Maa Kamakhya Access Corridor is an initiative aimed at enhancing the pilgrimage experience and boosting tourism in Assam.
About Maa Kamakhya Access Corridor:
- It is an initiative aimed at enhancing the pilgrimage experience and boosting tourism in Assam.
- It is part of the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North Eastern Region (PM-DevINE) scheme, this corridor draws inspiration from the Kashi-Vishwanath Temple Corridor in Varanasi.
- Six major temples within the Kamakhya complex, currently hidden, will be restored and unveiled for public view.
About Maa Kamakhya Temple:
- Maa Kamakhya Temple, located at Nilachal Hills in Guwahati, is a revered center of Tantric practices.
- It is dedicated to the goddess Kamakhya, one of the 51 shaktipeethas.
- According to legend, when Lord Shiva performed the Tandava (cosmic dance) with the body of his wife, Sati, her yoni (genitalia) fell at the spot where the Kamakhya Temple is now located.
- Kamakhya is considered the goddess of fertility, and the temple is associated with the creative and destructive aspects of feminine energy.
Architecture:
- The temple’s architectural shape is a combination of the traditional nagara and saracenic styles.
- This hybrid architecture is sometimes called the Nilachal type, named after the hill where it’s located.
- The temple has a distinctive beehive-like shikhara (dome) adorned with sculptured panels and images of various Hindu deities.
- Original temple destroyed by Kala Pahar, it was reconstructed in 1565 by Chilarai of the Koch dynasty.
Ambubachi Mela:
- Kamakhya Temple hosts the Ambubachi Mela, an annual festival celebrating the menstruation of the goddess.
- During mid-June, a natural spring flows through the yoni, considered auspicious.
- The festival marks the menstruation of the goddess, and during this time, the temple remains closed for three days.
- It is believed that the Earth becomes impure during these days, and the goddess is said to undergo a period of rest and purification.
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