The Kamakhya Temple, an Adi Shakti Peetha located at the summit of Nilachal Hill in Guwahati, Assam is considered one of India’s most important 51 Shakti Peethas Temples. Here you’ll find temples dedicated to many goddesses including Devi Kali and Tara as well as Bagala, Chinnamasta, Bhuvanesvari Bhairavi and Dhumavati. Visiting this sacred site will surely be a spiritual experience like no other.
In addition to the main temple in the Kamakhya complex, there is a cluster of other goddess temples such as Sitala Temple, Lalita Kanta Temple, Jaya Durga Temple, Vana Durga Temple, Rajarajesvari Temple, Smasanakali temple and Kail temple. Furthermore5 different forms of Lord Shiva have their own dedicated temples here: Umananda (Kamesvara), Siddhesvara Amratokesvara (Heruka), Aghpra & Kotilinga (Tatpurusa).
The complex of the Kamakhya temple is composed of three temples that pay homage to Lord Visnu. The Kedara (Kamalesvara) lies close to its northern side, while the Gadadhara can be found northwest from it. Lastly, you will find the Pandunath in eastern foothills of Nilachal—also called Pandu.
The Legend of Kamakhya Temple – Parvati and her husband Shiva were not invited to a yagna hosted by King Daksha, so she journeyed to speak with him about the oversight. When confronted, Daksha not only refused to apologize but also offensively called out her beloved’s poverty and wild nature. Unable to bear such disrespect towards someone she adored, it was then that the Goddess chose a different path and instead dedicated herself wholly in service of Shivji.Upon witnessing her humiliation, Sati felt ashamed and filled with rage. She jumped into the yagna fire as a sign of protest against Daksha’s actions. This enraged Lord Shiva who came to Daksha’s palace where he saw his beloved wife had given up her life in despair. In an act of unbridled wrath, Shiva scooped up the body and started performing Tandava —the destructive dance that lasted for days—which threatened to decimate all creation on Earth .
On the request of all other gods and goddesses, Lord Vishnu started to slice Goddess Parvati’s body using his chakra. It is said that her parts fell in several locations across India which are believed to be power centers or Shakti peeths. The reproductive organ of Goddess Parvati is claimed to have landed on top of Neelachal hill in Guwahati hosting the famed Kamakhya Temple today. Make your way there with a tour package now!
With its long and illustrious history, the Kamakhya Temple is one of the oldest temples in India. Dating back to 8th – 9th century during the Mleccha dynasty, it was championed by a string of Kings from Indra Pala to Dharma Pala who actively supported Tantrikism and made this temple an important destination for many devotees. The 10th-century composition of Kalika Purana further strengthened its importance as center stage for tantric sacrifices and sorcery rituals. Around the same time as its emergence, Mystic Buddhism or Vajrayana was practiced by numerous Buddhist scholars in Tibet and primarily centered at Kamakhya. Unfortunately, this temple was destroyed under Hussein Sha’s occupation of the Kamata kingdom but eventually rediscovered during Vishwasingha’s founding of the Koch Dynasty in 1500s; he subsequently revived it for worship. Reconstruction concluded in 1565 through his son’s reign – ever since then, Kamakhya has become a renowned spiritual center globally to millions of Hindus around the world.
The Kamakhya Temple resides atop the Nilachal Hills, making it accessible from any point of Guwahati by way of auto rickshaw or taxi. The Assam Tourism Department provides regular bus services to and from various parts of the city running 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM with a gap every hour at Kachari bus stoppage. Furthermore, you can take two rock-cut stairs starting off at the bottom right up until you reach the temple itself.
