There is a lot of taboo in Indian society about menstruation. Menstruating women cannot enter any temple, perform pooja or touch the idol of God. And yet it is ironic that there is a temple in India that celebrates the menstruating Goddess Sati. The Kamakhya temple in Assam is a temple that you can visit as a part of All India pilgrimage Tour Packages and witness its brilliance. Here’s everything you wish to know about this amazing temple and its background:
The Amazing Tale of Kamakhya Temple:-
Location of the temple: The temple is in Guwahati in Assam and located atop the Nilachal Hill. Kamakhya is the name of the temple and revered Goddess here is Kamakhya Devi who is yet another form of Sati or Devi Durga.
The ‘Bleeding Goddess’:
Breaking the religious taboos surrounding menstruating women, here the menstruating Goddess is worshipped. This temple is among the 108 ‘shakti peeth of Goddess Sati/Durga and it is here that the vagina and womb of the Goddess fell. So, people worship the womb and vagina of the Goddess.
The tale of Kamakhya:
We can trail the legend of Kamakhya to the mythological event surrounding Shiva and Sati. Legend has it that Sati was adamant to take part in the Yajna organized by her father in order to appease the Gods. While he invited neither Sati nor Shiva, Sati wanted to participate and went to the venue. Uninvited, Sati was insulted by her father. Angry and hurt she still bore those words. However, when her father spoke ill about Shiva, Sati could no longer bear it and jumped into the fire of Yajna. When Shiva heard this he was furious. He took the burnt body of his wife and rampaged all around in ‘Tandav’. There was no way one could stop this dance of destruction until Vishnu used his Chakra and cut the body. Pieces of the body fell in 108 locations called ‘Shakti Peeths’ or power points. The vagina and womb fell in this location. Hence the menstruating Sati or Shakti is revered and celebrated.
Temple of Kamakhya:
The name Kamakhya however has emerged from the name of Kamadeva who was Hindu God of love. When Lord Kamadeva lost his virility due to a curse, he worshipped the womb and genitals of Shakti in order to gain back his virility. After having back his potency, he installed the deity of Kamakhya Devi as a mark of reverence. This is how the deity and a temple gradually came up.
Nature’s tribute:
Nature too seems to pay its tribute to the all-powerful shakti of menstruating Goddesses. Every year around the month of ‘Ashad’ the water of river Brahmaputra which flows near Kamakhya turns red. Local people believe that the Goddess bleeds around this time as a part of her menstruation cycle.
You too can savor the beauty of the legend and be a part of this immensely powerful pilgrimage. Along with the sacred temple also enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings. Book a package from My Tirth India for a hassle-free visit to the temple of the bleeding goddess.