Description

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Context:

Thousands of devotees are attending the Ambubachi Mela 2025 at Assam's Kamakhya Temple, which commemorates the annual menstruation of Goddess Kamakhya, a significant event in Tantrik Shaktism.

Significance of Ambubachi Mela

The Ambubachi festival is held during the monsoon season, typically in June, at the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Assam.
It is a shrine to the Goddess Kamakhya and a major center of Tantrik Shaktism.
The Ambubachi period is thought to correspond to the goddess's annual menstruation, and the shrine is closed during this time.
At the end of the period, the shrine's doors are ceremonially opened, and devotees flock to see the deity.
The festival is associated with fertility, the beginning of the monsoon season, and the common historical association of a fertile woman across cultures on Earth. The name 'Ambubachi' translates to "water flowing."

Uniqueness of Ambubachi Mela:

The Ambubachi Mela is unique in that it does not worship idols and instead honors the natural process of menstruation.
The temple remains closed during the period and reopens ceremonially.
Fertility and agricultural practices are halted during this time, emphasizing the festival's profound socio-cultural significance.
Cloth pieces with symbolic markings are distributed as protective amulets.

About Kamakhya Temple

What is it?	One of the most sacred Shakti Peethas; a prominent Tantric worship site in India. Symbolizes the fusion of Aryan and non-Aryan spiritual traditions.
Location	Nilachal Hills, approximately 7 km from Guwahati city, Assam.
Original Structure	Destroyed by Kala Pahar.
Reconstruction	Rebuilt in 1565 by Chilarai, king of the Koch dynasty.
Legendary Significance	Believed to be the spot where Sati’s reproductive organ (yoni) fell. Associated with Goddess Kali and other forms of Shakti.
Deities Associated	Kali, Sundari, Tripura, Tara, Bagalamukhi, Chinnamasta (forms of Shakti).
Architecture	Three main chambers: - Rectangular western chamber - Square middle chamber with inscriptions/images of Naranarayana - Inner cave-like chamber with a yoni-shaped cleft and a natural spring



Other Temples Inside	Dedicated to Lord Shiva (five temples) and Lord Vishnu (Kedara, Gadadhara, Pandunath)