GUWAHATI, June 4: Congregation of devotees, sadhus, visitors and tourists has been prohibited during the annual Ambubachi Mela at the historic Kamakhya Temple for the second consecutive year in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation and as a precautionary measure against spread of the virus.
“Only rituals related to the Mela will be performed at the temple during the Mela scheduled from June 22, a statement issued by the Kamakhya Devalaya Management Committee here on Friday informed.
The Devalaya authorities had earlier decided to keep the doors of the temple closed till June 30, 2021 despite the Centre’s recent announcement that all religious places across the country would be allowed to open from June 8, 2021.
Last year, the temple, which is one of the 51 shaktipeeths in the country, was closed for devotees and visitors/tourists on March 20 as a precautionary measure against the pandemic ahead of the national lockdown on March 25.
Several lakhs of devotees, sadhus and tourists from across the country and world converge at the Mela during normal times, when worship is stopped for four days and temple doors closed as the Mother Goddess is believed to undergo her annual menstrual cycle during the period.
