Kamakhya Devi Story

It revolves around the Hindu gods Shiva and Sati.

King Daksha, father of Sati, organized a great yajna, where he invited all the deities, gods and sages but consciously excluded his son-in-law Shiva to insult him.

Hurt by her father’s decision, Sati decided to visit her father and demand the reason for not inviting them. When she entered Daksha’s palace, she had to listen to the insults directed towards the Shiva. Unable to bear anything against her husband, a devastated Goddess Sati threw herself in the glowing sacred fire of yajna.

When Shiva came to know of what had happened, his anger knew no limits. Carrying his wife’s burnt corpse, he went on a rampage with his ‘Tandav‘ or the dance of destruction. While all other gods cowered in fear under Lord Shiva’s rage, Lord Vishnu using Sudarshan Chakra cut Sati’s body, in order to calm the aggrieved deity.

These pieces fell on earth at various places and came to be known as Shakti Peeths. All these 51 places are considered to be holy lands and pilgrimages.

Architecture of Kamakhya Temple

The temple consists of four chambers: one garbhagriha (inner sanctum) and three mandapas (pillared hall).

These mandapas are generally aligned from east to west. The temple has a beehive-like structure which is very characteristic of lower Assam. The Kamakhya temple essentially follows the Nagara style of architecture of North India. The sculptures are apparent mostly on the exterior walls as well as on the interior walls of the temple. A few sculptures also exist on the temple gates.

The western mandapa is large and rectangular and is not used by the general pilgrims for worship. The middle mandapa is square, with a small idol of the Goddess. The walls here contain sculpted images of Naranarayana, related inscriptions and other gods. The middle mandapa leads to the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.

Significance of Kamakhya Temple

The feminine divinity in Hinduism, Shakti (power), is considered to be the greatest creative force in the universe. Kamakhya is a celebration of this ‘shakti’ within every woman, the shakti to create life by giving birth.

The Kamakhya temple is associated with feminine sexuality, fertility and the very origin of all living beings which is why the deity Kamakhya Devi is fondly called the bleeding Goddess. The sexual organs of Shakti are present in the sanctum sanctorum and worshiped by devotees.

Most important Festivals and Celebrations around Kamakhya mandir

Ambubachi Mela is one of the most important festivals celebrated during the monsoon season. This takes place in mid-June which is the celebration of the yearly menstruation course of goddess Kamakhya. The temple is closed for 5 days and opens on the 6th day with grand fervor. It is said that the Brahmaputra river turns red during these 5 days.

Another annual celebration is the Manasha Puja. Durga Puja is also celebrated annually at Kamakhya during Navaratri in the autumn.

My experience at Kamakhya temple Guwahati

I reached the temple premises at 7:15 am, much before the opening of gates at 8:00am. Walking through the approach road surrounded by shops selling puja items, souvenirs and sweets to be offered, I refused to turn my neck towards the sides and ignored the calls of the shopkeepers. I walked straight to the temple.

I was not sure at this point as to what to expect while visiting the Kamakhya temple. The temple was already packed with devotees wanting to pay their respects to Maa Kamakhya.

There were clearly two queues (just like most temples) where one queue was paid also called ‘VIP Darshan’ and the other one was free. VIP Darshan queue is a paid queue wherein you can reach the inner temple. The fee is Rs. 500 per person and it takes between 2-3 hours to reach. The other queue is free and could take 5-6 hours to reach the inner sanctum. Since I was in a time crunch I chose the paid queue.

During the waiting time I couldn’t help but notice the number of goats in the temple premises.

These goats were brought here for tantric (black magic) purposes that is to sacrifice a life to appease the god in exchange of something desirable for the human being. I have absolutely detested this concept of exchange of life for a worldly pleasure and do not believe that it works – after all all lives exist on earth with God’s permission. There were baby goats and chickens with red tika on their forehead. There were dozens of pigeons with gulal (red powder) on their bodies fluttering around. I found this to be weird for a temple complex since such scenes are not commonly seen anywhere.

Moving at a snail pace, somewhere around 10am, that is 2 hours after the gates opened, I was finally close to reaching the inner sanctum or garbhagriha – the main part of the temple.

It is a small cave below the ground level. I climbed down steep rock steps in order to reach the garbhagriha. The steps width is small which made it possible for only two people to pass and the entire area was pitch dark. There were only a couple of lamps providing the light and I had to make my way to the deity.

The garbhagriha has no image or sculpture, but a Yoni or a vagina-shaped rock fissure which is the main deity.

It was completely covered with flowers and other offerings so I could not see its shape or tell if it resembled a vagina. People were allowed to touch this rock and women were encouraged to touch the rock by the priest.

This rock fissure was wet with a small pool of water and people touched it and then patted their forehead with it. I even saw a few take a quick sip from their hand. The fissure gets filled via an underground natural water spring.

I climbed back those steep steps to come out of the complex. I was in the inner sanctum for probably less than 2 minutes and I felt extremely claustrophobic and anxious because of the dark and crowd. No, I did not feel any different vibe or energy – just people pushing each other and the priests shouting instructions so that the crowd moves quicker just like I had experienced in Trimbakeshwar Temple.

Best time to visit Kamakhya Temple Guwahati

Month wise, Guwahati is pleasant during winters so it is best to visit then. Time wise, afternoons are the best to visit the temple to avoid the crowds.

The Kamakhya temple timings are open 8:00 am to 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm everyday except during Ambubachi festival.

Kamakhya Temple Location

Kamakhya Temple is located on Nilachal Hills in the western part of Guwahati near the Guwahati Railway Station and around the Brahmaputra river. While the main temple is of utmost importance, the temple is located in a complex which consists of several temples. There are temples of 10 Mahavidyas in and around the temple.

How to reach Maa Kamakhya Temple

Being one of the important shrines in the city, Kamakhya temple Guwahati is easily accessible from anywhere in the city. Autos, private taxis as well as Ola and Uber are easily available even at 5 am to reach the temple.

Is Kamakhya temple Open right now?

With the ever changing COVID-19 guidelines by the Assam state and the country it is best to check before going. More details can be found on their official website.

Sustainable tips to visit Kamakhya Mandir

• Like every Hindu temple, devotees are not allowed to wear shoes. Do not wear socks as the premises have many areas with water and gulal. The inner sanctum also is wet due to the natural spring.
• Respect the Hindu culture and do not wear clothes that show too much skin. Cover your shoulders and knees.
• Keep your mobile phone away while entering the temple sanctum.
• Throw your garbage in the dustbins located at the entrance of each temple.
• Priests in the temple may offer to conduct some puja or push you to touch something and then demand money. Gently fold hands and do not touch anywhere or talk to the priests unless you want to conduct a sacrifice or puja or abhishek.
• Keep away from the place where they conduct ‘bali’ or tantric puja of sacrificing goats. It may be disturbing for some.

Do Indian temples fascinate you? Read about Chidambaram Temple or Modhera Sun temple.

Disclaimer: This article includes affiliate links. It means it adds no extra cost to you if you book through the link but I get a referral bonus which helps me earn a little to keep this website up and running.

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Places to visit in Mandvi

Mandvi Beach

Mandvi beach is a clean and pristine beach in Gujarat.

There are 2 nearby beaches – the popular and touristy windmill beach called Windmill Beach or Windfarm Beach and another Kashivishwanath Beach.

Windmill Beach has more crowds with beachside stalls, camel rides and a few adventure activities. For the adventure enthusiasts, there are various water sports options on the Windmill beach like a banana boat ride and jet-skiing. The overall scene looks beautiful having the windmills right on the beach. These windmills generate enough energy to provide electricity to nearby areas.

Kashivishwanath beach is the quieter and tranquil one. During my visit, I spent an entire evening at this beach and I only had the company of 2 dogs and a flock of sanderlings! I had the most solitude in a long time and the stroll on the beach during the evening low tide revealed some magical creations of the beach – shells, naturally formed sand art, crab art and so much more. It was also the perfect sunset I had witnessed in a long time. 

Time spent at Kashivishwanath beach has made it my favourite beach in Gujarat.

Ship Building Yard

The prosperous maritime trade of Kutch, made Mandvi an important port town so much so that it developed itself into a shipbuilding centre. Mandvi is known for its 400-year-old traditional craft of building wooden ships. These wooden ships are built by hand by local craftsmen using an ancestral methodology and some modern tools. 

Visitors can see the making of these ships from just about anywhere in Mandvi.

They are installed in the riverbed of Rukmavati river and one can see them taking shape from across the road. Visitors can go near the ships and see the carpenters at work and if you feel like going in, take permission to see the insides just like the work of artists.

Vijay Vilas Palace

Apart from the Mandvi beach, Vijay Vilas Palace is one of the most visited tourist places in Mandvi. It shot to fame after 2 superhit Bollywood movies – Hum Dil de Chuke Sanam and Lagaan were filmed here. It has a stunning piece of architecture providing a gorgeous view from the top.

Vijay Vilas Palace, sometimes also referred to as Mandvi palace Gujarat is a Royal abode placed in the middle of manicured gardens.

The royal family of Princely State of Kutch currently reside in the palace, because of which some portion of the palace is cut off for visitors.

The royal family used to reside in Prag Mahal, Bhuj which was destroyed in the 2001 Gujarat Earthquake which is why they moved into Vijay Vilas Palace.

Traditionally the Vijay Vilas Palace was a summer retreat of Kutch Maharajas, thanks to it being by the beachside. The palace has a high dome on the pillars, coloured glass windows, carved stone jalis, exquisitely designed halls, well-maintained artefacts and overall amazing architecture which makes the palace worth visiting.

The palace was built during the reign of Maharaja Khengarji-III as a summer resort for his son & successor, the Yuvraj Shri Vijayraj Ji and is therefore named after him as Vijay Vilas Palace. The palace is built with red Red Sandstone and it took about 9 years to complete construction. 

The Vijay Vilas Palace has its own private beach which offers luxurious tented accommodation.

Naliya – the coldest place in Gujarat

All of my trips need to have a wildlife angle to them. So I am always on the lookout for the nearest Wildlife sanctuary or a national park and the special species to spot there. I wanted to start from Mandvi and end the day in Bhuj so Naliya was the choice of visit.

Naliya is famous as the coldest place in Gujarat during winters. It is also famous for the grasslands which host the beautiful and elusive bird – the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) in Gujarat. There is only about 6 GIB in Naliya as of 2020! Known as The Kutch Bustard Sanctuary, it is an ideal spot for a nature enthusiast.

I did not want to miss the chance of spotting this rare bird in Gujarat so I drove down a distance of 82 km from Mandvi to Naliya. Naliya doesn’t have a typical safari like other national parks in India. At the entry gate, I was asked for my ID as entry is free. Professional guides during tours are available at extra cost and I will highly recommend you to get one as you will be clueless on where to go to spot the birds. The guide will come in your car and with a good pair of binoculars and help in spotting the birds. and safaris.

I spent over 2 hours, craning my neck over the grassland and could spot a pair of Great Indian Bustard couples for quite a distance. Seeing them was only possible from a binocular so my camera lens could not even manage a record shot!

Other places to visit near Mandvi, Gujarat

• Bhuj – Visitors will probably travel from Bhuj, so that is definitely a must-visit place
• Great Rann of Kutch – For its white sands
• Little Rann of Kutch – For the wild ass sanctuary and flamingoes
• Kala Dungar- the highest point in Kutch
• Dholavira- an archaeological site

Shopping in Mandvi, Gujarat

The crafts of Kutch are popular for shopping.

The entire Kutch district is famous for its mirror and thread work as well as Bandhani (tie & dye) techniques. Block print and Ajrakh prints on cotton textiles along with silver jewellery is what the women entrepreneurs make here. One can visit the making of these handicrafts and buy them from Khamir or Bhujodi near Bhuj.

How to reach Mandvi

Flight:

Many airlines operate flights between major cities to Bhuj airport and Kandla airport located in the Kutch district of Gujarat. From any of these airports hire a vehicle to reach Mandvi, Gujarat. The distance will be roughly 95 km from Kandla airport and 62 km from Bhuj airport. 

Car/Bus:

One can drive down in a car from Ahmedabad airport and it takes about 6 hours to reach.

Train:

There are main trains on the Western line which will take you till Bhuj. Hire a car or hop on to a public bus to reach Mandvi.

Hotels in Mandvi | Resorts in Mandvi

Mandvi offers a variety of accommodation options ranging from humble Dharamshala stays to luxurious resort options.

Homestay – I stayed at Rukmavati Guesthouse which is right in the middle of the city and the town was at walking distance. The family served a warm breakfast and tea in the morning. 

Luxury: Serena Beach Resort – this is upscale right on the beach resort which is certain to you Goa feels.

Mid range – Hotel Keev, Hotel Rosseta

Note: Mandvi is a port and due to its proximity to the India-Pakistan border and security concerns, you will be required to present Identification proof with the address (in original – photocopy will not be accepted) and also submit fingerprints digitally.

Best time to visit Mandvi

Mandvi enjoys pleasant weather all year round and the best time to travel is between October till March when the days are pleasant. Summers are quite harsh with day temperatures crossing 40-degree celsius. 

Sustainable tips for visiting Mandvi Beach

• Do not litter the beach with plastic or any other places in Mandvi.
• You are most likely to see wild animals like Indian Nilgai crossing the road/highway, give them time and space to do so.
• Do not write on the palace walls or rocks at the beach.
• Avoid wearing perfumes or hand sanitizers while going in the seawater or in protected areas like Naliya.

Read about other Beach towns in India:

Diveagar, Konkan

Alibaug

Have you been to Mandvi Beach before? What was your experience like? Tell me in the comments below.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. It means it adds no extra cost to you if you book through the link but I get a referral bonus which helps me earn a little to keep this website up and running. Read my Privacy Policy for more.

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