Kamakhya Temple sitting on top of Nilanchal hill is the most important Shaktipeetha in the whole of India. We know, there are many Shaktipeethas spread across the length and breadth of Bharat – the region that lies between the Himalayas and the three oceans.
Kamakhya Shaktipeetha
Shaktipeethas takes us back to the story of Sati, daughter of Daksha Prajapati and wife of Shiva. She immolated herself in the yagna organized by her father at Kankhal, as she could not take her husband’s insult. Shiva in his anger destroyed the yagna and carried the body of Sati on his shoulders. To pacify him, so that the world is not destroyed, Vishnu cut her body using his Chakra.
Wherever her body parts fell became a Shaktipeetha, as a part of Shakti resides there. Different scriptures give us different lists of Shaktipeethas. They number anywhere from 4 to 108. Adi Shankracharya wrote a stotra mentioning 18 of them. No matter which list you refer to Kamakhya is always there.
This is the place where the Yoni or Vagina of Sati fell. We know that this is a reproductive organ, the part capable of giving birth to a new life. So, this represents the creative power of Shakti – making it the most powerful and venerated place of all. No wonder it has a deep association with fertility as well as Tantra.
Legend of Kamakhya Temple
Being an ancient temple, this temple has lots of legends associated with it.
Region Kamrupa extended between Karatoa and Dikkarbhashini. The district here is still named so. It was divided into four regions, one of which is Kamapeetha, located between rivers Swarnakosha and Rupika. Kamakhya is the presiding goddess of this region.
Pragjyotishpur is another ancient name that finds mentioned in the scriptures.
The name Kamakhya literally means the Goddess of Desire. It is said that Kamadeva, the lord of Kama or desire had initially built this temple. He was once burnt to ashes by Shiva when he tried to play cupid between him and Parvati. He meditated here till he regained his former beautiful form and built a temple to Kamakhya Devi with the help of Vishwakarma.
Narkasur whom Sri Krishna killed to save 16,000 women, was king of this place. It is believed that Devi appeared before Narkasur and he desired her. To dissuade him, Devi asked him to build four stone…
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