Ambubachi Mela 2025
- 27 Jun 2025
In News:
Thousands of devotees have congregated at the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Assam, to participate in the annual Ambubachi Mela—one of the largest and most significant religious gatherings in Northeast India.
About Ambubachi Mela
- Timing: Celebrated annually during the monsoon season, typically in June.
- Location: Held at the Kamakhya Temple, situated atop Nilachal Hill in Guwahati, Assam.
- Religious Significance:
- Marks the menstrual cycle of Goddess Kamakhya, symbolising the fertility of Mother Earth.
- During this period, the sanctum sanctorum is closed for three days, after which it is ceremonially reopened for darshan.
- Cultural Symbolism:
- Reflects ancient beliefs that associate the Earth with feminine fertility.
- The word ‘Ambubachi’ translates to ‘water flowing’, indicative of both the monsoon rains and the goddess’s fertility.
Kamakhya Temple: Key Facts
- Spiritual Importance:
- Dedicated to Goddess Kamakhya, an incarnation of Shakti.
- Considered one of the most revered sites of Tantric Shaktism in India.
- Recognised as one of the 51 Shakti Peethas, where the yoni (womb) of Sati is believed to have fallen.
- Geographical Location:Located on Nilachal Hill, overlooking the southern bank of the Brahmaputra River.
Architectural Features of Kamakhya Temple
- Architectural Style:
- Combines traditional Nagara style with Saracenic (Mughal) architectural elements, known as the Nilachala Style of Architecture.
- Temple Layout:
- Only temple in Assam with a fully developed ground plan.
- Comprises five main sections:
- Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum)
- Antarala (vestibule)
- Jaganmohan (assembly hall)
- Bhogmandir (offering hall)
- Natmandir (performance hall)
- Distinctive Structural Elements:
- Main dome: Modified Saracenic style.
- Antarala: Features a two-roofed structure.
- Bhogmandir: Crowned with five domes, echoing the central shrine.
- Natmandir: Designed with a shell-shaped roof and apsidal end, similar to the namghars (prayer halls) of Assam.