Kamakhya:   An   Introduction 

Located in the city of Guwahati in Assam, India (26.166426°N / 91.705509°E), the Kamakhya Temple, along with a network of temples dedicated to the Mahavidyas and other deities, denoted as the Kamakhya Temples’ Complex, is the world’s most important, revered, and vibrant site among the 51 Shakti Peethas.

The Kamakhya Temple is surrounded by the Temples and Peetha of the 7 Devis of the Dasa Mahavidyas (10 Great Goddesses), other Goddesses, Shivas, Ganeshas, Vishnu, other deities, and sacred sites scattered throughout the Kamakhya Temples’ Complex. It is interesting to note that, inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Kamakhya Temple, peethas of three Mahavidyas of the Dasa Mahavidyas are located, i.e. the third Mahavidya Tripura Sundari or Sodasi, the ninth Mahavidya Matangi, and the tenth Mahavidya Kamala. The Kamakhya Temples’ Complex is the only sacred site where Temples and Peetha of the Dasa Mahavidyas are located adjacent to each other.

The Structure and Geography of Kamakhya Temples’ Complex

The sacred site that is popularly known as Kamakhya, is actually a hill system comprising three segments (i.e. Brahma, Shiva, and Varaha hill), referred to in the scriptures mostly as Nilachal and in some scriptures as Kamagiri, Mahagiri, Kamakhya Yonimandala, and Kamakuta. Thus, the sacred landscape of the Kamakhya Temples’ Complex is a delicately conceptualized and interconnected network of peethas, shrines, sacred ponds, and other sacred sites, keeping Kamakhya Temple as the focal point.

There is no idol (Murti) in the sanctum sanctorum of the Kamakhya Temple; it is just a stone and flowing water. The peethas of the other Mahavidyas (except Goddess Tara), Shiva, and other Devi are similar in nature to the peetha of Devi Kamakhya.

Kamakhya as a Pilgrimage Center

Kamakhya as a pilgrimage center for Hindus, Buddhists, and practitioners of various streams of Tantrism has developed a uniquely syncretic religious culture. Millions of devotees from all over the world visit the Kamakhya Temples’ Complex every year.

History of Kamakhya Temples’ Complex

Mythology and Historical Significance

The history of the Kamakhya Temples’ Complex is obscure and mixed with oral history, mythology, and legends through the advent of the Koch Kingdom. The story of the creation of the Kamakhya Yoni Peetha or Kamakhya Yonimandala, and the story of Naraka (a king of Pragjyotispura) as mentioned in the Kalikapurana and Yoginitantra are significant. Apart from these texts, detailed references to the Kamakhya Temples’ Complex and its unique religious tradition can also be found in the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, Tantras, etc. Some references to the unique history and heritage of the Kamakhya Temples’ Complex can also be found in the works of various historians and scholars.

Rebuilding of Kamakhya Temple

Departments of geo-sciences and archaeology, along with several eminent scholars, have suggested that the Kamakhya Temple was originally constructed in the 8th century during the rule of the Pala dynasty in Kamrup. Sir Edward Gait, in his book A History of Assam, mentioned that the Kamakhya Temple was originally built during the 4th-5th century CE. Another suggestion evolved from radiocarbon isotope testing to determine the age of the main temple, with results indicating that the bottom layer of the temple is approximately 2200 years old, and the second layer is around 1500 years old. Thus, we may assume that Kamakhya Temple stood on this site as early as 200 BCE, with an attempt to rebuild it around 500 CE. The Kamakhya Temples’ Complex is mentioned as a famed pilgrimage center in the 8th century Hevajra Tantra, the 9th century Kalikapurana, the 16th century Yogini Tantra, and the 16th Century Kamakhya Tantra.

King Bishwasingha (1515–1540 CE) rebuilt the Kamakhya Temple. Some historians assume that the Kamakhya Temple, rebuilt by King Bishwasingha, was destroyed by the invading Muslim commander Kalapahar in 1553 CE, during his crusade against Hindu temples. After the destruction, King Naranarayana (1540–1587 CE) began rebuilding the present Kamakhya Temple in 1555 A.D., completing the work in 1565 CE.