Guwahati: Around 5 lakh devotees from across the country and abroad are expected to attend the annual Ambubachi Mela that begins on Sunday at Shaktipeeth Kamakhya atop Nilachal hills here.
The temple doors will be closed at 1830 hrs today and all forms of worship stopped.
Worship will resume after 0800 hrs on June 26, when the temple doors will also be reopened for devotees.
Goddess Kamakhya is believed to undergo her menstrual cycle during this period of the year and worship is closed in the temple.
Thousands of devotees have already reached the city to participate in the four-day Mela. N F Railway is running two special trains between Kamakhya and Katihar for benefit of the visitors.
Special arrangements have been made by the Kamrup (metro) district administration as well as the Kamakhya Debuttor Board to ensure a smooth event.
The tourism department, police and traffic have set up control rooms for benefit of the devotees.
Security measures have received special attention, along with hygiene and sanitation facilities.
Additional companies of security personnel, besides volunteers and NCC cadets, have been deployed for law and order aspects. CCTVs are already in place in the temple, which is a high-security zone even on normal days. Special transportation facilities have also been made, with entry of private vehicles without pass banned during the festival days.
Buses, trekkers and share-taxis have been provided by the administration to ferry the devotees from the foot of Nilachal hills to the temple. (UNI)
