HT Digital
GUWAHATI, JUNE 26: The Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati reopened to pilgrims early on Thursday morning after closing as part of the Ambubachi Nivriti. At 6 AM, huge crowds of people were seen waiting to pray to Goddess Kamakhya, rejoicing at the culmination of one of the most spiritually important annual functions of the temple.
The temple had been shut to outsiders for four days, from June 22, to follow the Ambubachi festival. This highly symbolic ritual phase marks the annual menstrual cycle of Goddess Kamakhya, which underscores the Hindu tradition’s respect for feminine power, fertility, and the generative energy of nature. The temple welcomed visitors back after the Nivriti, which is the final purification stage of the festival.
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Chief priest Himadri Sarma pointed out that the temple management made special preparations to allow for the smooth performance of the rituals and accommodate the huge crowd of pilgrims. “Following the Nivriti, the temple gates were opened this morning at 6. The devotees have now started their darshan of Maa Kamakhya. All those in the administration worked day and night to make all rituals and arrangements happen smoothly,” he said.
Among the early morning devotees was Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, who, with his wife, made offerings at the temple. Addressing the media, the Governor stated, “I prayed for a Viksit Bharat and for the health and determination of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to guide the country on its development journey. The temple has made arrangements well to provide a smooth experience to all devotees.”
The Ambubachi Mela, celebrated every year during the Assamese month of Ahaar (mid-June), is one of the most important religious festivals of the region. Attracting lakhs of pilgrims from all over India and even abroad, the festival has Tantric roots and revolves around the cult of the divine feminine. It has grown into a colorful cultural confluence that includes not only sadhus and devotees but also travelers who visit to feel the spiritual aura of the Kamakhya Temple, one of India’s most potent Shakti Peethas.
While Ambubachi is the star attraction at Kamakhya, the temple has several other significant rituals throughout the year. These include Durga Puja, Durgadeul, Madandeul, Manasa Puja, Vasanti Puja, and the traditional marriage ceremony Pohan Biya, each adding to the temple’s lively religious calendar.
