The Legend and History of Kamakhya Shakti Peeth – Sacred Seat of the Divine Feminine
Table of Contents
1. The Origin of Shakti Peethas
The legend of the Shakti Peethas begins with the Daksha Yagna. When Goddess Sati, deeply hurt by the insult directed at her husband Shiva during the sacrificial ritual, immolated herself, Shiva was consumed by sorrow and rage. Carrying her lifeless body, he began a cosmic dance of destruction—Tandava.
To stop the destruction and restore cosmic balance, Lord Vishnu used his Sudarshan Chakra to cut Sati’s body into 51 pieces. These parts fell across the Indian subcontinent and gave rise to the 51 Shakti Peethas—sacred shrines where each part is worshipped. At every Shakti Peeth, Lord Shiva resides in the form of Bhairava, the divine guardian.
2. Birth of Kamakhya – The Supreme Shakti Peeth
The Yoni (womb) of Goddess Sati is believed to have fallen at Nilachal Hill in Kamarupa (present-day Assam), giving birth to the powerful Kamakhya Shakti Peeth, also known as Mahapeeth.
Among all Shakti Peethas, Kamakhya is considered the most supreme, holding a unique Tantric significance. Though the origin of the Peeth dates back to Satya Yuga, many of the ancient shrines faded into obscurity by the medieval period.
3. The Tantric Importance of Shakti Peeths
In the age of Kali (Kaliyuga), salvation is said to be impossible without embracing Tantra Sadhana. Shakti Peeths are the most appropriate places for such practices. The Goddess, in her compassion, began revealing the sacred Peethas one by one again, thus reopening the spiritual path for seekers.
4. Narakasura and the Lost Wedding Proposal
As per Kalika Purana, during the Treta Yuga, Narakasura, son of Varaha (an incarnation of Vishnu), became the ruler of Kamarupa. Lord Vishnu advised him to remain devoted to Kamakhya. As long as he followed this, his reign remained peaceful.
Later, influenced by Banasura, Narakasura turned rogue and even proposed marriage to Goddess Kamakhya. The Goddess agreed but put forth a condition: he had to build temples, ghats, stairways, and paths across Nilachal Hill in a single night.
With the help of the divine architect Vishwakarma, Narakasura nearly completed the task. But the Goddess, using her Maya (illusion), made a rooster crow early—signaling dawn. Thus, Naraka failed and the marriage never happened.
Today, the stone pathway leading up to the temple is still known as Narakasura Path, though the main sanctum is called Kamadeva’s Temple, with no direct link to Narakasura.
5. The Curse of Sage Vashistha and the Disappearance of the Peeth
When Narakasura's atrocities began to disturb the divine order, Sage Vashistha cursed the region, leading to the disappearance of Kamakhya Peeth. Between the 7th and 12th centuries CE, copper plate inscriptions of the Kamarupa kings make no mention of Kamakhya Devi.
However, during the reigns of Vanamala and Indrapala, references to Kameshwar and Mahagauri appear, suggesting a veiled form of worship during the shrine’s obscured period.
6. Rediscovery by King Viswa Singha
In the early 16th century, King Viswa Singha of the Koch dynasty was waging a unification campaign across Kamarupa. Once, while searching for lost companions, he reached Nilachal Hill and encountered a mystical old woman near a banyan tree.
She gave him water and told him about a sacred site worshipped by local Koch women, involving feminine offerings and sacrifices. When Viswa Singha prayed there for his friends’ return, they miraculously appeared.
Convinced of the site’s power, he vowed to build a gold temple if his reign remained peaceful. Peace did return, and his scholars confirmed the spot as the original Kamakhya Peeth.
7. Reconstruction by King Naranarayan and Chilarai
Viswa Singha ordered the excavation of the site. Upon digging, they discovered the base of an ancient temple built by Kamadeva himself. Instead of using gold entirely, bricks were made containing a grain of gold in each.
After his death, the temple was destroyed by invader Kalapahar. Later, in 1565 CE, Viswa Singha’s son King Naranarayan and his brother Chilarai reconstructed the present-day Kamakhya Temple. Their twin statues still stand inside the temple facing the sanctum.
8. The Devotion of Priest Kendukalai
To ensure proper worship, Naranarayan appointed a devout Brahmin named Kendukalai. It is said that when he rang the bell during the evening aarti, the Goddess would appear and dance in divine ecstasy.
When the king wished to witness this, Kendukalai reluctantly allowed him to peek through a window. The Goddess, displeased at this breach of privacy, beheaded Kendukalai and cursed the royal lineage.
9. The Curse on the Koch Dynasty
The curse declared that no male from the Koch royal family would ever look upon Nilachal Hill again. If they did, their heads would fall off. To this day, Koch dynasty males avoid facing Kamakhya Hill, and over time, their involvement in temple worship ceased.
10. Rise of the Ahom Kings and the Parvatiya Gosains
Around a century later, the area fell under the control of the Ahom dynasty. They invited a Shakta Tantric priest from Nabadwip (Nadia) and appointed him as Rajguru. These priests, called Parvatiya Gosains, revived the lost tantric practices of Kamakhya.
King Shiv Singh, the first Ahom ruler initiated into Shaktism, donated numerous lands and ensured the temple’s full restoration.
11. Modern Worship at Kamakhya Temple
Today, Kamakhya Temple stands as a major pilgrimage and Tantric center. The rituals, temple management, and offerings follow the system established by the Parvatiya Gosains and the Ahom kings. The temple is most famous for the Ambubachi Mela, celebrating the menstruation cycle of the Goddess—a unique festival representing divine feminine power.
Conclusion
The Kamakhya Shakti Peeth is not just a temple—it is a timeless confluence of devotion, Tantra, mythology, and mysticism. From the sorrow of Shiva to the wisdom of sages, and the valor of kings to the fierce power of the Goddess, Kamakhya embodies the sacred feminine energy that nurtures, protects, and liberates.
Curse &boon stories. indian mythology stories from Shrikant Vishwakarma's blog post. Indian mythology stories in English. indian best mythology stories. Story credit by: Pandit Padmnaabh Bhattacharya.
Hindi Roman . Maa Kamaykhya Shaktipeeth katha.
The Legend and History of Kamakhya Shakti Peeth – Sacred Seat of the Divine Feminine
Table of Contents
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Shakti Peethon ka Udbhav
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Kamakhya ka Janm – Param Shakti Peeth
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Shakti Peethon ka Tantrik Mahatva
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Narakasur aur Khatm Hua Vivaah Prastav
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Rishi Vashishth ka Shraap aur Peeth ka Ghaib Hona
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Raja Viswa Singha Dwara Punaah Khoj
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Raja Naranarayan aur Chilarai Dwara Punaah Nirman
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Pujari Kendukalai ki Bhakti
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Koch Vansh par Shraap
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Ahom Rajao aur Parvatiya Gosainon ka Uday
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Aadhunik Kamakhya Mandir Mein Pooja
1. Shakti Peethon ka Udbhav
Shakti Peethon ki kahani Daksha Yagya se shuru hoti hai. Jab Mata Sati apne pati Shiv ke apmaan se dukhi hokar swayam ko agni mein samarpit kar leti hain, tab Shiv gusse aur dukh se tandav karne lagte hain.
Srishti ko vinaash se bachane ke liye, Bhagwan Vishnu ne Sudarshan Chakra se Sati ke shareer ko 51 tukdon mein kaat diya. Yeh tukde Bharatvarsh mein alag-alag sthalon par gire aur wahaan 51 Shakti Peethon ka srijan hua. Pratyek Peeth par Bhagwan Shiv Bhairav ke roop mein sansthit hain.
2. Kamakhya ka Janm – Param Shakti Peeth
Mata Sati ka yoni (garbh) Nilachal Parvat par, jo ki aaj ke Assam mein sthit hai, gira tha.
Yahi se Kamakhya Shakti Peeth, yaani Mahapeeth ka udgam hua.
Sabhi Shakti Peethon mein Kamakhya ko sabse mahan aur Tantrik drishti se vishesh maana jaata hai.
Yeh Peeth Satya Yuga se hai, lekin madhyakalin kaal mein iska prachin roop dhundhla pad gaya tha.
3. Shakti Peethon ka Tantrik Mahatva
Kaliyug mein moksha ke liye Tantra Sadhana anivaarya maana gaya hai. Shakti Peeth in sadhanaon ke liye sarvashreshth sthal hain.
Mata ne apni kripa se ek-ek karke in pavitra Peethon ko punah pragat karna shuru kiya, jisse sadhakon ke liye marg prashast hua.
4. Narakasur aur Khatm Hua Vivaah Prastav
Kalika Purana ke anusar, Treta Yuga mein Varaha avatar ke putra Narakasura Kamarupa ka raja bana.
Bhagwan Vishnu ne usse Kamakhya Devi ki bhakti karne ko kaha tha. Jab tak usne bhakti ki, uska shasan shantipurn raha.
Banasura ke prabhav mein aakar, Narakasura durachari ban gaya aur Kamakhya Devi se vivaah ka prastav rakha.
Devi ne shart rakhi: ek raat mein Nilachal Parvat par mandir, ghaat, seedhiyan aur path nirmit karne honge.
Vishwakarma ke sahayata se Narakasura kareeb kareeb kaam poora kar hi leta, lekin Devi ne Maya se ek murge ko pehle hi baang dene ko majboor kiya, jisse subah hone ka sanket mila. Narakasura asafal raha, aur vivaah nahi ho saka.
Aaj bhi mandir tak jaane wala path Narakasura Path ke naam se jaana jaata hai.
5. Rishi Vashishth ka Shraap aur Peeth ka Ghaib Hona
Jab Narakasura ke atyachar badhne lage, to Rishi Vashishth ne Kamarupa ko shraapit kar diya, jisse Kamakhya Peeth antardhyan ho gaya.
7vi se 12vi sadi tak ke Kamarupa rajao ke tamrapat mein Kamakhya Devi ka koi ullekh nahi milta.
Lekin Vanamala aur Indrapala ke samay mein Kameshwar aur Mahagauri ka naam milta hai, jo chhupi hui pooja paddhati ka sanket deta hai.
6. Raja Viswa Singha Dwara Punaah Khoj
16vi sadi ke prarambh mein, Koch vansh ke Raja Viswa Singha ne Kamarupa mein apni vijay yatra ke dauraan Nilachal Parvat par ek vriddh aurat se bhent ki.
Us aurat ne unhe jal diya aur ek gupt sthaan ka pata diya jahan sthaniya mahilayen Devi ki pooja aur bali deti thi.
Viswa Singha ne wahaan prarthana ki, aur unke kho gaye sathi vaapas aa gaye.
Is chamatkar se prabhavit hokar, unhone vachan diya ki agar unka rajya shantipurn raha to wahaan ek sone ka mandir banwayenge. Aur fir us sthal ko asli Kamakhya Peeth ke roop mein pehchaan diya gaya.
7. Raja Naranarayan aur Chilarai Dwara Punaah Nirman
Raja Viswa Singha ke aadesh par jab khudai hui, to Kamadeva ke banaye hue prachin mandir ka aadhaar mila.
Poore sone se mandir banana kathin tha, isliye har eent mein ek kan sone ka mila diya gaya.
Viswa Singha ke mrityu ke baad, invader Kalapahar ne mandir ko tod diya.
1565 mein, Raja Naranarayan aur Chilarai ne aaj ke Kamakhya Mandir ka punarnirman kiya. Un dono ki murtiyan aaj bhi mandir ke andar pratisthit hain.
8. Pujari Kendukalai ki Bhakti
Raja Naranarayan ne Kendukalai naam ke ek atyant bhakt Brahman ko mandir ka mukhya pujari banaya.
Yeh kaha jaata hai ki jab Kendukalai sandhya aarti mein ghanti bajate the, to Devi swayam pragat hokar nritya karti thi.
Raja ke anurodh par jab Kendukalai ne unhe ek jharokhe se jhankne diya, to Devi krodhit ho gayi aur Kendukalai ka sheersh kaat diya.
Saath hi Koch vansh ko bhi shraapit kar diya.
9. Koch Vansh par Shraap
Devi ka shraap tha ki aage se koi bhi Koch vansh ka purush Nilachal Parvat ki or dekh nahi payega; agar dekha, to uska sheersh gir jayega.
Aaj tak Koch vansh ke log Kamakhya Pahar ki or nazar nahi uthate.
10. Ahom Rajao aur Parvatiya Gosainon ka Uday
Lagbhag ek shatabdi baad, Ahom vansh ka shasan Kamarupa mein sthapit hua.
Unhone Nabadwip se ek Shakta Tantrik pujari ko bulakar Rajguru banaya.
Inhe Parvatiya Gosain kaha gaya. Inhone Kamakhya mein prachin tantrik paddhatiyon ko punah jeevit kiya.
Raja Shiv Singh, pehle Ahom raja the jinhe Shakt dharm mein diksha mili thi, aur unhone mandir ke punarudhar mein mahatvapurn yogdan diya.
11. Aadhunik Kamakhya Mandir Mein Pooja
Aaj Kamakhya Mandir tantrik aur dharmik kendron mein ek mahatvapurn sthal hai.
Yahaan ki pooja paddhati, vyavastha aur bali parampara Parvatiya Gosain aur Ahom rajao ke dwara sthapit niyamon ka anukaran karti hai.
Mandir sabse adhik prasiddh hai Ambubachi Mela ke liye, jo Devi ke mahina aane (ritu chakra) ka utsav hai—yeh mahila shakti ka anokha utsav hai.
Conclusion
Kamakhya Shakti Peeth keval ek mandir nahi hai—yeh bhakti, tantra, puranik kahaniyon aur adhyatm ka ek amar sangam hai.
Chahe Shiv ka dukh ho, rishiyon ki pragya, rajao ka veerata, ya Devi ki aghor shakti—Kamakhya mein sab kuch samahit hai.
Yeh shuddh Naari Shakti ka jeevant pratik hai jo poshan, raksha aur mukti pradaan karti hai.
Story credit: Pandit Padmanaabh Bhattacharya
Presented from: Shrikant Vishwakarma's Blog: Curse & Boon Stories, Indian Mythology Stories in English.
