For millions of Sanatani tourists, not to speak of pilgrims, who visit Guwahati in far eastern Bharat, their itinerary includes the temple of Mother Goddess Kamakhya to pay a sacred visit to the Shakti Peeth with the legacy of Kamrup civilization. The consecrated temple atop Nilachal hills on the southern bank of mighty Brahmaputra river. Now a mere district covering the prehistoric city of Guwahati , Kamrup was once a gigantic empire covering all eastern Bharat provinces including a larger part of northern Bangladesh. One of the major religious festivals, organised annually in the picturesque Kameshwari temple is the Ambubachi Mela that attracts hundreds of thousands of Sanatani Hindu pilgrims from different parts of the globe. During the revered festival, the temple’s primary door gets closed for four days (this year it falls in the afternoon hours of 22 June for Pravritti till the early morning hours of 26 June for Nibritti). The religious belief narrates that during the period Mother Earth experiences the annual cycle of menstruation and it is reflected in Devi Kamakhya’s genital organ (Yoni). No religious performances are organised during this period. The farmers across the Hindu world avoid cultivating works during the period so that the Earth can get an undisturbed ambience. The temple door is reopened after Devi’s ritual-bathing and devotees throng in for Darshan and worshipping Maa Kamakhya. One can witness a sea of humans with a large number of Hindu saints in the temple premises during the festival.
Kamakhya temple, which is recognised as one of the sacred 51 Shakti Peeths of Goddess Durga was built by Kamdev with the help of God Vishwakarma. According to the mythology, the demon king Narakasura constructed a stiff-stone Mekhela Ujowa path connecting the temple from the foothills with an intention to marry Devi Kamakhya. The Muslim convert Kalapahar, the king of Coach Behar in western Assam destroyed the temple in 1553 AD. Maharaja Biswa Singh later repaired it in the Seventeenth century. King Nar-Narayan, who ascended to the throne of Coach Behar after his father’s demise, constructed the upper portion of the temple with the help of his brother Mahabir Chilarai. The present form of the main temple and its surrounding was shaped during the time of Nar-Narayan, one of the greatest kings of ancient Assam. As the legend goes, Sati was one of the incarnations of Goddess Shakti and she sacrificed her life protesting the behaviour of her father Dakshya Nripati. The wife of Maheswar (one of the holy Trinities after Lord Brahma and Lord Bishnu), Sati took her life at a Yagna, a sacrificial rite organized by her father Dakshya. But his son-in-law Shiva was not invited for the ceremony. Sati arrived at Yagna Bhumi, but she was also not welcomed by Dakshya, rather he made derogatory comments over Maheswar. Annoyed with the situation, Sati sacrificed her life at the location of Yagna. Listening to the death of Sati, Shiva got angry and appeared at Yagna Bhumi. After pronouncing punishment to Dakshya, a furious Shiva started Tandav Nritya with the corpse of his beloved wife Sati on his shoulder. Tandav Nritya continued for several days and the universe was on the brink of being destroyed. Then all the gods and goddesses appealed to Lord Bishnu to pave the way for bringing an end to Maheshwar’s dance of destruction. The caretaker of the universe chopped-off the corpse of Sati with his Sudarshan Chakra to bring back Shiva to sanity. Her lifeless body was made into 51 pieces, which fell in different parts of Bharatbarsha and each location later emerged as a sacred Peeth. The Yoni of Sati fell on the spot at Nilachal hills, where the temple was erected. Kalika Purana, an ancient work in Sanskrit describes Kamakhya as the deity to fulfil the desires of devotees and gives salvation. The temple does not contain any image or statue of Kamakhya. There is only a sculptured image of the Yoni of the Goddess in a cave inside the main temple. When the word communities today make voluminous speeches to protect the globe, it’s amazing how ancient Bharat realized the importance of the green planet worshiping as Mother Earth.
Joi Maa Kameshwari !
When Mother Earth Menstruates
