Kāmākhyā
Temple Gawahati Assam.
ref:
goo.gl/GqX51p It is dedicated to goddess Kāmākhyā
, the temple being one of the 51 Sakti Pitas.
Kāmākhyā
Temple is the star temple on
Nilachal Hill (700 feet ASL) with the central deity Kāmākhyā
, housing also shrines of TPS, Mātaṅgī
and Kamala with seven satellite temples dedicated to the other seven Mahāvidyās:
Kali, Tara, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi, Chinnamasta, Dhumavati, and
Bagalamukhi. Tantric and mother goddess worshippers are her staunch
devotees. The temple has a cruciform base with hemi-dome. The temple has
four connected chambers inclusive of the east-end Garbhagṛiham.
The inner sanctum, worshipped as Kāmākhyā
, has no idol but is a 10-inch-deep yoni-like depression always full
with water fed by a perennial stream. The inner sanctums of other Vidyas are also
yoni-shaped depressions in stones filled with water below the ground
level. The Kāmākhyā
temple chamber (Calanta)
adjoining the Garbhagṛiham
to the west has an opening on the north side. Calanta house a movable
idol of Kāmākhyā
. To the west of Calanta is
Pancharatna the rectangular chamber with a flat roof and five domes, of
which the central dome is larger. To its west is the Nityamandapa
chamber. Nearby this temple complex is the Ashvagirantā,
wherein is a temple for Krishna who killed Narakāsuran.
The pilgrims worship Kāmākhyā
goddess for progeny, removal of
impediments to marriage, success in studies... The 10th century kings helped renovate the temple
with follow-up in 1665. The outer structure resembles the temple. Once
entrance inside takes place, it is all a cave. One must climb down 10
steps with no lights to guide you. One must use the wall as the guide.
In the subterranean Garbhagṛiham
there is one oil lamp, the light of which ceremonial worship of Kāmākhyā
takes place. There is a small rocky mound known as Meru Form.
The water flows around the Meru along a circular fashion. The Yoni Pitam
is below the water level. The Pujari guides the hand of the votary to
touch the Pitam with the head resting on the Meru. The sacrificed sheep, chicken... carcasses lay
around floating submerged in the water. If you were inclined to touch
Yoni Pita, you approach the assistant Pujaris. The flowing water below
the Meru is
Saubhāgya
Kundam. Exiting the central shrine, one can see eight kinds of Kāmeśvarī-Kāmeśvara
metal statues. This is the spot where Siva and Sati sported. When
Sati died and Vishnu dismembered the dead body, the Yoni fell here.
There were 108 places where her body parts fell; each was a
śakti
Pita. Fifty-one Sakti Pitas are identified and existing today.
June 22, 2018:
Ambubachi Mela, a four-day fair to mark the annual menstruation of the goddess at Kamakhya temple in Guwahati, began on Friday the 22nd June 2018. Kamakhya, atop Nilachal Hills in Guwahati, is one of 51 shaktipeeths or seat of Shakti followers, each representing a body part of the Sati, Lord Shiva’s companion. The temple’s sanctum sanctorum houses the yoni — female genital — symbolised by a rock. |
Letting Goddess go through it Priests at the temple said doors of the temple were shut for visitors at 4 p.m. June 21, 2018 on Friday to let the goddess go through her period. “The temple doors will be reopened at 4.30 p.m. from Tuesday (June 26, 2018). All Hindu temples across the region will remain closed during this period,” Kabindra Sarma, a senior priest, said. |
Kamakhya Temple Friday June 22, 2018. Credit theHindu.com |