Kamakhya Temple

Kamakhya stands on Nilachal hill above the Brahmaputra and is among the most important shakti peethas, and its sanctum contains no statue: instead there is a natural cleft in the rock, kept moist by an underground spring, which is the object of worship. The temple is a centre of tantric practice, and the Ambubachi Mela each June marks a period when the goddess is held to menstruate; the temple closes for three days and reopens to enormous crowds of pilgrims and ascetics. The building has a distinctive beehive-shaped shikhara of the Assamese Nilachal type, rebuilt in the sixteenth century after earlier destruction.

History

Historians suggest the site was an ancient place of worship of local peoples such as the Koch and Rabha, and that the name may come from the Khasi goddess Ka Meikha; the worship of a yoni in natural stone continues to this day. The early Varman dynasty of Kamarupa and the 7th-century traveller Xuanzang do not mention Kamakhya, and the temple, ruined by the early 16th century, was rediscovered by Vishwasingha, founder of the Koch dynasty, and rebuilt under his son Nara Narayan, the work being completed in 1565 (Wikipedia, Kamakhya Temple).

What you'll find

• The rock cleft - a spring-fed fissure worshipped instead of an image.
• The beehive shikhara - the Assamese Nilachal-type tower.
• The Ambubachi Mela - the June festival drawing ascetics in huge numbers.
• The hill setting - the Brahmaputra and Guwahati spread below.

When to go

October to March for comfortable weather; Ambubachi in June is the largest gathering and the town fills entirely. Queues run for hours at any busy period.

Practical notes

Animal sacrifice is practised at the temple, which disturbs many visitors. Queues are long and touts sell fast-track access. Phones and bags are restricted. The sanctum is dark and crowded.

Nearby

Guwahati lies below; Pobitora is east.

Key facts