Historic Ambubachi Mela at Kamakhya Shakti Peeth not to be organised this year due to Corona outbreak

Guwahati: Annual Ambubachi Mela at Kamakhya Shakti Peeth atop Nilachal Hills in the pre-historic city will not be organised this year due to the novel corona virus outbreak across Bharat. The Kamakhya Devalaya managing committee informed that the temple would remain close for devotees till 30 June as the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown to continue till end of the month.

“Only the rituals will be performed during Ambubachi Mahayog scheduled to begin on 22 June. Entry of devotees including Sadhu – Sanyasis is completely prohibited. There will be no food & lodging facilities at Kamakhya Devalaya till further notices,” said the temple management committee. Ambubachi festival, also known as Amoti and Ambabati, is celebrated every year in Aahar (of Assamese calendar year) that falls in the second half of June.

For millions of tourists, not to speak of pilgrims, who visit Guwahati, Kamrup remains synonymous to Mother Goddess Kamakhya or Kameshwari (Goddess of Desire) and most of them pay a sacred visit to the splendid temple on the southern bank of mighty river Brahmaputra. Now a small district covering the city of Guwahati with its fringe areas, Kamrup was otherwise a gigantic empire covering all eastern Indian provinces in the days of epic Mahabharat.

One of the major religious festivals, Ambubachi Mela attracts hundred thousand Hindu pilgrims from various parts of the world. During the revered festival, the temple’s primary door gets closed for the first three days. The religious believe narrates that during the period the Mother Earth experiences the annual cycle of menstruation and it is reflected in Devi Kamakhya’s genital organ (Yoni).

No religious performances are organized in this period. The farmers across the Hindu world avoid cultivating works during the period so that Mother Earth can get an undisturbed ambience. On the fourth day, the temple door is reopened after Devi’s ritual-bathing and devotees throng in for Darshan and worshipping Maa Kamakhya. Devotees expect a small piece of Rakta Bastra (red silk cloth, which Devi uses during the period) and regard the Anga Bastra as very precious.

Kamakhya temple, which is recognized as one of sacred 108 Shakti Peeths of Mother Goddess Durga, was built by Kamdev (God of Lust) with the help of God Vishwakarma. According to the Hindu mythology, the demon king Narakasura constructed a stiff-stone path (known as Mekhela Ujowa Poth) connecting the temple from the foothills with an aim to marry Devi Kamakhya.

The Muslim convert warrior Kalapahar, the king of Coach Behar in western Assam destroyed the temple in 1553 AD. Maharaja Biswa Singh later repaired it in seventeenth century. The king Nar Narayan, who ascended to the throne of Coach Behar after his father Biswa Singh’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 (Kamakhya or Parvati) was one of theincarnations of Goddess Shakti and she sacrificed her life protesting the behaviour of her father Dakshya Nripati. The wife of Maheswar (one of holy Hindu Trinities after Lord Brahma and Lord Bishnu), Sati took her life at a Yagna, a sacrificial rite organized by her father Dakshya. The son of Brahma, Dakshya was not happy with his son-in-law (Shiva or Mahadev or Maheswar, the destroyer of universe). Shiva was even not invited for the ceremony.

Sati arrived at Yagna Bhumi, but she was also not welcomed by Dakshya. He also made some unpleasant comments on Shiva. Annoyed 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, furious Shiva started Tandav

Nritya (the dance of demolition) with the corpse of his beloved wife Sati on his shoulder. The Tandav Nritya continued for several days and the universe was on the brink of being destroyed.

Apprehending it, all the gods and goddesses appealed Lord Bishnu to pave way for bringing an end to Maheswar’s dance of destruction. The care taker 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 holy place (Shakti Peeth). The Yoni of Sati fell on the spot at Nilachal hills, where the Kamakhya temple was erected.

Kalika Purana, an ancient work in Sanskrit describes Devi Kamakhya as the deity to fulfill 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. A natural spring believes to keep the stone always moist. The devotees with all purity touch the silk cloth draped stone and offer Bilwa Patra and flowers on it.

The Sentinel, a Guwahati based popular English daily editorialized the issue saying that the festival remains an attraction to visit Assam. But due to the corona-induced lockdown, lakhs of devotees would miss Ambubachi festival and the annual trip this time to seek blessings of Devi Kamakhya. But since the Mother Goddess is also the Mother Earth, commented the editorial adding that everyone can seek her blessings anywhere on the planet.