Kamakhya Sacred Complex: A Centre of Sakta Tradition in Assam, India.

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of Mother Goddess worship, the Shakta tradition, and gendered rituals within the Kamrup-Kamakhya region of Assam. It critically examines how the Shakta tradition operates within the broader context of contemporary Brahmanical Hindu culture, functioning as both a distinct entity and an integral part of the cultural landscape. The paper discusses the existence of two contradictory societies within the Kamakhya Sacred Complex: the cosmological society that worships Mother Goddess Kamakhya, who embodies the divine power of maternity and the symbol of life-giving; vs the human society of the Kamakhya Sacred Complex, where followers worship the Mother Kamakhya but adhere to patrilineal social relations. Though flexible, the human society within this holy complex remains male-dominated. Methodologically, the research is grounded in the sociology of religion and ritual studies, employing ethnographic methods such as unstructured interviews, observation, and conversational analysis. Purposive sampling was utilized to select key informants relevant to the subject matter. The primary argument highlights the social construction of Sakta Cult that lies in the coexistence of religious devotion and patrilineal social structures within the Kamakhya Sacred Complex. This construction depicts the dualistic nature of Kamrup-Kamakhya: on one hand, the Mother Goddess is worshiped as a supreme and regional deity, while on the other hand, societal practices are deeply patriarchal, emphasising taboos associated with menstruation that deprive women of their daily rights during this time. The notions of purity and pollution are intertwined with menstruation; although the menstruation of the Mother Goddess is celebrated, she is subjected to seclusion and purification, much like women in Kamrup-Kamakhya society. The study extensively examines the prevalence of the Shakta tradition, focusing on its inherent characteristics, conceptual influences on society, existing beliefs and the significance of the Mother Goddess’s menstruation and its impact on Kamrupi society.