 Kamakhya
is located on a hill - Neelachala Parvat or Kamagiri near the city of
Guwahati in Assam. Shakti, residing on the Kamagiri hill is known as
Kamakhya, the granter of desires. Assam traditionally has been known as the
Kamarupa Desa and has been associated with Tantric practices and Shakti
worship.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. The Kamakhya Temple in Assam
is one of the most venerated Shakti shrines in India, and is regarded as one
of the Shakti Peethams associated with the legend of Shiva and Daksha Yagna.
The Kalika Purana, an ancient work in
Sanskrit describes Kamakhya as the yielder of all desires, the young bride of
Shiva, and the giver of salvation.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.
Legend also has it that the
supreme creative power of Bhrahma was challenged by Shakti, the mother
Goddess, and that Bhrahma could thereafter create, only with the blessings of
the Yoni, as the sole creative principle. After much penance, Bhrahma brought
down a luminous body of light from space and placed it within the Yoni
circle, which was created by the Goddess and placed at Kamarupa.The temple
has a beehive like shikhara. Some of the sculptured panels seen here are of
interest. There are images of Ganesha, Chamundeswari, dancing fitures
etc.There is no image of Shakti here. Within a corner of a cave in the
temple, there is a sculptored image of the Yoni of the Goddess, which is the
object of reverence. A natural spring keeps the stone moist. Other temples on
the Neelachala hill include those of Tara, Bhairavi, Bhuvaneswari and
Ghantakarna.
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Lord Brahma created the whole world. After the creation
he became proud and thought himself as the supreme creative
force. Jaganmata Mahakali noticed this. She decided to teach a lesson to Brahma
and created a demon named Kesi. As soon
as born, the demon ran towards Brahma to
swallow him up. Brahma feared. He went to Lord Vishnu and asked
him to save. The demon built a city
named
Kesi pura & began to
harass the world.
Vishnu
told Brahma to worship Mahakali. Brahma realized his mistake and prąyed
Mahakali. The Goddess satisfied and burned
the demon in to ashes by
Hum kara. She told to Brahma that he should create a hill from the ashes
of Kesi, with full of edible grass for cattle, and his sin would be reduced in proportion to the
grasses grazed by the cattle. She created Yoni circle out of her own creative
force and told to
Brahma to worship
it. But, Brahma couldn’t see it because of his sin. He did a big
Tapasya and brought down a luminous light
from the sky and placed it in the Yoni circle created by the Goddess.Then after,
all the gods are worshiping Jaganmata(Kamakhya Mahakali).
SADHANA:
Three main festivals which are conducted in Kamakhya temple are-
1.Ambuvachi(Ambubasi/Ameti):
The Goddess under goes menstrual period for three days starting from Sapthami, in the month of Ashadha ( Around 23rd to 25th of June ). The water of the natural spring turns red, called as Menstrual fluid. The Yoni shila will be covered with a cloth and the temple closed for those three days. It is believed to be inauspicious to till the ground or to plant seeds during this period. On the fourth day a great festival is conducted. The sindhur and the parts of the cloth, are considered as the blessings of the Goddess and are used in Tantrik pujas.
2.Navaratri:
This famous festival will be conducted in the month of Ashviyja.
3.Devadhvani(Debaddhani): SADHANA:
Three main festivals which are conducted in Kamakhya temple are-
1.Ambuvachi(Ambubasi/Ameti):
The Goddess under goes menstrual period for three days starting from Sapthami, in the month of Ashadha ( Around 23rd to 25th of June ). The water of the natural spring turns red, called as Menstrual fluid. The Yoni shila will be covered with a cloth and the temple closed for those three days. It is believed to be inauspicious to till the ground or to plant seeds during this period. On the fourth day a great festival is conducted. The sindhur and the parts of the cloth, are considered as the blessings of the Goddess and are used in Tantrik pujas.
2.Navaratri:
This famous festival will be conducted in the month of Ashviyja.
This festival is conducted for Manasa devi, in the months of Jyeshtha, Ashadha, Sravana, and Bhadrapada and also during the times of pestilence and disease. The name of this festival came from the tremendous sound produced by the instruments, such as Drum, Dhole etc., used in it.
Kamakhya is worshiped by Vamachara
sadhana.Sacrifice of animals such as buffalos, goats, Monkeys, Tortoises,
Pigeons(all male and preferably black) is done to satisfy her. It is known that
the daily offering to Kamakhya devi includes a Buffalo, goat, fish, Sugarcane,
and a Kushmanda (white ground-melon). Even men are sacrificed before her in the
olden days.Kalika purana and Yogini tantra will give a lot of description about
Kamakhya.
