A Ritual Nearly No One Else Celebrates
The Ambubachi Mela is more than just another religious gathering. Each year in June, Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati becomes the focus for millions who believe that, for three days, the goddess herself undergoes her annual menstrual cycle. While most temples shut their doors for routine cleaning, Kamakhya closes them to honor the goddess’s privacy—something you won’t find at any other major pilgrimage site in India.
When the festival kicked off on June 22 this year, devotees from every corner of the country lined up outside the temple gates. The closure—lasting from June 23 to June 25—means no darshan, no daily prayers, and an intense sense of anticipation. Pravritti, a ceremony acknowledging the beginning of this unique period, was held in the early hours of June 23, right before the doors closed. For three days, the goddess “rests” while priests and select attendants observe her isolation, following strict traditions passed down for generations.
A Sea of Devotees Seeking Blessings
What’s fascinating is what happens on day four. Come June 26, the temple reopens with the early morning Nivritti ritual. Worship resumes with much fanfare, and masses of pilgrims rush in, eager to get their hands on two rare offerings—Angodak, spring water drawn from the temple, and Angabastra, a piece of red cloth believed to have covered the goddess during her seclusion. People believe both carry powerful blessings, which explains why even logistical hurdles and long queues can’t put off the faithful.
During the festival days, the Kamakhya complex lights up with color and energy. The hustle is real. Hawkers set up shop, monks practice rituals in hidden corners, and police work overtime to manage the flow of foot traffic. This year, attendance easily ran into the hundreds of thousands, despite the sticky monsoon humidity and the city’s labyrinthine streets. The temple, decorated with flowers and banners, stood as the centerpiece of celebration, while rituals and chants echoed from every hall and corridor.
- Three-day closure marks the symbolic menstruation of the goddess
- Pilgrims receive Angodak (spring water) and Angabastra (red cloth) as prasad
- Tantric rituals and secret ceremonies draw believers of Shakti worship
The Kamakhya Temple isn’t just any Hindu shrine—it’s classified as a Shakti Peetha, a site where, according to legend, body parts of Goddess Sati fell to earth. What sets Ambubachi apart is its unabashed celebration of female power and fertility, drawing in ascetics, occult practitioners, curious travelers, and everyday worshippers alike. For four days, Guwahati turns into the heart of India’s most unconventional spiritual experience—one where ancient tradition holds firm, even as the world outside races ahead.
