Kamakya Devi Temple, Guwahati

Kamakhye Varade Devi Nila Parvata Vasini |

It is the powerful Shakti Peetha dedicated to the worship of Kamakya Devi, the goddess of fertility. It is the place where the yoni of Sati Devi fell when Lord Vishnu severed the body of Sati Devi while Lord Shiva was carrying, performing Tandava, destroying the universe.

It is the 13th shakti peetha as described in the Sri Shankaracharya’s Ashtadasha Shakti Peetha stotra. It is also part of the 51 Shakti peethas.

This beautiful temple is situated on the serene Nilachal Hill in the Guwahati district of Assam.

The name of the Kamarupa-Kamakhya Devi temple or has been mentioned in various puranas like the Devi Purana, Devi Bhagawat, Yogini Tantra, the Kalika Purana, Hevajra Tantra, etc.

She is the goddess of love, fertility, desire, power, and spiritual upliftment.

She is the mother goddess who is worshipped in the Shakta Tantrik marga.

All the rituals and pujas in the temple are temporarily suspended during this period, and the temple remains closed. Before closing, a white cloth was kept beside the Deity.

On the fourth day, when the temple is reopened, to the astonishment of all, the white cloth turns red, symbolizing the menstrual blood of the goddess. This red cloth is known as Angabastra or Rakta Bastra.

During this Pravritti, the women don’t cook at home, and don’t do household chores. Also, agriculture is not practiced, and seeds are not sown into the ground. As they consider, it is time for Mother Earth to rest.

After the temple is reopened, Angabastra and water from the spring are distributed as prasadam to all devotees who come to address the grand mela.

Additionally, there is one more interesting thing to be considered; it is said that during this period, the Brahmaputra River turns red.

Sati Devi wanted to attend the yagna conducted by her father, Daksha, and requested Lord Shiva to grant her permission. Though Lord Shiva denied it, she attended the yagna. But King Daksha insulted Lord Shiva in front of everyone. Unable to bear the insult, she created the fire from within her body and gave up her life.

When Lord Shiva learned of Sati’s death, he was devastated and consumed by grief. He lifted her burning body and began performing the Tandava, the cosmic dance of destruction.

Fearing the destruction of the universe, Lord Vishnu used his Sudarshan Chakra to cut Sati’s body into 51 pieces. These pieces fell in different parts of the Indian subcontinent, and the place where they fell is called Shakti Peetha—a sacred seat of Goddess Shakti.

Due to the growing influence of the Shaivism cult, this temple started facing decline and went into ruins. Negligence and lack of proper maintenance led to the destruction of its upper portion, while the lower structure was completely buried in mud.

Kamakhya Devi Temple is constructed based on the Ahom style of architecture. The architectural style of the temple can be described as Nilachal type. It follows a unique blend of Assamese, Bengali, and Tantrik architecture.

The temple structure follows a unique style, while the garbagriha is underground. One needs to step down a few steps to reach the garbhagriha.

The temple comprises a garbha griha, chalanta, pancha-ratna, and nat mandir — all strategically placed.

The temple can be accessed through three gates: the North, East, and West gates.

The North gate is called Shakti Smridhi Dwara; the West gate is called Moksha Gate or Annapurna Gate; and the East gate is called Bhag Dwara or Lion Gate.

Morning: 5:30 AM to 1 PM

Evening: 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM

Morning prayers: 6:00 AM

Lunch offerings: 1:00 PM

Evening prayers: 7:30 PM

Maa Kali: This temple is dedicated to the goddess Kali, and she is worshiped in tantrik form.

Ugra Tara Temple: This temple is dedicated to the goddess Ugra Tara and is located in Guwahati, Assam. It was built by the ruler of the Ahom dynasty, Siva Singha, in the year 1725.

Maa-bhairabi Temple: This temple is dedicated to the goddess Bhairabi. It is located in Sonitpur district, Assam.

Chinnamasta Temple: This is the most significant temple where Mata Chinnamasta is worshiped.

By Railway: Kamakhya Junction Railway Station is the nearest railway station to reach the temple. It is connected to major cities like Odisha, Bihar, Bengaluru, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.

By Road: The city of Guwahati has the best bus service connecting nearby cities and states. National Highway NH-27 is connected to the temple.