So the last time I remember celebrating Bihu with family was way back in 2010 and since then, I have missed almost every festivity.  It’s a little difficult to explain the feeling of being away from home when one of your favourite festivals is being celebrated. Yesterday, when I saw my neighbours celebrating Lohri, it made me a little nostalgic as it brought back to me memories of my childhood Bihu celebrations.  A recent educational trip of Delhi University to Assam gave me a unique opportunity of visiting my own home state as a tourist. And must I here mention that, when you observe a culture as an outsider, it becomes more interesting. At times, you might be a part of a culture, but might not appreciate it unless you properly estimate its heritage. This trip probably made me realize how close I am to my culture and my land and how much I know about my state. It made me realize that though out my childhood I have been attached to a certain way of life, which I ...

21st DECEMBER 2014 Day 1: Kamakhya Darshan Kamakhya Temple is one of the major Sakti Peeths in the country and among the most important symbol of power. We were personally intrigued by the survival of an ancient tradition that defines Hinduism- i.e. Animal Sacrifice.  Sacrifice is seen as a selfless act of ‘grand’ for well wishes earned by the devotees. In ancient traditions it was seen as a divine contract binding the devotee and the goddess for the fulfilment of wishes.  Guwahati has always been a hot shot destination for the believers of the ‘Shakti Cult’. Every year believers of the tantric clan visit Maa Kamakhya, seeking blessings from the goddess of fertility. The temple today in fact stands as a landmark location where faith, fear and belief juxtapose each other in the name of religion. The uniqueness of the temple can surely be established by the fact that it’s located on the spot where the female reproductive organ of ‘Sati’ fell after her body ...