GUWAHATI: With barely a month left for the annual Ambubachi Mela, preparations are underway at the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati for one of the biggest spiritual congregations in Northeast India.
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The four-day religious festival will commence on the night of June 22 and conclude at sunrise on June 26, coinciding with the seventh day of the Assamese month of Ahaar.
Temple authorities have already begun coordinating with the district administration to streamline arrangements related to security, crowd control, traffic management and other logistical requirements ahead of the massive gathering. Lakhs of devotees, pilgrims and ascetics from across the country are expected to visit the shrine during the mela.
In an effort to reduce congestion and facilitate smoother movement of visitors, authorities have decided to open an additional route to the temple from the Pandu side this year. Devotees will now be able to access the shrine through both the existing Nursery route and the newly developed Pandu-side road.
Meanwhile, several sadhus have started arriving at Kamakhya Temple ahead of the festival, with the influx of pilgrims expected to increase significantly in the coming days.
To bolster security during the event, advanced CCTV cameras are also set to be installed across the temple premises.
Often described as the “Mahakumbh of the East,” the Ambubachi Mela is among Assam’s most significant religious festivals and draws huge crowds every year to the sacred Nilachal Hills shrine dedicated to Goddess Kamakhya.