amidst great festivities. Apart from AmbubachiMela, several other Pujas like Durga Puja, Vasanti Puja etc. are also celebrated in this sacred temple.
Accommodation is not a problem for tourists as Guwahati has varied range of hotels.
