Guwahati: The annual rituals of the Ambubachi festival begin in Shakti Peeth Kamakhya temple on June 22. Devotees from across the country flock to the Nilachal hill to attend the grand ritual in the Shakti Peeth and pay their obeisance to the Goddess Kamakhya. The Ambubachi rituals will start from 2.30 am on June 22 until June 26.
Maa Kamakhya temple is among the foremost places of worship amongst the 52 Shakti peethas. The Ambubachi festival celebrates the goddess of motherhood and fertility. Celebrated during the monsoon season, the Ambubachi Festival marks the goddess experiencing the menstrual cycle. Due to this, the temple remains shut for three days, set in a belief that the goddess must rest as well. The closing of the temple’s main door will occur at 2.30 am on June 22 night, known as ‘Pabritri’, and the door will open for devotees on June 26 early morning at 6 am, known as ‘Nibritri’.
Ambubachi means “spoken with water”, which means the beginning of monsoon in this part of the land at this time of year makes the soil fertile and ready for the birth of new lives. The daily worship service is not permitted during this time, and the devotees avoid the entire agricultural process, such as ploughing, digging, sowing, or transplanting crops.
Kamrup Metro district administration said they expect 10 to 12 lakhs of devotees to visit the Shakti Peeth during the Ambubachi festival. The Guwahati city police and administration have taken adequate security measures for the safety of many devotees from various parts of the country. Guwahati city administration has set up several pandals for the devotees where they can stay during the festival. Food and drinking water facilities are provided by the administration as well as various social service organisations. DC Kamrup Metro Pallav Jha informed that no private vehicles would be allowed to travel to the Kamakhya temple during the festival. Devotees have to walk the road in Nilachal Hill towards Maa Kamakhya temple or can avail of the service of the limited public transport facilities provided by the administration. DC Jha added that this had been done to avoid the rush and control traffic for the safety of lakhs of devotees.
It should be mentioned that lakhs of worshippers of Goddess Kamakhya eagerly look forward every year to the grand celebrations of Ambubachi Mela. Thousands of saints, and sadhus, including several Naga Sadhu, gather in Nilachal Hill to worship the goddess of Shakti during the auspicious festival. Besides that, lakhs of devotees visit the holy shrine during the Ambubachi festival to seek Maa Kamakhya’s blessings.
