Amit Shah will land at Assam’s Kamakhya Temple, during his visit to the India-Bangladesh border

*Paromita Das

On the eve of the first anniversary of the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led BJP government in Assam, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit the state for two days beginning May 9.

On his visit to the India-Bangladesh border in Mankachar, he will land in a temporary helipad near the famous Kamakhya Temple. Did you know that this Kamakhya temple is not located on the Neelachal hills in Guwahati?

This temple was built by Great Koch King Narayana and is located in Thakuranbari, Garo Hills, Meghalaya, near the tomb of Mir Jumbla, General of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
According to legend, Maa Kamakhya’s body was divided into 52 parts, and a temple was built to honour and worship her in each location. As a result, Kamakhya’s navel fell at Thakuranbari in Meghalaya’s Garo hills, giving rise to the temple.

“We do not know whether the Union Minister will visit this Kamakhya temple during his visit to Mancachar.” The king built this temple, and our forefathers were brought here to perform puja. Since then, we have been serving as priests in this revered temple. The main temple here is dedicated to Devi Kamakhya. Aside from the Kamakhya deity, the compound also houses temples dedicated to Siva, Durga, Shakti, Hanuman, and Santoshi. Despite its small size and relative obscurity, this temple is an important pilgrimage destination for Hindu devotees from all over India; “Om Prakash, the priest who has been performing puja at the temple for the past 40 years, explained.

Kamakhya Temple, located about 45 kilometers from Tura in the West Garo Hills, is also known as Kali and Maha Tripura Sundari.

“We cleaned the temple grounds in preparation for the Union minister’s visit to our area. People from Assam manage the temple, which is located on the Assam-Meghalaya border and in the Garo hills of Meghalaya. The committee also includes Garo representatives. The most intriguing aspect of Thakuranbari is its proximity to the Kamakhya temple, which is separated by a BSF camp. Visitors come from all over the country, including Muslims, according to Khudiram Paul, a member of the Maa Kamakhya Mandir Management Committee.

Assam has four Kamakhya temples, the most famous of which is the Shakti Peetha in Guwahati, which is considered the highest seat of Shakti worship. Others can be found in Silghat (Nagaon), Khetri (Kamrup), and West Garo Hills in Assam’s South Salmara district, close to the India-Bangladesh border.

During his visit to Mancachar, Shah plans to visit the Indo-Bangladeshi border and meet with BSF personnel. Though the itinerary has yet to be officially announced. On May 9, Shah will dedicate the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) super-specialty center. According to health department sources, the new wing of GMCH will include a cardiothoracic and neuroscience centre (CNC) with four departments – cardiology, cardiothoracic, neurology, and neurosurgery.

According to health officials, the initiative will be a stepping stone toward transforming Assam into a South Asian health hub following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s April 28 inauguration of seven cancer care hospitals in the districts.

On May 10, Shah will speak at a public rally in Guwahati.