The Kamakhya temple in Assam's Guwahati closed its doors on Saturday as the annual Ambubachi Mela began. This significant event marks the goddess Kamakhya's ritualistic annual menstrual cycle, during which worship is halted for four days.
Temple authorities announced that the doors were sealed at 8:43 am, signalling the start of 'prabritti'. Worship will resume at 9:07 pm on June 25, following 'nribritti'.
The temple will reopen for darshan on June 26 after a ritualistic bath and daily puja.
"The Nivritti of the Ambubachi Mela is scheduled for June 26, after which the temple's main door will reopen on the morning of the same day. After Pravritti the main door of the temple will be closed for three days and three nights," said Kabindra Prasad Sarma-Doloi (head priest) of Kamakhya temple.
The Ambubachi Mela draws lakhs of devotees from across India and abroad, all eagerly waiting for the temple doors to open and to pay homage to the goddess.
This period of closure is deeply rooted in the belief that the goddess undergoes her menstrual cycle during these four days.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma welcomed devotees in a post on X, expressing his greetings to the sadhus and devotees attending the mela.
The Kamrup Metropolitan District administration, along with other agencies, has made extensive arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of the event.
To accommodate the influx of visitors, camping facilities for 5,000 people have been set up at Kamakhya railway station, and additional facilities for 12,000-15,000 people are available at the main holding area in Pandu port.
VIP passes have been temporarily suspended, and the road leading to the main temple is closed to all vehicles except for emergency and utility services.
Strict regulations have been put in place for food and water distribution to visitors by institutions, prohibiting arbitrary distribution.
The administration has also made provisions for toilets, street lights, health camps, and barricades on roads at specific locations.
Ambubachi Mela
The Kamakhya Temple, a revered site of Hindu worship, will close its doors from the seventh to the tenth day of the Hindu month of Asadha for the annual Ambubachi ritual, which signifies the menstruation cycle of Goddess Kamakhya.
During this period, daily worship is suspended, and the shrine remains off-limits to devotees.
The temple doors will ceremoniously reopen on the twelfth day, marking the culmination of the rituals with a grand fair on the temple premises.
The term "Ambubachi" translates to "spoken with water," indicating the onset of the monsoon rains that are believed to make the earth fertile and conducive to procreation.
This period is marked by the suspension of agricultural activities, including digging, ploughing, sowing, and transplanting of crops.
It is also a time of dietary restrictions, with widows, Brahmacharis, and Brahmins abstaining from cooked food.
On the fourth day following Ambubachi, household items, utensils, and clothes are thoroughly washed, cleaned, and purified with sacred water.
Worship of Goddess Kamakhya resumes after these cleansing rituals, and entry to the shrine is considered auspicious.
The Ambubachi festival reflects the intertwining of agricultural, social, and religious traditions, symbolising the fertility of the earth and its readiness for procreation.
It holds deep cultural significance, supported by religious beliefs.
Additionally, Kamakhya Temple is a prominent centre for Tantrik worship.
A society of Tantriks, who perform their rituals in secrecy, celebrates their significant Rajaewari pooja during this time.
These rituals are exclusive to initiates, with no public displays, though some may observe individuals in distinctive attire engrossed in their spiritual practices.
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