Annual Ambubachi Mela Commences At Assam’s Kamakhya temple
Over 10 lakh footfall expected; the temple doors were closed at 2:56 pm on Sunday and they will reopen at 3:19 am on June 26
Guwahati: The revered Ambubachi Mela, an annual festival celebrating the divine femininity of Goddess Kamakhya, began on Monday at the Kamakhya Temple atop Nilachal Hill in the capital city of Guwahati. The festival marks the symbolic menstruation period of Goddess Kamakhya, during which the temple doors remain closed for rituals.
The temple doors were closed at 2:56 pm on Sunday and they will reopen at 3:19 am on June 26. Thousands of sadhus and devotees have gathered on the temple premises for the four-day Ambubachi Mela.
Temple authorities have made elaborate arrangements to tackle the massive inflow of pilgrims. Facilities including toilets, streetlights, health camps, and barricaded pathways have been set up. The road leading to the temple has been closed to regular vehicles, with access limited to emergency and utility services.
To manage the crowd and ensure safety, police personnel and volunteers have been deployed across the area.
Temporary camps with the capacity to accommodate around 20,000 devotees have been established, providing shelter and basic amenities for pilgrims.
It is significant among the 108 Shakti Peethas, the Kamakhya temple is one of the oldest, with a history that dates back to the eighth century.
The Ambubaski Mela is a gathering place and a chance for people to show off their psychic abilities by standing for hours on one leg or by standing with their heads buried in a pit that is very common over the Nilachal Hills.
Assam tourism minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass while inaugurating the ceremony of Ambubachi Mela, said that footfall of more than 10 lakh devotees are expected this year at Ambubachi.
He said that five stalls have been set up to welcome the devotees coming from outside the state. Moreover, specially designed welcome letters will be handed over to every devotee coming from outside the state, he added.
To oversee the cleanliness part during Ambubachi, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation has deployed around 5000 labourers who will work in three shifts.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who also welcomed the devotees however advised devotees from venturing into Nilachal hill at night citing incidents of landslides in the last few days as the annual Ambubachi Mela commenced at the Kamakhya temple.
In the last 15 to 20 days, several landslides incidents were reported at three to four different locations on the hill.
An official of Kamrup (Metro) district administration said that PWD (Roads) have taken protective measures and teams of SDRF and NDRF are on standby to respond promptly on any incident of landslides.
The Ambubachi Mela is a significant event in Assam’s cultural and religious calendar, drawing visitors from all walks of life to experience the spiritual atmosphere and seek the blessings of Goddess Kamakhya.
The festival also showcases Assam’s rich heritage, with the temple precinct becoming a hub of devotion and cultural exchange during the mela.
