Guest guest Posted July 1, 2005 Report Share Posted July 1, 2005 Guwahati (June 25, 2005): June is the month when thousands of Hindu devotees from various parts of the country as well as abroad throng the ancient Kamakhya temple in Assam's main city of Guwahati for the annual Ambubasi Mela. This year, more than 5,000 devotees and sadhus, including some from abroad, are camping near the temple in makeshift tents and camps for the auspicious occasion. Elaborate law and order arrangements have been made with crowds swelling and people of the city flocking to the shrine to visit the sadhus who also act as faith healers. It's a riot of colour and sound. While some sadhus are experts in occult rituals, others render soulful songs on life and its many meanings. Some sport long locks and nails while others play the bugle to appease the goddess. Legend has it that every year on the seventh day of the Assamese month of Aahar, which coincided with June 22 this year, goddess Sati who symbolises shakti (power) has her periods. Consequently, during Ambubasi, when the sun is in the Mithuna Rasi (zodiac period of Gemini), the doors of the Kamakhya temple remain closed for three days. The devotees are not allowed to worship the goddess during these three days and religious rituals are not held either. It is only on the fourth day that the doors of the temple are opened for their devotees to pay their obeisance. So, Sunday morning will see a rush of devotees as the temple opens its doors at the end of the four-day observance after 11 p.m. Saturday. During the period of Ambubasi or Amati, as it is popularly known in Assam, people neither till their cultivable land nor plant any seeds. There are other restrictions too. During this period, no worship is done. Widows do not take any cooked food. Household items are considered to be impure and they are cleaned up on the tenth day of the month of Aahar, when the period of Amati ends. People take a purifying bath, observe a fast during the day and eat cooked food in the evening. During these three days, the devotees wait outside the temple premises to have a first glimpse of the 'pure' goddess. After the goddess is bathed on the fourth day, the temple doors are opened and the devotees enter inside to pay obeisance. The garments worn by the goddess during this period are distributed among the devotees who wear them as amulets as blessings of the mother. The fair is believed to have its origin in the Shakti cult of Hinduism. The Kamakhya temple is considered to be the greatest shrine of tantrik Shaktism, one of the main religions of Assam during the medieval period. Ambubasi, a Sanskrit word, means springing of water. The idea of earth's periods during Ambubasi is synchronised with agricultural cycles. The advent of monsoons transforms earth into fertile territory. Mother earth like a fertile woman is ready for the cultivation of various crops. She, therefore, is considered to menstruate for three days. SOURCE: Hindustan Times, Thousands gather for annual fair in Assam, Indo-Asian News Service URL: http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1410949,001100020013.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 1, 2005 Report Share Posted July 1, 2005 This reminds me of a similar festival in Chengannur bhagavathy temple (kerala)..that too fell in the month of june--- "An interesting belief with respect to the Bhagawati shrine prevails in this temple. Celebrated as a symbol of fertility, a menstruation ceremony has been observed periodically in the temple, corresponding to certain physical observations on the image of Bhagawati; per tradition during this period, the Bhagawati shrine is closed and worship is offered to a processional image elsewhere in the temple. At the end of a three day period, the processional image of the deity is taken to the nearby Pampa river on a female elephant; the returning procession is received ceremoniously at the temple, after which worship commences as usual at the Bhagawati shrine." from "http://www.templenet.com/Kerala/chengannur.html" http://www.mypurohith.com/Pilgrimages/KeralaTemple3.asp In , "devi_bhakta" <devi_bhakta> wrote: > Guwahati (June 25, 2005): June is the month when thousands of Hindu > devotees from various parts of the country as well as abroad throng > the ancient Kamakhya temple in Assam's main city of Guwahati for the > annual Ambubasi Mela. > > This year, more than 5,000 devotees and sadhus, including some from > abroad, are camping near the temple in makeshift tents and camps for > the auspicious occasion. > > Elaborate law and order arrangements have been made with crowds > swelling and people of the city flocking to the shrine to visit the > sadhus who also act as faith healers. > > It's a riot of colour and sound. While some sadhus are experts in > occult rituals, others render soulful songs on life and its many > meanings. Some sport long locks and nails while others play the > bugle to appease the goddess. > > Legend has it that every year on the seventh day of the Assamese > month of Aahar, which coincided with June 22 this year, goddess Sati > who symbolises shakti (power) has her periods. Consequently, during > Ambubasi, when the sun is in the Mithuna Rasi (zodiac period of > Gemini), the doors of the Kamakhya temple remain closed for three > days. > > The devotees are not allowed to worship the goddess during these > three days and religious rituals are not held either. It is only on > the fourth day that the doors of the temple are opened for their > devotees to pay their obeisance. > > So, Sunday morning will see a rush of devotees as the temple opens > its doors at the end of the four-day observance after 11 p.m. > Saturday. > > During the period of Ambubasi or Amati, as it is popularly known in > Assam, people neither till their cultivable land nor plant any seeds. > > There are other restrictions too. During this period, no worship is > done. Widows do not take any cooked food. > > Household items are considered to be impure and they are cleaned up > on the tenth day of the month of Aahar, when the period of Amati > ends. People take a purifying bath, observe a fast during the day > and eat cooked food in the evening. > > During these three days, the devotees wait outside the temple > premises to have a first glimpse of the 'pure' goddess. After the > goddess is bathed on the fourth day, the temple doors are opened and > the devotees enter inside to pay obeisance. The garments worn by the > goddess during this period are distributed among the devotees who > wear them as amulets as blessings of the mother. > > The fair is believed to have its origin in the Shakti cult of > Hinduism. The Kamakhya temple is considered to be the greatest > shrine of tantrik Shaktism, one of the main religions of Assam > during the medieval period. > > Ambubasi, a Sanskrit word, means springing of water. The idea of > earth's periods during Ambubasi is synchronised with agricultural > cycles. The advent of monsoons transforms earth into fertile > territory. Mother earth like a fertile woman is ready for the > cultivation of various crops. She, therefore, is considered to > menstruate for three days. > > SOURCE: Hindustan Times, Thousands gather for annual fair in Assam, > Indo-Asian News Service > URL: http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1410949,001100020013.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 1, 2005 Report Share Posted July 1, 2005 Yes indeed. Apparently in the past, this menstruation used to happen every month, now it happens once in three months or so; this is what the head priest told my parents. The reason for the frequency reduction supposedly is that the rituals are not being done properly (lack of funds). -yogaman , "Adwaith Menon" <menonar> wrote: > This reminds me of a similar festival in Chengannur bhagavathy temple > (kerala)..that too fell in the month of june--- > > "An interesting belief with respect to the Bhagawati shrine prevails > in this temple. Celebrated as a symbol of fertility, a menstruation > ceremony has been observed periodically in the temple, corresponding > to certain physical observations on the image of Bhagawati; per > tradition during this period, the Bhagawati shrine is closed and > worship is offered to a processional image elsewhere in the temple. > At the end of a three day period, the processional image of the deity > is taken to the nearby Pampa river on a female elephant; the > returning procession is received ceremoniously at the temple, after > which worship commences as usual at the Bhagawati shrine." > from "http://www.templenet.com/Kerala/chengannur.html" > > http://www.mypurohith.com/Pilgrimages/KeralaTemple3.asp > > > In , "devi_bhakta" <devi_bhakta> > wrote: > > Guwahati (June 25, 2005): June is the month when thousands of Hindu > > devotees from various parts of the country as well as abroad throng > > the ancient Kamakhya temple in Assam's main city of Guwahati for > the > > annual Ambubasi Mela. > > > > This year, more than 5,000 devotees and sadhus, including some from > > abroad, are camping near the temple in makeshift tents and camps > for > > the auspicious occasion. > > > > Elaborate law and order arrangements have been made with crowds > > swelling and people of the city flocking to the shrine to visit the > > sadhus who also act as faith healers. > > > > It's a riot of colour and sound. While some sadhus are experts in > > occult rituals, others render soulful songs on life and its many > > meanings. Some sport long locks and nails while others play the > > bugle to appease the goddess. > > > > Legend has it that every year on the seventh day of the Assamese > > month of Aahar, which coincided with June 22 this year, goddess > Sati > > who symbolises shakti (power) has her periods. Consequently, during > > Ambubasi, when the sun is in the Mithuna Rasi (zodiac period of > > Gemini), the doors of the Kamakhya temple remain closed for three > > days. > > > > The devotees are not allowed to worship the goddess during these > > three days and religious rituals are not held either. It is only on > > the fourth day that the doors of the temple are opened for their > > devotees to pay their obeisance. > > > > So, Sunday morning will see a rush of devotees as the temple opens > > its doors at the end of the four-day observance after 11 p.m. > > Saturday. > > > > During the period of Ambubasi or Amati, as it is popularly known in > > Assam, people neither till their cultivable land nor plant any > seeds. > > > > There are other restrictions too. During this period, no worship is > > done. Widows do not take any cooked food. > > > > Household items are considered to be impure and they are cleaned up > > on the tenth day of the month of Aahar, when the period of Amati > > ends. People take a purifying bath, observe a fast during the day > > and eat cooked food in the evening. > > > > During these three days, the devotees wait outside the temple > > premises to have a first glimpse of the 'pure' goddess. After the > > goddess is bathed on the fourth day, the temple doors are opened > and > > the devotees enter inside to pay obeisance. The garments worn by > the > > goddess during this period are distributed among the devotees who > > wear them as amulets as blessings of the mother. > > > > The fair is believed to have its origin in the Shakti cult of > > Hinduism. The Kamakhya temple is considered to be the greatest > > shrine of tantrik Shaktism, one of the main religions of Assam > > during the medieval period. > > > > Ambubasi, a Sanskrit word, means springing of water. The idea of > > earth's periods during Ambubasi is synchronised with agricultural > > cycles. The advent of monsoons transforms earth into fertile > > territory. Mother earth like a fertile woman is ready for the > > cultivation of various crops. She, therefore, is considered to > > menstruate for three days. > > > > SOURCE: Hindustan Times, Thousands gather for annual fair in Assam, > > Indo-Asian News Service > > URL: http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1410949,001100020013.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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