It is held in the premises of the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati in the State of Assam. The festival falls in the month of June and is one of the major festivals in North-East India, so much so that it has been dubbed as the ‘Mahakumbh of the East’. The festival has been associated with fertility rituals and many devotees come to seek the blessing of a child from the Goddess. The temple has courted controversy because of the alleged Tantric activities conducted during this mela. During the festival, the patron Goddess Kamakhya is said to be undergoing her annual menstrual cycle. Hence, the temple remains closed for three days as it is considered unclean. Once the door reopens, thousands of devotees come to take blessings from the Goddess. During this period, the number of incidents related to Tantrik activities is also high and they are said to perform unusual rites.
