Ambubachi Mela 2025: A Sacred Celebration of Divine Femininity at Kamakhya Temple

GUWAHATI– The historic Kamakhya Temple, perched atop Nilachal Hill in Guwahati, Assam, has come alive with spiritual fervor as the annual Ambubachi Mela commenced on Sunday, June 22. This four-day festival, one of Northeast India’s largest religious gatherings, celebrates the divine menstruation cycle of Goddess Kamakhya, symbolizing fertility, creation, and the divine feminine. Authorities estimate that over 12 lakh devotees from across India and beyond will participate in this year’s Ambubachi Mahayog, which concludes on June 26.

The Ambubachi Mela, deeply rooted in Tantric traditions, venerates the natural process of menstruation, a phenomenon often stigmatized in other parts of India but celebrated with reverence at Kamakhya. The temple, one of the 51 Shakti Peethas, houses a unique yoni mandala—a natural rock fissure symbolizing the Goddess’s womb—rather than a traditional idol. During the festival, the temple doors closed at 2:56 PM on Sunday, marking the onset of ‘Pravritti,’ the symbolic menstruation period of Goddess Kamakhya.

Watch Video 

The sanctum remains closed for three days, with rituals resuming at 3:19 AM on Thursday, June 26, during the ‘Nivritti’ ceremony. On June 26, the temple reopens at 6:00 AM, allowing devotees to offer prayers and receive blessings, including the sacred Rakta Bastra, a red cloth believed to absorb the Goddess’s divine energy.

The festival, which began with sacred rituals like Snan (sacred bathing) and Nitya Puja (daily worship) at 8:43 AM on Sunday, draws monks, ascetics, sadhus, and pilgrims from states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and even Nepal.

Watch Video 

“This sacred time represents the divine power in its most potent form. The spiritual energy here during Ambubachi is unmatched,” said a sadhu from Ujjain, who has attended the Mela for three consecutive years. The festival’s cultural significance lies in its celebration of womanhood and fertility, challenging societal taboos and emphasizing the divine connection to nature’s cycles. Sociologist Sangeeta Das notes, “What is worshipped at Kamakhya during Ambubachi Mela is not an image of the Goddess but a process: a formal process of menstruation.”

To accommodate the massive influx of pilgrims, extensive arrangements have been made. Four major camps at Kamakhya Temple, Basistha Temple, Pandu Port, and Naharbari provide shelter, while community kitchens in Pandu, Maligaon, and Adabari offer free meals. Medical camps are stationed along key foothill paths, and nearly 5,000 workers, alongside NCC cadets, Scouts, and Guides, ensure cleanliness and smooth crowd management. The road to the temple is closed to regular vehicles, with access limited to emergency and utility services.

Watch Video 

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who inaugurated the event at Pandu Port on June 22, urged devotees to avoid Nilachal Hill at night due to recent landslides, emphasizing safety.

The Voice of Environment (VoE), a local NGO, launched a cleanliness and eco-awareness campaign at Kamakhya Railway Junction, promoting a plastic-free Mela. The initiative, supported by departments like Assam Tourism and Police, encourages devotees to maintain hygiene, with volunteers distributing food and collecting signatures for a cleaner festival. Tourism Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass announced that over 10 lakh devotees are expected, with five welcome stalls set up for out-of-state pilgrims, who will receive specially designed welcome letters.

Watch Video 

The Ambubachi Mela, with its origins possibly tied to the temple’s 16th-century renovation by Koch king Naranarayana, remains a vibrant blend of spirituality, culture, and economic activity. Devotees receive fragments of cloth stained with the Goddess’s symbolic blood as protective amulets, believed to carry divine blessings. As the festival progresses, Guwahati buzzes with devotion, drawing millions to this unique celebration of life, femininity, and spiritual renewal.

For many, the Ambubachi Mela is more than a religious event—it is a powerful reminder of creation, nature, and the sanctity of womanhood, making Kamakhya Temple a beacon of faith and cultural unity.