The Kamakhya Temple In Assam

The Kamakhya Temple in Assam is very ancient and is one of the most venerated Shakti shrines in India. Read on...

The Kamakhya temple is located in Guwahati, Assam and is one of the oldest of the 108 Shakti Peethas present in the Indian subcontinent. This temple is located on Neelachala Parvat or Kamagiri. The Goddess Shakthi residing on the Kamagiri hill is popularly known as Goddess Kamakhya, the granter of desires. Traditionally, the state of Assam is known as ‘Kamarupa Desa’ and is associated with Shakti worship.The Kalika Purana, an ancient treatise in Sanskrit, describes Goddess Kamakhya as the young bride of Lord Shiva and the granter of all desires, including salvation!

The Kamakhya temple is associated with the legend of Lord Shiva and the Daksha Yagna. As per Hindu mythology, the Daksha Yagna is an important event that took place many thousands of years ago, in India. The details of the Daksha Yagna has been described in detail in many ancient Hindu scriptures like the Shiva Purana, Linga Purana, Skanda Purana, Vayu Purana, Kurma Purana, Harivamsa Purana, Padma Purana and the Matsya Purana.

Goddess Sati, the consort of Lord Shiva, was the daughter of Daksha Prajaapati, a descendant of Lord Brahma. Goddess Sati had married Lord Shiva against the wishes of her father. Daksha Prajaapati never approved of Lord Shiva. He performed a great Yagna to assert his superiority and decided to insult Lord Shiva. Daksha Prajaapati invited all the Gods and Goddesses to the Yagna, except his son -in law Lord Shiva. Goddess Sati attended the Yagna against the wishes of Lord Shiva. The cunning Daksha Prajaapati took this as an opportunity to demean Lord Shiva. Daksha Prajaapati hurled insults galore upon Lord Shiva and did not hesitate to shower abuses upon his own daughter, Goddess Sati. Goddess Sati was full of remorse and agony, as her husband, Lord Shiva was being insulted by Her own father in the august assembly of the Sages and the Gods. Unable to bear the humiliation meted out by Daksha Prajaapati, Goddess Sati immolated herself.