Guwahati: On Nilachal Hills at the Kamakhya temple, a surging crowd of devotees joined thousands of sadhus and aghoris from across India as thunderous damrus from a Kashi Vishwanath temple group echoed through the air, electrifying the first day after the sanctum sanctorum was shut on Monday night.Devotees walked barefoot for about 6-7 km to the main gate at the foothill and another around 3-3.5 km to the temple, located at an elevation of around 250 from the sea level.
Devotees marching towards the temple on barefoot
The Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) kept the concrete road from the foothill gate to the temple wet by spraying water, while carpets were spread along certain stretches to ease the walk. GMC cleaning workers continuously removed waste thrown on the road to maintain cleanliness and prevent injuries to barefoot devotees.After reaching the temple, devotees were allowed to do one parikrama and were then asked to leave the premises. Volunteers engaged by the temple authority guided devotees towards the exit.The bank of Saubhagya Kund, the main sacred pond inside the Kamakhya Temple premises, was crowded with sadhus and devotees meditating, chanting mantras and reading religious books.Around 1,500 Naga Babas and aghoris at the Juna Akhada (officially Shri Panchdashnaam Juna Akhada) within the temple premises, who arrived from various parts of the country, including from Maa Mundeshwari temple in Bihar two-three days ago, were seen practicing tantrism and meditating.
Sadhus at the Kamakhya temple premises
Juna Akhada is the largest and one of the oldest monastic orders of Hindu sadhus in India, primarily based in Shaivism and known for Naga Babas who participate in the Kumbh Mela’s Shahi Snan.K Biswas from West Bengal, who said he has been visiting during Ambubachi since around 2016-17, said, “Normally, we find it difficult to walk a kilometre. We cannot think of our life without a two wheeler or a four wheeler. But, today, I have walked from Bhootnath area, from where it would be around 8 km to the temple, and still I have not felt tired till now. It took about 4 hours to cover that distance on foot. That is the Shakti (power) of Goddess Kamakhya.”Prabir Sarma, a doloi of the temple, said footfalls have increased by around 1-1.5 lakh every year since around 2005-10. “This has happened due to the widespread dissemination of information about the Ambubachi Mahayog, popularly known as Ambubahi Mela, over social media and better transport connectivity. Earlier, people from West Bengal and Bihar used to visit the temple during the Ambubachi Mahayog mostly. Now, devotees, sadhus and naga babas arrive here from various parts of the country including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Kashi, Bihar and West Bengal. However, the district administration has been systematically managing the crowd.”Police placed barricades at several points on the route, allowing limited numbers to move to the next barrier at intervals of a couple of hours, based on congestion at the temple premises. “This system is completely based on the crowd gathered at the temple premises. No person is allowed to proceed if there is a heavy crowd at the temple premises. Otherwise, the situation will go beyond control and anything can happen,” a police inspector said.Devotees and the general public are allowed to enter the temple premises from 5am to 6pm. The doors of the sanctum sanctorum were closed at 9.08pm on Monday and will open at 9.33am on Friday, with darshan to resume after daily rituals and the holy bath of the goddess.
