Kamakhya Temple

KAMAKHYA TEMPLE
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The Kamakhya Temple, also Kamrup-Kamakhya is a Hindu temple
dedicated to the mother goddess Kamakhya. It is one of the oldest
temple of the 51 Shakti Pithas.
• Address: Situated on the Nilachal or kamagiri Hill in western

part of Guwahati city in Assam, India.
It is about 800 feet from sea level.
• Build: 1565
• Primary deity: Kamakhya
• Architectural styles: Nilachal type (Nagara style)
• Number of temples: 6
• Function: Hindu Temple
• The Ambubachi Mela at Kamakhya temple can be rightly
described as the Mahakumbh of East.
east
• it is the main temple in a complex of individual temples
dedicated to the ten Mahavidyas – named as
Kali, Tara, Sodashi, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi, Chhinnamasta,
Dhumavati, Bagalamukhi, Matangi and Kamala.
• Among these, Tripurasundari, Matangi and Kamala reside
inside the main temple whereas the other seven reside in
individual temples.
• It is an important pilgrimage destination for general Hindu and
especially for Tantric worshipers.
• The current structural temple,
built and renovated many
times in the period 8th-17th
century, gave rise to a hybrid
indigenous style that is
sometimes called the Nilachal
type.
• The Nilachal type is a type of
temple architecture in Assam
that is characterized by a
bulbous polygonal dome over
a cruciform ratha type bada.
This hybrid style developed
first in the Kamakhya temple
on the Nilachal hills under
the Koch kingdom and
became popular as a style
later under the Ahom
kingdom.
Sketch of the temple
A temple with a
hemispherical dome on a
cruciform base. The temple
consists of four chambers:
garbhagriha and three
mandapas locally called
calanta, pancharatna and
natamandira aligned from
east to west.
• A temple with a hemispherical
dome on a cruciform base. The
temple consists of four chambers:
garbhagriha and three mandapas
locally called calanta, pancharatna
and natamandira aligned from east
to west.
North
• There are 3 gates to enter inside gate
the temple- no: 1
• Gate no: 1 (known as shakti-
smridhi dvara)
• Gate no: 2 (known as Moksha
dvara)
• Gate no: 3 (known as Anpurna
dvara from where food offered to
the goddes)
Gate no:2
Entrance
• To go inside the temple one has to wash their feet in the tank front of
north gate, then one go to lord Ganesh’s shrine and then enter inside
the temple.
North gate or
gate no: 1
Gate no: 2
Gate no: 3
Garbha Griha
• The inner sanctum, the garbhagriha, is
below ground level and consists of
no image but a rock fissure in the
shape of a yoni.
• The garbhagriha is small, dark and
reached by narrow steep stone steps.
• Inside the cave there is a sheet of
stone that slopes downwards from
both sides meeting in a yoni-like
depression some 10 inches deep.
• This hollow is constantly filled with
water from an underground perennial
spring.
• It is the vulva-shaped depression that
is worshiped as the goddess
Kamakhya herself and considered as
most important pitha (abode) of the
Devi.
• The garbhaghrihas of the other
temples in the Kamakhya complex
follow the same structure—a yoni-
shaped stone, filled with water and
below ground level.
Calanta
• The temple consists of three
additional chambers. The
first to the west is the
calanta, a square chamber of
type atchala (similar to the
1659 Radha-Vinod Temple
of Bishnupur).
• The entrance to the temple
is generally via its northern
door, that is of Ahom type
dochala.
Radha vinod temple, Bishnupur

Calanta
• It houses a small movable
idol of the Goddess, a
later addition, which
explains the name. The
walls of this chamber
contain sculpted images
of Naranarayana, related
inscriptions and other
gods. It leads into the
garbhagriha via
descending steps.
Sculpture of Natraj on the wall of Sculpture of Mahakali on the
calanta wall of calanta
Pancharatna
• The pancharatna to the west
of calanta is large and
rectangular with a flat roof
and five smaller shikharas
of the same style as the
main skhikara. The middle
shikhara is slightly bigger
than the other four.
Natamandir
• The natamandira extends
to the west of the
pancharatna with an
apsidal end and ridged
roof of the Ranghar type
Ahom style. Its inside
walls bear inscriptions
from Rajeswar Singha
(1759) and Gaurinath
Singha (1782), which
indicate the period this
structure was built.
Characterstics
• Though the lower portion is
of stone, the shikhara in the
shape of a polygonal beehive-
like dome is made of brick,
which is characteristic of
temples in Kamrup.
• The shikhara is circled by a
number of minaret
inspired angashikharas of
Bengal type charchala.
• The Shikhara, angashikharas
and other chambers were
built in the 16th century and
after.
Garbhagriha
On top of the plinths are dados from a later period which are of
the Khajuraho or the Central Indian type, consisting of sunken
panels alternating with pilasters.
Garbhagriha
• The garbhagriha has a
pancharatha plan that rests
on plinth moldings that are
similar to the Surya Temple
at Tezpur.
Surya Temple at Tezpur.

Ornamentation
Floral design on the back side of Sculpture on the back side of

the temple the temple
(Floral design) (Lions with mangalakalasa)
On the walls of the temple there are so many
sculptures carved of god and goddess.
Sculpture on the wall of Pancharatna
and Natamandir
Figure 1(Bhairava) Figure 2 (Bhairava) Figure 3 (Vinadhara) Figure 4 (Gauri)

Sculpture on the wall of Pancharatna
and Natamandir
Figure 5 (female divinity) Figure 6 (Meditative woman) Figure 7 (Mother & Child)
Sculpture on the wall of temple
Spire of temple
• Spire of this temple
contains kalasha and
finial.
Water drainage from roof
Worship
• It is likely that this is an ancient Khasi sacrificial site, and worshiping here still
includes sacrifices. Devotees come every morning with goats to offer to Shakti.
• The Kalika Purana, an ancient work in Sanskrit describes Kamakhya as the yielder
of all desires, the young bride of Shiva, and the giver of salvation. Shakti is known
as Kamakhya.
Worship
• Lord Ganesh and devi murti at the back
side of the temple here people ask for
desires in the ear of the goddess.
• The panels have delightful sculptured
Ganesha and other Hindu gods and
goddesses.
Place at the back where people

sacrifice
History
• The first epigraphic notice of Kamakhya is found in the 9th-century Tezpur
plates of Vanamalavarmadeva of theMlechchha dynasty.
• Since the archaeological evidence too points to a massive 8th-9th century
temple, it can be safely assumed that the earliest temple was constructed
during the Mlechchha dynasty.
• From the moldings of the plinth and the bandhana, the original temple was
clearly of Nagara type, possibly of the Malava style.
• The later Palas of Kamarupa kings, from Indra Pala to Dharma Pala, were
followers of the Tantrik tenet and about that period Kamakhya had become
an important seat of Tantrikism.
• The Kalika Purana (10th century) was composed and Kamakhya soon
became a renowned centre of Tantrik sacrifices, mysticism and sorcery.
• There is a tradition that the temple was destroyed by Kalapahar, a general
of Sulaiman Karrani (1566–1572). Since the date of reconstruction (1565)
precedes the possible date of destruction, and since Kalapahar is not known
to have ventured so far to the east, it is now believed that the temple was
destroyed not by Kalapahar but during Hussein Shah's invasion of the
Kamata kingdom (1498).
• There is a tradition that the temple was destroyed by
Kalapahar, a general of Sulaiman Karrani (1566–1572). Since
the date of reconstruction (1565) precedes the possible date of
destruction, and since Kalapahar is not known to have
ventured so far to the east, it is now believed that the temple
was destroyed not by Kalapahar but during Hussein Shah's
invasion of the Kamata kingdom (1498).
• Banerji (1925) records that this structure was further built over
by the rulers of the Ahom kingdom.
• According to historical records and epigraphic evidence, the
main temple was rebuilt by Chilarai using the available stone
ruins,[26] with the brick dome being an innovation. The
current final structure has been rebuilt during the Ahom times

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Kamakhya Temple

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KAMAKHYA TEMPLE

• Address: Situated on the Nilachal or kamagiri Hill in western

Radha vinod temple, Bishnupur

Surya Temple at Tezpur.

Floral design on the back side of Sculpture on the back side of

Figure 1(Bhairava) Figure 2 (Bhairava) Figure 3 (Vinadhara) Figure 4 (Gauri)

Place at the back where people

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