“Asato Maa Sad Gamaya
Tamaso Maa Jyotir Gamaya”
It is true that menstruation or menstrual cycle is mostly considered a taboo as far as religious doings are concerned, and people seldom like to open up about the subject without considerable reluctance. However, lakhs of people throng the famous Kamakhya Temple atop the Nilachal Hills of Guwahati in Assam during the famed Ambubachi Mela (Ambubachi Fair) or Ameti, also known as the Tantric fertility festival which generally falls on the last week of June. It is a ritual, a ceremony which is observed according to Tantric ways. It is a most celebrated belief that Devi Kamakhya, the Goddess of Shakti (Power), undergoes her annual cycle of menstruation. Interestingly, during this fair, the doors of the temple remain shut for three whole days.
It is held that the Goddess remains impure and unclean for these three days. So, any kind of productive works like farming is not exercised during these days. Even worships and other religious activities also remain ceased during the fair. All through these days devotees do not cook, do not perform Puja and do not read holy books. The Kamakhya temple is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas which lies distributed in the Indian sub continent. The doors of the temple are opened only after the completion of three days. Doors will only be opened after the Goddess Kamakhya is bathed and other rituals are carried out.
It is a ritual of the Tantric cult. It is only on the fourth day when devotees of the Goddess are not stopped from entering the temple for worshipping her. There are several layers of mystery, myth and other-worldliness about Ambubachi Mela. Kamakhya is also called Kamarupa – the form and shape of love, desire and lust. The Goddess is worshipped in both her maternal and erotic roles. In fact, there is no idol of the deity. She is worshipped in the shape and form of a Yoni like black stone from where, quite mysteriously, a natural spring flows.
Tantric cult is quite prevalent and common in the eastern parts of the country. The Tantric Babas who remains in isolation and seclusion for the rest of the year, makes their appearances public only during these four days. One can find some Babas exhibiting their psychic and extrasensory powers like inserting their heads in a pit and standing upright on it and remaining in a standing position on one leg for a long time. It is of importance and interest that the Prasad is distributed in the forms of Angodak and Angabastra. Angodak is the fluid part of the body and Angabastra refers to the piece of red cloth which is used to cover the stone Yoni during these three days.
Pilgrims, lakhs in number, from Sadhus to shareholders, from writers to wrestlers and from ministers to masons visit this temple. Sanyasins, Sadhus, Sadhvis, Aghorasa and even Bauls of West Bengal do not forget to visit this place during Ambubachi Mela. In addition to this, people from aboard also come to seek the Goddess’ blessings. This year the Mela will begin from June 22. Devotees can worship the Goddess on June 26. The police and civil administration of Guwahati makes adequate and ample arrangements for all tourists and the pilgrims. Camps are set up for provision of shelter and accommodation to the visitors. A huge number of volunteers are engaged for making suitable provisions.
Mythology has it that once Lord Shiva flew through the skies in anger at the death of Sati, his beloved consort. A question that haunts us is whether women in India will ever get safety and security? India is a country where female goddesses and deities are worshipped but living women are tortured, beaten, killed, burnt alive and raped.
