Guwahati, June 22 (IANS) The doors of the revered Kamakhya Temple atop the Nilachal Hills in Assam’s Guwahati were closed on Monday, marking the beginning of the annual Ambubachi Mahayog, one of the largest religious congregations in eastern India.

The temple will remain closed for devotees for three days during the observance, which is associated with the annual menstruation cycle of Goddess Kamakhya.

According to tradition, the deity is believed to undergo her yearly period during this time, and all worship and rituals inside the sanctum sanctorum remain suspended.

Thousands of sadhus, saints, tantric practitioners, and devotees from across India and abroad have already arrived at the temple complex to participate in the spiritual event, which holds immense significance in Shakta traditions.

The Ambubachi Mela, often referred to as the “Mahakumbh of the East”, attracts lakhs of pilgrims every year. The annual fair is deeply linked to the worship of feminine power and fertility and is regarded as one of the most important tantric festivals in the country.

The Kamakhya Temple, dedicated to Goddess Kamakhya, is among the 51 Shakti Peethas and is considered one of the most sacred centres of Shakti worship.

According to Hindu mythology, the temple marks the spot where the yoni (womb and genitals) of Goddess Sati fell after Lord Vishnu dismembered her body with his Sudarshan Chakra.

Temple authorities said the sanctum will reopen after the completion of the rituals, following which devotees will be allowed to offer prayers and receive the sacred ‘Rakta Bastra’ and ‘Angodak’, which are considered highly auspicious among followers.

The Assam government, Kamrup (Metro) district administration, and various agencies have put in place elaborate arrangements, including security, medical facilities, sanitation, traffic management, and accommodation for the expected influx of pilgrims.

The reopening of the temple after the three-day observance is expected to draw massive crowds, with devotees seeking blessings of the Goddess during one of the most spiritually significant occasions in the region’s religious calendar.

–IANS

tdr/dan