Ambubachi Mela, a four-dayfair to mark the annual men-struation of the goddess atKamakhya temple in Guwa-hati, began on Friday.

Kamakhya, atop NilachalHills in Guwahati, is one of 51shaktipeeths or seat of Shaktifollowers, each representinga body part of Sati, Lord Shi-va’s companion. The tem-ple’s sanctum sanctorumhouses the yoni — femalegenital — symbolised by arock.

Priests at the temple saiddoors of the temple wereshut for visitors at 4 p.m. onFriday to let the goddess gothrough her period.

“The temple doors will bereopened at 4.30 p.m. fromTuesday ( June 26). All Hindutemples across the regionwill remain closed duringthis period,” Kabindra Sar-ma, a senior priest, said.

Temple priests said the ri-

tualistic fair celebrating thegoddess’ period is one of thereasons why the taboo asso-ciated with menstruation isless in Assam compared with

other parts of India. The at-tainment of womanhood ofgirls in Assam is celebratedwith a ritual called ‘TuloniBiya’, meaning small wed-

ding. Offi��cials said Ambuba-chi Mela is also an occasionto promote awareness onmenstrual hygiene.

Chief Minister Sarbanan-

da Sonowal inspected the ar-rangements for pilgrims aswell as security in the com-plex before the fair began.

Devotees make a beelinefor Kamakhya during Ambu-bachi Mela. The only onesthat avoid the temple are thedescendants of the medievalKoch royalty, who had re-constructed the Kamakhyatemple in 1565.

Pranab Narayan Deb, adescendant of Koch king Na-ranarayan, said this is be-cause the goddess is believedto have cursed the royalty af-ter the king and his brotherChilarai — one of Assam’s re-vered generals — had secretlywatched her dance.

Researchers at the Guwa-hati-based Centre for Koch-Rajbongshi Studies and De-velopment said there are le-gends about the goddessdancing when Kendukoli, apriest during Naranarayan’sreign, performed puja withhis eyes shut.

Four-day Ambubachi Mela begins in Guwahati after the Kamakhya temple doors are closed

Devotees at the Ambubachi festival at Kamakhya temple in Guwahati. * RITU RAJ KONWAR

Rahul KarmakarGuwahati

Celebrating the goddess who bleeds