GUWAHATI: Eunuchs from different parts of the country come every year to the Ambubachi Mela held at the Kamakhya Devalaya in Guwahati, Assam. They come here in groups and perform various rituals and religious ceremonies in and around the Nilachal Hills.
A group of eunuchs has drawn the attention of the media and the people alike with their dance and devotion during this Ambubachi Mahayog. The Ambubachi Mahayog this year is from 22nd June to 26th June.
The eunuchs performed a midnight Mahakaal Yagna just before the start of Ambubachi Mahayog. Under the leadership of Ma Bhawani and Aghori Guru Manikandan, the yagna was organised at the cremation ground near the Bagala Mandir.
There may be multiple reasons for performing a yagna, but, primarily it is for getting more spiritual and tantric powers and following an age-old tradition. “This is about our recognition and our identity. We have been coming to Kamakhya for a long time now and our rituals have been derived from tradition. We like it here in Kamakhya. After coming here, it feels like a family,” said Ma Bhawani, one of the leaders.
The eunuchs have come from cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and other places of Bihar, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
“We have to come to meet our mother. When the mother calls, we come here,” said one eunuch from Bihar.
Residents of Kamakhya witness new trends and changes every year during the Ambubachi Mela. They feel that the increase in footfall is due to better facilities and improved communication over the years for the Mela.
“There has been a rise in the number of eunuchs arriving at the Kamakhya Devalaya and also the number of sadhus and sanyasis has grown manifold. A lot may be because of the increase and improvement of facilities in and around the Nilachal Hills and also due to the popularity of the Ambubachi Mela,” said Mitu Sarma, a resident of Kamakhya.
