Kamakhya temple doors reopen after Ambubachi Mahayog
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Guwahati: The sacred doors of Kamakhya temple's sanctum sanctorum reopened for devotees at 5.00am on Thursday, marking the conclusion of the annual Ambubachi Mahayog.
Approximately 20,000 devotees had gathered in the early hours to offer prayers to Maa Kamakhya after the four-day long religious congregation.
The Ambubachi Mahayog, which celebrates the annual menstruation cycle of goddess Kamakhya, traditionally draws lakhs of pilgrims from across India and beyond. However, this year witnessed a notable decline in the number of visitors due to newly implemented night-time entry restrictions.
The nighttime limitations particularly affected urban devotees who previously found evening visits more convenient, allowing them to participate in religious activities while managing their daily work schedules and escaping the sweltering heat.
"The entry restrictions during night have significantly impacted our usual visitor patterns. Many working professionals from the city visited the temple after office hours to avoid the intense daytime heat," said Partha Pratim Barkakati, statistical officer of Kamakhya's tourism office.
Barkakati added, "In the early hours on Thursday, around 20,000 devotees visited the Kamakhya temple to offer prayers. The previous day, we there were about two lakh devotees."
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Among the prominent visitors on Thursday was Assam governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, who offered prayers at the ancient shrine. "The spiritual energy and devotion displayed by thousands of pilgrims here is truly inspiring. I prayed for the wellbeing of India and Assam," Acharya told the media.
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma shared on X: "As the doors of Maa Kamakhya open to devotees in Nibritti, which marks the completion of the 4-day #Ambubachi Mahayog, I pray to Maa Kamakhya for the welfare of Bharat." He further stated, "May Maa Kamakhya bless everyone with abundance and steer the civilization forward. Jai Maa Kamakhya."
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