Guwahati, June 21: Assam chief minister today inaugurated the annual Ambubachi Mela, which is being projected by the state government on the country's tourism map, as tantriks, sadhus and devotees from different parts of the country started arriving at the Kamakhya temple on top of Nilachal hill here.

"The Kamakhya temple is a part of Assam's identity in the country and abroad. It is one of the biggest centres of spiritual culture. We are taking steps to promote it and ensure that more and more people come. Last year, nearly 10 lakh devotees came and we expect more this year," Sonowal said, while formally inaugurating the four-day festival at Sonaram School playground at Bharalumukh.

Devotees from Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh today visited the temple premises before the door closes tomorrow morning.

The temple remains closed for four days as goddess Kamakhya is believed to undergo her annual menstrual cycle.

"This is my second visit to the mela and hope to have a glimpse of Ma Kamakhya once the door reopens on Monday morning," Debashish Biswas, a devotee from Malda in Bengal, told The Telegraph.

Biswas is visiting with his wife Debashree. "I got married four years ago but we don't have a baby yet. Many people told me that a visit to Kamakhya thrice in a row helps and we have come here to pray to Ma," Biswas said.

Beliefs like these attract tourists and devotees to the mela at Kamakhya temple, one of the 51 shakti peeths in the country.

According to legends, the origin of the temple is associated with King Daksha and his son-in-law Shiva. His daughter Sati, who married Shiva against the wish of her father, angered Daksha who invited all the gods to a yagna except Shiva. Sati, humiliated by her father's act, plunged into the sacrificial fire of the yagna. Shiva held Sati's charred body and broke into the tandava nritya, the dance of destruction. Vishnu, the Supreme God, in order to save the three worlds from destruction, used his sudarshan chakra and cut Sati's body into pieces. As Shiva carried Sati's body in sorrow, a part of Sati's body fell on the Nilachal Hills, turning it blue. This hill is believed to have special powers and the energy of creation.

According to the Kalika purana, Kamakhya temple denotes the spot where Sati used to retire in secret with Shiva.

The mela has largely remained a religious congregation but this year the BJP government is planning big to attract tourists and transform it into one of the biggest centres of religious tourism. The department has conducted a strong promotional campaign on social media as well.

More than 10 lakh devotees, including tantriks and researchers from various parts of the country and nations like the UK, the US, Canada, the Netherlands, Nepal, Bangladesh and others visited the temple last year.

Many VIPs including BJP chief Amit Shah, chief ministers of nine states, ministers, MPs and religious leaders have been invited for the first time to this mela.

Apart from the 3.2km motorable road, there are three staircases that the devotees climb to reach Kamakhya and several other ancient temples on Nilachal hills.

The tourism department this year has launched a tour package, comprising tents on Nilachal hills and a river cruise on the Brahmaputra during Ambubachi mela as part of its plan to put Kamakhya on the spiritual tourism map of the country.

In another first this year, the temple authorities last week decided not to allow naga (naked) sadhus on the temple premises, saying such sights make devotees with families uncomfortable.

Tourism minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said efforts were on to construct another road to reach the temple from Pandu on the western side of of Nilachal hills.

"We are planning to start a water taxi facility from Kamakhya temple to Umanand temple to fulfil the wishes of devotees," he said.