Ambubachi Mela 2025 – Sacred Celebration of Fertility at Kamakhya Temple
Source: Times of India
Category: Culture | Art & Heritage | Religious Festivals
Why In News: Ambubachi Mela
The Ambubachi Mela 2025 is currently being held at Kamakhya Temple, Assam. The event is attended by thousands of devotees and celebrates the annual menstruation of Goddess Kamakhya, an important aspect of Tantrik Shaktism.
What is Ambubachi Mela?
- An annual religious festival observed at the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Assam.
- It marks the menstrual cycle of Goddess Kamakhya, symbolising the fertility of Mother Earth.
- The term “Ambubachi” literally means “water flowing”, linking it to monsoon rains and the cycle of creation.
Key Features and Uniqueness:
- No idol worship: Instead, the natural biological process of menstruation is honoured.
- The temple remains closed for three days, considered the time of the Goddess’s menstruation.
- It reopens ceremonially on the fourth day.
- Agricultural and fertility-related activities pause during the festival, reflecting its cultural depth.
- Devotees receive symbolic cloth pieces (stained with red marks), used as protective amulets.
About Kamakhya Temple:
- One of the 51 Shakti Peethas and a major Tantric worship centre in India.
- Represents the fusion of Aryan and non-Aryan religious traditions.
- Location: Nilachal Hills, ~7 km from Guwahati, Assam.
Historical Background:
- Destroyed by Muslim general Kala Pahar.
- Rebuilt in 1565 by Chilarai, a ruler of the Koch dynasty.
- Associated with the myth of Sati, whose yoni (reproductive organ) is believed to have fallen at this site.
- Revered by followers of Tantra, especially those worshipping Kali, Tripura Sundari, Bagalamukhi, Tara, and others.
Architectural Features:
- Three main chambers:
- Rectangular western chamber
- Square central chamber with inscriptions
- Inner cave-like sanctum housing the yoni-shaped cleft, from which a natural spring flows
- Also features five temples of Lord Shiva and shrines of Lord Vishnu (Kedara, Gadadhara, Pandunath).
Significance:
- Celebrates feminine power and fertility in a unique way, rarely seen in other traditions.
- Draws Tantric practitioners, sadhus, and pilgrims from across India and abroad.
- Holds deep socio-cultural, spiritual, and agricultural importance, especially in eastern India.
Prelims Power Shots:
- Ambubachi Mela is celebrated in which temple? → Kamakhya Temple, Assam
- Which natural process is worshipped? → Menstruation of Goddess Kamakhya
- When was the temple rebuilt? → 1565 by Chilarai (Koch dynasty)
- What symbol represents the Goddess in the sanctum? → Yoni-shaped cleft with natural spring
