1/2 day in Guwahati

The topmost item on our agenda was to have darshan of Kamakhya Devi Mata at Nilachal, Guwahati. The Kamrup-Kamakhya temple is among the oldest of the 51 Shaktipeeths, with the original temple dating back to the 8th century.Legend has it that, when an angry Shiva was carrying the body of his beloved Sati and roaming the Universe, oblivious to the care, love and protection He had to bestow on his followers, Lord Vishnu cut the body of Sati into 51 pieces with his Sudarshan chakra, to jolt Shiva back to reality. The places where parts of Sati fell, came to be called Shaktipeeths and, the goddess is worshipped at these 51 locations with the relevant body part given prominence. The vagina & womb of Sati is said to have fallen at the spot where the Kamkhya temple has been built. The term ‘Kamkhya’, literally means ” She whose title is sexual desire”. It also indicates She is at once the desired, the desiring and the granter of desires. This temple is the most popular and most visited temple in the north-east, with the goddess considered extremely powerful, who grants all our desires and wards off all evil.

Alas, we had a problem, a major one. We had been trying online booking for darshan slots since the last one week,  but the earliest slot available was some, 5 days later only. Our driver-cum-guide suggested seeking out some ‘pandas’, i.e. temple priest, who could help. As we checked in at the Radisson, I asked the receptionist if there was some way we could get darshan of Kamkhya Devi, either later in the day or next morning. She looked around, spoke to one of her team-mates and turning to me said, ‘ I will share the number of one J***u P***a and you can speak to him’.  I immediately dialed the given number and was greeted with ‘Jai Kamkhya Mata’. When I told him that we wanted to have darshan, he briskly asked ‘ How many people’ and asked us to be there at the temple by 6.30 AM, the following day.

 

Driving up the picturesque  Nilanchal hills in the early morning was an experience in itself. The cool winter air, the lush greenery, good, winding road with some hairpin bends was exhilarating and the added eagerness of Mata’s darshan added to the joy. We got dropped off at the small, shop-lined road, and made our way on foot for a few hundred meters uphill on broad, clean steps. Numerous temples and shops selling pooja items and refreshments lined our path, as we made steady progress and reached the Kamakhya temple courtyard, where we could see a long line of people waiting hopefully to get special darshan tickets on the spot and an even longer line for the ‘Mukh darshan’, where you have a darshan of the Mata from outside.

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It was now 6.50 AM. There was a call on my mobile from J***u P***a. Asked where we were and when told, we were near the lion statue, he asked us to stay put, saying he would be there in 2 minutes. Soon, a stylish young man came up in black jeans and a black jacket, introducing himself as J***u P***a. I was a tad suspicious, but he ushed us through the crowd into a large waiting hall, where a number of people were already seated.  He asked us to be comfortable and came back with a bunch of special darshan tickets costing Rs.500 each and, handing them over said, ‘dakshina’ would be extra.  When asked how, he mention Rs.10,000 for the six of us. I immediately said NO and his response was — ‘ ‘You will never get tickets online, because they get blocked. Last week a couple from America had come and wanted a quick darshan. They paid Rs.30,000 and had darshan within half-an-hour. Higher the dakshina , quicker the darshan’. I questioned , how can that be when Mata is common to all. He grinned sheepishly but was firm on the dakshina. Finally we agreed at Rs.5000, including the special darshan tickets cost.  We were asked to wait for around 20 minutes, before the entry doors opened and, we started moving in a line. We moved briskly and then stopped abruptly for around half an hour. The common darshan queue was allowed movement now. Again, the special darshan queue started and we entered the main sanctum where an idol of the Mata was kept, which one could touch. The panda there, insisted on us putting in ‘dakshina’ before the  Mata, before allowing us to proceed further. Wonder of wonders, suddenly we spot J***u P***a. His jeans and jacket  had vanished and, now he was in ochre robes, a true panda. He enquired if our darshan was good and ushered us further into a dark cavern-like hall, down a fleet of steps to the original temple where Mata’s genitals are worshipped. Another panda here literally made us bend down on our knees to worship and more importantly, leave dakshina on the plate. We had seen Kamkhya Mata in her original form. Next there is an idol of Lakshmi, where again the panda forced us to kneel and provide dakshina.  As we came out of the chamber, I asked J***u, if the legend that the temple pond/Brahmaputra turns red during some season, when it is believed the Goddess menstruates, He assured me that it was not true but only a myth. Settled his dues and moved out. Mixed emotions — The power of the deity could be felt inside the temple but, at the same time the crass commercialization in the name of religion, was something to ponder and worry about.

Retraced our steps towards our car. We were quite hungry now. It had taken us some 3 hours. As we walked along, was surprised to see a banner for a T20 cricket tournament up in the hills, and a small cricket ground too.

Breakfast done at the hotel, we checked out too. Our next place of visit was the Brahmaputra Heritage Centre. Our driver was quite sceptical, saying that it was at the other end of town and we had to traverse the maddening Guwahati traffic to be in time at the airport by around 2 PM. We may not have time for a leisurely lunch but have to make do with something at the airport. We agreed and we moved through the busy city traffic. Twenty-five minutes later, we were at our destination.

The Heritage Centre is the converted bungalow of the former District Collector, with a huge expanse of green and sweeping views of the mighty Brahmaputra below. It was dark, gloomy day and I daresay, on a clear day, the views would have been even more magnificent. Not much to see inside the colonial bungalow, barring the fireplace in the living room, antique furniture, old maps narrating how civilization developed alongside the river. A small library inside completes the offerings.

Stepping out, we find well-manicured gardens with exhibits, a mini amphitheatre, children’s play area and a Starbucks outlet too.

The cool breeze as we scan the Brahmaputra was really soothing. Some barges passing by and wait a moment………… what are those hanging on the trees overlooking the river? Tailor-bird nests? No, a closer look reveals it to be a huge colony of bats.  Have known and seen bats reside in dark caves, caverns or hollows, but out in the open in broad daylight? Perhaps the breeze from the Brahmaputra lulls theseir senses.

Time to rush to the airport and grab a bite, which we did in good time. Bidding farewell to our driver and guide, Amitabh, our first visit to the north-east concluded. We promised to be back to visit Arunachal Pradesh and the not-so-touristy Tripura.