By Manoj Kumar Ojha
Guwahati: One of Maa Kamakhya’s temples is located in Silghat, Kaliabar, Nagaon district of Central Assam! Everything works similarly in this temple as it does in Guwahati’s Kamakhya temple, but it does not draw much attention.
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and many other dignitaries have offered prayers here . “Here too today evening at 2.30.42 am the temple door will be closed ” The temple authorities told OURINDIA.NET.
“Devotees will be allowed back into the temple from the morning of June 26 after ‘nivriti’.” The Silghat temple is regarded as the second most powerful temple of Assam.
On the other hand, as the annual Ambubachi Mela at Assam’s famous Kamakhya temple, atop Nilachal hill in Guwahati began on Thursday amidst elaborate security and other arrangements ; devotees wait eagerly for “niviriti” to get entrance in temple to offer rituals.
“We are ensuring smooth conduction of the Mela,” Kamrup Metro Deputy Commissioner Pallav Gopal Jha told this correspondent Thursday evening.
The Kamrup Metropolitan district civil and police authorities have been smoothly conducting the event, which is attracting lakhs of devotees and visitors, they said.
The temple door will be closed and all worship stopped from ‘pravritti’ on the intervening night of June 22-23 .
Devotees will be allowed back into the temple from the morning of June 26 after ‘nivriti’.
The doors of the temple remain closed, marking the belief that the annual menstrual cycle of Goddess Kamakhya falls during the period.
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The Ambubachi Mela is held in the temple premise during the period and is one the major tourist event in the state, attracting around 25 lakh footfalls during the festival this year.
To accommodate the devotees, three temporary camps have been set up at Pandu Port, Kamakhya railway station and Sonaram Higher Secondary School field, Kamrup Metropolitan Deputy Commissioner Pallav Gopal Jha and Guwahati Police Commissioner Diganta Barah told OURINDIA.NET.
Proper police security has been arranged at the camps, in and around Nilachal Hill and in its vicinity, they said at a joint press conference earlier.
Entry of vehicles to Nilachal hill has been restricted and the timings of allowing devotees to visit the temple premise also fixed from 5 am to 9 pm during the mela, they said which is being obeyed by people.
Facilities for drinking water, rest sheds and medical booths have been made for the devotees, the officials said.
Besides the police personnel, volunteers, private security guards and others have also been engaged to ensure the Mela is held without any problem, they added.