Nestled in the blue mountains of Guwahati in Assam, is a temple devoted to Shakti – the feminine power. This temple is unique in the fact that it celebrates the ability of woman to bleed every month; it hails her ability to conceive. The Kamakhya temple of the menstruating goddess is a shrine to the life giving power of a woman.
Here, periods are not something to be ashamed about, to speak about in hushed whispers or something that is considered offensive or taboo. Here the glory of womanhood is applauded and menstruation is seen as it should be – natural and beautiful.
The Death Of Goddess Sati
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One often hears about Shiva and Parvati but is unaware of Sati. Legend has it that Sati (Shiva’s first wife) married him against the wishes of her father, the proud Daksha. Though well content in her marriage, Sati nevertheless wanted to visit her paternal home once and see her mother and sisters. Her opportunity came when she heard that Daksha was holding a huge yagna where all the gods had been invited, except Shiva.
Not heeding her husband’s warning, Goddess Sati went to the yagna, thinking that she would be able to revise her father’s opinion of her husband. Alas! That was not to be. Daksha mocked and derided Shiva and unable to bear it, a furious Sati immolated herself in the sacrificial fire.
Insane with grief and rage, Shiva destroyed the yagna and taking his wife’s corpse on his shoulders he danced a dance of destruction around the world. Fearing that creation itself would be annihilated, Vishnu sent his chakra to cut Sati’s body into pieces. When his beloved had been cut out of his arms, Shiva’s rage subsided. Creation had been saved.
Sati’s severed limbs fell in 108 places in India – now revered as the Shakti peeths. In the Nilachal hills of Assam fell her womb and vagina.
When The River Flows Red
During the month of Ashadh (June), the Brahmaputra river near the temple flows red for four days. No one has been able to explain this phenomenon.These few days are also revered as the Ambubachi Mela.
The priests place a white cloth over the stone symbolising the yoni during this time and close the doors of the garba griha. When they return the cloth is red and wet. They cut pieces of this sacred material and give it to the devotees. It is considered lucky to keep this cloth in the house.
Related Reading: Shiva restored the world after his grief-stricken taandav; we mortals can’t revive what we destroy in rage
Kamadeva, the god of love had sought out the Goddess’s womb and vagina to cure himself of impotency. The cured and grateful god vowed that the Mother would be worshipped in the shape of the yoni in this place forever. Sexuality in mythology? Yes, it is present and it is beautiful.
There is no particular idol of the Goddess anywhere. The main item of worship is the yoni from which flows a perennial spring keeping it moist always. This stands for the sacred feminine womb from which all life springs.
A Joyous Union Of Shiva And Shakti
Here where the groves whisper and the trees hold secrets which only the river knows, Shiva was supposed to meet Sati in fierce and joyous love. As the Sanskrit word for desire and lovemaking is kama, the Goddess here is known as Kamakhya – the one who satisfies all desires.
The Kalika Purana describes Goddess Kamakhya as the yielder of all desires, the young bride of Shiva and the granter of salvation. A very special form of sindur available here symbolizes this. It is made from rock and called Kamakhya sindur, believed to be a blessing from the Goddess herself.
This ode to womanhood gave rise to the Kamakhya temple of menstruating goddess in Guwahati to restore faith in femininity and respect the strength of women. A goddess who has periods is considered strong, fierce and worthy of worship.
Related Reading: Learning from Khajuraho and the land of the Kama Sutra
Maa Kamakhya Temple Assam
Goddess Kamakhya is venerated as a life giver as every woman should be. She stands forth in her reproductive power, in her union with her Shiva…joyous and unashamed. This happens to be one of the few temples in the world where the Goddess is venerated as a woman in her biological aspect, as the giver of all life on earth.
Yes, despite all the hullabaloo in the country regarding women and period stigma, there truly is a temple where goddess gets periods and she is famous for it. Add this to your tales of gender equality to learn from.
Who says religion has nothing to do with science? While biology may have evolved today, that does not mean it did not exist back then. Next time you worry about going to temple during menstruation, remember Kamakhya temple of menstruating goddess and remind yourself that getting periods is a power and not something to be ashamed of.
FAQs
A lot of people have a lot of theories to support the opposite, but we do not believe that going to temple is a problem. Having periods is as natural as being a woman and no god can be averse to that. Especially when there is kamakhya temple of menstruating goddess that literally worships her for the same.
Anytime is okay but September and October is particularly famous for the durga puja celebration.
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This is so empowering. I strongly believe that the power of creation being manifested through a woman is something worth celebrating. Menstruation should be celebrated, and not made a taboo instead. How can it be a reason to prohibit a woman from entering the premises of a temple? Even my goddess bleed. And as her daughter i bleed too. And that does not make me go weak on my knees. I consider my biology a gift, a blessing and i am unapologetically proud to be a woman. If the wall of my womb crumbles, and i bleed for a while, that is because, my body is cleansing itself and renovating itself for a new beginning. If that’s not an empowering feeling , then what else is?