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.