History and Mythological significance

The Kamakhya Temple of Assam, situated atop the Nilachal Hill, is regarded as the most renowned and powerful Shakti Peetha. Since ancient times, Kamakhya has been a central hub for Shakti worship, playing a vital role in shaping both the religious and political landscape of Assam. Numerous myths, legends, and beliefs are associated with the origin of this ancient shrine.

According to the Kalika Purana, Daksha was a deity and king in Hindu mythology. His daughter, Sati, married Lord Shiva against his wishes. Daksha, who disapproved of the marriage due to Shiva's austere lifestyle, once organized a grand yajna (sacrificial ritual) and invited everyone except Shiva. Still, Sati attended the ritual uninvited. Enraged upon seeing her, Daksha began insulting Shiva. Unable to bear the humiliation of her husband, Sati sacrificed herself at the yajna site. Grief-stricken, Shiva wandered the world carrying her corpse on his shoulders.

To relieve him of his sorrow, Lord Vishnu used his Sudarshan Chakra to cut Sati’s body into 51 parts. Each place where a body part fell became a sacred Shakti Peetha. It is believed that Sati's yoni (genital organ) fell on the Nilachal Hill, where the Kamakhya Temple was established.

There are two paths to reach the Kamakhya Temple. One of them is known as the “Makhela Ujuwa Path,” which reminds visitors of the temple’s ancient history. According to another popular legend, Narakasura, the Kirata king of Pragjyotishpur, was a devoted worshipper of Goddess Kamakhya. It is believed that he was the first to establish a temple dedicated to the goddess on Nilachal Hill.

One day, Narakasura happened to see the goddess and was so mesmerized by her divine beauty that he proposed marriage. The goddess declined, stating that a union between a deity and a mortal was impossible. However, as Narakasura insisted, the goddess devised a clever plan to rid herself of him.

She told him that if he could build a staircase of stone from the foothills to the temple in a single night for the ease of pilgrims, she would agree to marry him. The goddess assumed Narakasura would fail. But to her surprise, he was about to complete the task before dawn. Alarmed, the goddess sought to stop him. She instructed a rooster to crow before sunrise. Hearing the crow, Narakasura believed dawn had arrived and abandoned the work. The goddess then told him that since the rooster had crowed, his time was up, and the condition remained unfulfilled.

In a fit of rage, Narakasura chased the rooster to a place now known as Kukurakata and sliced it into pieces. The unfinished stone staircase, believed to have been built by Narakasura, is still visible today and is called “Mekhela Ujuwa” (a stepped path shaped like a traditional Assamese female garment, mekhela).

Following this event, conflict broke out between Narakasura and the gods. His tyranny increased to such a level that Lord Krishna ultimately killed him and handed over the throne of Pragjyotishpur to his son, Bhagadatta.