Ambubachi Mela Khamakhya 1 2017 Assam Aghoris Naga Sadhus Hijra Tantrics

About Goddess Kamakhya ..Assam ..Joie Ma Kamakhya

Kamakhya (Assamese: কামাখ্যা দেৱী), is an important Hindu Tantric goddess of desire who evolved in the Himalayan hills. She is also identified as Kali and Maha Tripura Sundari. According to the Tantric texts (Kalika Purana, Yogini Tantra) that are the basis for her worship at the Kamakhya temple, a 16th-century temple in the Kamrup district of Assam. The earlier manifest of the goddess sanctified at the Garo hills is destroyed, although the Vatsayana priests are said to have carried away the manifest of the goddess to the Hindu kingdom in Kashmir and later sanctified in a remote hill forest in Himachal. Her name means "renowned goddess of desire," and she resides at the presently rebuilt Kamakhya Temple in 1645 C. The temple is primary amongst the 51 Shakti Peethas related to the sect that follows Sati, and remains one of the most important Shakta temples and Hindu pilgrimage sites in the world.

Contents  [hide]
1Origins
2Identity
3Iconography

Origins[edit source]
The origin of worship 'Shakti' at the site is associated with the legend of Sati, who was the wife of the ascetic god Shiva and daughter of the Puranic god-king Daksha. Daksha was unhappy with his daughter's choice of husband, and when he performed a grand Yajna for all the deities, he did not invite Shiva or Sati. In a rage, Sati threw herself onto the fire, knowing that this would make the sacrifice impure. Because she was the all-powerful mother goddess, Sati left her body in that moment to be reborn as the goddess Parvati. Meanwhile, Shiva was stricken with grief and rage at the loss of his wife. He put Sati's body over his shoulder and began his tandava (dance of cosmic destruction) throughout the heavens, and vowed not to stop until the body was completely rotted away. The other Gods, afraid of their annihilation, implored Vishnu to pacify Shiva. Thus, wherever Shiva wandered while dancing, Vishnu followed. He sent his discus Sudarshana to destroy the corpse of Sati. Pieces of her body fell until Shiva was left without a body to carry. Seeing this, Shiva sat down to do Mahatapasya (great penance). Despite the similarity in name, scholars do not generally believe that this legend gave rise to the practice of sati or the voluntary giving of the wife's body on the pyre of her husband .[1]

According to various myths and traditions, there are 51 pieces of Sati's body scattered across the Indian subcontinent. These places are called shakti peethas and are dedicated to various powerful goddesses. Kamarupa ("form of desire") is the region in which the yoni ("vulva," "womb," or "source") is said to have fallen to earth, and the Kamakhya temple was said to have been constructed on this spot.

Identity[edit source]
Kamakhya is mentioned in the Kalika Purana as the most important goddess of Tantric worship, and is referred to in the text as Mahamaya, the "great goddess of illusion", who takes on many forms depending on her mood. Devotees also call her Kameshwari ("beloved goddess of desire"), and consider her a form of Maha Tripura Sundari, also called Shodashi. She is identified with Kali in the Kalika Purana, Yoginitantra and Kamakhya Tantra, each of which echoes this verse:[2]

"It is certainly well known that Kamakhya is truly none other than that mother goddess Kali, who is in all things the form of wisdom."

Kamakhya is associated with the Dasa Mahavidyas, who each have temples dedicated to them at the Kamakhya temple complex in Assam. She is also closely associated with Durga.

Four Adi Shakti Peethas

The great mythological texts including the Kalika Purana (the Asthashakti) and various Tantras recognize the four major Shakti Peethas as Adi Shakti Peethas. Like (Bimala, Pada Khanda) inside the Jagannath Temple, Puri, Odisha, (Tara Tarini) Sthana Khanda (Breasts), near Brahmapur, Odisha, (Kamakhya, Yoni khanda) near Guwahati, Assam and (Dakhina Kalika, Mukha khanda) in Kolkata, West Bengal originated from the limbs of the Corpse of Mata Sati. In a hymn, the Kalika Purana (Asthashakti) clearly says:

[[“Vimala Pada khandancha,

Stana khandancha Tarini (Tara Tarini),

Kamakhya Yoni khandancha,

Mukha khandancha Kalika (Kali)

Anga pratyanga sangena

Vishnu Chakra Kshate nacha……”]]

Peetha Body Part Place

Vimala Pada khanda Puri, Odisha

Tara Tarini Stana khanda Brahmapur, Odisha

Kamakhya Yoni khanda Guwahati, Assam

Dakshina Kalika Mukha khanda Kolkata, West Bengal

Mantras for general worship of the Mahavidyas at the Kamakhya temple complex reveal a close identity with Kamakhya herself. Several of these goddesses are worshipped as forms of Kamakhya explicitly.[3]

Iconography[edit source]
Kamakhya is pictured as a young goddess, 16 years old, with twelve arms and six heads of varying colors, representing a powerful goddess who is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. She is ornately dressed, typically wearing a red sari, opulent jewelry and red flowers such as hibiscus.

She holds in each of ten hands a lotus, trident, sword, bell, discus, bow, arrows, club or scepter, goad, and shield. Her remaining two hands hold a bowl, which is made either of gold or a skull.

She is seated upon a lotus, which emerges from the navel of Lord Shiva, who in turn lies atop a lion.

To each side of her sit Brahma and Vishnu, who are each seated upon a lotus, as well.

See also[edit source]
Kamakhya Temple
Ambubachi Mela
Kamakshi

Khamakhya Ambubachi Mela 2017 Assam..Documenting Naga Sadhus Aghoris Tantrics

One thing I can say with utmost confidence Ma Khamakhya likes me ,,I was gifted a flight ticket Mum Guwahati Mumbai by my patron Mrs Shatrughan Sinha .she once again sponsored my trip and my humble MLA President of Mumbai BJP Advocate Shelar helped  me too..

I had no place to stay in Khamakhya as the old ashram I stayed in last year had shut down for good ..but I was given a room free lodging boarding by a friend Niku Sarma a Panda from the priestly family of Khamakhya Dham.

Last year I could not get the Darshan of the Goddess because of long unending lines people waiting 30 hours once the temple doors opened on 26 June .but this time the Goddess pulled me in and I went into a Sufi trance in the sanctum sanctorum.
Photography is banned in innr sanctum even with mobile phone fine of Rs 5000 ..

I shot the Aghoris at Khmakhya Crematorium at midnight ,, shot the tantrics hijra shamans and in the daytime I shot the Juna Akhara Khamakhya Dham,

I was lucky a Naga Guru I know since Maha Kumbh Allahabad 2013 Bhagwati Giri was attending too he introduced me to Mahant Ganesh Giri in the picture , Mahant Govind Giri young dynamic Thanapati handling the Akhara where I had my meals ..Shri Ronjitadas Giri from Kolkatta .. Shri Manuj Pahwa Puri Kotwal who got our Akhara IDs done for me and my French photographer friend Laurent Salesse .

On Monday Laurent and I shot the Eid Namaz at Eid Gah Guwahati.

As Lauren stayed at Guwahati Paltan Bazar a long distance from Khamkhya he shot a few events I shot the bulk as I stayed next to the temple .. rooms here are Rs 4000 a day for me it was free.

I will keep my narration short I reached Khamakhya 21 June I returned tonight at 9 PM. 27 June 2017 . Laurent and I parted at the airport he has gone to shoot Ladakh tribes remote areas of the mountains he shoots portraiture with backdrop tripod medium format film with ring flash.


Laurent is a great teacher he has shot India Pakistan Afghanistan tribes for 30 years He is my teacher too since we first mt accidentally in Lucknow 2007 shot Moharam Ashura we shot 2009 aftermath  Mumbai bomb blasts 2013 Maha Kumbh Allahabad 2016 2017 Makanpur Urus and Malangs.

Among the few foreign photographers I have met and shot with I am very comfortable with Laurent Salesse and Boaz .

The others I met fucked me with their arrogant attitude ..

So his is my new series first the mobile photos than the images from my DSLR

I shot a lot of videos but I was not happy with the results of my new OPPO F3 it let me down very badly.

I was using Jiyo network and posting most of my stuff shot at Khamakhya at Twitter ..I have given up Facebook since last year ..I like shooting videos all on You Tube ,,


KamakhyaFlickr