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| March 31, 2010 | Special Holi celebrations at Guwahati's Kamakhya temple | |
Guwahati:Thousands of devotees from across the country gathered at Guwahati's Kamakhya Temple to celebrate a special Holi festival. The festival is celebrated on the full moon
day after the Navratri to please Goddess Kamakhya, the consort of Lord Shiva. Devotees offer prayers to the Goddess Kamakhya, smear colour on each other and
sing devotional songs in praise of the goddess. As a part of celebrations, the
idol of the goddess is taken from the altar and carried in a palanquin to the
nearby Bogola Temple. After worshiping the goddess there, the devotees bring back
the idol to its place. "The idol of the goddess is worshipped in a temple nearby
and after the worship rituals are finished there, the idol is brought back here.
This is the Goddess' Holi," said Sobha Kant Dobey, a tourist from Bihar. The celebrations
this year took place on a rainy day, which saw the devotees celebrating with great
gusto. "This is Mother's power that it is her Holi today and it is raining as
well. That's why we believe in religion," said Manik Deori, a priest. The priests
who participate in this festival are not allowed to eat outside the temple for
15 days. It is only after the Holi celebrations that priests are permitted to
eat at their homes. |
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