Amati, also known as Ambuvachi, is a ritual followed in Kamrup and Goalpara regions in Western Assam. It is an ancient fertility cult and also incorporated into the mother godness cult as Kamakhya as its centre. [1]
Kamrup or Kamarupa is the modern region situated between two rivers, the Manas and the Barnady in Western Assam, congruent to ancient "Kamapitha", "Kamarupa Mandala" of Pragjyotisha Bhukti, medieval "Sarkar Kamrup" and modern "Undivided Kamrup district", though historian Dinesh Chandra Sircar suspects Kamapitha division as fabrications from late medieval times.
Goalpara region, largely congruous to the historical undivided Goalpara district, is a region that is associated with the people and culture of Goalpara. It is bounded on the north by Bhutan, on the east by the Kamrup region, in the south by Meghalaya and in the west by Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri in West Bengal and Rangpur in Bangladesh. The natural landmarks are: Sankosh and Brahmaputra rivers on the west, the Manas river on the east in the north bank, and a corresponding region in the south bank; the Garo Hills in the south and Bhutan Hills in the north.
Kamakhya, also known as Siddha Kubjika, is an important Hindu Tantric goddess of desire who evolved in the Himalayan hills. She is worshiped as Siddha Kubjika, and is also identified as Kali and Maha Tripura Sundari. According to the Tantric texts that are the basis for her worship at the Kamakhya temple, a 16th-century temple in the Kamrup district of Assam. The earlier manifest of the goddess sanctified at the Garo hills is destroyed, although the Vatsayana priests are said to have carried away the manifest of the goddess to the Hindu kingdom in Kashmir and later sanctified in a remote hill forest in Himachal. Her name means "renowned goddess of desire," and she resides at the presently rebuilt Kamakhya Temple in 1645 C. The temple is primary amongst the 51 Shakti Peethas related to the sect that follows Sati, and remains one of the most important Shakta temples and Hindu pilgrimage sites in the world.
By tradition, during ritual days mother earth is believed passing through menstrual period and thus to be in an unclean state. Hence on those days farmers would not till the soil or plant any seeds. Orthodox widows and Brahmins abstain from any food except fruits. All household article are believed to contact uncleanliness and go through a cleaning operation as Amati period is over.
Brahmin is a varna (class) in Hinduism specialising as priests, teachers (acharya) and protectors of sacred learning across generations.
The idea of earth's menstruation is symbolic of the belief in her productive capacity which naturally activated after the onset of the wet weather. [2]
The end of Amati days is celebrated with a fair known as "Ambuvachi Mela" in Kamakhya Temple complex and opening of main doors of temple after brief closure during Amati days.
The Kamakhya Temple also known as Kamrup-Kamakhya temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the mother goddess Kamakhya. It is one of the oldest of the 51 Shakti Pithas. Situated on the Nilachal Hill in western part of Guwahati city in Assam, India, it is the main temple in a complex of individual temples dedicated to the ten Mahavidyas of Saktism : Kali, Tara, Sodashi, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi, Chhinnamasta, Dhumavati, Bagalamukhi, Matangi and Kamalatmika. 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 Hindus and especially for Tantric worshipers. A scholarly study of the Kamakhya Temple was authored by Kali Prasad Goswami.
Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals that formed an integral part of ancient Egyptian society. It centered on the Egyptians' interaction with many deities believed to be present in, and in control of, the world. Rituals such as prayer and offerings were provided to the gods to gain their favor. Formal religious practice centered on the pharaoh, the rulers of Egypt, believed to possess a divine power by virtue of their position. They acted as intermediaries between their people and the gods, and were obligated to sustain the gods through rituals and offerings so that they could maintain maat, the order of the cosmos. The state dedicated enormous resources to Egyptian rituals and to the construction of the temples.
Ritual purification is the purification ritual prescribed by a religion by which a person about to perform some ritual is considered to be free of uncleanliness, especially prior to the worship of a deity, and ritual purity is a state of ritual cleanliness. Ritual purification may also apply to objects and places. Ritual uncleanliness is not identical with ordinary physical impurity, such as dirt stains; nevertheless, body fluids are generally considered ritually unclean.
In Judaism, ritual washing, or ablution, takes two main forms. A tevilah (טְבִילָה) is a full body immersion in a mikveh, and a netilat yadayim which is the washing of the hands with a cup.
Nagaon is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India.
Dhubri (Assamese:ধুবৰী) is the headquarter of Dhubri district (Assam) India. It is an old town on the bank of the Brahmaputra river, with historical significance. In 1883, the town was first constituted as a Municipal Board under British regime. It is situated about 277.4 kilometres (172 mi) west from Dispur, the state capital of Assam.
Culture and menstruation is about cultural aspects surrounding how society views menstruation. A "menstrual taboo" is any social taboo concerned with menstruation. In some societies it involves menstruation being perceived as unclean or embarrassing, inhibiting even the mention of menstruation whether in public or in private. Many traditional religions consider menstruation ritually unclean, although anthropologists point out that the concepts 'sacred' and 'unclean' may be intimately connected.
Batsor, also Batshar and Batchar is a village in Nalbari district of Western Assam. It is surrounded by villages of Belsor, Churchuri and Goalpara.
Thiên Y A Na is a Vietnamese goddess. She is worshipped in the Vietnamese folk religion and Đạo Mẫu, the mother goddess religion. She is also known as Lady Po Nagar, the Cham deity from whom she originated. The Cham people of Vietnam had been much influenced by India, and it is believed that Pô Nagar is represented with the characteristics of Bhagavati Uma. The cult of Thiên Y A Na is popular in Vietnam, particularly among women. She is channeled through Lên đồng rituals. There have been many temples and shrines devoted to her throughout the last several centuries.
Kali Puja, also known as Shyama Puja or Mahanisha Puja, is a festival, originating from the Indian subcontinent, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali, celebrated on the new moon day of the Hindu month Kartik especially in the Indian states of West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, and titwala and the modern-day nation of Bangladesh. It coincides with the rest-of-Indian Lakshmi Puja day of Diwali. While the Bengalis, Odias, Assamese and Maithils adore goddess Kali on this day the rest of India worships goddess Lakshmi on Diwali. Mahanisha puja is performed by the Maithili people of Mithila region in India and Nepal.
The Ambubachi Mela is an annual Hindu mela held at Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Assam. This yearly mela is celebrated during the monsoon season that happens to fall during the Assamese month Ahaar, around the middle of June when sun transit to the zodiac of Mithuna, when the Brahmaputra river is in spate. It is the celebration of the yearly menstruation course of goddess Kamakhya. It is believed that the presiding goddess of the temple, Devi Kamakhya, the Mother Shakti, goes through her annual cycle of menstruation during this time stretch. It is also 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. There is no idol of the presiding deity but she is worshipped in the form of a yoni-like stone instead over which a natural spring flows.
Half sari function or Langa Voni Telugu: లంగా ఓణి, Pavadai Dhavani Tamil: பாவாடை, Langa Davani Kannada: ಲಂಗ ದ್ವನಿ. In South India, the Ritu Kala Samskara ceremony or Ritushuddhi is an Indian Hindu ceremony performed when a girl wears a sari for the first time. It is the celebration of when a girl's rite of passage after menarche and she is deemed a young woman both physically and spiritually. Langa voni is traditional clothing for unmarried girls in South India.
Dirgheswari Temple is a temple situated in the northern banks of the river Brahmaputra in Guwahati, Assam. Built by Ahom king Swargadeo Siva Singha, Dirgheswari temple is considered as a Shakti Peetha for Shakti Worship. Many ancient images made on rocks existed along with the temple. The main attraction of Dirgheswari temple is the annual Durga Puja celebrations, in which devotees from far of places use to attend.
Kamrupi Brahmins, also known as Kamarupi Brahmana and Kamrupi Bamon; are those brahmins who claimed their descent from the Kanauji immigrant brahmins whom settled in Kamarupa(present day Assam). They brought with them different Hindu epics and became the torch-bearers of Aryan culture in the region.
Situated at 26°09΄N latitude and 91°41΄ E longitude, Maligaon Chariali is the focal -point of Maligaon, in Guwahati. It is located between Jalukbari Point and Kamakhya foot hill of famous Kamakhya Temple. The road passing through Maligaon earlier was called Assam Trunk Road and during ist tenure of AGP, the road has been christened as the Dinesh Goswami Road. The word ‘chariali’ in Assamese means ‘a place where four roads meet. Towards the west from Maligaon Chariali one finds the Dinesh Goswami road approaching Jalukbari via Adabari, while towards the east, one approaches Kamakhya foot hill. A few decades back Maligaon was not part of Guwahati but of Pandu; from 1975 Maligaon became part of Guwahati. The Padmanath Gohain Baruah Road runs from Maligaon Chariali to NH-37 at Tetelia via Maligaon Goshala. The fourth road is the one that originates at Maligaon Chariali and runs northwest towards Pandu Cabin, touching Aruna Cinema Hall and Pandu College on the way. The Jalukbari Police Station lies at this corner of the Chariali. A foot overbridge for pedestrians has been inaugurated in early 2013.
Kamapitha is one of the four Kamarupa Pithas, the geographical divisions of ancient Kamarupa. Dineshchandra Sircar points out that these divisions are not found in the Kamarupa inscriptions and that they might be fabrications from late medieval sources, such as 16th-century work Yogini Tantra gives the boundaries of Kamapitha and other three pithas, the same work which gives boundaries of ancient Kamrup kingdom as well. The eastern border of Kamarupa was the temple of the goddess Tamreshvari near present-day Sadiya
Kharchi puja is a Hindu festival from Tripura, India. Performed in Agartala in July or August, the festival involves the worship of the fourteen gods forming the dynasty deity of the Tripuri people. Kharchi Puja is one of the most popular festivals in Tripura. It's a week-long royal Puja which falls in the month of July on the eighth day of the new moon and attracts thousands of people. This festival is celebrated at Agartala in the temple premises of fourteen gods. There are many legends associated with this Puja. The celebrations extend until a week and are held in the temple premises which are attended by thousands of people.
Domahi or Domasi and Damhi is popular harvesting festival of Kamrup and eastern Goalpara regions of Western Assam. Festivals marks the commencement and end of harvesting season, and start and end of Kamrupi and Goalpariya new years.
Corpse uncleanness is a state of ritual uncleanness described in Jewish Halachic law. It is the highest grade of uncleanness known to man of any of the several grades of uncleanness, or defilement, and is contracted by having either touched, carried or shifted a dead human body, whether directly or indirectly, or after having entered a roofed house or chamber where the corpse of an Israelite is lying.