Ambubachi Mela

Ambubachi Mela

Hrishikesh Sarma

It is an annual Hindu mela held at Kamakhaya Temple in Guwahati, Assam. This yearly mela is celebrated during the monsoon season that happens to fall during the Assamese month Ahaar, around the middle of June, when the Brahmaputra river is in spate. It is the celebration of the yearly menstruating course of Goddess Kamakhaya. It is believed that the presiding Goddess of the temple, Devi Kamakhya, the Mother Shakti, goes through her annual cycle of menstruation during this time. It is also believed that during the monsoon rains the creative and nurturing power of the ‘menses’ of Mother Earth becomes accessible to devotees at this site during the mela. There is no idol of the presiding deity but She is worshipped in the form of a yoni-like stone instead over which a natural spring flows.

This mela is also known as Ameti or Tantric fertility festival since it is closely associated with Tantric Shakti culture prevalent in eastern parts of India. Even some Tantric Babas make their public appearances only during these four days. The rest of the year, they remain in seclusion. Some Babas are seen displaying their psychic powers like putting their heads in a pit and stand upright on it, standing on one leg for hours at a stretch.

The temple remains closed for three days during the mela for it is believed that Mother Earth becomes unclean for three days like the traditional women’s menstrual seclusion. During these three days some restrictions are observed by the devotees like not performing puja or reading holy books, no farming etc. After three days devi Kamakhya is bathed and other rituals are performed to ensure that the devi retrieves her purity. Then the doors of the temple are reopened and prasad is distributed. On the fourth day the devotees are allowed to enter the temple and worship devi Kamakhya.

The prasad is distributed in two forms – Angodak and Angabastra. Angodak literally means the fluid part of the body - water from the spring and Angabastra literally means the cloth covering the body - a piece of the red cloth used to cover the stone yoni during the days of menstruation.

Every year lakhs of pilgrims, starting from sadhus to householders, from all over India, come to Guwahati to take part in this festival. They include sanyasins, black clad Aghoras, the Khade-babas, the Baul or singing minstrels of West Bengal, intellectual and folk tantriks, sadhus and sadhvis with long matted hair etc. Even devotees from abroad come to seek blessings of mother Kamakhya. Ambubachi Mela Festival 2019 in Kamakhya Temple, Assam, also known as Kamakhya Ameti Tantric Fertility Festival at Kamakhya Temple, is one of the most important tantric festivals in India. 2019 Ambubachi Mela is from 22 June to 26 June, 2019. The Ambubachi Mela is celebrated in the capital city of Guwahati. The Ambubachi Mela is the most important festival of the Kamakhya Temple of Guwahati. Daily worships and other religious performances are also stopped during the Ambubachi Mela of Guwahati.

The scenic beauty of Nilachal Hill with the Brahmaputra flowing by its side does add to the festivity. Umananda Temple and other temples situated in Guwahati have also much to do in pulling crowd during this Mela.

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