Ambubachi - Mysticism around Menstruation of the Goddess.

The Sanskrit term 'ambuvaci', from which the local Assamese word, 'ambubachi' or 'ambubosi' is derived, literally means 'the issuing forth of water referring to the swelling of the Earth's waters from the onset of monsoon.

Majority take this festival as celebration of Goddess Kamakhya's menstruation but infact it is the menstruation of the entire Mother Earth, but Kamakhya remains the prime focal point of the festivities since it is the seat of Goddess's yoni(genitals).

According to Mythology, Daksh Prajapati intended to perform Yajna, a sacrificial rite to which all the deities except Lord Shiva were invited. Sati expressed her desire to go for the Yajna but when Shiva forbade Her to go, She flew into a great rage and transformed herself into Shyama or Kali. When Mahadev (Shiva) sought to escape Her wrath, She assumed ten different forms, the Dasamahavidya(which is found in the complex of Kamakhya), and surrounded Him. Lord Shiva finally allowed Her to go to Daksha's yajna. However enraged Daksh insulted Shiva to show his displeasure towards his son-in-law. Unable to bear Her father’s nasty remarks for Her husband Shiva, Sati sacrificed herself in the holy pyre of the Yajna. Upon receiving the news of Sati's demise, furious Shiva changed Himself into the fierce Rudra and came to the yajna, destroyed the sacrificial ground, and beheaded Daksha. But following the fervent plea of Daksha's wife, He restored him to life by joining the head of the sacrificial goat upon his body. Driven insane with grief, He placed the dead body of Sati upon His shoulders and roamed the Three Worlds. An alarmed Brahma and other Devas (divine beings) approached Vishnu, the preserver, to restore the balance of the world. So Vishnu sent His Sudarsan Chakra (discus) which cut Sati's body to pieces. Wherever the pieces of her mutilated body fell on Earth in 51 different places also denoting 51 Alphabets in Sanskrit, it came to be regarded as a "Shakti Peetha", with immense sacred relevance. Each became a sacred spot  the divine decree.Her, yoni (reproductive organ of Sati, genitals) fell on the Nilachal Hill where very sacred Kamakhya temple is located. This hill was said to represent the body of Lord Shiva Himself, and when Sati's genitals fell on it, the mountain turned blue and came to be known as the Nilachal or the Blue hill (nila meaning blue; achal meaning mountain)

During the annual Ambubachi Mela(Tantric Fertility Festival), the Temple precincts are closed to the worshippers as it is believed that the Goddess, along with the Earth, goes through Her menstrual cycle. During this festival held in the month of June (the seventh day of Ahaar according to the Hindu lunar calendar), when the sun transit to the zodiac of Mithun during the height of the rainy season, the red haematite present in the soil mixes with the water of the natural spring that moistens the yoni, leading credence to the commonly held belief of a menstruating Goddess. The temple remains shut for four days.After the temple re-opens, the devotees rush into it to gather the unique’ prasad’; parts of the cloth moist with the menstrual fluid of the Devi. This piece is regarded as highly auspicious. Each year marks around 5-6 lakhs pilgrims during annual Ambubachi Mela at the Holy Shrine-Shaktipeeth Kamakhya Temple situated at top of Nilachal Hill (Gateway of North East) about 800 feet above the sea level.

The practice of Tantrik rites is also prevalent on the Nilachal Hill. Tantricism flourished in the area during the reign of the Pala dynasty. To attain heavenly bliss, they indulged in orgies, relating to the practice of animal sacrifice, the eating of matsya and mamsa (fish and meat), drinking of madira(alcohol) etc. In past miraculous escape of a baby girl later named Tara after the Goddess who was about to be sacrifice by mentally ailing father claiming as Tantrik  for blind superstitious belief that he will be immortal.
There is no image of Shakti here in Kamakhya. However a sculptured image of the yoni of the Goddess, which is the object of reverence. A natural spring keeps the stone moist.

Farmers stop tilling land during this time, as it is believed that it amounts to disturbing menstruating Mother Earth. Even in homes, people do not worship their family deties and cover it with a cloth.

This year beginning date of Ambubachi Mela is 22nd  to 25th June.The temple authorities have installed 600 temporary toilets and 1,000 taps apart from the permanent ones.Over 2,000 volunteers, in addition to police and home guards personnel, have been engaged to ensure cleanliness, while Guwahati police have set up additional CCTV cameras. Also a team of about 100 doctors and paramedical staff, apart from hospitals of the government and the railways, have been also pooled in to meet any exigency.Over two lakh people will be provided free meals twice at the temple complex. Overall footfall of around 25 lakhs is expected this year.

Many argue that even the mighty river Brahmaputra turns red during Ambubachi and there is instances of Black magic prevelant around the hilltop of Maa Kamakhya but however the intellectuals and authorities have rubbished such rumours and they added there is a firm belief that during this specific time frame of Ambubachi even 33 crore Gods & Goddesses as per Hindusim descend on Earth on the premises of Kamakhya and hence lot of pilgrims visit the Holy Shrine during Ambubachi.

With campaigns like 'Happy to Bleed' and so much awareness on menstrual cycle of women these days during recent times, the question that still remains unanswer is why girls and women not allowed to enter sacred places during their menstrual cycle or rather considered impure? However ,Faith & Divinity is to each their own. 

Travelogue ~ Majuli , a unknown paradise - Two days of bliss in lap of nature.

“Land of the river and whispering wind Sweet rice and plenty of fish, Where the sun rises to the sound of hundred birds And the evenings resonate to the music of cymbals and kirtans."—Sanjay Ghose

‘Travel is one of the investments which makes one richer’. During spring (Bohag) as we were scrolling through various travel itinerary and last minute cancellation of the trip to North India belt, suddenly one of my friend suggested let’s explore – Majuli before the paradise ceases to exist. During that time already Pancham aka Nilotpal Bora’s mesmerizing video on Majuli was doing rounds that captivated everyone as well. So we decided to pack our bags to experience one of the largest river island in the world, Majuli, also the cultural capital of Assam. Majuli originally comprised of an area of 1250 sq.km but today due to erosion and other climatic changes the island is merely left with an area of 421 sq.km. If proper measures will not be taken to save the island, it could be disappear within the next half century which is so alarming for the native inhabitants as well as us
Jorhat is the nearest town to Majuli which is well connected by road, rail and air. To reach Jorhat there are daily buses or trains available to and from Guwahati at regular intervals. I guess this trip was meant to be that is the reason while booking there was exactly 3 seats available in Inter City express. To reach Majuli one has to board a ferry from Nimati Ghat in Jorhat. Shared rickshaws are easily available outside the Jorhat bus stand as well as railway station that ply to Neamati Ghat frequently through the day.

The ferry services to reach Majuli are available daily from 7 am to 4 pm from Nimati Ghat. While returning from Majuli to Jorhat town one can board a ferry from Kamalabari Ghat which also ply between 7 am to 4 pm. The boat ride takes little over an hour and is a pleasant ride over the mighty Brahmaputra River.

The population in Majuli is around 1.4 lakhs and comprises mostly of three tribes – the Missing tribe, Deori tribe and the Sunuwal-Kosari tribe. The most commonly spoken language in Majuli is Assamese and the different tribal languages which are named after the tribes itself are also spoken. The locals are also well versed in communicating in English and Hindi.
From Nimati Ghat we left for the guest house at Kamalibari Satra since tourist lodge was not available during Bihu time but in a way blessing in disguise as we got the golden opportunity to experience peaceful Satra life. The hospitality of the satra people especially the Satra dangoriya cannot be described in mere words. We were indeed grateful to them for preparing mouthwatering dishes especially Bohag Bihu Jalpan for us. It was very heart touching to see though financially not very stable yet people had such huge heart and came across many orphans who grew up at the Satra and leading better lives and being self-reliant.

Majuli is also the abode of the Assamese neo-Vaisnavite culture. The population on the Island comprises of only the Hindu community and they are mainly Vaishnavites who are followers of Lord Vishnu. It is a belief amongst the locals that Lord Krishna resided in Majuli for a major part of his childhood and hence the worship of Krishna is considered most holy on the island. The main attractions in Majuli are the tribal villages and the satras (monasteries) which are dedicated to Lord Krishna and signify different forms of the God. About 25—26 Satras are remaining now in Majuli out of which Dakhinpat satra, Uttar Kamalabari, Garmur and Auniati satra are few of the famous satras in Majuli. Auniati Satra, one of the oldest and most famous Satras in Majuli. Ahom king Joyddhaja Singha built it in 1653. The Satra has its own museum which conserves artifacts from Ahom period and a library that displays ancient manuscripts.These satras are propagating the religious ideology of great Assamese medieval Vaisnavite Saint Sankardeva & Madhavdeva, preaching Sattriya culture.
The most convenient way of getting around the island of Majuli is by renting a car for the day since all the attractions can be easily covered in a day. If time is not a constrain then cycling around is the best way to explore this river island and get a real local feel of the place.
These satras are taken care of by different sects, tribes and sub tribes and have a head priest or scholar to carry out the daily rituals. It is a common practice for everyone entering the monastery to leave their footwear outside the satra complex and burn a diya (oil lamp) while inside the monastery. These satras are culturally very rich and one can also witness local monks dancing and depicting various mythological stories during festivals. We witnessed the much gifted art of mask making at Samaguri satra. On our way we also witnessed few endangered bird species. The island supports a variety of birds, fishes, reptiles, amphibians and many species of aquatic animals and plants. More than 250 species of birds have been recorded in the island. In winter, many species of migrant birds visit Majuli and its surrounding areas. If you are lucky enough one may spot river dolphin as well.
Later we visited the Missing village. The inhabitants lead a very simple life and are always happy to help and welcome travelers to their villages. It is a common practice in the Missing villages to invite tourists to their homes and offer them a bowl of freshly prepared rice beer ‘Apung’ and we witnessed how they prepare the same. An interesting fact about Majuli is the way the houses are built here. The houses are made of bamboos and placed on concrete pillars at a height of about two feet from the floor. The architecture of the houses is such due to the heavy rainfall in this area. Post monsoon, locals get together and build houses manually with fresh bamboo canes. We had the Missing authentic food and were also delighted to pick few hand weave Missing attire for our folks back home.
We experienced ‘Goru Bihu’ in a very joyful manner watching the cows being pampered with a bath with haldi and enjoyed our boat trip to farthest point too. On one of our ride back we met a gentleman who makes bicycles from bamboos. We were glad to see such creativity and talent but sad part is the lack of financial assistance they received from the government. When we had tough time getting adequate cash from a single Atm we wondered what would have been the scenario among the natives during Modi’s demonetization.
The main occupation of the population in Majuli is agriculture where crops like rice, potato and cabbage are grown. The Rakh festival is celebrated with great pomp and grandeur here and the best time to visit Majuli is during the months of November to February.
Thus two blissful days of exploring this heavenly paradise was a great experience for three of us. With deepest gratitude for favourable weather we left for Sibsagar to visit majestic Shivadol on first day of auspicious Bohag i.e our new year festive joys.

My newspaper articles

Shravan End Tribute

As Shravan concludes and Bhadrapada Amavasya ends, this piece is dedicated to Goddess Kali, remover of all darkness from our lives thereby protecting us at every step.

Why I sincerely adore ,The Angry Indian Goddess from my Heart ?

Empowerment has become the buzzword with changing times and existing society norms. Indian Mythology depicts how Goddess Parvati took forms of Durga and Kali to put an end to ‘Asur Raj’  who sought to create mass destruction in Universe. A conversation with my elder brother gave me deep perspective because he stated how women show empowerment in name of ‘Kali’ but in reality She midst of destruction and chaos did not realize having stepped onto own Husband, Shiva. But i beg to differ with him because like any other male chauvinist pig he failed to see that headstrong Women conquers the Universe but Her devotion and love for Her Husband is equally vital.

The name Kali is derived from the Sanskrit word, 'Kala' or time. She therefore represents Time, Change, Power, Creation, Preservation, and Destruction. "Kali" also mean "the black one", signifying remover of darkness from one’s life.

 The legends tell saga of demon named Raktabija who had created havoc among devas. Devas attempt in various ways and with a variety of weapons failed to destroy him. They soon find that they have worsened the situation for with every drop of blood that is dripped from Raktabija he reproduces a clone of himself. The battlefield becomes increasingly filled with his duplicates.  In order to combat the demons and evil forces creating mass destruction ,Goddess Kali emerge on Earth.Kali consumes Raktabija and his duplicates, and dances on the corpses of the slain. She is given the epithet Chamunda, i.e. the slayer of the demons Chanda and Munda. Kali was so immersed in complete destruction of evil and negative forces that her anger took wrath much to the fear of all Devas. To pacify ,Kali ,Mahadev lies down on Her path and without realizing She steps on Him and sticks out Her tongue upon realization that She had accidentally stepped on Her husband . This depicts the empowering Goddess with a compassionate heart who loves and is deeply attached to Her family.

Ma Kali wears a garland of skulls and a skirt of dismembered arms because the ego arises out of identification with the body. In truth we are beings of spirit and not flesh. So liberation can only proceed when our attachment to the body ends. Thus the garland and skirt are trophies worn by Her to symbolize having liberated Her children from attachment to the limited body. She holds a sword and a freshly severed head dripping blood. Her black skin represents the womb of the quantum unmanifest from which all of creation arises and into which all of creation will eventually dissolve. She is depicted as standing on Shiva who lays beneath Her with white skin (in contrast to Her black or sometimes dark blue skin). He has a blissful detached look.

Three different forms of Goddess Kali – Dakshina Kali, Mahakali and Smashan Kali.

"Om Kreem Kalikayai Namah” meaning I bow my head to the Goddess Kali.

Would like to end write ups dedicated to Mahadev during Shravan with explanation of Natraj.

By the 12th century AD, Natraj achieved canonical stature and soon the Chola Nataraja became the supreme  statement of Hindu art.

Lord Shiva, the King of Dances, predominantly features in the Indian dance forms. His cosmic dance conglomerates creation, preservation and destruction. Nataraja's dance is the symbolic representation of human life, which depicts that ultimately, the good and the evil are neutralized. 

Lord Shiva is dancing, with his left foot elegantly raised and the right foot on a prostrate figure — 'Apasmara Purusha', the personification of illusion and ignorance over whom Shiva triumphs. The upper left hand holds a flame, the lower left hand points down to the dwarf, who is shown holding a cobra. The upper right hand holds an hourglass drum or 'dumroo' that stands for the male-female vital principle, the lower shows the gesture of assertion: "Be without fear."
The dance of Shiva can be divided into two common forms - the Lasya (gentle form of dance), which is related to the creation of the world. The second form is Tandava, a dangerous dance, which is associated with the destruction of the world. Both the types of dances have their own significance in the Mythology.Apart from being a popular art form, the dance of Nataraja is one of the most respected in the Indian culture.
Om Namah Shivaya _/\_

P.S - Some info has been extracted from various sources. Regarding Goddess Kali, several things are in-depth and I only touched upon how empowering women is also balanced home maker. Regarding Natraj, pictorial representation would do better justice but I tried to share on its meaning.
Har Har Mahadev _/\_ The image of Goddess Kali is from temple in Kolkata wherein it depicts 1000 hands of the deity.

The Holy Shrine of Kamrup – Maa Kamakhya Shaktipeeth_/\_

[Kamakhya Devi Pranam – Mantra]

Kamakhya Barade Devi Nilaparbata Basini. Twam Devi Jagatam-Matar Yonimudretute.O!

Goddess Kamakhya, dweller of the Neelparvat, mother of the world, Joni Mudra, I bow to Thee.

The Kalika Purana, an ancient work in Sanskrit describes Kamakhya as the yielder of all desires, the young bride of Lord Shiva, and the giver of salvation.

It is believed that no Tirth Yatra(pilgrimage) is complete without divine blessings of Goddess Kamakhya meaning "beloved goddess of desire". The Holy Shrine of Kamakhya is situated in Nilachal Hill located in Assam. The Present Assam was referred to as Kamrup in many of the ancient Indian literature. Beautifully Mythological tale is weaven which denotes the significance of the land of Kamrup.

Shiva-Siva, meaning "auspicious one" is a major Hindu deity and is "the Destroyer" or "the Transformer" among theTrimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. He is considered the Supreme God within Shaivism, one of the three most influential denominations in Hinduism.The crescent moon on His head symbolizes the consciousness in human beings, the Ganga symbolizes the Life Force and the snakes on Shiva's body represent the myriad of living beings. "Neelkanth" His another name as He drank entire poison churn in the sea to protect the universe and mankind.

Shiva,Lord of Dance as Natraja is usually worshipped in the an iconic form of lingam. He is described as an omniscient yogi, who lives an ascetic life on Mount Kailash, as well as a householder with a wife Parvati, and two sons, Ganesha and Kartikeya. Legends tell the tale of eternal Love Saga of Shiv-Parvati but Parvati being reincarnation of Sati, daughter of Daksh Prajapati who was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu. Sati was married to Shiva and lived in Kailash presently located in Tibet, now under the Chinese dominance.

Daksh intended to perform Yajna, a sacrificial rite to which all the deities except Shiva were invited. Sati expressed her desire to go for the Yajna but when Siva forbade her to go, she flew into a great rage and transformed herself into Shyama or Kali. When Mahadev (Shiva) sought to escape her wrath, she assumed ten different forms, the Dasamahavidya, and surrounded Him. A helpless Shiva finally allowed Her to go to Daksha's yajna. However enraged Daksh insulted Shiva to show his displeasure towards his son-in-law. Unable to bear Her father’s nasty remarks for Her husband Shiva, She sacrificed herself in the holy pyre of the Yajna. Upon receiving the news of Sati's demise, furious Shiva changed Himself into the fierce Rudra and came to the yajna, destroyed the sacrificial ground, and beheaded Daksha. But following the fervent plea of Daksha's wife, He restored him to life by joining the head of the sacrificial goat upon his body. Driven insane with grief, He placed the dead body of Sati upon His shoulders and roamed the Three Worlds. An alarmed Brahma and other Devas (divine beings) approached Vishnu, the preserver, to restore the balance of the world. So Vishnu sent His Sudarsan Chakra (discus) which cut Sati's body to pieces. Wherever the pieces of her mutilated body fell on Earth in 51 different places also denoting 51 Alphabets in Sanskrit, it came to be regarded as a "Shakti Peetha", with immense sacred relevance. Each became a sacred spot  the divine decree.Her, yoni (reproductive organ of Sati, genitals) fell on the Nilachal Hill. This hill was said to represent the body of Lord Shiva Himself, and when Sati's genitals fell on it, the mountain turned blue and came to be known as the Nilachal or the Blue hill (nila meaning blue; achal meaning mountain)

As Shiva continued to do penance, the other Gods became afraid that He would never come out of it and hence darkness in entire Universe prevailed. They sent Kamadeva, the God of Love, to make Shiva fall in love again, and thereby break His penance. Kamdeva succeeded in his mission by sending cupid arrow, but Shiva was so enraged at the result that he burnt Kamadeva into ashes by a fiery glance of his third eye. Kamadeva eventually regained his life and his original 'form' (Rupa) in Assam and the land where this took place become known as "Kamrup" ("Kamarupa")

There are so many tales written in different books regarding construction of temple Kamakhya. Kamdev erected the temple with the help of Biswakarma(Lord of Machineries) which is famous as a temple of Anandakshya. There is also another opinion that the temple was made in the ruling period of king Narakasur. It is said in different books that there are four gates on the hill of Devi such as Tiger Gate, Hanuman Gate,Heaven Gate and Lion Gate which were made by king Narakasur. Mythological scriptures believe that Narakasur was born in semen of God Narayan in the form of boar, in the womb of Goddess in the Golden Age.

There is a fascinating story how Goddess appeared before Narakasur and he proposed to her being attracted by her beauty. Devi said if he is able to construct four stone paths round the Nilachal hill within a night itself she will marry him. Narakasur started his work rapidly and Goddess thinking that he soon will accomplish the task given so with her magical powers send a cock to call the dawn.  Hearing the cock crowing , Narakasur became furious and ran after the cock to kill it crossing the river Brahmaputra. At last, Narakasur killed the cock with a sharp instrument and that  place has been famous as “Kukurakata Chaki” where the cock was killed.

Later Narakasur was killed by Lord Vishnu and Devi Mahamaya for his tyranny. Presently, on the way of climbing up on the Kamakhya hill from Pandughat, there is a tom stone near the Liongate besides the statue of God Ganesh which bears the remembrance of Narakasur till now.

Bhag Dutta took possession the throne of Kamrup State after  death of king Narakasur. He believed in Baidik religion of Aryan Race. The power of Kamrup State gradually decreased after the death of Bhag Dutta. At last family of Bhag Dutta was abolished and his state divided into small states.

Kamakhya temple was destroyed in early 16th century, and then rebuilt in the 17th century by King Nara Narayana, of Cooch Bihar. Images of the builder and related inscriptions are seen in the temple.

Later at the time of invasion in another era, Maharaja Biswa Sinha discovered the temple of Goddess Kamakhya on the Nilachal hill near Guwahati. The temple which was earlier built by stone destroyed and became a heap of earth. King  Biswa Sinha was engaged in war with king of Ahom, they deviated their path and came through the stone path made by Narakasur that reached at the Nilachal Hill. The king and his brother were very thirsty and saw old woman engaged in deep prayers under Banyan tree.The old woman seeing them directed towards fountain nearby to quench their thirst and asked them to rest under the tree. She told them that the heap of earth was the seat of a living deity Devi Mahamaya. If one takes shelter in the feet of the Goddess and with single minded devotion prays from heart, devotees prayers definitely gets answered. The king wished to be reunited with his soldiers and get the kingdom back. He promised to Devi that he will construct a Godlen temple dedicating to the Goddess after his wish is fulfilled.

Mystically King’s wish was granted but however he constructed the temple with bricks instead of Gold. Having violated his promise to Goddess the temple collapsed overnight and Devi warned king about his promise of Gold to which the king honestly said he is unable to afford the same. Goddess told him to keep one rati of gold between each brick and later magnificent temple came into existence.

Within the temple premises, we can also find two full size representational statues of Malladeva and Sukladhvaj. According to a folk legend, the Goddess Kamakhya, assuming the form of a beautiful woman, used to dance within the closed doors of the Temple at the time of the evening prayers. The Koch king Malladeva and his brother Sukladhvaj desired to see the dancing Goddess and as suggested by the chief priest Kendu Kalai, they peeped through a hole in the wall. She, however, got offended by the intrusion and tore off the head of the priest and turned the King and his brother to stone. According to another version, the King and his future descendants were henceforth, forbidden 'to cast a look even at her very hill' the Nilachal or they would die. Even today, descendants of the Koch royal family pass by the hill under the cover of umbrellas.

Festivals at Kamakhya Temple : Apart from the daily Puja offered in this temple, quite a few special pujas are also offered. They are-

• The Durga Puja is held here for sixteen days on a stretch during the month of Asvina (September- October).          
• Kali puja is held here during the month of Ashwin (October- November) and is observed with great devotion.             
• Durgadeul- During the month of Phalguna (February-March), this festival is observed.  
• Pohan Bia- A symbolic marriage between Lord Kamesvara and Kamesvari during the month of Pausa (Dec- Jan)           
• BasantiPuja- This festival is held during the month of Chaitra (March-April)
• Madandeul- This occasion marks the special puja for Lord Kamesvara. It takes places during the month of Chaitra.            
• Manasa Puja- It is observed from the Sankranti of Shravana and continues upto the second day of Bhadra(July-August)

During the annual Ambubachi Mela((Tantric Fertility Festival), the Temple precincts are closed to the worshippers as it is believed that the Goddess, along with the Earth, goes through her menstrual cycle. During this festival held in the month of June (the seventh day of Ahar according to the Hindu lunar calendar), during the height of the rainy season, the red haematite present in the soil mixes with the water of the natural spring that moistens the yoni, leading credence to the commonly held belief of a menstruating Goddess. After the temple re-opens, the devotees rush into it to gather the unique’ prasad’; parts of the cloth moist with the menstrual fluid of the Devi. This piece is regarded as highly auspicious. Each year marks around 5-6 lakhs pilgrims during annual Ambubachi Mela at the Holy Shrine-Shaktipeeth Kamakhya Temple situated at top of Nilachal Hill (Gateway of North East) about 800 feet above the sea level .

The practice of Tantrik rites is also prevalent on the Nilachal Hill. Tantricism flourished in the area during the reign of the Pala dynasty. To attain heavenly bliss, they indulged in orgies, relating to the practice of animal sacrifice, the eating of matsya and mamsa (fish and meat), drinking of madira(alcohol) etc. In past miraculous escape of a baby girl later named Tara after the Goddess was about to be sacrifice by mentally ailing father claiming as Tantrik  for blind superstitious belief that he will be immortal.

Recently, evil terrorists demons carrying bombs were caught by Cops near the locality of Kamakhya and devotees in fatal bus accident post darshan at the hill but no death proves the fact "Prayer is stronger than Reality" _/\_ Jai Maa Kamakhya Devi.

The Nilachal is also the abode of the Dasamahavidya or ten forms of the Goddess Uma. According to the Brihaddharma Purana, when Uma (Sati) wanted to attend her father Daksha's yajna (sacrifice) and Shiva forbade her, the ten different forms, the Dasamahavidya, came out of the third eye of Sati to frighten Shiva into granting consent. These different forms of the Mother Goddess, namely Kali, Tara, Mahavidya, Sodasi, Bhubanesvari, Bhairavi, Chinnamasta, Sundari, Bagalamukhi and Dhumavati are enshrined in different temples dedicated to her on the Nilachal. They contain no image and are known as Sakti peethas. The object of worship consist of a stone each moistened by a natural spring. According to the Pithanirnaya, the names of the Bhairavas associated with the Goddess Kamakhya are Umananda, Sivananda, Ramananda and Ravananda. The Nilachal Hill also has a number of temples dedicated to the different forms of Kamakhya's consort Siva. They are the Ghantakarna, Kedar Kshetra, Amratakesava, Kamesvara, Siddhesvara, and Kamalesvara. In the middle of the Brahmaputra river that flows beside the Nilachal, on the island of Bhasmachala (Ash Hill), are the shrine of Umananda, Haragauri and Chandrasekhara.

Thus, the abode of Kamakhya, at the Nilachal, became the centre of worship of the Mother Goddess in ancient Assam, a tradition that continues even today. The Temple received continuous royal patronage from pre-historic times up to the advent of the British. Along with the Goddess, her consort Shiva in form of Umananda situated at the peacock island amidst mighty river Brahmaputra is worshiped. The Temple sees a regular inflow of tourists every year from India and abroad including celebrities like Anil Ambani,Rani Mukherjee. There is a belief that newly weds must visit this Holy Shrine seeking Maa Kamahakya's blessings for marital bliss.The Kamakhya Temple has gained a worldwide repute due to its rich historical relevance,mysticism and uniqueness to have evolved as one of the most sought after pilgrims in the nation and worldwide.

There is a very special connect of mine with the Holy Shrine of Kamakhya as my mom seek blessings of Goddess Kamakhya and i was born :-) My life has been full of ups and downs but i am fortunate in a nation where female infanticide is common , my family wanted a daughter. With deepest gratitude i had pen down the following poem in honour of Maa Kamakhya _/\_

ODE TO DIVINELY DEITY-JAI MA KAMAKHYA_/\_

Jai Devi.....kare sabki aur jag ki raaksha.....

MA ki Mahima aapaar.......

Bhaktjan kare Jai Jai kar..............

Meri Ma ne mannat maangi thi godh main ek Beti..........

Dhanyabad Jai Ma Devi.....

Mujhe aapne diya aati sundar jeevandaan

Aur har janamdin jate karne Aapke Shubh Darshan....

Lekin isbar daud daudke Nilachal Parbat upar chadke,Ma ke Janam din par meri biniti aur mila nasseb main man chaaha Darshan.....

Kumari Puja Ho ya Sankranti...........

Ambubachi Mela mein bheed jaise-Himachal se leke Kanyakumari..........

Chaade Bhog aur bhi Bali..........

Dekha maine jab thi choti khoon se latpat bakri :-(

Kya maine khana uska maansh tyaag..........

Aur aankh bandh ki maine us chale purani vidhi..........

Sirf apna kartavyaa nivane ka socha aur ho usme siddhi..........

Bas Ma ke charan main aab ek hi iccha............

Woh hain Bharat Desh aur pure sansar main Aaman ki aasha...........!!(Composed by Ronmi dated September 2012-near Mom's birthday 11thSept)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• From The Earth-Illumination-Trumpets of Divinity's Home (Stories from the Indian Scriptures: the Puranas) by Sri Chinmoy
• The Holy Shrine of Kamakhya - Dharanikanta Devsharma
• http://www.kamakhyatourism.com/
• http://kamrup.nic.in/
• http://www.bangalinet.com/kamakhya.html

Advertising Mania :-)

"Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing but nobody else does." Steuart Henderson Britt (Marketing Management and Administrative Action)
On the contrary also, "Sometimes money spent on advertising is like winking at a gal in the dark.What's the use if she can’t even notice the efforts” :-)

Life is all about signs. Some see them & some don't. This well-researched, compiled & analyzed study shows us just how lesson-worthy our adverts are. And how sometimes, we are totally missing the point.

1. You can't eat chocolate unless you use all your 10 fingers & your entire face.

 

2. Girls want to achieve a hell of a lot of things, especially while they're on their periods.

3.  Gone are the days when moms hated washing your dirty clothes. Now moms just laaaaav it!

4. Mother daughter bonding is at its strongest while they both flaunt their hair or discuss effective shampoos.

5. Who said swapping phones can lead to confusion, loss of energy, time & can be really pissing off?  In fact, it strengthens bonds & cements mutual understanding between people. Now who would have thought that!

6. Every car is No.1, every goddamn car. So people, go buy all them cars.

7. Experts love their lab coats. They wear it all the fucking time. Because your trust is directly proportional to their lab coats.

8. One does not simply be happy with white teeth when you can have extra-white teeth.

9. You will impress the CEOs of this world if you apply skin whitening cream. CV? What is a CV? Qualification, go away!

10. Now why would a girl love a man with intelligence, wits & charm? Why? She would only respond to his deo. That’s just human nature, you know!

11. Having pan masala can make you buy cars, buildings, palaces & even countries.

12. Relief people! Our celebs are as normal as us! Kareena has serious dandruff issues, Katrina has dry hair problem, Shilpa has hairfall problems and Priyanka has oily skin. Joy to the world!

13. Your toothpaste has nothing except salt in it. You are brushing your teeth with nothing but salt. Salt is all you got.

14. Thums Up is always out of stock & you have to pull off weird stunts to get your hands on it. Because who wants to just walk up to the nearby store & ask for it?

15.  If your daughter is not ready to get married, take her to a jewellery store & that's all she'll want to do.

16. Always remember to close your door while brushing your teeth. Because curious TV reporters & their camera crews love storming into people's bathrooms at any given time.

17. Always keep your toilets squeaky clean unless you want a surprise toilet-check from your friendly  neighbourhood reporter & his crew. Also avoid looking like a Grizzly bear at all times.

18. Salman Khan can go all the way to the Swiss Alps wearing just a warmer and chappals. Dabang x 2400000000

19. You & your neighbour could have lots of things to fight about. But the greatest battle will be to out-do each other's super-whitest-white detergent.

20. If a stranger on a bench offers you chocolate, please don't question him. Take it & eat it. Maybe it's spiked but you never know.

21. The length of a car is measured by the number of 'A's in its name. Not baaaaaaaaaaaad.

22. SUVs are only meant to be driven on bad roads, high mountains and through deep water. And you better drive it like you're about to kill the big machine. Refrain from normal roads because then the car will run normally, nothing like you planned.

23. Parents can't enter their kids' electric bubbles unless they O-D on ice tea & remix.

24. And lastly, parental guidance. Stay away from mangoes. Because they make you want to say things & do things & *beep.*

Source: Inspired by this totally awesome Quora post

- See more at: http://www.scoopwhoop.com/story.aspx?menuid=2&contentid=70#sthash.gnwIXLgr.MiTxENR4.dpuf

21st Century PARVATI

First & Foremost  I would like to extend my BIG THANKS to one of my great true buddy SHIV SHANKAR in real and one of our random conversations resulted in penning down this article which took a while as I wanted to first visit Birth Place of Sati(Parvati is Sati's reincarnation) in the pure land of Kankhal close proximity to Haridwar.

I always keep telling Shiv, there might be millions of ShivBhakts in the planet but why am I queen of co-incidences (title given by Dear Maari who also bestowed on me BEGUM RON for my crazy fondness for Urdu & Nawaabs :-) So I was destined to visit birthplace of SATI(my Universe Mahadev’s first consort) and back of mind was the topic “21st Century Parvati” coined by Shiv meaning sarcastic title for girls seeking rich bloke for own easy secured reasons ahead.

Parvati  means 'of the hills' who is Sati’s reincarnation symbolizes “Eternal Love”. Sati sacrificed herself in the holy pyre as she could not bear insult of her Hubby Dearest, Lord of thy Universe Mahadev by her arrogant father Daksh Prajapati which led to the mass destruction around. Shiva picked up her lifeless corpse and wandered over the whole world, holding her aloft. Vishnu followed Shiva and taking his Sundersan Chakra , He cut off pieces of Sati’s body, limb by limb. Shiva realized that there was nothing more in his arms so retired to the mountain and went into deep penance refusing to meet anyone. Those places where Sati’s limbs had fallen came to be known as Shakti Peethas, where the power of the divine mother was most keenly felt. Later Parvati took rebirth and did not care about the hardships she had to face to get her true love-one & only Shiva and she worshipped for years to win His trust and love. 

Above mentioned is a brief backdrop of the eternal and purest form of Love story which has always inspired me till date but alas I can’t take such penance as Amarnath is out of reach for me and Marine Drive in Mumbai being total Mumbaikaar ain’t suitable, lol but jokes apart, i asked myself  is someone so worthy to undergo such sacrifice? Once one of my close school buddy Nilu bluntly said Parvati sacrificed immensely to please Lord Shiva and why is it that women always has to undergo all kinds of trial and tribulations to please a guy but now I got actual answer I was seeking for Nilu's sake. The guy was no ordinary one, it was Lord of this vast Universe Shiva who loved Sati truly,madly,deeply and Parvati was none other but Sati’s reincarnation. But Nilu’s thought provoking query is much valid in today’s era where Divorce and hitting court room seem like another mundane ordinary affair. Zero tolerance, will have it always my way kinda attitude and lack of compromise is resulting in lack of trust in sacred institution as marriage. If we always compare why me then road shall never reach the actual destination of Happiness but only obstacles of Ego will be loads on the path and instead of overcoming we succumb to most common route of Break Up.

Coming back to the real essence of 21st Century Parvati, I really don’t have the exact answer if it is appropriate to call a girl seeking only financial security and wanting only a  rich guy irrespective of the fact he respects her or not as some prefer the easy social butterfly tag and page 3 kinda lifestyle as perfect definition of today’s generation Parvati.  Or a girl who is super independent, breaking away from social norms and not comprising with any dumb head just to get the social status of Mrs in her twenties and ready to wait even post 40s to meet her Prince Charming and even better single and no strings attach with bindas attitude always? A homely naïve girl who is your mom’s choice but not yours and you decide to compromise to please your folks back home but carry on with extra marital affair with existing snooty girl friend? A girl struggling with daily affairs with zero savings as she is the only sole bread earner of her family and has to just forget the idea of meeting her Prince Charming and happily everafter ways as she has five younger siblings and ailing mother to look after?

I remember this interesting lady, Beauty Parlour owner i met recently who said nowadays if love is only not pure how can we expect materials like shakha pola bangles, sindoor that signifies the lifelong bond of marriage-a promise to be together not just this birth but seven births thereafter to be pure? Her comment made much sense to me so in nutshell, 21st Century Parvati is one who compliments her Shiva in every era of her existence.

"When a husband is happy, his wife will be fulfilled. If a husband is a thief, his wife will become one too. This is not a matter of this life alone. A husband and wife are as close as a form and shadows, flowers and fruit, or roots and leaves, in every existence of life. Insects eat the trees they live in, and fish drink the water in which they swim. If grasses wither, orchids grieve, if pine trees flourish, cypresses rejoice" In other words, two people stay together, share their lives or experience their combined karma together but they don't just get together randomly. Ideal relationship should be reciprocally be nourishing(Source- Article on Soulmate by Soka Gakkai International member)

P.S i want to leave the conclusion to the thinking minds of the readers..... And as in who fits perfectly under the title-21st Century Parvati? While breaking your heads you can also rewind yourself with the latest remix-HAR KISSIKO NAHIN MILTA YAHAN PYAR ZINDAGI MAIN.......!or i should also add SAACHA PYAR ISS ZINDAGI MAIN....!