Kamakhya Temple Guwahati, One of the Oldest Shakti Peethas at Nilachal hills in Guwahati, Assam.

Kamakhya denotes that She is simultaneously the desired, the desiring, and the granter of all desires. There is a strong belief that true devotees will receive everything they wish.

There is no statue, idol, or image of Devi in the temple, but there is a sculptured representation of the goddess yoni in the cave’s corner, which is the focus of worship.

Kamakhya, also known as Kubjika Pitha, is where Sati’s Yoni-Mudra (female genitalia or the Vulva) fell.

Location: Nilachal Hill, Guwahati, Assam, India

Diety: Kamakhya

Festivals: Ambubachi Mela, Durga Puja, Manasha Puja, Pohan biya

Temple Timings: 05:30 am to 01:00 pm, 02:30 pm to 05:30 pm

The bleeding Goddess or the menstruating Goddess is another name for Kamakhya. This ritual of the Goddess menstruating is carried out to honor women’s strength, fertility, and ability to give birth.

One of the most popular tourist destinations and holiest pilgrimage sites in India is Guwahati. The temple complex consists of numerous separate temples, each representing one of the ten Mahavidyas of Saktism.

The temple appeals to Tantric worshippers and draws vast numbers of Hindu pilgrims from all over the nation.

The temple is open all year long and offers attractions each season. Nevertheless, many people prefer to visit the temple during Ashad’s rainy season to attend the Ambubachi Mela.

Many mysteries are connected to the well-known temple Kamakhya, from the idol of a bleeding Goddess to the ability to dispel black magic.

About Kamakhya Temple Guwahati

Among the 51 Shakti Peethas on earth, Maa Kamakhya Devalaya is regarded as the most powerful and historic. It is the focal point of India’s influential and widely practiced Tantrik Shaktism cult.

Maa Kamakhya, also known as Kameswari, is a well-known Goddess of Desire. Her famous shrine can be found in the center of Nilachala Hill, a part of Guwahati, the capital city of Asom in North East India.

The sacred shrine of Maa Kamakhya is blessed with a unique collection of legends and mysteries. One must also consider the oral history that has been recorded and the historical mythology to understand the aesthetic significance of this temple fully. 

The first story began with the beginning of the universe. Maa Kamakhya is the subject of several well-known oral legends.

A powerful Hindu text called the Kalika Purana describes the deity’s residence in the innermost cave of the main temple.

“Within the cave, a beautiful pudendum on the stone, measuring (9 cm in width and 16 cm) in length and gradually sloping inward, exists.

It is reddish, like vermillion and saffron, on that female organ, the amorous Goddess Kamakhya. The primordial force resides in different forms.

The Inner Sanctum, or Garbhagriha, of the Vimana, is underground and consists only of a rock fissure shaped like a Yoni (female genital).

It takes a few short, steep stone steps to get to the Garbhagriha, which is small and dark. A sheet of stone that slopes downward from both sides inside the cave meets in a Yoni-like depression about 10 inches deep.

An underground perennial spring continuously fills this hollow with water. The most significant Shakti Peetha is the vulva-shaped depression, revered as the Goddess Kamakhya herself

The Garbhaghrihas of the other temples in the Kamakhya complex has a similar design and are made of Yoni-shaped stone that is filled with water

The temple complex also contains ten other Kali avatars, including Dhumavati, Matangi, Bagola, Tara, Kamala, Bhairavi, Chinnamasta, Bhuvaneshwari, and Tripura Sundari, in addition to the deity Kamakhya Devi.

The mythology says that the Kamakhya Temple marks where the Goddess Sati’s yoni fell after Shiva danced with her corpse.

Along with the Vimala Temple in Puri, the Sthana Khanda in Brahmapur, Odisha, and the Dakhina Kalika in Kolkata, West Bengal, it is among the four most significant Shakti Peethas.

The temple is the hub of the Kulachara Tantra Marga and the location of the yearly festival Ambubachi Mela, which honors the goddess’ menstrual cycle.

Best time to visit Kamakhya Temple

The best time to visit Kamakhya Devi Temple is from October to March. The weather is excellent at this time, so you can comfortably finish your darshan. 

DIFFERENT TYPES OF PUJA OPTIONS AVAILABLE ARE

1. Black Magic Removal Puja

2. Vashikaran Puja

3. Navagraha Puja at Kamahkya Temple for Graha Dosha Nivaran

4. Puja and Havan for Infertility and Childless Couples

History of Kamakhya Temple

The temple’s final prototype architecture defines a regional design known as Nilachal and is dated structurally to the 8th to 9th century.

It is also one of the 51 pithas in the Shakta tradition that is the oldest. Previously a little-known place of worship, it underwent significant development in the 19th century under colonial rule, especially for Bengalis.

The origin story of the Kamakhya temple is exciting. One of the 108 Shakti peethas, so to say a word. According to the Shakti peeths myth, Sati once quarreled with her husband Shiva to attend her father’s important yagna.

Sati’s father, Daksha, insulted her husband during the grand yagna. In her shame after becoming enraged, Sati committed suicide by jumping into the fire.

Shiva went insane with rage when he learned that his beloved wife had killed herself. He performed the tandava, or dance of destruction while carrying Sati’s dead body on his shoulders.

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Vishnu used his chakra to sever the dead body and calm the man down. The 108 locations where Sati’s body parts touched down are referred to as Shakti Peetha.

Because Sati’s womb and Yoni fell here, Kamakhya Temple is unique. The temple was constructed in the 8th and 9th centuries during the Mleccha dynasty.

Later, the Kamarupa Kings, including Indra Pala and Dharma Pala, added to the Tantric cult, and from that time on, Kamakhya developed into a significant center for Tantrikism.

During the invasion of the Kamata kingdom by Hussain Sha in 1498 CE, he destroyed the temple.

Vishwasingha (1515–1540), the ancestor of the Koch dynasty, found the temple’s ruins and reinstituted worship there.

However, the temple was rebuilt in 1565, under the rule of his son, and was later expanded by the kings of the Ahom kingdom to become its current structure.

The current building has a shikhara that resembles a beehive and has lovely sculptured panels inside and outside with pictures of Ganesha and other Hindu gods and goddesses.

The Goddess Kamakhya Temple is the largest and most famous of the approximately 20 temples that make up the Kamakhya Temple Complex.

The temple has four chambers, including one garbhagriha and three mandapas. The garbhagriha is a tiny, dark cave accessible only by clumsy, steep stone steps.

A yoni-shaped cleft in the bedrock inside the cave receives a constant water supply from an underground perennial spring.

Worshippers respect and admire the depression in the form of a vulva as the Goddess Kamakhya.

According to some theories, worship evolved historically in three stages, Yoni under the Mlechhas, Yogini under the Palas, and Mahavidyas under the Kochs.

A complex of separate temples honoring each of the ten Mahavidyas of Saktism, including Kali, Tara, Tripura Sundari, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi, Chhinnamasta, Dhumavati, Bagalamukhi, Matangi, and Kamalatmika, surrounds the main temple.

While the other seven reside in separate temples, Tripurasundari, Matangi, and Kamala live inside the main temple.

Inside the temple complex, sacrifices of male, preferably black, animals—including buffalos, goats, monkeys, tortoises, and pigeons—are made to please Goddess Kamakhya.

Architecture at Kamakhya Temple

The Kamakhya Temple was constructed between the eighth and seventeenth centuries, destroyed by invaders, and rebuilt numerous times.

This construction and reconstruction have produced a hybrid native architectural style. The traditional Nagara or North Indian and the Saracenic or Mughal architectural styles are combined in this distinctive style, known as the Nilachal Style of Architecture.

The history of how the temple acquired its distinctive style is told in the literature Darang-Rajavamsavali, written in the 17th century A.D.

In the 17th century A.D., Koch Bihar’s King Naranarayan ordered the temple’s reconstruction.

With the help of the old stone blocks, the Masons initially attempted to rebuild the Shikara, but they were unsuccessful.

Then they turned to bricks and the Saracenic method of constructing a dome. However, the masons shaped the dome into a sixteen-sided polygon embellished with horizontal bands to avoid a fully dome-like structure.

This architectural design later rose to prominence in Assam. Given that Kamakhya was the only temple in the Northeast with a fully developed ground plan at the time, its architecture was revolutionary for its time. The temple has five chambers.

1. The Garbhagriha has the Saracenic dome.
2. The Antarala, also known as the vestibule, is a two-roofed structure resembling classic roofed cottages.
3. The principal chamber, or Jagmohan, and the ritual chamber, or Bhogmandir Due to its five domes and resemblance to the main temple, this chamber is also known as the Panchatantra. 
4. The Natmandir is a theatre for performing arts, where musicians and dancers perform magnificent performances. The roof of this chamber is shell-shaped and terminates in a polygon. The Ahom King Rajeswar Singha (A.D. 1751–69) added this final chamber to the temple complex in A.D. 1759.

Kamakya devi temple timings

The Kamakhya temple is open from 5:30 am to 1:00 pm on all seven days of the week and again from 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm.

Although all devotees have access to free darshan, there is no online darshan booking or special puja booking in Kamakhya temple Guwahati. 

While defense personnel must pay INR 50 per person, devotees must pay INR 501 per person at the Kamakhya temple Guwahati counter to purchase VIP darshan tickets.

The special entry pass is not available on Ashtami and Navami days. On Ashtami and Navami days, the temple receives so many devotees.

On the day of Maha Ashtami, thousands of worshippers visit the temple and bring sacrifices of goats, pigeons, fish, gourds, pumpkins, and buffaloes.

The ancient tradition of this pooja also calls for the sacrifice of a flour-made human model.

Hotels near Kamakhya Temple

• Maa Sharda Guest House (2 km)
• Abhisarika Guest Inn (2.5 km)
• Swastik Inn (2.8 km)
• OM Regency (1.3 km)

Festivals at Kamakya Temple

The most significant festival at Kamakhya Temple takes place every year in June and is called Ambubachi Mela or Amoti.

It is thought that Devi Kamakhya experiences her annual menstrual cycle. During this time, the temple door is kept closed for three days and is ceremoniously unlocked on the fourth day.

During these three days, the stream that exits the temple’s Garbagraha turns red. Most likely, the priests added vermillion to the water of the temple stream to represent menstruation, giving it its red hue.

This Shakti Peeth is shut close for all men during the Menstrual period of the deity. Only female priests (or sanyasis) can serve the temple during this occasion.

 The Brahmaputra River close to the temple turns red at this time. Many devotees from across the nation come to this grand festival. Timings: 8 am – 1 pm & 2.30 pm – 5.30 pm

Devotees are encouraged to dip small pieces of cloth into this stream even though they cannot enter the temple.

Aarthi and other ritualistic worship are performed inside the Devi shrine, along with various fruits and flowers.

Considering her period, she is also given pieces of red silk cloth. The red cloth pieces are referred to as Rakta Bastra.

The temple is rededicated and reopened on the fourth day. The rakta bastra is offered to the worshippers as prasad.

For many tantric babas who live in seclusion and only emerge during the Ambubachi Festival to refuel their energy, the Ambu Bachi Mela period is the most prominent time of the year.

They are easily identifiable by their red and black attire, dreadlocks, and the religious bells they are carrying.

Navrathri Festival

At Kamakhya, Durga pooja is also annually observed during Navaratri in the autumn(October to November).

Several thousand people come to this festival. Flowers, leaves, and Maa and Om decorations adorn the entire temple.

Since Kamakhya Devi is the image of Durga, installing a different idol is not necessary.

Worshipers instead revere an image of the Goddess Durga drawn on a layer of clay during the nine-day celebrations.

The image is submerged in the Brahmaputra River on the last day.

Prasad is given to the devotees every day for nine days. Lunchtime meals for devotees include kichadi, sabzi and papad, and kheer.

Pohan Biya

During the month of Poush, Dev Kamesvara and Devi Kamesvari were symbolically wed (December – January)

Other holidays observed at the temple include Durgadeul, Vasanti, and Mdandeul.

Manasa Puja:

Another manifestation of Parvati or Shakti is Manasa Devi. She is a Hindu snake goddess primarily revered in the northeastern states.

Her other names include Jagadguri, Nitya, Padmavati, and Vishahara (the destroyer of poison).

The image of Mansa shows her sitting on a lotus and being covered in snakes. A seven-hooded cobra is protecting her.

Every year during the monsoon season on Nagapanchami Day, the festival of Goddess Manasa is observed (July – August).

In addition, Manasa is a significant fertility goddess, and many childless couples who invoke her are granted healthy offspring.

How to reach Kamakhya Temple

You can take buses and auto-rickshaws from any location in Guwahati, making it easy to get to the temple. The temple is accessible from the city via shared auto, Private cab, bus, and other services.

 If you intend to visit the temple before it closes, allow yourself a buffer of 50 to 1 hour to account for traffic delays because Guwahati’s traffic is frequently hectic.

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The Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, which is only 20 kilometers from the temple, is the closest airport to Kamakya temple Guwahati

The Guwahati Railway Station, located 7 kilometers from the temple, is the closest to Kamakhya Temple Guwahati

Importance of The Kamakhya Devi Sindoor:

The Kamiya sindoor, also known as the sindoor from the Kamakhya temple, is well known for its ability to prevent and treat black magic.

After the three-day Ambu Bachi Festival, this sindoor is given out to worshippers. A massive crowd of devotees, including tantriks, black magic users, and experts.

Only this sindoor is offered in a crystallized form in Kamakhya Temple Guwahati, the world.

It is prepared with unique ingredients and blessed to remove obstacles while preventing witchcraft issues, bhoot pret badha, other delays, and the bad energy brought on by black magic.

If the harmful effects of black magic are felt in a business or workplace, the symbols of Om or swastika should be drawn on those premises. The sindoor can be used wherever it is necessary.

It is believed that problems in conceiving children, career problems, Love and relation problems, ghosts present in your life, and divorce problems will all get cured by visiting the holy place Kamakhya Temple, Guwahati, and also wearing indoors. 

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Ropeway in Guwahati

Take the Guwahati Ropeway ride to experience the mesmerizing view of the mighty river Brahmaputra.

From the Guwahati Ropeway, you should check out the aerial views of the Brahmaputra River, Umananda Island, and Guwahati.

Guwahati Traveler Ropeway is the longest river ropeway in India, spanning almost 2 kilometers.

This ropeway connects the central part of Guwahati to the Brahmaputra River’s north bank. In August 2020, it opened to the public and has been in operation ever since.

It is typically open every day but is closed on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month,

Regular Operational Hours: 8.30 am to 4.45 pm ( Lunch Break 1 pm to 1.45 pm)

Ticket Issuing Hours:

Morning 8.30 am to 12.30 pm

Afternoon from 1.15 pm to 3.30 pm

One-way Ticket INR 60, Two-way Ticket INR 100

Conclusion

The Must visit the temple in Guwahati. The entire experience is transformed into a divine one when a mighty temple is situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty. The majestic Nilachal hill and the Brahmaputra river’s presence contribute to the area’s serene and divine atmosphere. Kamakhya Temple Guwahati is a beautiful experience for any devotee

Frequently Asked Questions