Legend has it that following the destruction of Daksha's sacrifice and the Rudra Tandava of Shiva parts of Sati's body fell at several places throughout India, and these places are revered as Shakti peethas. The reproductive organ of Sati, (the Yoni) is said to have fallen here.
Location:
State : Assam in India.
Significance : The pilgrimage centre (One of the Peethasthanas).
Location : Kamakhya is located on a hill - Neelachala Parvat or Kamagiri near the city of Guwahati in Assam
The Kamakhya Temple is a shakti temple situated on the Nilachal Hill in western part of Guwahati city in Assam, India. It is the main temple in a complex of individual temples dedicated to different forms of the mother goddess as the Dasa Mahavidya, including Bhuvaneshvari, Bagalamukhi, Chinnamasta, Tripura Sundari and Tara.
How To Reach:
BY ROAD - Kamakhya is connected to the city center by a good motorable road. Guwahati is connected to other parts of the country, including Calcutta and Delhi, by road, airways and railways.
BY AIR - The nearest airport is Gopinath Bordoloi Airport at Borzhar, 14 km from the city center. Regular flights are available from Calcutta while five days a week flight service is available from Delhi.
Where To Stay:
Guwahati being the major city of Assam is well equipped hotels of different categories and other suitable accommodations.
History:
The current temple structure was constructed in 1565 by Chilarai of the Koch dynasty in the style of medieval temples
This temple was destroyed in early 16th century, and then rebuilt in the 17th century by King Nara Narayana, of Cooch Bihar. Images of the builder and related inscriptions are seen in the temple.
Temple Timings:
On an ordinary day, the temple remains open from 8 am till sunset, with a couple of hours break after 1.30 pm.
Festivals:
Festivals: Durga Puja is celebrated annually during Navaratri in the month of September- October. It is a three day festival attracting several visitors. A unique festival observed here is the Ambuvaci (Ameti) fertility festival wherein it is believed that the Goddess (mother Earth) undergoes her menstrual period
During this period the temple is closed for three days and opened with great festivity on the fourth day. It is believed to be inauspicious to till the ground or to plant seeds, during this three day period.
The Temple Structure:
The Kamakhya Temple has a beehive like shikhara. Some of the sculptured panels seen here are of interest. There are images of Ganesha, Chamundeswari, dancing features etc. The temple is a natural cave with a spring. Down a flight of steps to the bowel of earth, is located a dark, mysterious chamber. Here, draped with a silk sari and covered with flowers, is kept the "matra yoni".
There is no image of Shakti here. Within a corner of a cave in the temple, there is a sculptured image of the Yoni of the Goddess, which is the object of reverence. A natural spring keeps the stone moist.
Places around KAMAKHYA:
From Kamakhya, one can go to Kachapukhuri. This is a natural pond full of turtles. However, what puzzles the zoologist and common man alike is the habitation of these amphibians at such a high altitude.
The Bhutanese Tara Temple and the shrine of the snake Goddess, Manasa, are two other temples situated in the vicinity of Kamakhya.
The Bhubaneswari Temple is situated at the highest point of the hill. It offers a spectacular view of the city and the Brahmaputra River.
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