Ambubachi Mela begins at Kamakhya

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, June 22: The famous annual Ambubach Mela began today at Shaktipeeth Kamakhya atop Nilachal hills in Guwahati.

The temple doors will close at 12:51 a.m. on June 23 and all forms of worship stopped. Temple doors will be opened for visitors in the morning of June 26, though actual worship will resume only after 1:15 pm of that day.

Goddess Kamakhya is believed to undergo her menstrual cycle during this period of the year and worship is closed in the temple.

“We are expecting more than 10 lakh devotees this time. Already, many have reached the temple campus from various countries and places,” organization committee secretary bakanta Sarma said.

He said six camps have been opened in and around the temple where the devotees can put up. There will be six bhandaras for distributing food. Each bhandara can provide food to about 400 people,” he said.  

Over 700 volunteers, including personnel of NCC, civil defence, home guards and police, are being deployed during the fair.

Police commissioner Mukesh Agarwalla, who visited the temple to oversee the security preparation today said, commandos are being deployed in and around the temple premises.

“Besides, we have also deployed a special security team, apart from the regular home guards, police and paramilitary. Arrangements have been made so that no bad element can enter the temple,” Agarwalla said.

As part of the security measures, permanent CCTV cameras have been already installed while the temple premises and its surroundings are being sanitized using sniffer dogs.

Five hundred toilets and as many water-taps have been constructed for the mela. Cooked food and fruits from outside have been prohibited within the temple complex.