The word Ambubachi is made up of two words Ambu and Bachi in which Ambu means water and Bachi means swelling. This word shows the power of women and their ability to give birth. There are 51 Shakti Peeths located in different parts of the holy land of India, whose darshan and worship fulfills various wishes. One such Shakti Peeth is called Mahashakti Peeth, ‘Kamakhya Devi Temple’. This temple is built on a hill in Guwahati, Assam. This temple is a little different from other Shakti Peeths because this place is also very famous for Tantra Sadhna.

Kamakhya Devi Temple located in Guwahati, Assam is a famous Shakti Peeth. Every year a unique 3-day fair is held here which is known as Ambubachi. It is believed that the vagina of the mother fell on the Nilachal mountain, due to which Kamakhya Devi Shakti Peeth was established here. It is believed that the vagina of the mother fell down and transformed into an idol, which is still present in the temple and due to which the idol of the mother menstruates even today. Ambubachi Mela is a celebration of the annual menstrual cycle of Goddess Kamakhya. It is believed that the presiding deity of the temple, Goddess Kamakhya, Mother Shakti, undergoes her annual menstrual cycle during this time. There is no idol of the goddess in this temple, the vagina part of Mata Sati had fallen here, so only the vagina part of the goddess is worshipped here, which is present in the form of a rock. The blue stone vagina of Mata Kamakhya resides here in person.

This fair is held every year in the month of June when Maa Kamakhya is in her menstrual phase. During the Ambubachi Yoga festival, the doors of the sanctum sanctorum of Maa Bhagwati are automatically closed and darshan is also prohibited. After three days, when Maa Bhagwati’s menstruation ends, her special worship and meditation is done. On the fourth day, the temple is opened for the devotees only after the Devi is bathed and adorned in the Brahma Muhurta. Those people who worship, see and touch this rock, receive the company of Maa Bhagwati along with the Goddess’ blessings and salvation. In this Shaktipeeth, the Goddess is seated with 64 Yoginis and ten Mahavidyas. Bhuvaneshwari, Bagla, Chhin Mastika, Kali, Tara, Matangi, Kamala, Saraswati, Dhumavati and Bhairavi are seated at one place. Although all Shaktipeeths have their own importance, Kamakhya Shaktipeeth is considered the best among all.  According to Kalika Purana, it was at this place that Kaamdev was burnt to ashes by Shiva’s third eye and got the boon of regaining his previous form. Here one gets the fruit of his wishes.

The Yoni Mudrapeeth of the Goddess is located in a cave ten steps down where an eternal lamp is always lit. There is a separate route to come and go here, the Kamakhya temple remains closed for three days during the Ambubachi fair. During these three days, there are some restrictions for the devotees, which include things like no devotee will read holy scriptures, will not worship, will not cook food. Such things are similar to those observed by women during menstruation. Here the devotees are given a wet cloth as prasad which is called Ambubachi Vastra. It is said that before the Goddess menstruates, white cloth is spread around the Mahamudra located in the sanctum sanctorum, three days later when the doors of the temple are opened, then this cloth becomes red due to the menstrual blood of the mother. Later this cloth is distributed among the devotees as prasad. It is said that by wearing this cloth and worshipping, all the wishes of the devotee are fulfilled.A large number of devotees visit the temple to seek the blessings of the goddess and receive the special ‘Rakta Bastra’. Some Tantrik Babas from far and wide also attend the Kamakhya Ambubachi fair. During this fair, religious priests perform grand pujas and many pilgrims from common people to sadhus come to attend this festival.

Ambubachi means the one spoken by water. This word also means that the rain during the monsoon months prepares the earth to become fertile. During these three days, the mother has given the message to her devotees to stop all work and start making the earth fertile. Therefore, these three days are considered forbidden for other works. So that all the members of the house get together to make the earth fertile. Ambubachi Mela celebrates the annual menstrual cycle of Maa Kamakhya. The story associated with the temple of Mata Kamakhya is of mythological times. After the self-immolation of Goddess Sati, when the vagina part of Goddess Sati fell here after being cut by Sudarshan Chakra, since then this place has been the place of penance for the devotees of the mother. According to religious stories, in the Satyuga, Maa Kamakhya used to menstruate once in 16 years and Ambubachi Mela was held. In Dwapar Yuga, the festival of Ambubachi was organized after 12 years and in Treta Yuga after 7 years.  In Kaliyuga, this event takes place every year in the month of June.