Kulachara Tantra Marga

[Specific elements of the Kulachara Tantra Marga practiced at the Kamakhya are not disclosed to public, thus only a general overview is given below. Initiation (Diksha) under the Guru of the lineage is the primary criteria for becoming a Kaul (member) of the Kulachara Tantra Marga of Kamakhya]

The Kulacara Tantra Marga of Kamakhya has evolved under the Vamachara Tantra as an unique tantra tradition and taken shape as a unique Shakta tradition and is the only surviving Tantra Magra in the world in its purest form. The Kulacara Tantra Marga of Kamakhya which is also called as Yogini Kaula is a complex mixture of Hindu, Buddhists and contribution of practitioners of various streams of Tantrism influenced by indigenous Tibeto-Mongoloid, Austro-Asiatic, Tibeto-Burman, Chino-Tibetian, Dravidian elements for thousands of years. The Kulachara Tantra Marga and the lineage (Kula) is confined only to Kamakhya.

The teachings, rituals and techniques of the Kulacara Tantra Marga of Kamakhya have been very carefully kept as guarded secret by the Sadhakas (male initiates) / Sadhikas (female initiates) till date. The tradition runs through the system of Guru-Shishya Parampara (teacher-student tradition) and most of the knowledge and technique is passed down orally to an initiate by the Guru (teacher).

The women are an inseparable part of the Kulacara Tantra Marga and holds higher position than their male counterparts and respected as the form of Shakti (Devi). The women play the most significant part and takes leading role in the rituals performed according to the teaching and techniques of Kulacara Tantra Marga. The puja / rituals of the Kulacara Tantra Marga are performed very secretly and non-initiates (also from Kamakhya) are not allowed to participate.

The Raja-Rajeswari Puja performed during Chaitra Navaratra (Spring Navaratra) for 15 days is the principal puja & ritual of the initiates of Kulacara Tantra Marga of Kamakhya. In the rituals performed during Chaitra Navaratra (Spring Navaratra) initiates of Kamakhya participate. The puja / rituals of Raja-Rajeswari Puja are performed behind closed doors and non-initiates (also from Kamakhya) are not allowed to participate in these rituals.

More interestingly, in the Kulacara Tantra Marga there is no discrimination of caste or gender. Any person belonging to any caste can receive initiation from his/her Guru and after going through the process of initiation all caste gets merged into a single stream called Sadhaka (male initiate) / Sadhika (female initiate) and no discrimination between Brahmin, Kayastha, Baishya, Shudra, etc. are made. Every initiate irrespective of their caste gets the right to participate in the rituals taught by the Guru.  

Moreover, in all the temples of the Kamakhya Temples’ Complex, the puja / rituals / festivals are performed or observed according to the systems and guidelines prescribed by the Kulacara Tantra Marga.

The Kulacara Tantra Marga has made significant contribution towards compilation of some very important text on Tantra. The most important contributions are the following compilations-

• Kalika Purana
• Yogini Tantra
• Gavaksha
• Vrihad Gavaksha
• Matsyasukta
• Kamakhya Tantra
• Kameswara Tantra
• Hara-Gauri Samvada
• Kamaratna Tantra
• Kamakhyaguhyasiddhi
• Kamarupayatrapaddhati
• Kamrupiya Nibandha Tantra

The teachings, rituals, techniques, Guru-Shishya Parampara of the Kulacara Tantra Marga are the most closely guarded secrets of the Kamakhya system and at any cost or circumstances the same will not be exposed to outsiders and at the same time no information whatsoever will be disclosed to outsiders