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Situated on the nilachal hill in guwahati, assam, india, The “Maa Kamakhya Temple” dedicated to the worship Of Maa Kamakhya, A Form Of Maa Maha Kaali, is one of the most famous “Shakti Pithas”. The “Maa Kamakhya Temple” is also renowned for the worship Of Maa Das MahaVidyas.
At The “Maa Kamakhya Temple”, the innermost sanctum, known as the garbhagṛha, is situated in an underground cave. Within this cave, there exists a stone surface that slopes down on both sides, eventually converging into A Yoni-Shaped Depression That Is About Ten Inches Deep. This Depression Is constantly filled with water from a perennial underground spring. It is This Yoni-Shaped Hollow That Is Venerated As The Most Sacred Abode Of The Divine Mother And worshipped As The Symbol Of Maa Kamakhya, The Yielder Of all desires And The Giver Of salvation.
Though the present temple was built by koch kings, it is evident from the scattered sculptured stone pieces that there were old temple constructions here in pre koch-period. The carving on these slabs indicate that they probably belong to the seventh-eighth century.
“Maa Kamakhya” Temple is located in the nilachal hill, town of tilla, in western part of the district of guwahati, in the state of assam, in india.
The address of the temple is: Post office “Kamakhya” (sub office), guwahati, “Maa Kamakhya Temple” main rd, kamrup, assam, india (IN), pin code: 781010.
“Shakti Pithas” Are Venerated As The Divine Seats Of The Divine Mother Maa Aadi ParaShakti, Revered As The Holy Sites on earth Where The Various Parts Of Maa Sati’s Holy Body are said to Have Descended during lord shiva’s rudra tandava. The “Maa Kamakhya Temple” is where The Divine Yoni Of Maa Sati’s Divine Body is said to Have Descended, which is why, there is the worship Of The Divine Yoni At this temple.
As per another Legend found in The “Kalika” purana, The “Maa Kamakhya Temple” is the centre of love and romance as this is where lord shiva And Maa Sati Experienced The Bliss Of Divine Union.
The earliest written mentions Of Maa Kamakhya can be traced back to inscriptions on the tezpur plates and the parbatiya plates during the reign of vanamalavarmadeva in the mid-ninth century. These inscriptions describe The Presence Of Maa MahaGauri and lord shiva as lord kameshvara Atop a hill known as kamakutagiri.
According to another legend, The Divine “Name” Of Maa Kamakhya Signifies That Maa Kamakhya Is The Divine Mother Venerated And worshipped by lord kama. As the story goes, the god of love, lord kama had sought out Maa Shakti’s Womb And Yoni after having lost virility to a curse, and had regained his potency By The Blessings Of Maa Kamakhya.
There are temples (also known as peethas/pithas) for the worship Of Maa Das MahaVidyas within The “Maa Kamakhya Temple” complex. They are as follows:
– The “Maa Kali Temple” or peethas for the worship Of Maa Navam Kalika right next to the stair path leading to the main temple complex.
– The “Maa Tara Temple” or peethas for the worship Of Maa Ashta Tara, located about 20 yards short of the main temple gate.
– The “Maa Tripura Sundari (Maa Shodashi) Temple”. Maa Tripura Sundari (Maa Shodashi) Is Also worshipped As Maa Kamakshi In the main temple within The “Maa Kamakhya Temple” complex.
– The “Maa Bhuvaneswari Temple” or peetha for the worship Of Mata Bhuvaneswari, Also Revered As Maa AnnaPurna, sits atop nilachala hill and is the highest point of The “Maa Kamakhya Temple” complex that is 700 feet below.
– The “Maa Bhairavi Temple” or peetha for the worship Of Maa Bhairavi, Also Revered As Maa Tripura Bhairavi, is the building on the right in front of the “turtle pond”
– The “Maa BagalaMukhi Temple” or peetha for the worship Of Mata BagalaMukhi, Also Revered As Maa Kamakhya, is located 500m east of The “Maa Kamakhya Temple”
– The “Maa ChinnaMasta Temple” or peetha for the worship Of Maa ChinnaMasta, Also Revered As Maa GuptaKamakhya, is located 160m east of The “Maa Kamakhya Temple”
– The “Maa Matangi Temple” or peetha for the worship Of Maa Matangi, Also Revered As A Divine Form Of Maa Maha Saraswati, is within the walls of the main temple
– The “Maa DhumaVati Temple” or peetha for the worship Of Maa DhumaVati is located just outside the southern boundary of The “Maa Kamakhya Temple”
– The “Maa Kamala Temple” or peetha for the worship Of Maa Kamala, Also Revered As A Divine Form Of Maa Maha Lakshmi, is in the main temple next to the temple for the worship Of Maa Matangi
The “Maa Kamakhya Temple” is one of the oldest and most important centers for tantric worship in India.
The kaul tantra, which is said to have originated from The “Maa Kamakhya Temple”, and the “Yoni” tantra from cooch bihar, both emphasize the worship Of The “Yoni”, also known as “Yoni Tattva”. Maa Kamakhya Is Also Associated With The 64 Yoginis worshipped in “Maa Chaunsat Yogini Temple”, odisha, india. It is also said that female practitioners of yoga, known as sadhvis, live at The “Maa Kamakhya Temple”, and those who join them can achieve yogini siddhi, a spiritual power. The temple is also home to various sadhus and aghoris, who are dedicated to tantric practices.
As a major center for tantra worship, the temple draws thousands of tantric devotees each year to the ambubachi mela.
The temple is accessible throughout the year, with each season offering its unique charm. Nevertheless, a significant number of individuals prefer to explore the temple during the rainy season of ashaar month to partake in the ambubachi mela.
The daily routine of The “Maa Kamakhya Temple” starts from 5:30 am and ends with the closure of its gates at 5:30 pm. The temple gates open for the pilgrims at 8 am while the snana and nitya puja takes place before that. The devotees and visitors can offer homage once the gates open.
Daily Events:
5:30 AM: snana of the pithasthana.
6:00 AM: nitya puja.
8:00 AM: temple open for devotees.
1:00 PM: temple closed for offering food To The Divine Mother, followed by food distribution to devotees.
2:30 PM: temple reopens for the devotees.
5:30 PM: aarati Of The Divine Mother followed by the closing of the temple for the night.
Located at a distance of around 6 km from guwahati railway station and a distance of around 20 km from guwahati airport can be reached easily via taxis or cabs available for hire.
If you are a trekking enthusiast then this destination is definitely an attractive one as you can choose to reach the temple situated on the hilltop by climbing up the nilachal hill.
Whether devotees and visitors travel from within india or from abroad, guwahati’s well-connected transport network ensures a smooth trip to the temple site.
By air:
– Nearest airport: lokpriya gopinath bordoloi international airport (GAU), guwahati.
– Distance to temple: approximately 20 km from the airport.
– Travel options: From the airport, visitors can hire a taxi, book an app-based cab service, or use public transport to reach the temple. The journey typically takes around 45 minutes.
By train:
– Nearest railway station: guwahati railway station.
– Distance to temple: The temple is about 8 km from the railway station.
– Travel options: Visitors can hire an auto-rickshaw, taxi, or book a cab to reach the temple. The journey usually takes about 20-30 minutes, depending on traffic.
By road:
– Bus services: guwahati is well connected by road, with regular bus services from major cities like shillong, itanagar, and kolkata.
– Private vehicles and taxis: For those driving or hiring private taxis, guwahati is connected by national highways NH 27 and NH 17.
– Local transport: once in guwahati, visitors can use local buses, auto-rickshaws, or cabs to reach the temple.
By air:
– International flights: visitors can fly to guwahati directly from cities like bangkok, singapore, and dhaka, or via connecting flights from major indian cities like delhi, mumbai, kolkata, or bengaluru.
– Arrival at guwahati: after arriving at lokpriya gopinath bordoloi international airport, follow the same directions as domestic visitors.
By train:
– International train services: There are no direct international train services to guwahati. International visitors can travel by train after arriving in india at cities like kolkata, delhi, or mumbai, which are well connected by air to guwahati.
By road:
– Road travel from neighboring countries: visitors from bhutan and nepal can travel to guwahati via road, using cross-border bus services or private vehicles. However, this requires proper documentation and visas.
– Best time to visit: the temple is open throughout the year, but the best time to visit is during the ambubachi mela in june or from october to march when the weather is pleasant.
– Accommodation: guwahati offers a range of accommodations from budget hotels to luxury stays. It’s advisable to book in advance, especially during festival seasons.
Link to google map: https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/114193077983814492514/photos/@26.1664139,91.7051512,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m3!8m2!3m1!1e1?entry=ttu
Shin, J.-E. (2010). Yoni, Yogins and Mahavidyas: Feminine Divinities from Early Medieval Kamarupa to Medieval Koch Behar. Studies in History (Sahibabad), 26(1), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1177/025764301002600101
https://www.templepurohit.com/hindu-temples/Goddess-Kali/
https://kamrupmetro.assam.gov.in/tourist-place-detail/218
https://www.thebetterindia.com/114044/the-legend-of-kamakhya-temple-assam-bleeding-goddess-assam/
https://pincode.net.in/kamakhya-temple-main-rd-guwahati-kamrup-assam-781010
https://kamakhya.org/articles/about-kamakhya/temples/temples-ponds-sacred-places-kamakhya/
https://sannidhi.net/sannidhi/maa-bagalamukhi-temple-kamakhya-guwahati-assam/
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