Garo hills’ Kamakhya needs promotion

TURA, JUNE 6: Locals and priest feel that lesser-known ‘shaktipeethas’ in Meghalaya’s Garo Hills, which draws visitors from far-flung areas of Assam and Meghalaya, needs promotion, so that devotees of Goddes vs Kamakhya will be able to pay their obeisance at the historic pilgrimage site located at Thakuranbari village, along Assam – Meghalaya border, close to Mancachar town of Assam.

The temple is about 45 km from Tura in West Garo Hills and falls under South West Garo hills district of Meghalaya. The temple is a seed of religious diversity. People from all communities irrespective of their religion visits the temple and seek blessings from Goddess Kamakhya.

The temple is revered equally to renowned Kamakhya temple of Guwahati.

Kamakhya is a Hindu tantric Goddess of desire that evolved in the Himalayan hills. The goddess is also identified as Kali and Maha Tripura Sundari.

Om Prakash Jha, temple priest of Kamakhya temple in Garo Hills say that the naval of Goddess Kamakhya was found at this very site.

“The temple is based on sati’s naval part. The Hindu population is less but there are devotees, who come from different parts of Assam and Meghalaya”, said Jha.

He informed that last year a community hall was inaugurated at the temple premises by deputy commissioner of West Garo Hills Pravin Bakshi. The temple was built under sanctioned from Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF).

A rest house was built during chief minister of Assam Hiteswar Saikia’s tenure and a washroom constructed by the Assam tourism department.

Though the temple is not widely popular like its counterpart in Guwahati, but  the place has garnered attention as people, who have visited the temple has spread the word about this pilgrimage destination. Locals feel that the state government of Assam and Meghalaya should popularise the temple, so that devotees from the length and breaths of India can visit the temple.

“The tourists face difficulty during their visit to the temple as there are not much infrastructure facilities. If government of Assam and Meghalaya can come together to promote the pilgrimage site, it will boost the economic income of the local population here apart from promotion of tourism”, said Sujit Bezbaruah, a devotee, who frequents the temple.

Many visitors feel that if the place is developed it will attract both tourist and devotees of Goddess Kamakhya. They also opined that the infrastructure facilities should be enhanced.

“I feel that the place should be promoted, so that people can come and visit this important religious site. The infrastructure should be bettered and maintained properly”, remarked Sunildro Akoijam, a devotee from Manipur, who teaches at North Eastern Hill University (NEHU).-From Our Correspondent