The Ambubachi Mela – A fertility festival in the Hindu religion

The Ambubachi Mela in Guwahati is celebrated every year during the monsoon season, the month of June. The Ambubachi Mela is celebrated in Guwahati, Assam, India. The Ambubachi Mela is the most important festival of the Kamakhya Temple of Guwahati. The Ambubachi is a ritual of accesses observed with “Tantrik means”.



The Ambubachi Puja marks the yearly menstruation course of mother Kamakhya. It is believed that during the monsoon rains the creative and nurturing power of the ‘menses’ of Mother Earth becomes accessible to devotees at this site during the mela. The four day period is very auspicious for tantrik cults, who observe tough penance to gain Siddhis at this time. During the Ambubachi Mela in Guwahati, the doors of the Kamakhya Temple remain closed for three days. It is believed that the Mother Earth becomes unclean for three days. During this time any kind of farming work is not taken on. Daily worships and other religious performances are also stopped during the Ambubachi Mela of Guwahati in Assam.

People in large numbers wait outside the temple on the fourth day, when the temple will be opened. Sanyasins and Pandas from around the country assemble at the Kamakhya temple during this period. Large number of devotees make a mad rush when the temple reopens to receive the unique ‘prasad’ which is small bits of cloth, which is supposedly moist with the menstrual fluid of Goddess Kamakhya. It is considered highly auspicious and powerful.

In 2015, the beginning date of Ambubachi Mela is June 22 and the festival ends on June 26.

Shiva Tandava – A vigorous dance

Shiva’s Tandava is described as a vigorous dance that is the source of the cycle of creation, preservation and dissolution.Shiva Tandava Stotram is a stotra, hymn of praise in the Hindu tradition that describes Shiva’s power and beauty.It is believed that Lord Shiva is the king of all dancers. He was an expert in the thandava style of dancing.

“Shiva Tandava”

Jatatavee gala jjala pravaha pavitha sthale,
Gale avalabhya lambithaam bhujanga thunga malikaam,
Dama ddama dama ddama ninnadava damarvayam,
Chakara chanda thandavam thanothu na shiva shivam.

Jata kataha sambhramabrama nillimpa nirjari,
Vilola veechi vallari viraja mana moordhani,
Dhaga dhaga daga jjwala lalata patta pavake,
Kishora Chandra shekare rathi prathi kshanam mama.

Dara darendra nandini vilasa bhandhu bhandura,
Sphuradigantha santhathi pramodha mana manase,
Krupa kadaksha dhorani niruddha durdharapadi,
Kwachi digambare mano vinodhamethu vasthuni.

Jada bhujanga pingala sphurath phana mani prabha,
Kadamba kumkuma drava praliptha digwadhu mukhe,
Madhandha sindhura sphurathwagu utthariya medhure,
Mano vinodhamadhbutham bibarthu bhootha bharthari.

Sahasra lochana prabhoothyasesha lekha shekhara,
Prasoona dhooli dhorani vidhu sarangri peedabhu,
Bhujangaraja Malaya nibhadha jada jhootaka,
Sriyai chiraya jayatham chakora bandhu shekhara.

Lalata chathwara jwaladhanam jaya sphulingabha,
Nipeetha pancha sayagam saman nilimpanayakam,
Sudha mayookha lekhaya virajamana shekharam,
Maha kapali sampade, siro jadalamasthu na.

Karala bhala pattika dhagadhaga jjwala,
Ddhanam jayahuthi krutha prachanda pancha sayage ,
Dharadharendra nandhini kuchagra chithrapathraka,
Prakalpanaika shilpini, trilochane rather mama.

Naveena megha mandali nirudha durdharath sphurath,
Kahoo niseedhi neethama prabhandha bandha kandhara,
Nilimpa nirjari darsthanothu kruthi sindhura,
Kala nidhana bandhura sriyam jagat durandhara.

Prafulla neela pankaja prapancha kalima prabha,
Valambhi kanda kanthali ruchi prabandha kandharam,
Smarschidham puraschidham bhavaschidham makhachidham,
Gajachidandakachidham tham anthakachidham bhaje.

Agarva sarva mangalaa kalaa kadamba manjari,
Rasa pravaha madhuri vijrumbha mana madhu vrtham,
Suranthakam, paranthakam, bhavanthakam, makhandakam,
Gajandhakandhakandakam thamanthakanthakam bhaje.

Jayathwadhabra vibramadbujaamga maswasath,
Vinirgamath, kramasphurath, karala bhala havya vat,
Dhimi dhimi dhimi dhwanan mrudanga thunga mangala,
Dhwani karma pravarthitha prachanda thandawa shiva.

Drusha dwichi thra thalpayor bhujanga moukthika srajo,
Garishta rathna loshtayo suhrudhwi paksha pakshayo,
Trunara vinda chakshusho praja mahee mahendrayo,
Samapravarthika kadha sadashivam bhajamyaham.

Kada nilampa nirjaree nikunja kotare vasan,
Vimuktha durmathee sada sirasthanjaleem vahan,
Vilola lola lochano lalama bhala lagnaka,
Shivethi manthamucharan kada sukhee bhavamyaham.

Imam hi nithya meva muktha muthamothamam sthavam,
Padan, smaran broovan naro vishudhimethi santhatham,
Hare Gurou subhakthimasu yathi nanyadha gatheem,
Vimohinam hi dehinaam sushakarasya chithanam.

Poojavasana samaye dasa vakhra geetham,
Ya shambhu poojana param padthi pradhoshe,
Thasya sthiraam radha gajendra thuranga yuktham,
Lakshmeem sadaiva sumukheem pradadathi shambu.

Ithi Ravana krutham,
Shiva thandava stotram,
Sampoornam

A mermaid – JalPari

JalPari is a Hindi word formed by two Hindi words ‘jal’ means water and ‘pari’ means fairy. Jalpari is also known as Mermaid in English. A mermaid (Jalpari) is a legendary aquatic creature with the upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. The word mermaid-Jalpari is a compound of the Old English sea, and a girl or young woman.

Makar Sankranti – A harvest festival

On January 14 every year, we celebrate Makar Sankranti. It is the only Indian festival celebrated on a fixed calendric day of the solar calendar. All other Indian festivals are celebrated as per the lunar calendar, which make their days of celebration on the solar calendar vary every year. Makara Sankrantiis a Hindu festival celebrated in almost all parts of India and Nepal in a myriad of cultural forms. It is a harvest festival.

Makar Sankranti has an astrological significance, as the sun enters the Capricorn (Sanskrit: Makara) zodiac constellation on that day. This date remains almost constant with respect to the Gregorian calendar. However, precession of the Earth’s axis causes Makara Sankranti to move over the ages. A thousand years ago, Makara Sankranti was on 31 December and is now on 14 January. According to calculations, from 2050 Makar Sankranti will fall on 15 January.