Kamakhya is one of the oldest Hindu temple situated in Assam, India. This temple is dedicated to the tantric goddess Kamakhya. Apart from goddess Kamakhya, the other 10 incarnations of Kali are also worshipped here that includes Matangi, Tara, Chinnamasta, Dhumavati, Kamla, Bhairvai, Tripura Sundri and Bhuvaneshwari. There is an interesting story associated with the origin of this temple.
In this article, we have shared some secrets of this temple which may surprise you.
Legend behind Kamakhya Temple
Devi sati is a daughter of King Daksha. It is said that she married to lord Shiva without her father’s permission. Once, king Daksha organized a huge Yagna and invited all the God and Goddess but he didn’t invite sati and lord Shiva. Sati went to her father palace where Dakasha abused lord Shiva in front of everyone. Sati is unable to bear the insult of her husband and killed herself by jumping into the fireplace organized for yagna. When lord Shiva heard this incident he got angry. He hold the dead body of sati on his arm and started tandav dance which started destroying the universe. Therefore, to save the universe, lord Vishnu cut down the sati’s body into pieces with his Sudarshan Chakra. The Devi Sati’s body parts was cut into 52 pieces and fell in the different places of India which is called Shaki Peeths. The Kamakhaya is one of the peeths on those Shakti peeths where Vagina or yoni part of devi fell on the ground.
Image Source:https://www.reckontalk.com/
A tale about the incomplete stair case of temple
According to second legend, there was a demon called as Naraka who was attracted towards the charming beauty of Maa Kamakhya. He fell in love with her and proposed her to get marry. Devi Kamakhya put condition in front of him that if he build staircase of the temple from bottom of the Ninanchal hill within one night then she will marry him. Naraka agreed with the deal and started to construct the staircase of temple. He had almost completed the task when devi released the thread and she played a trick with him. She bring a cock and made it to give the impression of onset of morning. The Naraka was fooled by the trick and left the task halfway. He got angry and ran after the cock and killed it at the place which is now called as Kukurakata (place where cocks are slaughtered). The incomplete staircase made b y Naraka is known by the name of Mekhelauja path
Image Source:https://www.cdn.mumbaihangout.org/
Why Kamakhya is called as “Bleeding Goddess”
The devi Kamakhya is recognized as a bleeding Goddess. Devotees believes that in the month of Ashaad the goddess undergoes menstrual period therefore the temple is closed for three day and open on fourth day with great festival called Ambubachi mela. Lakhs of pilgrims and devotees come to attend this huge festival. During this time, Brahmaputra River near the temple turns red in color. There is no scientific reason why river water changes its color.
Image Source:https://www.kalibhakti.com/
Name “Kamakhya”
It is said that the lord of love Kamadeva lost his vigor, power and strength due to a curse. He is the one who found Shakti womb and got freedom from his curse. This is the place where the love God received his potency back and Kamakhya devi was installed and worshipped. According to some people it is the place where Shiva and Parvati had their romantic encounter and therefore it is called as Kamakhya. Kama is Sanskrit word which means love making.
Some facts of Kamakhya temple
Here, I am sharing the secrets of Kamakhya temple that you may never heard before.
1. One of the most venerated and oldest Shakti shrines among the 52 shakti peeths of India. The temple is situated in Himachal on the top of Ninanchal Hill which is 800 feet above the sea level in the western part of Guwahati.
2. It’s a temple with no idol or statue of Goddess. However, there is sculptured image of vagina or yoni of Devi inside the corner of cave in temple which is used as an object for worship & admiration.
3. The temple was destroyed in 16th century. It was rebuilt by king Nara Narayana in 17th century and get huge recognition.
4. There are three major chambers in the temple in which western chamber is having a rectangular and lager size. But, it is not used for worshipping by the pilgrims
5. Middle/second chamber is square in shape and has a small idol of goddess which is included later. The wall of middle chamber possess sculpted images of gods like Nara Narayana.
6. The second chamber leads to the shrine called Garbha Griha of the temple. It is form of cave with no image but there is a natural underground spring that flow in the vagina-shaped orifice in the bedrock.
7. Apart from the daily Pooja, the special pujas are also devoted to Goddess round the year that are Durga puja, Vasanti puje, Ambuvaci, pohan biya, Madandeul and Manasa puja.
