Guwahati, 25 June (HS): A wave of devotion has engulfed the Nilachal Hills as the annual Ambubachi Mela reaches its final stage, with the sacred Nivritti rituals set to be observed tonight at the revered Kamakhya Temple. Following the completion of the rituals, the doors of the ancient Shakti Peeth will reopen to devotees on Friday morning.

The four-day religious congregation has drawn an overwhelming number of pilgrims, saints, sadhus and tantric practitioners from different parts of India and abroad. The temple complex and its surroundings have become a vibrant centre of spirituality, where prayers, meditation, tantra-sadhana and religious discourses have continued uninterrupted throughout the festival.

An estimated eight lakh devotees have thronged the shrine during this year's Ambubachi Mela, turning the hilltop pilgrimage centre into a sea of faith. The gathering is widely regarded as one of the country's most significant tantric festivals and is deeply associated with the worship of feminine divine energy.

As the sacred observance comes to an end, anticipation is building among devotees for the first darshan of Goddess Kamakhya after the reopening of the sanctum. To manage the massive influx of pilgrims, the administration and temple authorities have put in place extensive security, crowd-control and logistical arrangements to ensure a smooth and orderly conclusion of the festival.------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash