The Bhutan King began his maiden three-day tour to Assam with a visit to the famed Kamakhya Temple atop the Nilachal Hills in Guwahati.
About Kamakhya Temple:
It is situated on Nilachal Hilland adjoining the southern bank of the Brahmaputra River in Guwahati, Assam.
It is one of the most revered centres of Tantric practises.
It is regarded as one of the oldest of the 51 Shakti Peethas in India.
Temple Architecture:
It had been modelled out of a combination of two different styles namely, the traditional Nagara,or North Indian and Saracenic or Mughal style of architecture.
This unusual combination has been named the Nilachala Style of Architecture.
This is the only temple of Assam having a fully developed ground plan.
It consists of five chambers, garbhagrihaor sanctuary, antarala or vestibule, Jagan Mohan or principal chamber, bhogmandir or ritual chamber and natmandir or opera hall for performing traditional dance and music associated with sukti temples.
It is interesting to note that the superstructure of each of the above chambers exhibits different architectural features.
The main temple contains a modified Saracenic dome, the antarala carries a two-roofed design, the bhogmandir (also called pancharatna) with five domes similar in appearance to the main temple and the natmandir having a shell-roof with apsidal end similar to some of the impermanent namghars or prayer halls found in Assam.
Ambubachi Melais one of the major festivals of this temple. The festival is held every year to commemorate the yearly menstruation of Goddess Kamakhya
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