Guwahati: The five-day Ambubachi mela, celebrated every year at Kamakhya temple in Nilachal hills here, began on Friday with the usual surge of devotees and visitors from across the country and outside.

A statement issued by the temple authorities said keeping with tradition, the main door of the temple was closed from 4.30pm on Friday and will reopen at 6am on Tuesday.

Devotees from across the world have gathered in and around the temple and started performing various rituals.

The mela was formally inaugurated by Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday evening.

"Last year, around 25 lakh devotees turned up during Ambubachi mela. We think this time the number will increase. A number of hermits and researchers come here and we, in collaboration with the district administration, have made all arrangements for them," the head priest of Kamakhya temple, Mohit Chandra Sarma, told The Telegraph.

During the mela, the city struggles to uphold cleanliness. Voice of Environment, an organisation of environment science students, has taken the initiative to carry out an awareness drive among the devotees over the cleanliness issue.

"We are working to meet the targets of the Mission Clean Green Assam initiative. A mission called Swachh Temple Vision, has been launched from Kamakhya temple. It promises to make the temple an eco-friendly and plastic-free region. It also plans to spread awareness of the temple's iconic reputation as a heritage site and a rich biodiversity spot. We have signed an MoU with the Kamakhya temple authorities in this regard," Moharana Choudhury, a member of the organisation, said.

The drive carried out by the organisation has mainly focused on managing plastic waste in the temple.

"We appeal to all devotees to stop carrying plastic and polythene bags while visiting the temple. Please carry paper, cotton or eco-friendly bags instead. Giving up on your habit of using plastic items would count as a blessing from Maa Kamakhya," Choudhury added.

Bhupesh Sarma, a member of the temple management committee, said: "It is a serious issue for this area. We have more than 200 cleaners, and during the mela we increase the number. But it is inadequate. We are planning to allow only bio-degradable paper bags in the temple area which has to be sold in local shops."