GUWAHATI: Devotees attending the Ambubachi Mela at Guwahati’s Kamakhya Temple are facing significant inconvenience due to inadequate civic arrangements, with public sanitation emerging as a major concern at the pilgrimage site.
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Public toilets in and around the temple premises are reportedly in a broken and unusable condition, adding to the hardship of pilgrims arriving from across the country.
The approach road to the Kamakhya Temple has also drawn attention, with only one side reportedly carpeted, making it difficult for devotees to walk barefoot during the pilgrimage.
Meanwhile, the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has introduced a pipeline-based water sprinkling system to cool the road and reduce dust, aimed at easing movement for visitors.
Thousands of devotees have gathered at the temple since Monday, June 22, for the annual Ambubachi Mela, which marks the commencement of the Ambubachi Mahayog. The shrine’s Prabritti rituals are scheduled to begin at 9:08:43 pm on Monday, after which the temple will remain closed for three days.
The temple will reopen on June 26 following the Nibriti rituals and the ceremonial holy bath of Maa Bhagawati. A Mahayajna will be conducted from June 23 to June 25, while associated rituals will continue after reopening.
The annual observance, regarded as one of the most significant in Shakti worship, marks the symbolic menstrual cycle of Goddess Kamakhya and is believed to represent the creative and nurturing power of the divine feminine.
