According to legend, when Shiva was carrying the corpse of Sati and dancing his tandava, Vishnu used his Sudarshana chakra to cut Sati’s body into 51 pieces. These pieces fell to earth at various locations, which became known as Shakti Peethas.
The Kamakhya temple in Guwahati marks the spot where Sati’s yoni or womb fell. The temple itself houses no physical idol, but instead focuses worship on a natural stone cleft in the hill that is said to resemble a yoni. The cleft is constantly wet due to a natural spring, and the water is considered sacred.
Kamakhya Devi, the presiding goddess of the temple, is seen as representative of creative female power and fertility. The temple is an important center of Tantric practices and rituals involving animal sacrifices.
The annual Ambubachi Mela festival held at the Kamakhya temple celebrates the menstruation of the goddess. It is believed that during this time, the waters of the nearby Brahmaputra River turn
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamakhya_Temple
- https://www.newindianexpress.com/magazine/2021/sep/26/motherlodesof-power-2362905.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakti_Pitha
