The ancient 'shakti sthal' called Kamakhya Temple atop Nilachal Hills overlooking the magnificent Brahmaputra River in Guwahati is gearing up for the annual Ambubachi festival that will begin from next Friday.
The festival, which is held annually around this time during monsoon, is closely related to the Tantric cult. Thousands of devotees from all over the country and abroad are expected throng the temple premises during the festival.
Elaborate arrangements have been made by the temple authorities with the help of the Kamrup district administration to ensure security and comfort of the visiting devotees.
Several companies of armed police and paramilitary troopers will be deployed in and around the temple premises to thwart any untoward incident during the annual fair.
Sources in Kamakhya Temple management committee said that 260 drinking water taps have been installed in the temple premises while one temporary hospital has been set up. Government food inspectors will be engaged to keep a close tab on the food served to the devotees.
Several voluntary organisations serve food every year to devotees coming to the temple during the festival.
The doors of the temple remain closed for three days during which the devotees accumulate in the temple premises and wait for the auspicious fourth day when they are allowed to worship the presiding deity inside the temple.
The congregation of sadhus, sanyasins and priests, and the locally available handicraft items on sale on the roadside, make it an interesting place to visit and witness the festivities involved during this fair.
A large number of devotees will be taking shelter in rented premises available in areas close to the temple as well as in private residences of temple priests during Ambubachi while numerous Non-Governmental Organisations have also provided shelter and food to a large number of devotees in various corners of the city.
Make-shift tin-sheds fitted with electric lights are being constructed to provide shelter to those devotees who would prefer to stay in and around the temple complex during the festival.
