Land of Black Magic (Mayong)

Recently I was in the trip of Guwahati, Assam. As I am being curious to know about local culture of the places I travel; I have asked my taxi driver, speciality about this place and what all you must visit if you have time.

He started talking about Umananda temple, Umananda island, Srimata Sankardeva Kalakshetra, kaziranga national park (wild life century), Assam state museum, pobitora wildlife century, Assam state zoo and Boat Club, Navagraha temple around, Shillong, Cherrapunji, beautiful lakes on the way to Shillong, Mayong (A place known as black magic capital of India) and so many things like that.

Mayong had pulled my interest and after that I have started gathering more information about the place, so I got to know more about “Mayong” (or Mayang, also known as the land of Black magic in India) is a village in Morigaon district, Assam. It lies on the bank of river Brahmaputra, around 40 km from the city of Guwahati. At times it was considered the cradle of black magic in India.

This place has been registered in many mythological epics, including Mahabharata. Chief Ghatotkacha of kachari kingdom took part in the great battle of Mahabharata with his magical powers. It was also said about Mayong that the saints of black magic and the witches take shelter in the Mayong forest till now. There are many tales of Men disappearing into the thin air, people being converted into animals, or beasts being magically tamed, have been associated with Mayong.

Narabali or human sacrifices were carried out in connection with the worship of Shakti until the early modern period. Excavators had recently dug up swords and other sharp weapons that resembled tools used for human sacrifice in other part of India.

Old stories say that human sacrifices may have occurred in the Ahom era in Mayong.

Apart from the Black magic; this place is also famous for its rich wildlife, archaeology pilgrimage, eco-tourism, adventure tourism, cultural tourism and river tourism.

The famous Kamakhya Temple also known as Kamrup-Kamakhya temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the mother goddess Kamakhya. It is one of the oldest of the 51 Shakti Pithas and known as one of the most powerful places.The current structural temple, built and renovated many times in the period between 8th-17th century. It is at Nilachal Hill in western part of Guwahati city in Assam, India. it is the main temple in a complex of individual temples dedicated to the ten Mahavidyas of Saktism : Kali, Tara, Sodashi, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi, Chhinnamasta, Dhumavati, Bagalamukhi, Matangiand Kamalatmika. Among these, Tripurasundari, Matangi and Kamala reside inside the main temple whereas the other seven reside in individual temples. It is an important pilgrimage destination for Hindus and especially for Tantric worshipers.

There is another big festival called as Ambubachi Mela; for it is believed that mother earth becomes unclean for three days like the traditional women's menstrual seclusion. During these three days some restrictions are observed by the devotees like not cooking, not performing puja or reading holy books, no farming etc. After three days Devi Kamakhya is bathed, and other rituals are performed to ensure that the Devi retrieves her purity.Then the doors of the temple are reopened and prasad is distributed. On the fourth day the devotees can enter in the temple and worship devi Kamakhya.The prasad is distributed in two forms – Angodak and Angabastra. Angodak literally means the fluid part of the body - water from the spring and Angabastra literally means the cloth covering the body - a piece of the red cloth used to cover the stone yoni during the days of menstruation.

This yearly Mela is celebrated during the monsoon season that happens to fall during the Assamese month Ahaar, around the middle of June when sun transit to the zodiac of Mithuna, when the Brahmaputra river is in spate.

During my visit on 20 June 2019 the preparations were on the peak; as it was from 22-26 June 2019. Main temple of Shakti is closed form 21 June 2019 about 9.30 PM and then it will get open by 26 June 2019 at 7.51 AM. In these 3-4 days millions of people comes here to attend the huge Mela. This happens on the way to Kamakhya Temple on the hills of Nilachal. This is also known as Ameti or Tantric fertility festival since it is closely associated with Tantric Shakti cult prevalent in eastern part of India.

Having all this here people are very kind hearted, simple and humble in nature. Education level is high. City has everything you need. Nice Whether most of the time in a year, beautiful green lush jungles, special local dressing, Tasty food and soft but prominent culture of the state makes it best in the class.

Return Gift to the Nature…!

We hear a lot about save water, of course that is important but is there something that we can do additionally as well ! Well the answer is yes, it's time to help nature make water too.

Let’s not only save water 💦 Support nature to make it!!!

We are the children of a great nation!!! Great Mother land with great culture and with great glorious history! But today we have spoilt our nature and our natural resources; because we have been utilising it but Never thought of giving anything back to the nature, to our motherland!

*(As per data from government think tank) *

” Today India is facing its worst-ever water crisis, with some 600 million people facing acute water shortage, a government think-tank says. This data is in the report from NITI Aayog, which draws on data from 24 of India’s 29 state, says the crisis is “only going to get worse in the years ahead”.

It has also warned that 21 cities are likely to run out of groundwater by 2020 despite increasing demand.

Situation is getting critical about availability of drinking water with the Planet’s second largest population at 1.3 billion (after China 1.4 billion). It is being published (As per the UN report) already that by year 2040; water crisis will be a big challenge for almost every one of us to face." 

It’s not far; just coming 21 years!!!!

It’s from long time we all keep saying...save water! Save water! And save water!

Can we really save enough water so that our coming generations can have it comfortably! I don’t think so! The way mankind is heading on towards industrialisation, building concrete, making strong infrastructures and so many things...this all requires water and at every point we can’t keep saving water. Even today majority is not conscious about saving water; because of so many reasons people can give!!!

For a very long time we have heard about water shortages, farmer suicides, draught situations and so many incidents about water crisis; but can just listen and listen about it!!! Is that enough...?

No, it’s not! So, what is the better way?

Rather than only saving water; let’s think how we can become catalyst for the nature to make it!

One way is; we can make the seawater drinkable by ‘Reverse osmosis process’ by heating the water and collecting the Drinkable water. This heat can be from fossil fuel or by Solar energy. One takes good cost, and another takes good time. So, this process is still under evolutionary stage.

Another option is to plant the trees as many as we can. Because they activate the natural cycle for water.

People are doing it right!!!

Recently There was a Guinness book of world record made by Madhya Pradesh where 1.5 million volunteers plant 66 million tree in 12 hours.

Beating the previous record of 49.3 million saplings in 24 hrs planted in Utter Pradesh (India).

These are not just records but the signatures for the future that they have taken as a bold step to save the nature and water for the future generations.

Another good way is utilisation of the rain water through rain water harvesting system.

Collect the water from rooftop by various methods of piping and store this water to the collection chamber or tanks to be use for the regular use or drinking after filtering it. Overflowing water can be directed to the rechargeable pit and will help raising the level of ground water.

These are the best way to support the nature’s cycle. Plantation will surely help us to have more rains and more stable weather.

Recently formed government has also set up the integrated Jal Shakti ministry, reorganising water resources, River development and Ganga Rejuvenation bodies and merging them with Drinking Water and sanitation as a new development; which will also add a value to this mission.

Rains are on the way this season, Plant the tree as much as we can.

Let’s do this by joining hands together for ourselves, for the generations who are there as children today and for them yet to come!!!!

I am committing to plant at least 100 trees in this Monsoon…. Do a bit from your side! I am sure every single contribution towards this will change the direction of future towards life.

So, let’s make our signature visible for coming generations 

✈✈✈✈✈ Return gift of the Nature…. ✈✈✈✈✈