Kamakhya Shaktipeeth

Introduction to the Kamakhya Shaktipeeth

Kamakhya Temple or Kamakhya Shaktipeeth is at the top of the Nilachal Hill, Guwahati, Assam. It is 800 feet above sea level. There are 51 Shakti Peeths across the country. Kamakhya Shaktipeeth is one of the oldest among them. Kamakhya Shaktipeeth is one of the four sacred Adi Shakti Peeths devoted to Shakti. Kameshwari and Goddess of Desire are her other names.

Religious Significance of Kamakhya Devi

The Goddess is depicted as a young girl clad in a red sari with multi-colored heads and 12 arms. In the Kalika Purana, she is called the 'giver of salvation' and 'the yielder of desires'. The belief is that she bleeds during June. So, the River Brahmaputra, close to the Kamakhya Shaktipeeth, turns red. There is no scientific reason why the river water becomes red. The menstruation cycle is associated with women's creative power. The Kamakhya Shaktipeeth acknowledges this power of women. The temple closes for three days when the deity menstruates.

Legend of the Kamakhya Shaktipeeth

According to the legends, Kamakhya Shaktipeeth denotes the spot where Sati's yoni (genitals, womb) fell after Vishnu dismembered Sati's corpse that Shiva carried with him as he performed the Tandava (dance of destruction).

Once, the deity of Love, Kamadeva, suffered a loss of potency owing to a curse. He sought out Sati's womb and genitals, which freed him from the curse. Kamadeva gained strength here, and the 'Kamakhya Devi' idol was installed here and worshipped.

The Architecture of the Kamakhya Shaktipeeth

Kamakhya Shaktipeeth celebrates women's power and is highly auspicious for the Tantric followers of Hinduism. This temple was supposedly built during the Mleccha dynasty between the 8th and 9th centuries. It was reconstructed many times between the 8th and 17th centuries. The Kamakhya Shaktipeeth is in the Nilachala style of architecture. The temple received royal patronage from various dynasties. The temple has four chambers from east to west and three Mandaps.

Sanctum (Garbhagriha): The sanctum rests on a base with several panels embellished with sculptures of Ganesha and other Hindu deities. The lower parts of the sanctum are made of stone, while its top is octagonal and made of bricks. The sanctum is below the ground level. Devotees can only reach it by descending a series of rock-cut steps.
A rock fissure with a vulva-shaped depression is worshipped as the presiding deity Kamakhya. An underground spring near the depression always keeps it moist. Another name for Kamakhya Devi is Bleeding Goddess.

Calanta: Calanta lies towards the west of the Kamakhya Shaktipeeth. It is a square-shaped chamber of the atchala type. Small moveable idols of deities are found here. The walls of Calanta have several images and inscriptions carved on their surface.

Pancharatna: Pancharatna is west of the Calanta. This rectangular construction has five small spires projecting from its flat roof.

Natamandir: Natamandir is to the west of the Pancharatna. It has an apsidal end and ridged roof of the Ranghar type Ahom style. Its walls have inscriptions from Rajewas Singha and Gaurinath Singha. Elegant carvings adorn the main entrance of the Kamakhya Shaktipeeth. A massive dome in the temple overlooks the Nilanchal Hills in the background. During the Ambubachi Festival, the dome is well-decorated. The temple conducts a 3-4-day fair in June every year.

Besides the main shrine Kamakhya Shaktipeeth, there are ten small shrines of incarnations of Devi Kali, namely, Dhumavati, Bagola, Tara, Matangi, Bhairavi, Kamala, Chinnamasta, and Bhuvaneshwari as well as Tripura Sundari. The temple has seven oval minarets, three covered with golden pitchers.
There are specific areas in the temple to perform rituals and also a place for sacrificial rituals.

Festivals in the Kamakhya Shaktipeeth

The Kamakhya Shaktipeeth grandly celebrates 'Ambubachi Mela,' which occurs in June for five days yearly. People also call it the fertility festival. The Kamakhya Shaktipeeth remains closed for three days, and on the fourth day, pilgrims can enter the temple after holy water is sprinkled.
'Durga Pooja,' which occurs between September and October, is another grand festival that attracts a huge crowd. It is a five-day celebration. Devi Kamakhya devotees celebrate 'Manasha Pooja' annually with great pomp.

Benefits of Worshipping at the Kamakhya Shaktipeeth

Devotees perform Navagraha Pooja, Fertility Pooja, Vashikaran Pooja, and Kala Jaadu Pooja in the Kamakhya Shaktipeeth with utmost devotion. They believe that performing these Poojas can remove the malefic effects of planets in their birth charts, bless them with children, help them influence other people, and remove the influence of evil eyes.