Kamakhya Temple

The temple of Kamakhya is situated on a hill three miles from Guwahati, the headquarters of the Kamrup District. It is about eight hundred feet above sea level. There is a small township on the hillock consisting of some 200 families who are mostly connected with the temple. It has certain modern facilities too such as a Post Office and certain educational institutions upto high school standard level. 

The Legend Of Kamakhaya
The name of the hillock where the shrine stands is called "Nilachala" (blue mountain). This name is associated with legend, which is preserved in the Kalika Purana in the chapter on 'Daksa Yaina'. According to this source, when King Daksha, the father of Parvati (Sati), instituted a great sacrifice, he sent invitation to all his daughters and the gods and sages except his eldest daughter Parvati and Shiva, his son-in-law, as he disliked them. 

This dislike was due to the fact that in spite of his opposition Parvati married Shiva, whose peculiar habits and quite irrelevant attitude were not favored by him. Parvati however, came to learn about the performance of the sacrifice through Narada. She further learnt from Narada that all her sisters with their husbands had gone there. She very much desired to see her parents as well as her sisters and also wanted to know from her father what made him 'adopt such a negligent attitude towards her and her husband.

Therefore, with the permission of her husband, Parvati journeyed to her father's place uninvited. But to her utter dismay she found her father not a bit happy at her arrival. This was naturally discouraging to Parvati, who was further mortified to find that no necessary arrangement was made for the reception of Shiva although great care was taken to assign places of honour to all other gods. When she asked her father why Shiva was so much neglected by him, Daksha, without making secret of his displeasure started abusing Shiva.

Parvati could not bear to hear the insults and took her seat on the ground, closed her eyes, and reduced her body to ashes by the yogic fire produced internally by abstract meditation on Shiva.

Shiva, overcome by grief, destroyed Daksha's sacrifice and wandered hither and thither in frantic sorrow carrying her dead body on his head. Brahma and other gods grew alarmed and approached Vishnu to put a stop to Shiva's penance and save the world from destruction. Brahma, Vishnu and Shani then conspired to deprive Shiva of his wife's body and free him from infatuation. These three gods, thereupon, entered into the dead body of Sati and disposed of it limb by limb.

The Sacred Pithas
The places where pieces of Sati's body fell are said to have become 'Pithas' i.e., sacred places for worship of the goddess in her different forms and as much of the eastern land as was covered by wandering Shiva with Sati's body on his shoulder should be regarded as sacrificial land or "Yajnodaka Desah". The early Puranas and the Tantras, how ever, make mention only of the four important Pithas (catus pitha), which are:
(i) Odra, seat of Goddess Katyayani and Jagannatha, in the west.
(ii) Jala Saila, seat of the Goddess Chandi and God Mahadeva, in the north.
(iii) Purna or Purnasaila (Purnagiri), seat of Goddess Purnesvari and God Mahanatha, in the south
(iv) Kamarupa, seat of Kamesvari and Kamesvara, in the east.

The Foundation 
Having a stronghold of Goddess Shakti (Mahakali) Kamakhya became the centre of Tantra cultism. The original temple was installed by the king of Giant's 'Narakasur' was destroyed by 'Kalapahar' in 1553 led to the building of a new temple in 1665 by the King of Coochbihar Naranarayan.

Layout Of The Temple
The vertex of the temple is oval shaped like beehive-having 7 spires, 3 golden pitchers on blossoming lotus, upon that a golden trident. The temple is beautifully decorated and ornamented with gods & goddesses of Hindu Purana being depicted there on the temple wall. Even Lord Shiva in beard & whiskers is depicted in the temple.

The temple represents old Ahom sculpture. Goddess Kamakhya made of an alloy of 8 metals is seated on a throne made of five jewels (Panchratna), and is being worshipped in the other forms of Goddess 'Durga', 'Kali', 'Tara', 'Kamala', 'Uma', and 'Chamunda' also. The Goddess is very potent.

Kamakhya is one of the 51 pithas. The vaginal form of sati severed by Vishnu-wheel was dropped here. A flight of steps leads into the dim lit interior where Devi Kamakhya is seated. The 'Devi Kunda' or the interior of the temple is in excess of water level overflowing out of the breach made of holy vaginal-pulpit.

The Ambubachi Festival Rituals
In the period of Ambubachi the Goddess has the period of menses. The colour of the water also becomes red. Drinking the water acts like a cure-all medicine. The divinity and nobility of the bloodstained cloths of Devi is unending. Highest festival is performed on the eve of Ambubachi. One can view the goddess or the vaginal form of Devi covered on red cloth in candlelight. The sacrifice of buffalo is customarily a part of the grand festival.

Pilgrims gather from all over India and tourists crowd the festival. However, in the period of Ambubachi, the temple remains closed for 3 consecutive days. A marriage festival on the occasion of Devi's marriage with Lord Kameswar is called "Paus-Bia". The Spring festival in spring season and such other festivals are celebrated round the year in Kamakhya.
The Beliefs
This temple is pervaded with scores of prejudices, horrors, thrills and mysteries. Legend says man becomes sheepish at the Devi Kamakhya hill. Devis anger might deprive one of one's line of descent. Again, the blessing of Devi may help a barren woman to bear child.

The temple remains open from 8.00 am to sunset, except for 2 hours at noon. In the front premises of the temple, there is a pool namely, "Sauvagya Kunda" and other temples of "Dasamahavidya", "Siddheswar" and "Kameswar" are located around the main temple of Devi Kamakhya.

HOW TO GET THERE
Road: A fine road, which can be used for light vehicular traffic and the stone pathway, connect the foot of the hill with the top. Buses ply every 10 or 15 minutes from Guwahati to the foot of the hill from where one can go to the top by taxis that are readily available at the bus stop.

 

A Historical Note on Sri Sri Kamakhya Temple

his sacred land of spiritual upliftment, a land yearning after what life is beyond. The rest of the world is agog with material pleasure, the life that is present seems to be the summumbonum of mankind, so there is a race for drinking the pleasure of life to the dregs.

    

The holy Nilachal Hills, where the famous temple of Mother Goddess Sri Sri Kamakhya has been shining with pride and glory, is now a part of the metropolis Guwahati, the gateway to Northeast India. The mighty Brahmaputra, mentioned as Louhitya in Sanskrit epics and Puranas, is flowing on the northern side of these sacred hills. Near the holy shrine of the Mother Goddess there are temples of the Dasamahavidya, Lord Shiva, other Deities and numerous Gupta Peethas scattered all around.

The history of Assam is closely related to the history of Sri Sri Kamakhya. Mention of this Shaktitemple of Kamakhya has been made in Devi Bhagavata, Devi Purana, Kalika Purana, Yogini Tantra,Hevajra Tantra, Tantra Chudamani, and is cited many more times in other ancient literature. According to Hevajra Tantra (8th century C.E.) and Kalika Purana (earlier than 1000 C.E.) the deity of Sri Sri Kamakhya in Kamarupa had become already established as the main center of Tantric worship. The Kalika Purana and Yogini Tantra already extol Assam as a land where Shakta Tantra was fully established.

The temple of Sri Sri Kamakhya in the Nilachal Hills is the springboard and centerpiece of Shakta worship in India. Situated between the two hill ethnic groups that follow the matriarchal system, theKhasis of the Austro-Asiatic family and the Garos of the Mongoloid group, the temple of Kamakhya is regarded as belonging to a Goddess who represents the pro-creative aspects of nature. SHE is a Mother Goddess. No image of the deity is worshipped in the temple; it is the yoni of the Goddess Sati, the consort of Lord Shiva, that is enshrined within.

Sex worship, in whatever form, was common throughout the Austro-Asiatic and other countries in the ancient past. Robert Briffault in his Sex in Civilization says that “the Roman Saturnalia and carnival of Southern Europe are similar instance in the West.” V. F. Calverton is more comprehensive in his opinion: “Survival of sex-worship was common through the dark ages.” In the temple of Sri Sri Kamakhya, the yoni symbol of the Mother Goddess is regarded as a source of magic influence and is a living relic of an ancient custom. This temple itself is a living relic of the ancient Austro-Asiatic cultural impact on this land, and a beautiful assimilation of patronization by the series of dynasties who ruled Kamarupa until the British took control over Assam in 1826.

The Kamakhya temple’s origins are pre-Aryan. Religious literature tells us that the temple of Kamakhya was built with stones by Kamdeva with the help of Biswakarma. The temple was originally full of beautiful architectural and sculptural wonders. Perhaps due to some upheaval against religion or natural disaster, the upper part of the temple was ravaged and the lower part was gradually buried. The temple was covered with sixty four carved stone images Yoginis and eighteen carved stone images of Bhairavas, which one can still find in the present temple.

An analytical study reveals that there is no mention whatsoever in any stone or copper inscription, text, sloka, or oral materials of 7th – 9th century that Sri Sri Kamakhya was a Deity of any of the Kings of Kamarupa. On the other hand, historical evidence indicates that Kumar Bhaskara Varma (d. 650 C.E.) was a devotee of Lord Shiva. After him, the kings of Shalastambha dynasty (650-750 C.E.) were distinctly Buddhist, and again from Balavarmana II (750 C.E.) to Balavarmana III (875 C.E.) the deity of the dynasty was Lord Shiva in HIS different forms. Then finally, during the rule of Vanamalarmana, the Kameswara-Maha Gauri became the official deity of the dynasty, which continued until Indrapala (1030 C.E.). Somehow the name of Kameswara-Maha Gauri again vanished via the royal edicts of King Gopala (1075 C.E.). Hence it is apparent that the original temple of Sri Sri Kamakhya may have been built before Kumar Bhaskara Varma, and to shed more light on it we can draw reference from a book by P.C. Choudhury titled Assam-Bengal Relations: “The remains centering round the present temple of Kamakhya belong to different period history, beginning with 7th century if not earlier.” At the same time it is also generally believed that the Kamakhya temple was built during the rule of Pala Dynasty.

As it was necessary to determine the age of the Sri Sri Kamakhya Temple, the department of Geo-Sciences, University of Gauhati, came forward and conducted a Radio Carbon Isotope age determination experiment. The result indicates that the bottom layer of the temple is 2200 years old, and the second layer is 1500 years old. From this exercise it can be assessed that the original temple was built before Christ, and an attempt to rebuild the temple was made during 500 C.E. Though there is no concrete historical evidence available on the original temple, there is evidence on the second layer in the form of a stone inscription found in the Nilachal Hills that was cut during the rule of Surendravermana (Mahendravarmana?) in 500 C.E. Thus a conclusion can be drawn that during 500 C.E. a beautiful stone temple of Sri Sri Kamakhya was erected in the Nilachal Hills.

There is less controversy with the upper part of Sri Sri Kamakhya Temple, as there are written records available from the period of King Bishwasingha of the Koch Behar Kingdom. Biswasingha, who came to power in 1515 C.E., rebuilt the temple of Sri Sri Kamakhya (1515-1525). It is generally believed that between 1553-1554 the temple was destroyed by the invading Muslim commander Kalapahar in his crusade against Hindu temples, but history says otherwise. Kalapahar invaded the Koch Kingdom in 1568, and there is no historical record found anywhere that Kalapahar came to Guwahati. It is again becomes even more controversial when the written records indicate that King Naranarayan started renovating the temple in 1555 and completed in 1565. Thus, the story of Kalapahar destroying the temple in 1553-1554 is confusing. There are possibilities of a natural catastrophe that occurred during the later part of the period of Biswahsingha, which could have damaged the upper part of the temple.

After the Koch Kingdom the Ahoms became patrons of the Sri Sri Kamakhya Temple, and the influence of the Ahoms is clearly visible in the present temple. Moreover, there are many stone inscriptions and copper plates that elaborate the active involvement of the Ahom kings with the Sri Sri Kamakhya Temple.

Historical evidence indicates that between the 11th and 12th centuries, when there were repeated looting expeditions  from Bihar and Bengal into Assam, the temples of the Nilachal Hills, including the Kamakhya Temple, were damaged and looted by Nasiruddin (1227) and Malik Uzbek Tughril Khan (1225 and 1257). During these looting expeditions the temple complex was likely severely damaged.

The temple was repaired with stone chips, Portland cement and steel reinforcement after the massive earthquake of 1897, and this was done during 1910-1915. Further repair work was also undertaken after the famous earthquake of 1950. Apart from that, the dome of the temple was also renovated during the sixties, with the contributions of donors.

There has been no serious effort made to study and document the history of the Nilachal Hills and the Kamakhya Temple to date, and only scattered information can be found, which cannot be chronologically linked with desired homogeneity.  There is no publication in a single cover which one can refer to regarding the documented history of the temple. On the other hand, it would also be wrong to say that there has been no work done at all, but it is a strenuous task to collect articles and research papers published since 1837, which are scattered throughout the world in various journals.

Nevertheless, Kamakhya is not only a religious center, but also a place of natural life. This abode of the Great Goddess abounds in natural beauty. Nature bestows all her charm and fills the place with beauteous grandeur. Kamakhya supplies all the amenities of life. The Bhubaneswari Temple to the east of Kamakhya stands on the top of a hill 690 ft. high and overlooks the Guwahati town and the Brahmaputra river. Thus the natural scenery of hills and rivers, the exquisite beauty of the surroundings, the supernatural significance, the sincere devotion of the dwellers, all these make the Sri Sri Kamakhya Temple a seat of inexplicable mystery.

Ambubachi: Celebrating the Menstruation of Mother Earth

It’s difficult to make your way through the bustling crowds at the normally serene Kamakhya temple in Assam during Ambubachi Mela. MAA’s energy is wild and potent, and She is alive in the palpable energy that pulses through the throngs of Her devotees gathered outside Her temple. Almost every square inch of the grounds is covered with crimson-clad devotees who sing, chant, meditate and shout their devotion to the Divine Mother, positioning themselves just outside Her most holy shrine during the time of Her annual menstruation.
Devotees of all varieties from across India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and a few from other countries as well, ascend the Nilachal Hills to be at MAA’s feet during this time. From regular families to black-clad aghoris, from foreign tourists to sadhus and sannyasis, this time of year calls to those who adore the Divine Mother and wish to be close to Her during Her most potent and sacred time. The festival especially draws those from the various Shakta and Shaiva Tantra kulas, generally recognized by the red or black clothes they wear, often with long dreadlocks and typically situated in group encampments outside the temple. Between 100,000 and 150,000 devotees typically reside at the Sri Sri Kamakhya Temple grounds during the four-day festival each year, and between 50,000 and 100,000 visit the temple every day during the festival. Some have claimed that as many as a quarter million people have crowded their way into the temple complex in years past.
During Ambubachi, for three days Mother Earth Herself menstruates, and all the temples in the region are closed to devotees. Inside the Kamakhya temple, MAA is bathed and dressed daily, and given a red silk cloth in consideration of Her menstrual flow, and also given fruit and light worship. Families who live near the temple cover their own shrines and offer fruit and simple worship to Devi, preferring to let Her rest. On the fourth day, the temple doors are opened, and devotees wait for hours to receive Her special darshan. Devotees plead to receive a small piece of rakta bastra, the red silk “blood cloth” upon which Devi sits during Her menses (also called anga bastra). As a talisman or amulet, this piece of cloth is said to be very auspicious and powerfully beneficial if tied onto the body, typically around the arm or wrist.
Kamakhya, or Kameshvari as She is also commonly known, is the Reknowned Goddess of Desire whose shrine is situated in a cave in the heart of the Nilachal Hills in Guwahati, Assam. As the yoni(which means source, vulva and womb) of Mahadevi, She is recognized as not only the form of desire (Kamarupa, Kamarupini), but She is the very source of our desires, and also the One who grants our desires. She is desire itself, as well as its fulfillment.
The Sanskrit term ambuvācī, from which the local Assamese word ambubachi or ambubasi is derived, literally means “the issuing forth of water,” referring to the swelling of the Earth’s waters from the onset of monsoon. Outsiders often mistakenly think that this festival is a celebration of Kamakhya’s menstruation, but in fact it is the menstruation of the entire Mother Earth, and as Kamakhya is the seat of Her yoni, it becomes the focal point for related festivities.
Being the yoni of Devi, and the Goddess here being intimately connected to the matriarchal tribes of these hills for thousands of years, it’s no wonder that this powerful and uniquely female cycle would be celebrated and venerated here.  For devotees, especially amongst Tantrics at the temple, Ambubachi is a time of tremendous power and celebration. We believe that Mother Earth cannot be impure, and that this is a time of potency and reflection. It is a time to relinquish selfish desires, to focus totally on MAA and celebrate with joy all that She is, to celebrate the gifts that Mother Earth gives to us – food, shelter, the very foundation of life – by offering Her simple worship, serving Her totally, and not asking for anything for ourselves. Recognizing one’s own selfish nature without judgment is a powerful part of releasing the ego and striving toward oneness with MAA.
How to celebrate Ambubachi in your own home
During Ambubachi, it’s important to allow Mother to rest. Every day we are asking Her for things, so on this day we serve Her rather than asking Her to serve us. In the United States, this concept is similar to Mother’s Day, when we pamper our mothers in some way to let them know how much we love and appreciate them.
Ambubachi can be difficult to place on the calendar if you’re not familiar with calculating the North Indian calendar, as it does not reliably align with common lunar events such as amavasya or purnima. It is generally celebrated close to the summer solstice on the seventh day of the month of Ashadha (Ashara in Assam), which typically falls on June 21 or 22 and ends around June 25 or 26. This is also near the start of the monsoon season. The Sri Kamakhya Mahavidya Mandir has Ambubachi on our schedule, and you can sign up for our email list to be notified of special events such as this.
Once you have determined the date of Ambubachi, you can observe this important holiday the way it is observed by the families at Kamakhya. On the first day take a piece of cloth (preferably red silk, but use what you have access to) and cover the altar or the murti. If you have a temple room in your home, close the door. You can also draw a curtain in front of the altar. This is to give MAA some privacy and rest during this time, to honor Her. We could also say that She is very, extremely powerful at this time, in the activity of purifying and regenerating the entire Earth, which is Her body itself, and it’s best to give Her a wide berth!
Several times a day (for instance, in the morning and evening) offer fruit, water and you can also offer simple arati to MAA behind the curtain or closed door. Sing songs to Her and simply offer your devotion, asking for nothing in return. You are simply there to worship Her, not to have your desires fulfilled. If you notice that you begin to ask MAA for something out of habit, let this desire go and forgive yourself. You can also recite Her pranama mantra:

kāmākhye varade devī nīla parvata vāsinī |

tvaṁ devī jagataṁ mātā yonimudre namostute ||

You may also wish to meditate silently during these three days, focusing on your gratitude to MAA, and total release of desire. Other ways to observe this time would be to participate in activities that care for the Earth. Clean up your local beach or park, water or fertilize your garden (but don’t disturb MAA by planting anything in Her body), etc.
On the fourth day, remove the cloth, open the door to the temple, and clean everything thoroughly. Replace your altar cloths with ones, give all the deities new clothes, etc. Offer worship with your whole family as elaborately as you are able to, and sing devotional songs. Offer your full heart and on this day you can ask for anything you desire.  If you are a gardener or farmer, this is also a good day to plant something, symbolic of your highest and purest intentions for the coming season, year or for the rest of your life. Choose a plant accordingly that will grow in rhythm with this intention and will remind you to stay close to your true path in life during this time period, whether it is for one season or for the rest of your life.
When you ask with a pure heart and with the highest good in mind, this pleases Devi. Our Mother wants to give us what we truly need, and wants to fulfill our desires. She allows us to live joyfully and comfortably in the world, while pursuing oneness with Her. But Mother knows what is best for us, and so we must often release the rigid notions we have of what Her divine gifts will look like. When MAA gives us what we ask for, we sometimes don’t recognize the package in which it is delivered, and if we ask for harm to come to someone else, those negative energies can come right back to us to teach us a lesson. Take the time during Ambubachi to purify your heart, recognize your imperfections and humble yourself at Her feet. Through disciplined practice, devotion and humility, we can release the stranglehold of the ego, becoming more confident and growing strong, seeing in ourselves the beauty and grace that MAA radiates through us in every moment.
In this way you can observe Ambubachi and the most powerful time of the year of our Divine Mother Earth in all Her many forms.